Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
SPEGIFICATION
The present invent~on pertalns to a showerh2ad.
More particularly, it relates to a showerhead that
permits adjus~men~ as between a mult~pl~clty of spray
patterns; while reta~ninS a high degree of slmpl~clty.
It long has been recogn~zed that users en~oy an
adjustab1lity as to the characteristics of a shower
spray. A control has heretofore often been ~ncluded
for the purpose of enabl~ng the user to vary between a
flne and a coarse spray.
A more recent development has been that of the
kind of showerhead whlch lncluded a feature of emitt~ng
a pulsating spray for massage act~on. Typical examples
are those of U.S Patents Nos. 3,801,019, 4,303,201 and
Canadian Patent No. 1,089,897. Included among the
features of the latter two is the concept of allowfng
the user to select between a coarse and a fine spray
whether pulsating or not.
While the features presented in the aforesaid
patents have been well rec~lved by the publ~c, the
inclusion of such Features has led to Increased cost
for showerheads. Not everyone desires or needs a
pulsating spray, for example. Even in the s~mplest of
sprays that are merely ad~ustable as to spray
characteristic, the mechanisms for accomplishing such
ad~ustment have led to undue cost and, at least in some
cases, lack of reliability.
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~ 5~ 9
In this era of 1ncreased ~nterest 1n
conservat~on of water use, attention also has been
directed to the ach~evement of adequate showering,
while at the same t~me mlnfm~z~ng the use of ~ater. An
exemplary approach in that respect ls presented in U.S
Patent No. 4,190,207. Dev1ces constructed in
acco~dance wlth the dlsclosure o~ that patent have now
been lnstalled In a widespread number of homes, motels
and hotels. It Is a showerhead wh~ch offers the
feature of water conservation as well as the feature of
massage act10n when des~red.
While the foregoing developments and
improvements have been apprecia~ed both by users and by
suppliers, the basic showerhead usually supplied with
the or19inal equ1pment has rema1ned about the same,
w1th or without ad~ustment of spray force. Thus, a
void has ex1sted as between the old-fash~oned un1ts and
those that are more esoter1c In prov~dlng such features
as massage act10n.
5()9
~ - 3 -
In accordance with the present invention, there
is provided a showerhead comprising a generally hollow
housing having front and rear openings leading to the
interior of the housing, a closure affixed within the
front opening and defining outlets for directing liquid in
a selected spray pattern outwardly from the interior, a
pivot assembly including a ball in the form of a generally
spherical segment and joined to a shank which projects
away from the ball and is slidably received through the
rear opening in protrusion toward the front opening, a
conduit being defined through the ball and the shank to
deliver liquid into the interior, a nut having means for
connection to a delivery pipe and a snout enveloping the
ball, the internal wall of the snout tapering inwardly to
captivate the ball when the latter is urged outwardly
relatively to the snout, means for urging the ball
outwardly relative to the snout when the connection means
is attached to the pipe and for effecting a seal for the
liquid, and means within the interior of the housing for
captivating the shank against withdrawal from the rear
opening, the captivating means seating the shank within
the housing and permitting rotation of the housing around
the shank for selecting the spray pattern outwardly from
the interior.
In accordance with a further aspect of the
present invention, there is also provided a showerhead
comprising a generally hollow housing having front and
rear openings leading to the interior of the housing, a
closure affixed within the front opening and defining
outlets for directing liquid in a selec-ted spray pattern
outwardly from the interior, a pivot assembly including a
ball in the form of a generally spherical segment and
joined to a shank which projects away from the ball and is
slidably received through the rear opening in protrusion
toward the front opening, a conduit being defined through
the ball and the shank to deliver liquid into the
interior, a nut having means for connection to a delivery
/ f~
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~2 ~':35~
- 3a -
pipe and a snout enveloping the ball, the internal wall of
the snout tapering inwardly to captivate the ball when the
latter is urged outwardly relatively to the snout, means
for urging the ball outwardly relative to the snout when
the connection means is attached to the pipe and for
effecting a seal for the liquid, means within the interior
of the housing for captivating the shank against
withdrawal Erom the rear opening, the captivating means
seating the shank within the housing, permitting rotation
of the housing around the shank, means defined in the
housing including the closure for creating first and
second groups of flow outlets for the liquid, first and
second channels defined in the closure for enabling the
flow of the liquid individually to respective different
ones oE the groups, and a flow director secured to the
shank for selecting the path of flow oE the liquid as
between the first and second channels as the housing is
rotated around the shank.
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~2 :~5~3~
-- 4
In another aspect, there ~s involved such a
hous~ng which has a closure aff~xed wlth~n ~ts front
open~ng that def1nes f~rst and second groups of flow
outlets as well as havlng flrst and second channels
def~ned thereln for enabl~ng the flow of l~qu~d to
respect~ve dlfferent ones of those groups. Flow control
means, fixed w~th1n the houslng relat~Ye to means for
secur~ng the hous~ng ~o a supply p~pe, selectlvely
determ~ne the flow path as the hous1ng ls rotated
around the secur~ng means.
Given such a hous~ng w~th a hollow ~nterior,
and a closure ~n the front opening that defines means
for the delivery of a spray pattern, a further aspect
lnvolves a condftfon for ~nlett~ng the flu~d ~nto the
rear opening from a supply p~pe, and the ~nclusion of
means disposed in the condu~t wh~ch ~ncludes a user
removable restr~ctor.
The features of the present 1nvent~on which are
bel~eved to be patentable are set forth w~th
particu~arlty ln the appended clafms. The organ~zat~on
and manner of operat~on of the ~nvent~on, together w~th
further ob~ects and advantages thereof, ~ay best be
understood w~th reference to the follow~ng descr~pt~on
of an embodiment thereof ta~en in connection wlth the
2S accompanying drawings, in t:he several Eigures of which like
reference numerals identify like elemen-ts and in which:
s~9
Figure 1 ~s an exploded ~sometrfc vlew of a
showerhead;
Figure 2 Is an enlarged cross-sect~onal vlew of
the showerhead of Ffgure 1 as assembled, the left half
of Figure 2 being taken at an angle relatlve to the
right half thereof as about a longitudinal axis of th~
assembly;
F~gure 3 ~s a bottom plan vlew of a component
shown ~n F~gure 1;
10Ffgure 4 is a cross-sect~onal view taken along
the line 4-4 in Figure 3;
Flgure 5 is a bottom plan v~ew of a component
shown in Figure 1 and taken along the line 5-5 in
Figure 6;
15Ffgure 6 fs a cross-sectfonal vlew taken along
the line 6-6 in Figure 5;
Figure 7 ~s a top plan v~ew of the component of
Figure 5 and taken along the lfne 7-7 fn Flgure 8;
F~gure 8 fs a cross-sectfonal v~ew taken along
the line 8-8 in Figure 7;
Figure 9 is a sfde elevational view of another
component shown fn Ffgure 1 but fnverted;
Figure 10 is a plan vfew taken along the llne
10-10 in F1gure 9;
25Ffgure 11 f s a cross-sectfonal vfew taken along
the lfne 11-11 fn Figure 9; and
Figure 12 fs an isometrfc vfew of an
alternative to a component shown fn Figure 1.
09
-- 6 --
A showerhead 20 ~ncludes a generally hollow
hous1ng 22 wh1ch has a front open~ng 24 and a rear
opening 26 each of wh1ch lead to the 1nter~or 28 of
hous1ng 22. A closure 30 1s aff1xed within front
open~ng 24 and defines a f1rst set of outlets 32 ard a
second set of outlets 34, each of wh~ch are formed to
direct liqu1d, usually water, 1n a selected spray
pattern outwardly from Interlor 28. While the llquid
in the spray or sprays is usually pla1n water as
io received from a supply p1pe, 1t has been suggested
heretofore to include some kind of mix1ng device ahead
of the showerhead so as selectively to add another
material such as soap, o11 or a medicant.
A pivot assembly includes a ball 38 in the form
of a generally spherical segment and ~o~ned to a shank
40 wh1ch projects away from ball 38 and Is slldably
received through rear open1ng 26 1n protrus1On toward
front opening 24. A conduit 42 1s def1ned through ball
38 and shank 40 to dellver water into the inter1Or.
A nut 44 1s 1nternally threaded at 46 in fts
rear port~on to enable connection to a water delivery
pipe~ Nut 44 also includes a snout 48 wh1ch envelops
ball 38. The internal wall 50 of snout 48 tapers
~nwardly to captivate ball 38 when the latter 1s urged
outwardly relat1ve to snout 48~ A seal 52 not only
functions to effect seal1ng as aga1nst leakage of the
internally flowlng water but also urges ball 38
outwardly relat~ve to snout 48 when threads 46 are
s~
-- 7
attached to the supply plpe. An arrangement 54 wlthin
the lnterior oF houslng 22 serves to captlvate shank 40
against withdrawal from rear openlng 26. As
subsequently wlll be descrlbed in more detail,
arrangement 54 serves to seat shank 40 wlthln houslng
22 while at the same tlme permlttlng rotatlon of
houslng 22 around shank 40.
Deflne~ wlthln closure 30 are a flrst palr of
space-opposed channels 56 each of wh~ch leads outwardly
-10 into housing interior 28 for comunlcatlon wlth outlets
34. A1so formed ln closure 30 are a second palr of
space-opposed channels 58 orlented around a longitudinal
axis of showerhead 20 at rlght angles to channels 56.
Channels 58 lead to outlets 32. Secured to shank 40 is
a flow d~rector or plate 60 whlch overlles the
entrances to channels 56 and 58 and includes
space-opposed apertures 62 aligned to be selectively
positionable in communicatlon wlth elther channels 56
or 58 as housing 22 is rotated around shank 40. To
that end, plate 60 is snap-fitted onto the lnner end
portion of shank 40 by a pair of space-opposed legs 64.
Space-opposed lugs 66 on the irlner end port~on of shank
40 def~ne a correspondlng palr of space-opposed
channels 68 into whlch the indlvldual ones of legs 64
respectively are seated. As best seen ln Figure 2, the
free end portlons of legs 64 snap behlnd a shoulder on
the inner end portlon of shank 40, but legs 64 are
movable longitudinally wlth regard to the shank. In
5~
-- 8
use, however, the force of the incomlng water flow
through condult 42 urges plate 60 aga~nst the Inner
face 70 of closure 30.
Projectlng inwardly from the wall of housing
22, and more particularly from the Inner wall of a nose
71 which defines rear open~ng 26, are a pair of
space-opposed nubs 72 that def~ne a correspond~ng pair
of space-opposed channelways 74 through which lugs 66
are receivable for dispos~t~on beh~nd nubs 72 upon
-10 insertlon and twlsting of shank 40 relat~ve to hous~ng
22. It will be observed that legs 64 on plate 60 end up
being disposed wlth~n channels 68 and channelways 74.
Lugs 66 and shank 40 are prshlbted from unseating
relat~ve to houslng 22 by legs 64 that otherw~se would
enable withdrawal of the shank from the rear opening.
Accordingly, the comb~nation of nubs 72 and legs 64
serve as indexing means.
Closure 30 includes a rearwardly-projecting cup
80 threaded internally at 82 to engage mat~ng threads
on a forwardly projecting flange 84 wh~ch projects
forwardly as part of hous~ng 22. An O-r~ng 86
establishes a seal between closure 30 and flange 84.
Intermediate the length of shank 40 is an outwardly
projecting flange 88 whlch capt~vates an O-ring 90
26 disposed around shank 40 toward nubs 72 and legs 64.
Outlets 32 are spaced apart c~rcumferentially
in a ring. Outlets 34 are, ~n th1s case, formed by a
series of grooves or slots spaced around the lnner
~'Z~ 5~
peripheral wall of opening 24 and preferably are of
alterna~ing angles and depths, so as to create a rather
broad outer spray pattern composed of two concentr~c
circular spray patterns. A rlm 94 on closure 30
completes the definition of outlets 34.
Projectlng forwardly from closure 30 ~s a spout
98 wh~ch surrounds the pattern of spray emmitted from
outlets 32. A plurality of ~nner flutes 100 are spaced
circumferentially around the outer wall of spout 98 and
have forward ends which serve as a rest against whlch a
decal plate 102 is mounted as well as agalnst a flat
surface 104 formed more outwardly on closure 30.
Flutes 100 also serve for accept~ng a tool used in
factory assemb1y or disassembly to permlt screwing
action at threads 82. More outwardly-located flutes
106 aid the user for achlevlng access to clean the
outlets when, and ~f, necessary.
A removable restrictor 110 i s lnserted in
conduit 42 for reducing the rate of flow of water into
housing 22 as compared wlth what otherwlse would be
permltted by the dimensioning of condu~t 42 for a glven
delivered water pressure. Restrlctor 110 includes a
tab 112 whlch pro~ects rearwardly from ball 38,
allowing a user to remove restrlctor 110 when, for hls
particular pleasure, the outlet flow is lnsufficlent to
accommoda-te his desires. Conduit 42 is of hexagonal
shape but defines a cylindrlcal seat 114 withln whlch
restrictor 110 is seated. In Its s1mplest form,
-- 10 --
restr~ctor 110 ls of an oblong shape and includes a
pair of laterally spaced webs 116 that flt lnto a
portion of condui~ 42 and cont~nue lnto tab 112 as well
as into an ldentical lon3~tudina1ly-opposed tab 118, so
that no assembly orien~ation ~s requ~red.
Preferably, as shown ~n F~gure 12, restr~ctor
llOa ~ncludes a central port~on 120 whfch has a
mult~-faceted cross-sect~onal shape, w~th that portion
of condult 40 be~ng formed to be receptlve of such a
shape. Thls enables randomly-selected or~entat~on of
the restrictor upon insertlon during assembly9 and yet
ensures a~cessabili-ty for removal by the user o~ the
restr~ctor. In thls particular case, central portion
120 ~s in the shape of a cross.
Assembly of the showerhead is qu~ck and
eff~c~ent. Shank 40 is inserted through nut 44, and
seal 52 is frlct~onally seated. Shank 40 is then
inserted slidably through opening 26, with 0-ring 90 ln
place, and lugs 66 are engaged behind nubs 72 by
twisting. Control plate 60 is lnserted through hub
open~ng 24 and snapped into place, after whlch 0-rfng
86 is ~nstalled and closure 30 ~s threadably engaged.
At any convenient tlme dur~ng thls procedure,
restrlctor 110 Is ~nserted.
For installation, the installer simply engages
threads 46 on a standard supply pipe and hand-tightens
nut 44. Upon that tightening, shank 40 and ball 30
become fr~ctionally engaged to nut 44, so as to
substantially be f~xed in place.
~2~ 3
In taklng a shower; the user need only grasp
the knurled area 120 around the forward perlphery of
houslng 22 and rotate the housing relative to shank 40.
That moves either channels 56 or channels 58 into
communicatlon wlth aperatures 62, thus select~ng as
between outer spray and inner spray.
Legs 64 stop plate 60 rotatlonal1y with respect
to p~vot ball 38 as well as provid~ng a stop for nubs
72, allowing the user to feel a signiflcant ~ncrease in
rotational resistance by reason of the friction between
ball 38, and seal 52 and nut 44. This indicates to the
user that the selection of the mode functlon is
complete. At the same tlme, that feature prevents any
breakage of the lugs or the nubs due to user abuse in
applying excessive torgue to housing 22.
Preferably, restrictor 110 and all lnternal
flow channelling are sized so that the flow
characteristics of the shower w~th restrictor 110 in
place meet governmental or other agency flow
requirements for showerheads. Should a low pressure
condition exist, however, the user may remove
restrictor 110 and employ the showerhead ~n an
otherwise normal manner.
It will be appreciated that varlous
Z5 alternatives may be lncorporated and the aesthetlc
appearance may be changed. Here9 a shroud 122 covers
the junction of housing 22 with snout 48. That could
be accomplished otherwise. For example, restricter llO
- 12 -
might simply be an insertable cylinder. Control plate
~0 may be affixed in another manner, so as to remaln
stationary with regard to shank 4Q as housing 22 is
turned~ However, -the present approach is preferred
because control plate 60 not only serves the function
implied by its name but its legs also serve as part of
the securing and locking assembly for the mounting of
pivot ball 38 with respect -to housing 22.
As will be apparent, the above-described shower-
head enables the user to achieve the benefit of a multi-
plicity of spray patterns without incurring significant
cost increase for obtaining that result, while at the
same time readily enabling conservation of water usage,
and which enables the user to disenable the water-
saving feature when that is not applicable because of
lower water pressure than average. The illustrated
showerhead has consumer-desired features and yet is so
devised that costs are not increased significantly over
the older one-function showerheads.
While a particular embodiment of -the present
invention has been shown arld descr:ibed, and mod:iEica-
tions and alterna-tives may hclve been sucJcJestecl, it will be
obvious to -those skilled in the art that changes and
modifications may be made without departing from the
invention in :its broader aspects. Therefore, the
aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes
and modifications as fall within the true spirit and
scope of that which is patentable.
