IP Library Granted Patent US 10,329,749
Granted Patent B2
US 10,329,749 · App. 16/047,095 · Granted Jun 25, 2019

Plumbing fixture fitting

Inventors: Mark S. Kacik (Lakewood, OH); Dale A. Pulver (Oberlin, OH)
Assignee: Moen Incorporated
E03C1/0404E03C1/08E03C2001/0415
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,329,749
App. No.
16/047,095
Granted
Jun 25, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention provides a plumbing fixture fitting having a spray mode with improved spray performance. The fitting includes a spray face. The spray face includes nozzles. The nozzles are operable to deliver water from the spray face in the form of a spray. The spray includes streamlets. An average unbroken length of the streamlets is greater than approximately two inches at a flow rate of approximately thirty-seven thousandths gallons per minute.

Claims (18)

1. A faucet, comprising:

a hub, the hub being operable to connect to a mounting surface; and

a spout, the spout including a receptor and a wand, the receptor being operable to connect to the hub, the wand being operable to mount in the receptor, the wand being operable to pull away from the receptor;

the wand including a shell, a waterway, a diverter valve, and a spray face;

the shell being operable to pull away from the receptor;

the waterway being separately formed from the shell, the waterway being operable to be substantially disposed in the shell, the waterway including an inlet region and an outlet region, the inlet region including an inlet passage, the outlet region including a first outlet passage and a second outlet passage, the inlet region being operable to connect to a water hose, the waterway including a first conduit, a second conduit, and a third conduit disposed between the inlet passage and the first outlet passage and the second outlet passage, the waterway including a diverter valve chamber, the diverter valve chamber being disposed between the first conduit and the second conduit and between the first conduit and the third conduit;

the diverter valve being operable to be received in the diverter valve chamber, the diverter valve being operable to divert fluid flow between the first conduit and the second conduit and between the first conduit and the third conduit; and

the spray face being operable to connect to the outlet region of the waterway, the spray face including an opening and a plurality of nozzles, the opening being operable to fluidly communicate with the second conduit and the first outlet passage and deliver water from the spray face in the form of a stream, the nozzles being operable to fluidly communicate with the third conduit and the second outlet passage and deliver water from the spray face in the form of a spray, the spray including a plurality of streamlets;

wherein an average unbroken length of the streamlets is greater than approximately two inches at a flow rate of approximately thirty-seven thousandths gallons per minute.

2. The faucet of claim 1 , wherein the average unbroken length of the streamlets is greater than approximately two and a half inches at a flow rate of approximately thirty-seven thousandths gallons per minute.

3. The faucet of claim 1 , wherein a force of the spray is greater than approximately two ounces at a flow rate of approximately one and a half gallons per minute.

4. The faucet of claim 3 , wherein the force of the spray is greater than approximately two and a quarter ounces at a flow rate of approximately one and a half gallons per minutes.

5. The faucet of claim 1 , wherein a velocity of the spray is greater than approximately two-hundred fifty inches per second at a flowing pressure of approximately sixty pounds per square inch.

6. The faucet of claim 5 , wherein the velocity of the spray is greater than approximately two-hundred sixty inches per second at a flowing pressure of approximately sixty pounds per square inch.

7. The faucet of claim 6 , wherein the velocity of the spray is greater than approximately two-hundred seventy inches per second at a flowing pressure of approximately sixty pounds per square inch.

8. The faucet of claim 1 , wherein a splash created from the spray is less than approximately twenty percent at approximately one and a half gallons per minute.

9. The faucet of claim 8 , wherein the splash created from the spray is less than approximately ten percent at approximately one and a half gallons per minute.

10. The faucet of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of streamlets has a substantially uniform width along an entire length of the streamlet.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 22, 2023
From: FB GLOBAL PLUMBING GROUP LLC
To: FORTUNE BRANDS WATER INNOVATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 063263/0960 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 13, 2020
From: MOEN INCORPORATED
To: FB GLOBAL PLUMBING GROUP LLC
Reel/Frame 051928/0720 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 17, 2019
From: KACIK, MARK S.; PULVER, DALE A.
To: MOEN INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 048050/0106 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 15606792 · May 26, 2017
Continuation 14491494 · Sep 19, 2014
Provisional Application 61880829 · Sep 20, 2013
Related Publication 20180334787A1 · Nov 22, 2018
Cited By (1)
US 12,520,404