Rotary handle and faucet to which the same is attached

Abstract

A rotary handle is attached to a hot water single faucet and is a handle for controlling water discharge by rotational operation by an operator. A coefficient of friction of a grip member is set large in order to guide fingers of the operator to the grip member (operation surface) installed at a part of an outer surface of the rotary handle when the operator grasps the rotary handle. The grip member forms a line-shaped operation surface extending to a position not reaching a joint position of the rotary handle and the hot water single faucet along the outer surface in a direction of an axis of rotation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A rotary handle that is attached to a faucet main body and controls water discharge, wherein
 the rotary handle is provided on a front-end side of the faucet main body with respect to a water discharge part provided on the faucet main body, and rotates about an axis of a faucet main body to which the handle is attached.   
     
     
         2 . The rotary handle according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 an operation part having a coefficient of friction greater than that of the portion of the rotary handle that is not the operation part, the operation part being included at least in a part of an outer surface of the rotary handle.   
     
     
         3 . The rotary handle according to  claim 2 , wherein the operation part is provided within an area not reaching a joint position of the rotary handle and the faucet main body on the outer surface of the rotary handle. 
     
     
         4 . The rotary handle according to  claim 2 , wherein the operation part is formed as a line-shaped surface extending along the outer surface in a direction of an axis of rotation. 
     
     
         5 . The rotary handle according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the operation part is formed in an operation member assembled onto the rotary handle; and   the operation member extends to an upper end surface of the rotary handle.   
     
     
         6 . The rotary handle according to  claim 2 , wherein the operation part has an array of a plurality of protrusions, such as to have the coefficient of friction greater than that in the portion of the rotary handle that is not the operation part. 
     
     
         7 . A faucet, comprising:
 a faucet main body provided with the water discharge part on a side surface thereof; and   the rotary handle according to  claim 1 , the rotary handle being attached to a front-end surface of the faucet main body.   
     
     
         8 . The faucet according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 at a joint part of the faucet main body and the rotary handle, an inner side of an outer shell of one of the faucet main body and the rotary handle is provided with a protruding part protruding by a predetermined length from the outer shell; and   an outer shell of the other one of the faucet main body and the rotary handle is formed along an outer surface of the protruding part.   
     
     
         9 . The faucet according to  claim 8 , wherein, at the joint part, outer surfaces of the faucet main body and the rotary handle continue in a flat manner. 
     
     
         10 . The faucet according to  claim 8 , wherein:
 the faucet main body comprises a functional component for controlling water discharge and a covering member that covers the functional component; and   the covering member protrudes by a predetermined length from the inner side of the outer shell of the faucet main body and thereby forms the protruding part.   
     
     
         11 . The faucet according to  claim 10 , wherein the covering member fixes the functional component to the faucet main body and functions as a heat insulating member interposed between the functional component and the faucet main body. 
     
     
         12 . The faucet according to  claim 8 , wherein the predetermined length of the protruding part is larger than a maximum width of a groove formed between the faucet main body and the rotary handle. 
     
     
         13 . The faucet according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 the water discharge part is formed into a cylindrical shape,   the faucet further comprises:
 a functional component fixed inside the faucet main body; and 
 a supporting member inserted in the water discharge part and supporting the functional component, and 
   the functional component is positioned inside the faucet main body by the supporting member being fixed to the water discharge part.   
     
     
         14 . The faucet according to  claim 13 , wherein the supporting member is fixed to the water discharge part while pressing the functional component against an inner surface of the faucet main body. 
     
     
         15 . The faucet according to  claim 13 , wherein the supporting member also functions as a straightener member that straightens discharged water. 
     
     
         16 . The faucet according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 the functional component is inserted in a covering member; and   the supporting member presses the functional component against the inner surface of the faucet main body via the covering member.   
     
     
         17 . The faucet according to  claim 13 , wherein the supporting member is formed by a material having a heat conductivity lower than that of the water discharge part. 
     
     
         18 . The faucet according to  claim 17 , wherein the supporting member has a cylindrical shape covering substantially an entire inner surface of the water discharge part. 
     
     
         19 . The faucet according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 the supporting member comprises an engaging part positioned on a water discharge port side of the water discharge part and a non-engaging part positioned on the faucet main body side;   the engaging part of the supporting member is engaged with the water discharge part; and   a heat insulating layer is formed between the non-engaging part and the inner surface of the water discharge part.