Retractable spray head faucet with dampened retraction feature

Abstract

A faucet having a retractable spray head with a dampened retraction feature. One aspect is a faucet assembly comprising a collar fixedly attachable to a hose, and a damper mechanism including a rotary damper including a pinion, and a rack including a hose catch that allows the hose to move freely until the collar intersects with a hose catch, wherein the rack and the pinion movably connect. When a faucet spray head is moving from an extended position to a retracted position, the hose passes through the hose catch until the collar intersects with the hose catch, the collar engaging with the hose catch to move together with the rack along the rotary damper, thereby slowing retraction of the faucet spray head until the faucet spray head is in the retracted position.

1 . A faucet comprising:
 a faucet base;   a faucet spout having an interior passage, a first end connected to the faucet base, and a second end;   a faucet spray head movable between a retracted position in which the faucet spray head is proximate to the second end of the faucet spout and an extended position positioned away from the second end of the faucet spout;   a hose extending through the interior passage of the faucet spout, the hose having a first hose end that is connected to a water source and a second hose end connected to the faucet spray head, the hose extending through the faucet spout;   a collar affixed to the hose;   a damper mechanism comprising:
 a rotary damper having a pinion; and 
 a rack including a hose catch that allows the hose to move freely until the collar intersects with the hose catch, wherein the rack and the pinion movably connect: 
   wherein, when the faucet spray head is moving from the extended position to the retracted position, the hose passes through the hose catch until the collar intersects with the hose catch, the collar engaging with the hose catch to move together with the rack along the pinion of the rotary damper, thereby slowing retraction of the faucet spray head until the faucet spray head is in the retracted position.   
     
     
         2 . The faucet of  claim 1 , wherein the rotary damper provides resistance in a first rotational direction and moves freely in an opposite direction. 
     
     
         3 . The faucet of  claim 1 , wherein the hose catch is circular. 
     
     
         4 . The faucet of  claim 1 , wherein the collar includes a flare that hits a ledge on the hose catch when the collar intersects with the hose catch. 
     
     
         5 . The faucet of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a spring with a first spring end and a second spring end, the first spring end connected to a support for the rotary damper and the second spring end connected to the rack, the spring providing force to reload the rack as the faucet spray head moves to the extended position.   
     
     
         6 . The faucet of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a hose rub guard to prevent the hose from interfering with the rack and the pinion.   
     
     
         7 . The faucet of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a debris guard that protects the damper mechanism.   
     
     
         8 . The faucet of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a clip for installation and removal of the damper mechanism.   
     
     
         9 . A faucet comprising:
 a faucet base;   a faucet spout having an interior passage, a first end connected to the faucet base, and a second end;   a faucet spray head movable between a retracted position in which the faucet spray head is proximate to the second end of the faucet spout and an extended position positioned away from the second end of the faucet spout;   a hose extending through the interior passage of the faucet spout, the hose having a collar attached to a first hose end that is connected to a water source and a second hose end connected to the faucet spray head, the hose extending through the faucet spout; and   a damper mechanism comprising:
 a rotary damper including a pinion; and 
 a rack including a hose catch that allows the hose to move freely until the collar intersects with the hose catch, wherein the rack and the pinion movably connect: 
   wherein, when the faucet spray head is moving from the extended position to the retracted position, the hose passes through the hose catch until the collar intersects with the hose catch, the collar engaging with the hose catch to move together with the rack along the rotary damper thereby slowing retraction of the faucet spray head until the faucet spray head is in the retracted position.   
     
     
         10 . The faucet of  claim 9 , wherein the rotary damper provides resistance in a first rotational direction and moves freely in an opposite direction. 
     
     
         11 . The faucet of  claim 9 , wherein the collar includes a flare that hits a ledge on the hose catch when the collar intersects with the hose catch. 
     
     
         12 . The faucet of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a spring with a first spring end and a second spring end, the first spring end connected to a support for the rotary damper and the second spring end connected to the rack, the spring providing force to reload the rack as the faucet spray head moves to the extended position.   
     
     
         13 . The faucet of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a hose rub guard to prevent the hose from interfering with the rack and the pinion.   
     
     
         14 . The faucet of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a debris guard that protects the damper mechanism.   
     
     
         15 . A soft close faucet assembly comprising:
 a collar fixedly attachable to a hose; and   a damper mechanism including:
 a rotary damper including a pinion; and 
 a rack including a hose catch that allows the hose to move freely until the collar intersects with the hose catch, wherein the rack and the pinion movably connect: 
   wherein, when a faucet spray head is moving from an extended position to a retracted position, the hose passes through the hose catch until the collar intersects with the hose catch, the collar engaging with the hose catch to move together with the rack along the rotary damper thereby slowing retraction of the faucet spray head until the faucet spray head is in the retracted position.   
     
     
         16 . The soft close faucet assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the rotary damper provides resistance in a first rotational direction and moves freely in an opposite direction. 
     
     
         17 . The soft close faucet assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the collar includes a flare which hits a ledge on the hose catch when the collar intersects with the hose catch. 
     
     
         18 . The soft close faucet assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the hose catch is circular. 
     
     
         19 . The soft close faucet assembly of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a spring with a first end and a second end, the first end connected to a support for the rotary damper and the second end connected to the rack, the spring providing upward force to reload the rack as the faucet spray head moves to the extended position.   
     
     
         20 . The soft close faucet assembly of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a clip for installation and removal of the damper mechanism.