US20070151022A1

US20070151022A1 - Water outlet coupling head

Info

Publication number: US20070151022A1
Application number: US11/325,454
Authority: US
Inventors: Tien-Ho Chung
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-01-05
Filing date: 2006-01-05
Publication date: 2007-07-05

Abstract

A water outlet coupling head includes a hollow coupling head body, a rotary bolt running through the interior of the coupling head body, a coupling member and an elastic thrust member. The coupling head body is coupled with a spout of a water outlet head. The rotary bolt has a first end perimeter which has a detent member extending radially outwards and a second end perimeter which has a diameter smaller than the first end perimeter to run through the thrust member and fasten to the coupling member. The thrust member has one end pressing a bucking ring located in the coupling head body and another end ramming a pressing portion of the rotary bolt. Thereby the coupling member can be fastened to the water outlet head and positioned in a selected direction.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a coupling head to couple with the spout of a faucet and particularly to a coupling head that has a coupling member which is fastenable to the faucet in a desired water discharge direction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A conventional faucet generally has a spout to discharge water at a fixed location. If there is need to alter the water discharge location, a coupling head 1 is added to couple with the faucet 2 as shown in FIG. 1A. The coupling head 1 has a fastening head 3 on one end to be coupled with an external screw thread 4 formed on the spout of the faucet 2. The external screw thread 4 is a helical screw thread. Thus when the fastening head 3 is fastened tightly, the final position of the coupling head 1 could be located away from the desired position as shown in FIG. 1B.
This is mainly caused by the rotational screwing between the coupling head 1 and the faucet 2. To fasten the coupling head 1 in a selected direction, the fastening could be too loose and a gap is formed at the coupling location that affects the aesthetic appealing. On the other hand, fasten too tightly, the screw thread could be damaged and unfastening in the future is difficult. As a result, the coupling head 1 often cannot be installed on the faucet 2 in a desired direction.
To remedy the aforesaid problem, an improved design is developed as shown in FIG. 2. It has a fastening head 3 a on one end of a coupling head 1 a with a screw hole 5 a formed transversely on the periphery. The spout of a faucet 2 a has an annular groove 6 a formed on the periphery. After the coupling head 1 a is fastened to the spout of the faucet 2 a, a bolt 7 a is provided to run through the screw hole 5 a. The bolt 7 a has a distal end to engage with the annular groove 6 a to form a secure coupling between the coupling head 1 a and the faucet 2 a. The bolt 7 a has a head extending outside the coupling head 1 a. While it can fasten the coupling head 1 a in a desired direction, it does not have a neat appearance and results in less desirable aesthetic appealing. Moreover, the annular groove 6 a is compressed by the distal end of the bolt 7 a on one side. The compression force is not evenly applied. This could result in not secure fastening.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the aforesaid disadvantages occurred to the conventional faucets, the primary object of the present invention is provide a water outlet coupling head that can control water discharge direction or location. It mainly includes a circular and hollow coupling head body to be coupled with the spout of a water outlet head. The coupling head body is coupled with and run through by a rotary bolt. The rotary bolt has a first end perimeter which has a detent member extending radially outwards, a second end perimeter which is smaller than the first end perimeter, and a pressing portion formed on the juncture of the first and second end perimeters. The second end perimeter holds an elastic thrust member. The thrust member has one end pressing a bucking ring formed in the coupling head body and another end ramming the pressing portion of the rotary bolt. Thereby the coupling member can be fastened to the spout of the water outlet head in a desired direction.
The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is an exploded view of a conventional faucet and a water outlet coupling head before coupling.
FIG. 1B is a plane view of a conventional faucet and a water outlet coupling head in a coupled condition.
FIG. 2 is a schematic view of another conventional faucet and a water outlet coupling head before coupling.
FIG. 3 is an exploded view of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4A is a sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention in a coupled condition.
FIG. 4B is a cross section taken on line 4B-4B in FIG. 4A.
FIG. 4C is a schematic view of FIG. 4A in an operating condition.
FIG. 4D is a cross section taken on line 4D-4D in FIG. 4A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Please referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the water outlet coupling head of the invention aims to control water discharge direction. It includes:
a circular and hollow coupling head body 10 which has a first screw thread 11 on the periphery to be fastened to a spout 21 of a water outlet head 20. The coupling head body 10 has one end with a flange 12 formed thereon and extended outwards and a bucking ring 13 extended inwards from the inner perimeter thereof. The coupling head body 10 has another end close to the water outlet head 20 with a harness notch 14 formed thereon;
a rotary bolt 30 which runs through the interior of the coupling head body 20 and has a first end perimeter 31 close to the water outlet head 20 with a detent member 32 extending outwards, a second end perimeter 33 which is smaller than the first end perimeter 31, and a pressing portion 34 on the juncture of the first and second end perimeters to form an elevation difference. The second end perimeter 33 has a second screw thread 35 formed thereon;
an elastic thrust member 40 (such as a spring) which is extendable axially and coupled on the second end perimeter 33 of the rotary bolt 30, and has one end ramming the pressing portion 34 of the rotary bolt 34 and another end pressing the bucking ring 13 of the coupling head body 10;
a tubular coupling member 50 which has a coupling head 51 formed on an inner side of one end close to the coupling head body 10. The coupling head 51 has a screw bore 52 to be fastened to the second screw thread 35 of the rotary bolt 30; and
a plurality of water sealing rings 60 located respectively on the outer periphery of the coupling head body 10, the first end perimeter 31 and second end perimeter 33 of the rotary bolt 30.
When in use, the coupling member 50 and the rotary bolt 30 are fastened together through the screw bore 52 on the coupling head 51 and the second screw thread 35 on the second end perimeter 33; then the first screw thread 11 of the coupling head body 10 is fastened to the internal screw thread of the spout 21 of the water outlet head 20 as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B.
To position the coupling member 50 in a desired direction for the water outlet end, referring to FIGS. 4C and 4D, rotate the coupling member 50 at a desired angle with the coupling head 51 fastening further to the second screw thread 35 of the rotary bolt 30 without exceeding one screw pitch; namely the rotation angle is less than 360 degrees so that the detent member 32 of the rotary bolt 30 is rotated within the range of the harness notch 14 of the coupling head body 10; meanwhile the thrust member 40 is in a compressed condition.
It is to be noted that the thrust member 40 of the invention rams against the coupling head body 10 and the rotary bolt 30, hence fastening between the coupling head 51 and the second screw thread 35 can be adjusted slightly to allow the water outlet end of the coupling member 50 to be moved to a desired location. Moreover, the coupling head 51 has a coupling surface A pressing one end surface of the flange 12 of the coupling head body 10.
In addition, the rotary bolt 30 can be moved axially through rotation of the coupling member 50 so that the thrust member 40 can be compressed or extended. By means of such a design, in the event that the coupling member 50 and the rotary bolt 30 are not fastened tightly, the elastic force of the thrust member 40 can push the end surface of the flange 12 in contact closely with the coupling surface A of the coupling head 51 without forming a gap.
Referring to FIG. 4C, when the coupling head body 10 is pushed by the rotation of the coupling member 50, the detent member 32 on the first end perimeter 31 of the rotary bolt 30 is moved in the harness notch 14 of the coupling head body 10. Hence the detent member 32 can be rotated only within an angle defined by the notch 14. As a result, the rotation angle of the coupling member 50 to the left and right can be controlled without exceeding one screw pitch, or 360 degrees.
While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been set forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiment of the invention as well as other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A water outlet coupling head, comprising:

a hollow coupling head body which is coupled with a spout of a water outlet head;

a rotary bolt running through the interior of the coupling head body and having a first end perimeter which has a detent member extending radially outwards and a second end perimeter which has a diameter smaller than the first end perimeter to form a pressing portion on a juncture therebetween and a second screw thread formed thereon;

a coupling member fastened to the second screw thread; and

an elastic thrust member coupling on the rotary bolt and having one end pressing a bucking ring located in the coupling head body and another end ramming the pressing portion of the rotary bolt.

2. The water outlet coupling head of claim 1, wherein the first end perimeter of the rotary bolt where the detent member is located is close to the water outlet head, the coupling head body having a harness notch corresponding to the detent member to limit the rotational angular range of the rotary bolt.

3. The water outlet coupling head of claim 1, wherein the coupling member has a coupling head on one end close to the coupling head body, the coupling head has a screw bore to be fastened to the second screw thread of the rotary bolt.

4. The water outlet coupling head of claim 1, wherein the coupling head body has a first screw thread on the periphery to be fastened to the spout of the water outlet head.

5. The water outlet coupling head of claim 1, wherein the first end perimeter and the second end perimeter of the rotary bolt are coupled with at least one water sealing ring.

6. The water outlet coupling head of claim 1, wherein the coupling head body is coupled with at least one water sealing ring on the outer perimeter thereof.

7. The water outlet coupling head of claim 1, wherein the thrust member is a spring.