Cartridge underbody attachment
View Patent ↗The present invention is a cartridge underbody attachment for a single control faucet. The attachment generally comprises a cartridge seat, valve tubes, and tube fittings. The cartridge seat is supported within the spout body of a faucet. The spout body comprises a sideways extending port having a notch and ledge formed therein. The cartridge seat is positioned in the spout body. The cartridge seat generally comprises a backplate having defined apertures, and a manifold that is part of the rear surface of backplate. Valve tubes soldered within the manifold are in fluid communication with the apertures. A pin on the backplate interfaces with the notch in the spout body to align and position the cartridge seat within the spout body. A cartridge support housing in combination with the port ledge of the spout body secure the cartridge underbody attachment to the spout body.
1. A faucet comprising:
a substantially vertically oriented spout body;
a water control knob;
a cylindrical valve cartridge oriented along a non-vertical axis; and
a cartridge attachment for mounting said cylindrical valve cartridge in a non-vertical orientation relative to said spout body, comprising:
a port extending along the non-vertical axis and having an internal flange;
a cartridge seat, including,
a backplate supported within said spout body for seating said cylindrical valve cartridge in said non-vertical orientation,
a collar disposed in the port and configured to engage the backplate and the internal flange to retain the backplate in position,
a manifold integral to said backplate, and
a plurality of tubes attached to said manifold.
2. A faucet according to claim 1 , wherein said backplate is formed with a circular notch and a ledge.
3. A faucet according to claim 1 , said plurality of tubes comprising three valve tubes.
4. A faucet according to claim 1 , further comprising a notch formed in the flange for locating said cartridge seat.
5. A faucet according to claim 1 , wherein the port further comprises a cartridge support housing.
6. A faucet according to claim 5 , where said flange serves as a stopping surface for said support housing.
7. A faucet according to claim 1 , wherein said cartridge seat seats said cylindrical valve cartridge off-axis relative to said spout body.
8. A cartridge underbody attachment comprising:
a cartridge seat including a backplate having a plurality of apertures, a raised sleeve along an outer edge of said backplate, and a threaded rim encircling said sleeve, said rim including a circular notch;
a manifold fixedly attached to a rear surface of said backplate;
a plurality of inlet and outlet tubes fixedly attached within said manifold, said tubes in fluid communication with said plurality of apertures in said backplate; and
an aperture defined in said rear surface of said backplate and aligned with the circular notch for receiving a pin.
9. A single control faucet comprising:
a sprayhead assembly;
a spout body including a vertically extending body having top and bottom openings and a sideways extending port, said port comprising an internal ledge and internal notch;
a tubular spout having a top end and a bottom end, said top end releasably connected to said sprayhead assembly and said bottom end releasably connect to said top opening of said spout body;
an escutcheon connected to said bottom opening of said spout body;
a valve cartridge;
a cartridge attachment including
a cartridge seat comprising a backplate having a plurality of apertures,
a raised sleeve along an outer edge of said backplate, and a rim encircling said sleeve, said rim comprising male threads;
a manifold fixedly attached to a rear surface of said backplate;
a plurality of inlet and outlet tubes fixedly attached within said manifold, said tubes in fluid communication with said plurality of apertures in said backplate; and
an aperture defined in said rear surface of said backplate for receiving a pin;
a cartridge support housing including a threaded sleeve, said sleeve having an exterior collar to engage said ledge of said port; and
a retainer nut to secure said valve cartridge, spout body, cartridge attachment, and cartridge support housing together.
10. A method of manufacturing a faucet having a generally tubular spout body with a vertically oriented central section formed with a side-open port therein, comprising the steps of:
mounting a cartridge seat in the port from inside said tubular spout body, said cartridge seat having a manifold connected to a plurality of tubes, and a backplate for coupling a valve cartridge to said manifold, further comprising the substep of:
engaging a circular notch and a ledge formed on said backplate with a notch formed along an edge of said port and
coupling a valve cartridge to the backplate of said cartridge seat such that said valve cartridge protrudes outward from said port in a non-vertical orientation with regard to said spout body.
11. A method of manufacturing a faucet according to claim 10 , further comprising the steps of:
mounting a cartridge support housing inside of said port, and coupling said cartridge support housing to said backplate of said cartridge seat prior to said step of coupling a valve cartridge to the backplate.
12. A method of manufacturing a faucet according to claim 11 , further comprising the step of:
coupling a retainer nut to said cartridge support housing to secure said cartridge seat within said port.