HK1010238B - Faucet handle assembly - Google Patents

Description

Faucet handle assembly

Technical Field

The present invention relates to lever handles for faucets and, more particularly, to a lever handle assembly that contains a minimum of parts, but allows for interchanging decorative bodies.

Background

To appeal to the interests and hobbies of a wide range of consumers, faucets are provided having different handle configurations. Single handle faucets include a handle and control the temperature and volume of the flowing liquid based on the position of the handle. The dual-handle faucet facilitates separate control of hot and cold water for mixing and outflow through the outlet. The flow of liquid is controlled by the handle and the temperature is determined by the ratio of hot and cold water flowing through the outlet. Each handle is connected to a valve that controls the volume of liquid that flows to the outlet. The liquid flow rate is increased or decreased by rotating a valve stem connected to a handle.

Conventional dual-handle faucet assemblies have buttons or levers for controlling the flow of fluid. The lever handle is arranged outwards, and the lever is required to swing towards the water outlet so as to open water flow. In the past, it has been necessary to replace the entire lever handle assembly to change the appearance of the faucet. More recently, such lever handles have allowed the replacement of only the lever body, which may be metal such as chrome or brass, or wood, porcelain or clear plastic. This minimizes the need to inventory parts because the lever assembly can be supplied separately. However, known lever assemblies require fastening attachments to secure the garnish to the handle base. Such an attachment includes a set screw for securing an axial spindle and a nut for threaded engagement with the spindle to secure the decorative lever body. Each of these individual fastening means is subject to wear and thus requires replacement, except for the majority of accessories which require inventory.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention overcomes the deficiencies of the prior known lever handle assemblies for faucets by providing a handle that secures a decorative lever to a lever base with a minimum of parts.

To this end, the present invention provides a faucet handle assembly for selectively controlling the flow of liquid through a water outlet, the handle assembly comprising: a base for cooperating with a valve of a faucet, said base including a seat having first and second threaded bores disposed coaxially within said seat of said base, the diameter of the first threaded bore being greater than the diameter of the second threaded bore; a set of handle bodies adapted to fit in said seats of said apertures; and means for securing said handle body to said seat of said base, said means cooperating with a thread in one of said first and second apertures to secure the interchangeable handle body to said seat; the first and second threaded bores are adapted to receive interchangeable handle bodies, an outer portion of the handle body being in abutting engagement with an outer surface of the base adjacent the first bore, one of the handle bodies being threadably engaged in the first threaded bore and the other handle body being received in the second threaded bore to secure the handle bodies in the respective bores.

In a preferred embodiment, the handle body provides a decorative effect to the handle assembly and may be made of metal such as chrome or brass, or may be made of wood, porcelain or plastic. The handle body includes an axial through bore for matingly receiving a spindle. The mandrel includes a decorative head portion and a threaded rear portion. The rear portion extends through the handle body to engage threads in the base while positioning the handle body in the cylindrical seat of the base. The spindle and the handle body include intermeshing splines that secure the handle body to the spindle and allow simultaneous rotation to tighten the faucet handle. As a result, the handle body is fixed between the spindle head and the cylindrical seat. The structure of the present invention minimizes fastening accessories by securing the handle body to the handle assembly using a single handle.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description made with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Drawings

The present invention will be understood more fully from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, taken together with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lever handle of a faucet embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the handle;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of another embodiment of a faucet handle;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the first embodiment of the handle;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a handle;

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the handle;

fig. 7 is a perspective view of the handle body.

Detailed Description

Referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown a partial view of a two handle faucet 10 including a base or shield 12 mounted on a spout 14. A lever handle 16 is secured to the faucet for controlling the flow of water to the faucet outlet (not shown). As is well known, turning lever handle 16 inwardly toward the outlet increases flow by imparting rotation to an internal valve operatively connected to handle 16. Conversely, turning the lever handle 16 outward reduces or shuts off flow to the outlet. The lever handle 16 is used in the dual-handle faucet 10 to independently control the flow of hot and cold water. The present invention provides a lever handle 16 that minimizes the number of parts and simplifies assembly.

Referring now to fig. 2 and 4, lever handle 16 includes 3 main parts: a base 20, a lever body 22 and a spindle 24 for securing the lever body 22 to the base 20. The base 20 includes a housing 26 at its lower portion for matingly engaging the valve stem of the faucet valve. Set screw 28 of neck 30 of base 20 secures base 20 to the valve so that rotation of the base can be transmitted to the valve. Disposed above the neck 30 is a horizontally disposed seat 32. A pair of coaxial threaded bores are formed in the seat 32 and are open at the seat 32 and are arranged substantially horizontally. A first threaded bore 34 of larger diameter is formed substantially at the seat opening 32. A second threaded bore 36 of smaller diameter is formed behind the first bore 34. The coaxial bores 34 and 36 allow the seat 20 to be used as part of different embodiments of faucet handles, as will be described further below.

In the first embodiment of faucet handle 16 shown in fig. 2 and 4, handle body 22 is secured in seat 32 by spindle 24. The handle body 22 includes an axial through bore 38 through which the spindle 24 extends. A portion of the bore 38 is preferably formed with a set of splines 40 that engage splines 42 on the spindle 24 to lock the handle body 22 to the spindle 24. The mandrel 24 includes a threaded section 44 for threaded engagement with the small threaded bore 36. A decorative head 46 is formed at the outer end of the mandrel 24. Due to the intermeshing splines 40, 42, once the spindle 24 is initially threaded into the smaller diameter threaded bore 36, the handle can be tightened by rotating the lever body 22.

The faucet handle assembly allows for easy interchange of the handle body 22 while maintaining the securement of the body 22 to the handle 16. The mandrel 24 is fed through the through hole 38 in the body 22 until its head 46 engages the end of the body 22. The threaded portion 44 of the spindle 24 engages the second threaded bore 36 until the body 22 is firmly seated against the base 20.

Another embodiment of a faucet handle 116 is shown in fig. 3 and 5, which cooperates with the same base 20 to provide a substantial inventory reduction. The handle body 122 does not have a through hole but is formed with a threaded rear portion 123 that is threadedly engaged with the first threaded hole 34 to thereby secure the handle body 122 to the base 20. The solid handle body 122 is used when decorative metal is not required as in the mandrel head 46 of the first embodiment. Nevertheless, the handle body 122 is interchangeably secured to the base 20. Since both embodiments can use the same base 20 with two threaded holes 34 and 36, the requirement for a significant savings in the number of parts to stock can be achieved.

The foregoing detailed description is given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom, for modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

Claims (8)

1. A faucet handle assembly for selectively controlling the flow of liquid through a water outlet, the handle assembly comprising:

a base for cooperating with a valve of a faucet, said base including a seat having first and second threaded bores disposed coaxially within said seat of said base, the diameter of the first threaded bore being greater than the diameter of the second threaded bore;

a set of handle bodies adapted to fit in said seats of said apertures; and

means for securing said handle body to said seat of said base, said means cooperating with a thread in one of said first and second bores to secure an interchangeable handle body to said seat;

the first and second threaded bores are adapted to receive interchangeable handle bodies, an outer portion of the handle body being in abutting engagement with an outer surface of the base adjacent the first bore, one of the handle bodies being threadably engaged in the first threaded bore and the other handle body being received in the second threaded bore to secure the handle bodies in the respective bores.

2. The handle assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second threaded bores coaxially disposed in the seat of the bore have a diameter less than a diameter of the seat.

3. A handle assembly as recited in claim 2 wherein said means for securing said handle body comprises a spindle extending through an axial through-hole of said handle body and threadingly engaging said second threaded hole of said base to secure said handle body to said seat of said base.

4. A handle assembly as recited in claim 3 wherein said spindle includes a head portion selectively engageable with said handle body to secure said handle body between said spindle head and said seat of said base.

5. A handle assembly as recited in claim 3 wherein said spindle includes a plurality of splines and said handle body includes a plurality of splines, said handle body splines engaging said spindle splines to secure said handle body to said spindle such that rotation of said handle body is transmitted to said spindle.

6. A handle assembly as recited in claim 3 wherein said handle body includes a circumferential shoulder formed at an inner end thereof, said shoulder engaging said seat of said base to center said handle body on said base.

7. A faucet handle assembly for selectively controlling the flow of liquid through a water outlet, the handle assembly comprising:

a base for mating with a valve of a faucet, the base including a seat disposed laterally having first and second coaxial bores formed therein, the first bore having a diameter greater than the second bore, the seat having a diameter greater than the first bore;

a set of interchangeable handle bodies adapted to fit in said seats of said apertures; and

means for interchangeably securing said handle body to said seat of said base, said means cooperating with one of said first and second holes in a threaded manner to secure the handle body to said seat of said base;

the first and second threaded bores are adapted to receive interchangeable handle bodies, an outer portion of the handle body being in abutting engagement with an outer surface of the base adjacent the first bore, one of the handle bodies being threadably engaged in the first threaded bore and the other handle body being received in the second threaded bore to secure the handle bodies in the respective bores.

8. A faucet handle assembly for selectively controlling the flow of liquid through a water outlet, the handle assembly comprising:

a base for cooperating with a valve of a faucet, said base including a seat having first and second threaded bores disposed coaxially within said seat of said base, the diameter of the first threaded bore being greater than the diameter of the second threaded bore;

a set of handle bodies adapted to be interchangeably received in said seats of said apertures; and

means for interchangeably securing said handle body to said seat of said base, said means cooperating with one of said first and second bores to secure the interchangeable handle body to said seat;

the first and second threaded bores are adapted to receive interchangeable handle bodies, an outer portion of the handle body being in abutting engagement with an outer surface of the base adjacent the first bore, one of the handle bodies being threadably engaged in the first threaded bore and the other handle body being received in the second threaded bore to secure the handle bodies in the respective bores.