Low-Profile Roman Tub Faucet Handle Assembly Without Access Panels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional faucet handle assemblies for Roman tubs have high profiles, requiring installation from above the deck and often necessitating access panels, which are aesthetically unpleasing and can interfere with tub entry and exit.
Innovation Solution
A low-profile faucet handle assembly that allows installation from either above or below the deck, featuring a valve body with a mixing cartridge and spacer, and a fastener system that secures components within the deck, eliminating the need for access panels and reducing profile interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional handle assemblies are installed from above the deck with valve bodies disposed substantially above the deck, then the assembly can be easily installed and serviced, but the handle profile becomes relatively high which is aesthetically unpleasing and interferes with entry and exit to the tub
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional installation approach by enabling installation from below the deck rather than from above. The valve body is positioned with its main body below the deck surface, and the handle extends through the deck to provide control. This inversion allows the bulk of the assembly to be concealed below the deck, achieving a low-profile appearance while maintaining ease of installation and servicing from the accessible side.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions the valve body positioning from a vertical arrangement (above the deck) to a horizontal/concealed arrangement (below the deck). By repositioning the valve body in the vertical dimension below the deck surface and only having the handle protrude through, the assembly achieves a low-profile appearance while maintaining functional accessibility.
2Device complexity
If conventional handle assemblies are installed from above the deck, then the assembly structure is simple, but access panels are required to facilitate service of the assemblies below the deck which are aesthetically unpleasing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the serviceable components (valve body, cartridge, and internal mechanisms) and positions them below the deck where they can be accessed directly without requiring access panels. The handle and control mechanisms remain accessible above the deck, allowing servicing to be performed from the accessible side without compromising the aesthetic appearance of the tub deck.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the conventional approach by positioning the serviceable components below the deck rather than above it. This allows the main assembly to be concealed while maintaining accessibility for servicing, eliminating the need for visible access panels on the deck surface.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional handle assemblies with valve bodies disposed substantially above the deck are used, then the assembly can be easily manufactured, but the high profile interferes with entry and exit to the tub
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional manufacturing approach by designing the valve body to be positioned below the deck rather than above it. The handle extends through the deck to provide control, but the main body of the assembly is concealed below, achieving a low-profile appearance that does not interfere with entry and exit to the tub while maintaining manufacturability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent repositions the valve body in the vertical dimension below the deck surface, changing from a high-profile above-deck configuration to a low-profile below-deck configuration. This dimensional change allows the assembly to be manufactured with the same complexity while achieving the desired low-profile appearance.
Data Source
AI summary
A faucet handle assembly for a Roman tub has a low profile and can be installed from above or below the tub deck. A valve body extends along a longitudinal axis and defines a cartridge cavity. A lower end defines water inlet and outlet passages and a threaded external surface. An upper end defines a threaded internal surface. A mixing cartridge with a rotatable stem and a cartridge spacer are carried in the cavity with the spacer axially between the cartridge and the inlet and outlet passages of the valve body. A fastener has a threaded external surface threaded to the threaded internal surface of the valve body upper end. An upper mounting ring has a hub disposed about the upper end of the valve body and a flange extending radially outwardly from the hub.