EP2395158B1

EP2395158B1 - Water tap

Info

Publication number: EP2395158B1
Application number: EP20110158368
Authority: EP
Inventors: Chen-Chang Lin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-06-10
Filing date: 2011-03-16
Publication date: 2013-08-28
Anticipated expiration: 2031-03-16
Also published as: BRPI1103124A2; TWM391018U; EP2395158A1; ES2431075T3

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a water tap, and more particularly to a water tap with a storage frame to provide a storage function and keep a sink neat, according to the preamble of claim 1.

Description of the Prior Art

A conventional water tap is set on a sink and communicated to the water pipe of the water supply and provides functions of controlling the release of the water and adjusting the flow rate of the water. The water tap is generally set on the sink in a restroom or a kitchen. Many toiletries like a rinsing cup, a toothpaste, a toothbrush or a hand washing cream are randomly put on the sink near the water tap in order to use conveniently.
However, because the conventional water tap does not have any storage function, and the toiletries are put randomly on the sink near the water tap, the sink is not neat and the toiletries may be overturned or dropped down and stain the ground of the restroom or kitchen.
Examples for water taps are known from the documents DE 20 2008 014476 U1 , WO 2006/094684 A1 and EP 1 757 740 A1 . However, these documents do not disclose water taps with storage function.
From the documents JP 2003 184140 A , KR 2009 0112061 A and KR 2009 0112064 A water taps are known with storage frames attached to the faucet or some other part of the sink. Document JP 2003184140 is considered the closest prior art loses all the features described in the preamble of claim 1. While these solutions provide storage space they include structures protruding from the faucet, which take up space, can be a hindrance and their connection to the faucet can break. Therefore, these solutions are detrimental in respect to saving of space, easiness of use and cleaning of the sink.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention tends to provide a water tap to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main object of the present invention is to provide a more compact sanitary item comprising a spigot and a storage frame, permitting to keep the sink more easily neat.
This object is achieved by a water tap according claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are subject matter of the dependent claims.
The water tap has a tap stand and a storage frame. The tap stand has a flowing channel formed through the tap stand. The storage frame is mounted on the tap stand and has a flowing groove and a storage hole. The flowing groove is annular and formed in a top surface of the storage frame and communicates with the flowing channel of the tap stand. The storage hole is formed through the storage frame to provide a storage function.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in junction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a water tap in accordance with the present invention;
Fig. 2 is another perspective view of the water tap in Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is an operational perspective view of the water tap in Fig. 1 showing a using condition of the water tap;
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a water tap in accordance with the present invention;
Fig. 5 is another perspective view of the water tap in Fig. 4; and
Fig. 6 is an operational perspective view of the water tap in Fig. 4 showing a using condition of the water tap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to Figs. 1 to 6, a water tap in accordance with the present invention has a tap stand 10 and a storage frame 20. The tap stand 10 is hollow and has a bottom end, a top end, an inlet 11, an outlet 12 and a flowing channel 13.
The inlet 11 is formed through the bottom end of the tap stand 10 and may comprise a pair of circle holes. The outlet 12 is formed through the top end of the tap stand 10 and may be a rectangular hole. The flowing channel 13 is formed through the tap stand 10 from the bottom end to the top end and communicates with the inlet 11 and the outlet 12 of the tap stand 10.
The storage frame 20 is annular and mounted on the top end of the tap stand 10 at a position in which the outlet 12 is defined and has a top surface, a flowing groove 21, an inner wall, an outer wall, an entering slot 22, an outfall 23 and a storage hole 24, and may optionally have a connecting tab 25.
The flowing groove 21 is annular and formed in the top surface of the storage frame 20. The inner wall and the outer wall of the storage frame 20 are respectively defined in two sides of the flowing groove 21 and surround the flowing groove 21. The entering slot 22 is formed through the outer wall of the storage frame 20, communicates with the flowing groove 21 and corresponds to and communicates with the outlet 12 of the tap stand 10.
The outfall 23 is formed on and protrudes from the outer wall of the storage frame 20 opposite to the entering slot 22 and has a falling slot 231. The falling slot 231 is formed in the outfall 23 and communicates with the flowing groove 21 and makes the outfall 23 shaped as a V-shaped cross section or a U-shaped cross section. The storage hole 24 is circular and formed through the storage frame 20 and is shaped and surrounded by the inner wall of the storage frame 20. The storage hole 24 provides a storage function to hold a rinsing cup or a hand washing cream. The toothpaste and toothbrush may be put in the rinsing cup to keep the sink neat. The shape of the storage hole 24 is unlimited and may be circular, rectangular or semicircular to fit various shapes of the rinsing cups or some other toiletries.
The connecting tab 25 is mounted between the inner wall and the outer wall and connected to the top end of the tap stand 10 and covers a part of the flowing groove 21 beside the outlet 12 of the tap stand 10. The connecting tab 25 provides a sufficient strength to connect the tap stand 10 and the storage frame 20.
Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Claims

A water tap comprising:
a tap stand (10) being hollow and having
a bottom end;
a top end;
an inlet (11) formed through the bottom end of the tap stand;
an outlet (12) formed through the top end of the tap stand; and
a flowing channel (13) formed through the tap stand (10) and communicating with the inlet (11) and the outlet (12) of the tap stand (10);

a storage frame (20) mounted on the top end of the tap stand (10) and having a top surface;

a flowing groove (21);

an inner wall and an outer wall respectively defined in two sides of the flowing groove (21) and surrounding the flowing groove (21);

an entering slot (22) communicating with the flowing groove (21) and the outlet (12) of the tap stand (10);

an outfall (23) having a falling slot (231) communicating with the flowing groove (21); and

a storage hole (24) formed through the storage frame (20) and surrounded by the inner wall of the storage frame (20) to provide a storage function
characterised in that

the flowing groove (21) is being annular and formed in the top surface of the storage frame (20), the entering slot (22) is formed on the storage frame (20), and the outfall (23) is formed on and protruding from the outer wall of the storage frame (20).
The water tap as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the storage frame (20) is annular; and
the storage hole (24) is circular.
The water tap as claimed in claim 2, wherein
the storage frame (20) further has a connecting tab (25) mounted on the inner wall and the outer wall beside the outlet (12) of the tap stand (10) and connected to the top end of the tap stand (10).
The water tap as claimed in claim 3, wherein
the outfall (23) is shaped as a V-shaped cross section.
The water tap as claimed in claim 3, wherein
the outfall (23) is shaped as a U-shaped cross section.
The water tap as claimed in claim 4, wherein
the outfall (23) is formed on and protrudes from the outer wall of the storage frame (20) opposite to the entering slot (22).
The water tap as claimed in claim 5, wherein
the outfall (23) is formed on and protrudes from the outer wall of the storage frame (20) opposite to the entering slot (22).
The water tap as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the outfall (23) is shaped as a V-shaped cross section.
The water tap as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the outfall (23) is shaped as a U-shaped cross section.