Multi-line faucet with undercounter valve assembly

Abstract

A faucet system includes a first assembly configured for positioning above an upper surface of a support, the first assembly including a handle that is movable between an on configuration and an off configuration, a second assembly configured for positioning below a bottom surface of a support, the second assembly including a valve assembly configured to connect to two or more fluid lines; and an elongated member: coupling the second assembly to the first assembly such that moving the handle between the on configuration and the off configuration causes the elongated member to operate the valve assembly, and having a hollow interior defining a fluid pathway between second assembly and the first assembly through which fluid from at least one of the two or more fluid lines is provided to the first assembly when the handle is in the on configuration.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A faucet system comprising:
 a valve assembly configured for positioning below a support and configured to connect to two or more fluid lines;   a handle configured for positioning above the support, the handle being mechanically coupled to the valve assembly and moveable between an on configuration and an off configuration such that moving the handle mechanically operates the valve assembly; and   a fluid conduit into which fluid from at least one of the two or more fluid lines is directed via the valve assembly when the handle is in the on configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The faucet system of  claim 1 , wherein the valve assembly and the handle are configured to be mechanically coupled through a hole extending through the support. 
     
     
         3 . The faucet system of  claim 2 , wherein the support is a countertop. 
     
     
         4 . The faucet system of  claim 1 , wherein an outer diameter of the fluid conduit is less than a collective outer diameter of the two or more fluid lines. 
     
     
         5 . The faucet system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid conduit is in fluid communication with a faucet arm such that the fluid directed into the fluid conduit from the valve assembly is subsequently directed into the faucet arm. 
     
     
         6 . The faucet system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid conduit provides the mechanical coupling between the handle and the valve assembly such that the fluid conduit translates movement of the handle into movement of the valve assembly for mechanically operating the valve assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The faucet system of  claim 6 , wherein the fluid conduit is an elongated member having a hollow interior through which the fluid from at least one of the two or more fluid lines is directed via the valve assembly when the handle is in the on configuration. 
     
     
         8 . The faucet system of  claim 7 , wherein the elongated member is substantially rigid. 
     
     
         9 . The faucet system of  claim 7 , wherein the hollow interior of the elongated member is in fluid communication with a faucet arm such that the fluid directed into the hollow interior of the elongated arm from the valve assembly is subsequently directed into the faucet arm. 
     
     
         10 . The faucet system of  claim 1 , wherein the two or more fluid lines comprise a fluid supply line, a return line to an appliance, and a fluid line from the appliance. 
     
     
         11 . The faucet system of  claim 10 , wherein, when the handle is in the on configuration, the valve assembly permits fluid communication between (i) the fluid supply line and the return line, and (ii) the fluid line from the appliance and the fluid conduit. 
     
     
         12 . The faucet system of  claim 11 , wherein, when the handle is in the off configuration, the valve assembly terminates fluid communication between (i) the fluid supply line and the return line, and (ii) the fluid line from the appliance and the fluid conduit. 
     
     
         13 . The faucet system of  claim 12 , wherein (i) terminating fluid communication between the fluid supply line and the return line limits any leakage from the appliance to that finite amount of fluid already present in the return line and the appliance at the time the handle was moved to the off configuration, and (ii) terminating fluid communication between the fluid line from the appliance and the fluid conduit prevents pressurized fluid within the appliance from escaping the system via the fluid conduit. 
     
     
         14 . The faucet system of  claim 10 , wherein the appliance is a filtration system, wherein the fluid supply line is an unfiltered fluid supply line, wherein the return line is a return line to the filtration system, and wherein the fluid line from the filtration system is a filtered fluid line. 
     
     
         15 . A faucet system comprising:
 a handle configured for positioning above a support and being moveable between an on configuration and an off configuration; and   a valve assembly configured for positioning below the support and configured to connect to two or more fluid lines under the support;   a fluid conduit (i) fluidly connecting the valve assembly and a location above the support such that fluid from at least one of the two or more fluid lines is directed into the fluid conduit via the valve assembly when the handle is in the on configuration and flows to the location above the support, and (ii) providing a mechanical coupling between handle and the valve assembly such that the fluid conduit translates movement of the handle into movement of the valve assembly for mechanically operating the valve assembly via the handle.   
     
     
         16 . The faucet system of  claim 15 , wherein the fluid conduit is configured to extend through a hole in the support. 
     
     
         17 . The faucet system of  claim 15 , wherein an outer diameter of the fluid conduit is less than a collective outer diameter of the two or more fluid lines. 
     
     
         18 . The faucet system of  claim 15 , wherein the fluid conduit comprises an elongated member having a hollow interior in fluid communication with the valve assembly when the handle is in the on configuration and the location above the support. 
     
     
         19 . The faucet system of  claim 15 , wherein the handle is configured to rotate between the on configuration and the off configuration. 
     
     
         20 . The faucet system of  claim 19 , wherein the location above the support comprises a first end of a faucet arm, and wherein the system further comprises a handle spool configured to divert fluid from the fluid conduit into the first end of the faucet arm.