US 12,442,164 B2
Faucet spray head alignment system
Adam William Tracy, Irvine, CA (US); Oscar Romero, Lake Forest, CA (US); Evan Benstead, Los Angeles, CA (US); and Jan Van Leyen, Irvine, CA (US)
Assigned to ASSA ABLOY Americas Residential Inc., New Haven, CT (US)
Filed by ASSA ABLOY Americas Residential Inc., New Haven, CT (US)
Filed on Nov. 20, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/514,033.
Application 18/514,033 is a continuation of application No. 17/365,752, filed on Jul. 1, 2021, granted, now 11,859,374.
Application 17/365,752 is a continuation of application No. 16/732,880, filed on Jan. 2, 2020, granted, now 11,053,670, issued on Jul. 6, 2021.
Application 16/732,880 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/549,742, filed on Aug. 23, 2019, granted, now 11,346,088, issued on May 31, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/849,570, filed on May 17, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/722,092, filed on Aug. 23, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2024/0159027 A1, May 16, 2024
Int. Cl. E03C 1/04 (2006.01)
CPC E03C 1/0404 (2013.01) 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A faucet comprising:
a faucet body;
a faucet spray head being movable from a retracted position adjacent the faucet body, and an extended position away from the faucet body, wherein in the retracted position the faucet spray head has at least one aligned position with the faucet body;
a water hose slidably disposed at least partially within the faucet body;
a water hose fitting coupled to one end of the water hose, the water hose fitting including a spherical portion;
an alignment coupling including:
a first alignment element connected to the faucet body; and
a second alignment element having a first end coupled to the spherical portion and an opposite second end coupled to the faucet spray head, wherein a seal assembly is disposed within the first end and engages with the spherical portion such that a ball-joint connection is formed between the water hose fitting and the second alignment element, and wherein the seal assembly includes a spring cage and a spring, the spring providing a biasing force against the spherical portion of the water hose fitting;
wherein the alignment coupling includes a projection and a tapered groove, wherein at least one of the projection or the tapered groove is movable with respect to the other, and wherein the tapered groove guides the projection to a narrowed portion of the tapered groove to guide the faucet spray head to the at least one aligned position; and
a retention coupling configured to retain the faucet body and the faucet spray head immediately adjacent one another, the retention coupling including:
a first retention element connected to the faucet body; and
a second retention element connected to the faucet spray head, wherein the second retention element is a magnet, wherein the retention coupling is separate from the alignment coupling.