Top mounted faucet assembly with air gap

Abstract

A faucet assembly includes a base having first and second ends, a sidewall extending between the ends, a mounting bore extending from the first end, a permeate water spout port extending from the second end, and a valve assembly bore extending from the sidewall and connecting the mounting bore and the permeate water spout port. A fastener is located within the mounting bore and extends out of the base from the mounting bore for securing the faucet assembly to a mounting surface, and a valve member is positioned within the valve assembly bore and movable between closed and opened positions. The valve member allows tool access from the permeate water spout port, through the valve member, and to the fastener in the mounting bore when the valve member is moved to a predetermined position. This arrangement allows top-mounting of the faucet assembly using a toggle bolt.

1 . A faucet assembly comprising:
 a base including,
 opposing first and second ends, 
 a sidewall extending between the ends, 
 a mounting bore extending upwardly from the first end into the base, 
 a permeate water spout port extending upwardly from within the base to the second end of the base, wherein the mounting bore and the permeate water spout port are aligned, 
 a valve assembly bore extending into the base from the sidewall and connecting the mounting bore and the permeate water spout port; 
   a fastener including a head located within the mounting bore and a body extending out of the base from the mounting bore for securing the faucet assembly to a mounting surface; and   a valve member positioned within the valve assembly bore and movable between closed and opened positions, wherein the valve member allows tool access from the permeate water spout port, through the valve member, and to the head of the fastener in the mounting bore when the valve member is moved to a predetermined position.   
   
   
       2 . A faucet assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined position of the valve member corresponds to the closed position of the valve member. 
   
   
       3 . A faucet assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising a toggle nut assembly secured to the body of the fastener. 
   
   
       4 . A faucet assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the permeate water spout port, the valve member, and the mounting bore are adapted to allow a tool comprising a screwdriver to access the head of the fastener. 
   
   
       5 . A faucet assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the base further comprises a permeate water inlet port extending from the first end and connected to the valve assembly bore, wherein fluid communication is provided between the permeate water inlet port and the permeate water spout port when the valve member is moved to the opened position. 
   
   
       6 . A faucet assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the permeate water inlet port includes annular ribs comprising sloping sidewalls terminating at radial end walls to form pointed barbs, and wherein the sloping sidewalls extends inwardly at an angle of about 7° with respect to an axis of the port. 
   
   
       7 . A faucet assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the base further comprises an air gap bore extending from the first end and an air gap port extending from the sidewall to the air gap bore and the faucet assembly further comprises:
 an air gap holder received in the air gap bore, the air gap holder including,
 a first end having a concentrate water inlet port and a wastewater outlet port, 
 a closed second end forming a cup having a cup inlet connected to the concentrate water inlet port and a cup outlet connected to the wastewater outlet port, and 
 a sidewall extending upwardly from the first end to the second end and including a lower portion having an outer diameter substantially equal to an inner diameter of the air gap bore and an upper portion having an outer diameter less than the inner diameter of the air gap bore, the upper portion of the sidewall having a wastewater backflow door located below the cup outlet; 
   a concentrate water inlet tube received in the concentrate water inlet port of the air gap holder; and   a wastewater outlet tube received in the wastewater outlet port of the air gap holder below the wastewater backflow door of the air gap holder.   
   
   
       8 . A faucet assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the base further comprises an air gap bore extending from the first end and including a concentrate water portion and a wastewater portion, the concentrate water portion extending further from the first end than the wastewater portion, and an air gap port extending from the sidewall to the wastewater portion of the air gap bore, and wherein the faucet assembly further comprises:
 an air gap holder received in the air gap bore, the air gap holder including a concentrate water inlet port aligned with the concentrate water portion of the air gap bore and a wastewater outlet port aligned with the wastewater portion of the air gap bore;   a concentrate water inlet tube received in the concentrate water inlet port of the air gap holder and having an end extending into the concentrate water portion of the air gap bore and positioned above the wastewater portion of the air gap bore; and   a wastewater outlet tube received in the wastewater outlet port of the air gap holder below the air gap port.   
   
   
       9 . A reverse osmosis water filtering system including a faucet assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the faucet assembly includes a permeate water inlet port and a concentrate water inlet port, and the filtering system further comprises:
 a reverse osmosis membrane having a permeate water output port connected to the permeate water inlet port of the faucet assembly, and a concentrate water output port connected to the concentrate water inlet port of the faucet assembly.   
   
   
       10 . A faucet assembly comprising:
 a base including,
 a permeate water spout port, 
 a permeate water inlet port, 
 a valve assembly bore extending into the base from the sidewall and connecting the permeate water inlet port and the permeate water spout port, 
 an air gap bore extending from a first end of the base, and 
 an air gap port extending from a sidewall of the base to the air gap bore; 
   a valve member positioned within the valve assembly bore and movable between closed and opened positions, wherein fluid communication is provided between the permeate water inlet port and the spout port when the valve member is moved to the opened position;   an air gap holder received in the air gap bore, the air gap holder including a first end having a concentrate water inlet port and a wastewater outlet port;   a concentrate water inlet tube received in the concentrate water inlet port of the air gap holder; and   a wastewater outlet tube received in the wastewater outlet port of the air gap holder below the air gap port, wherein concentrate water from the concentrate water inlet tube is directed to an end of the air gap bore above the air gap port and then allowed to flow to the wastewater outlet tube.   
   
   
       11 . A faucet assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the permeate water inlet port includes annular ribs comprising sloping sidewalls terminating at radial end walls to form pointed barbs, and wherein the sloping sidewalls extends inwardly at an angle of about 7° with respect to an axis of the port. 
   
   
       12 . A faucet assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein:
 the air gap bore includes a concentrate water portion and a wastewater portion, the concentrate water portion extending further from the first end than the wastewater portion, and the air gap port extends to the wastewater portion of the air gap bore;   the concentrate water inlet port of the air gap holder is aligned with the concentrate water portion of the air gap bore and the wastewater outlet port of the air gap holder is aligned with the wastewater portion of the air gap bore; and   the concentrate water inlet tube has an end extending into the concentrate water portion of the air gap bore to the end of the air gap bore, above the wastewater portion of the air gap bore and above the air gap port.   
   
   
       13 . A faucet assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the air gap holder further includes a closed second end forming a cup having a cup inlet connected to the concentrate water inlet port and a cup outlet connected to the wastewater outlet port, and a sidewall extending upwardly from the first end to the second end and including a lower portion having an outer diameter substantially equal to an inner diameter of the air gap bore and an upper portion having an outer diameter less than the inner diameter of the air gap bore, the upper portion of the sidewall having a wastewater backflow door located below the cup outlet, and an end of the wastewater outlet tube is positioned below the wastewater backflow door of the air gap holder. 
   
   
       14 . A faucet assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the wastewater outlet tube has a greater cross-section than the concentrate water inlet tube. 
   
   
       15 . A faucet assembly according to  claim 10 , further comprising a toggle bolt assembly for securing the faucet assembly to a mounting surface. 
   
   
       16 . A reverse osmosis water filtering system including a faucet assembly according to  claim 10 , and further comprising a reverse osmosis membrane having a permeate water output port connected to the permeate water inlet port of the faucet assembly, and a concentrate water output port connected to the concentrate water inlet port of the faucet assembly. 
   
   
       17 . A faucet assembly comprising:
 a base including,
 a permeate water spout port, 
 a permeate water inlet port, and 
 a valve assembly bore extending into the base from the sidewall and connecting the permeate water inlet port and the permeate water spout port; 
   a valve member positioned within the valve assembly bore and movable between closed and opened positions, wherein fluid communication is provided between the permeate water inlet port and the spout port when the valve member is moved to the opened position; and   a permeate water inlet tube having an end received in the permeate water inlet port of the base, wherein the permeate water inlet port includes annular ribs having sloping sidewalls terminating at radial end walls to form pointed barbs that frictionally engage the permeate inlet tube.   
   
   
       18 . A faucet assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein the permeate water inlet port of the base includes a first portion defining the ribs and a second portion connecting the first portion to the valve assembly bore, and wherein a cross-section of the second portion is smaller than a cross-section of the first portion. 
   
   
       19 . A faucet assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein the sloping sidewalls extend inwardly into the base at an angle of about 7° with respect to an axis of the port. 
   
   
       20 . A reverse osmosis water filtering system including a faucet assembly according to  claim 17 , and further comprising a reverse osmosis membrane having a permeate water output port connected to an opposing end of the permeate water inlet tube of the faucet assembly.