Hands-free sprayer

Abstract

A sprayer assembly for a faucet including a docking base and a sprayer removably coupled to the docking base. The sprayer includes a water outlet configured to direct water downwardly into a sink basin when the sprayer is coupled to the docking base.

1 . A sprayer assembly for a faucet assembly, the sprayer assembly comprising:
 a docking base configured to be supported by a mounting deck adjacent a sink basin, the docking base including a receiver opening extending along a longitudinal mounting axis;   a sprayer including a handle extending along a longitudinal handle axis and configured to be removably coupled to the receiver opening, a head supported by the handle and extending along a longitudinal head axis, and a sprayface coupled to the head and having an outlet extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal head axis; and   wherein the longitudinal head axis extends downwardly at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal mounting axis such that water emitted from the outlet is directed downwardly into the sink basin when the handle of the sprayer is coupled to the receiver opening of the docking base.   
     
     
         2 . The sprayer assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the sprayface is releasably coupled to the head. 
     
     
         3 . The sprayer assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a coupler configured to releasably secure the handle of the sprayer to the docking base. 
     
     
         4 . The sprayer assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the coupler includes a magnet supported by the docking base. 
     
     
         5 . The sprayer assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a water tube fluidly coupled to the sprayer and slidably received within the receiver opening of the docking base. 
     
     
         6 . The sprayer assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the docking base is configured to adjust the angular position of the longitudinal head axis relative to the sink basin. 
     
     
         7 . The sprayer assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the docking base includes a flexible portion configured to position the receiver opening. 
     
     
         8 . The sprayer assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the docking base includes a plurality of receiver openings, each receiver opening positioned at a different angular position relative to a vertical axis. 
     
     
         9 . The sprayer assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a user interface supported by the handle of the sprayer, the user interface movable between an on position and an off position, where water flows through the outlet in the on position and water is prevented from flowing through the outlet in the off position. 
     
     
         10 . The sprayer assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the user interface is configured to be locked in the on position. 
     
     
         11 . The sprayer assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the user interface includes a trigger configured to be in the on position when depressed by a user, and a retainer configured to secure the trigger in the on position. 
     
     
         12 . The sprayer assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the handle of the sprayer includes a body portion and an end portion rotatably supporting the body portion, the end portion removably coupled to the docking base. 
     
     
         13 . A sprayer assembly for a faucet assembly, the sprayer assembly comprising:
 a docking base configured to be supported by a mounting deck adjacent a sink basin, the docking base including a receiver opening;   a sprayer including a handle extending along a longitudinal handle axis and configured to be removably supported by the receiver opening, a head supported by the handle and extending along a longitudinal head axis, and a sprayface coupled to the head and having an outlet; and   wherein the docking base is configured to adjust the angular position of the longitudinal head axis relative to the sink basin.   
     
     
         14 . The sprayer assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the longitudinal head axis extends downwardly at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal handle axis such that water emitted from the outlet is directed downwardly into the sink basin. 
     
     
         15 . The sprayer assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the sprayface is releasably coupled to the head. 
     
     
         16 . The sprayer assembly of  claim 13 , further comprising a coupler configured to releasably secure the handle of the sprayer to the docking base. 
     
     
         17 . The sprayer assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the coupler includes a magnet supported by the docking base. 
     
     
         18 . The sprayer assembly of  claim 13 , further comprising a water tube fluidly coupled to the sprayer and slidably received within the receiver of the docking base. 
     
     
         19 . The sprayer assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the docking base includes a flexible portion configured to position the receiver opening. 
     
     
         20 . The sprayer assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the docking base includes a plurality of receiver openings, each receiver opening positioned at a different angular position relative to a vertical axis. 
     
     
         21 . The sprayer assembly of  claim 13 , further comprising a user interface supported by the handle of the sprayer, the user interface movable between an on position and an off position, where water flows through the outlet in the on position and water is prevented from flowing through the outlet in the off position. 
     
     
         22 . The sprayer assembly of  claim 21  wherein the user interface is configured to be locked in the on position. 
     
     
         23 . The sprayer assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the user interface includes a trigger configured to be in the on position when depressed by a user, and a retainer configured to secure the trigger in the on position. 
     
     
         24 . A sprayer assembly for a faucet assembly, the sprayer assembly comprising:
 a docking base configured to be supported by a mounting deck adjacent a sink basin, the docking base including a receiver opening;   a sprayer including a handle extending along a longitudinal handle axis and configured to be removably supported by the receiver opening, a head supported by the handle and extending along a longitudinal head axis, and a sprayface coupled to the head and having an outlet extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal head axis; and   wherein the sprayface is releasably coupled to the head of the sprayer.   
     
     
         25 . The sprayer assembly of  claim 24 , wherein the longitudinal head axis extends downwardly at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal handle axis such that water emitted from the outlet is directed downwardly into the sink basin. 
     
     
         26 . The sprayer assembly of  claim 24 , wherein the docking base is configured to adjust the angular position of the longitudinal head axis relative to the sink basin. 
     
     
         27 . The sprayer assembly of  claim 24 , further comprising a user interface supported by the handle of the sprayer, the user interface movable between an on position and an off position, where water flows through the outlet in the on position and water is prevented from flowing through the outlet in the off position. 
     
     
         28 . A sprayer assembly for a faucet assembly, the sprayer assembly comprising:
 a docking base configured to be supported by a mounting deck adjacent a sink basin;   a sprayer including a handle and a head having an outlet configured to dispense water, the handle having a body portion and an end portion rotatably supporting the end portion, the end portion removably coupled to the docking base; and   a trigger supported by the handle of the sprayer, the trigger being movable between an on position and an off position, where water flows through the outlet in the on position and water is prevented from flowing through the outlet in the off position, the trigger including a notch for receiving the wall of an object for moving the trigger to the on position.   
     
     
         29 . The sprayer assembly of  claim 28 , wherein:
 the docking base includes a receiver opening extending along a longitudinal mounting axis;   the handle extends along a longitudinal handle axis;   the head extends along a longitudinal head axis;   a sprayface is coupled to the head and includes the outlet extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal head axis; and   wherein the longitudinal head axis is configured to extend downwardly at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal mounting axis such that water emitted from the outlet is directed downwardly into the sink basin when the handle of the sprayer is received within the receiver opening of the docking base, and the body portion of the handle is rotated relative to the end portion of the handle such that the outlet of the head is directed downwardly.   
     
     
         30 . The sprayer assembly of  claim 28 , further comprising a retainer configured to secure the trigger in the on position.