Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
i;38~3~3
SPECIFICATION
The present inventlon pertains to a showerhead.
More particularly, it relates to a showerhead that
permits adjustment as between a multlpliclty of spray
patterns, while retalning a high degree of simpliclty.
It long has been recognl2ed that users enjoy an
adjustability as to the characterlstics of a shower
spray. A control has heretofore often been included
for the purpose of enabling the user to vary between a
fine and a coarse spray.
A more recent development has been that o-f the
kind of showerhead which included a feature of emitting
a pulsating spray for massage action. Typlcal examples
are those of U.S Patents Nos. 3,801,0l9, 4,303,201 and
Canadian Patent No. 1,0B9,897. Included among the
features of the latter two is the concept of allowlng
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 recqlved by the publ1c, the
inclusion of such features has led to increased cost
for showerheads. Not everyone desires or needs a
pulsating spray, for example. Even in thç slmplest of
sprays that are merely ad~ustable as to spray
characteristlc, the mechan1sms for accompllshlng such
adjustment have led to undue cost and, at least in some
cases, lack of reliahility.
3~
-- 2
In this era of increased in~erest in
conservation of water use, attention also has been
directed to -the achieYement of adequate showerlng,
while at the same time minim~zing the use of water. An
exemplary approach in that respect ~s presented in U~S
Patent No. 4,190,207. Devices constructed in
acco~dance w~th the dlsclosure of that patent have now
been lnstalled in a widespread number of homes, motels
and hotels. It ~s a showerhead which offers the
feature of water conservatlon as well as the feature of
massage actlon when desired.
~ hile the foregoing developments and
improvements have been appreciated both by users and by
suppliers, the basic showerhead usually supplied with
1~ the original equipment has remained about the same,
with or w~thout adjustment of spray force. Thus, a
void has exis~ed as between the old-fashioned units and
those that are more esoteric in provlding such features
as massdge action.
In accordance with the present invention, there
is provided a showerhead comprising a generally hollow
housinq having front and rear o~eninqs leadinq to the
interior of the housing, means for securing the rear
opening ad~ustably to a liquid delivery pipe, while
allowing rotation of the housinq around the longitudin~l
axis of the securing means, a closure affixed within the
front openinq and defining first and second grouDs of flow
outlets from the interior for the liquid, first and second
channels deEined in the closure for enabling the flow of
the liquid to respective different ones of the groups, and
a flow director fixed within -the housing rotationally
relative to but separate from the securing means Eor
selectively determininq the Elow as between the res~ective
ones of the groups as the housing is rotated around the
securing means.
, . . .-
. In another aspect, there ~s involved such a
housing which has a closure affixed wlthln its front
openlng that defines first and second groups of flow
outlets as well as havfng -first and second channels
deffned therein For enabllng the flow of llqu1d to
respectfve dffferent ones of those groups. Flow control
means, fixed wlthin the housing relative to means for
securing the housfng to a supply pipe, selectlvely
determine the flow path as the housing is rotated
around the securlng means.
Given such a housfng wfth a hollow inter-lor,
and a closure 1n the front opening that defines means
for the delivery of a spray pattern, a further aspect
inYolYes a condition for inlettillg the flu~d into the
rear opening from a supply pipe, and the fncluslon of
means disposed in the conduit which fncludes a user
removable restrlctorO
The features of the present fnventfon wh~ch are
belleved to be patentable are set forth w~th
partlcularfty ~n the appended clafms. The organfzatlon
and manner of operation oF the invention, together with
further objects and advantages thereof, may best be
understood with reference to the followfng description
of an emboc~irnen-t -thereo:E ta~en in connection with -the
accompanying drawinys, in the several igures of which like
re~erence numerals identify like elemell-ts and in which:
3~
-- 5 --
Figure 1 is an exploded ~sometric v1ew of a
showerhead;
F19ure 2 is an enlarged cross-sectiona1 v1ew of
the showerhead of Figure 1 as assembled, the left half
of Flgure 2 being taken at an angle relat~ve to the
rlght half thereof as about a longitudinal axis of th~
assembly;
F1gure 3 is a bottom plan v1ew of d component
shown in Flgure 1;
ilO F19ure 4 1s a cross-sect10nal view taken along
the line 4-4 in F1gure 3;
F~gure 5 ~s a bottom plan vlew of a component
shown in Figure 1 and taken along the line 5-5 in
Figure 6;
Figure 6 ls a cross-sectlonal view taken along
the line 6-6 in Figure 5;
Figure 7 is a top plan view of the component of
Figure 5 and taken along the line 7-7 in Figure 8;
Flgure 8 is a cross-sectional vlew taken along
the line 8-8 in F~gure 7;
Figure 9 is a s~de elevational v1ew of another
component shown in Figure 1 bu-t 1nverted;
Figure 10 is a plan v1ew taken along the line
10-10 in F1gure 9;
Figure 11 is a cross-sect10nal view taken along
the l~ne 11-11 in Figure g; and
Figure 12 is an isometric view of an
alternative to a component shown in Figure 1.
.... . . . .
-- 6 --
A showerhead 20 ~ncludes a generally hollow
housing 22 which has a front openlng Z4 and a rear
opening 26 each of which lead to the Interlor 28 of
houslng 22~ A closure 30 is affixed within front
5 opening 24 and defines a first set of outlets 32 and a
second set of outlets 34, each of wh-ich are formed to
direct liquid, usually water, in a selected spray
pattern outwardly from interior 28. Whlle the llqu1d
in the spray or sprays is usually plain water as
io received from a supply pipe, it has been suggested
heretofore to include some kind of mlxlng device ahead
of the showerhead so as selectively to add another
material such as soap, o~l or a medicant.
A pivot assembly includes a ball 38 in the form
of a generally spherlcal segment and joined to a shank
40 whlch projects away from ball 38 and Is slidably
received through rear opening 26 in protrusion toward
front opening 24. A conduit 42 is defined through ball
38 and shank 40 to deliver water into the interlor.
A nut 44 is internally threaded at 46 in Its
rear portion to enable connection to a water dellvery
pipe. Nut 44 also Includes a snout 48 which envelops
ball 38. The internal wall 50 of snout 48 tapers
inwardly to captivate ball 38 when the latter is urged
outwardly relative to snout 48. A seal 52 not only
functions to effect seallng as against leakage of the
internally flowing water but also urges ball 38
outwardly relative to snout 48 when threads 46 are
? 8 ~ 3 ~
attached to the supply pipe. An arrangement 54 with;n
the interior of housing 22 serves to captivate shank 40
aga-ins~ withdrawal from rear open~ng 26. As
subs~quently will be described in more detail,
arrangement 54 serves to seat shank 40 within housing
22 while at the same tlme permi-tting rotation of
housing 22 around shank 40.
Defined within closure 30 are a first pair of
space-opposed channels 56 each of which leads outwardly
into housing interior 28 for comunication with outlets
34. Also formed in closure 30 are a second pair of
.space-opposed channels 58 oriented around a longitudinal
axis of showerhead 20 at right angles to channels 56.
Channels 58 lead to outlets 32. Secured to shank 40 is
15 a flow direckor or plate 60 which overlies the
entrances -to channels 56 and 58 and ~ncludes
space-opposed apertures 62 aligned to be selectively
posltlonable in communic2tion with either channels 56
or 58 as housin~ 22 is rotated around shank 40. To
that end, plate 60 is snap-fitted onto the inner end
portion of shank 40 by a pair of space-opposed legs 64.
Space-opposed lugs 66 on the inner end portion of shank
40 def;ne a corresponding pair of space-opposed
channels 68 into which the individual ones of legs 64
respectively are seated. As best seen in Figure 2, the
free end portions of legs 64 snap behind a shoulder on
the inner end portion of shank 40, but legs 64 are
- movable longitudinally with regard to the shank. In
~3~3a~
use, however, the Force of the incoming wa-ter flow
through conduit 42 urges plate 60 aga~nst the inner
face 70 of closure 30.
. Projecting ~nwardly from the wall of housing
22, and more particularly from the inner wall of a nose
71 which defines rear opening 26 9 are a pair of
space-opposed nubs 72 khat define a correspond~ng pa1r
- of space-opposed channelways 74 -through which lugs 66
are recelvable for disposition behind nubs 72 upon
insertion and tw~sting of shank 40 relatiYe to hous1ng
22. It will be observed tha-t legs 64 on plate 60 end up
belng disposed withln çhannels 68 and channelways 74.
Lugs 66 and shank 40 are prohibted from unseatin~
relatlve to housing 22 by legs 64 that otherw~se would
.15 enable withdrawal of the shank from the rear opening.
Acsordingly, the combination of nubs 72 and legs 64
serve as indexing means.
Closure 30 includes a rearwardly-projecting cup
80 threaded internally at 82 to engage mating threads
on a forwardly proJecting flange 84 wh~ch projects
forwardly as part of housing 22. An O-ring 86
establishes a seal between closure 30 and flange 84.
Intermediate the length of shank 40 is an outwardly
projecting flange 88 whlch capt-ivates an O~ring 90
26 disposed around shank 40 toward nubs 72 and legs 64.
Outlets 32 are spaced apart circumferentially
in a ring. Outlets 34 are9 in this case, formed by a
series of grooves or slots spaced around the inner
3(~
peripheral wall of open~ng 24 and preferably are of
alternat1ng angles and depths, so as to create a rather
broad outer spray pattern composed of two concentric
circular spray patterns. A rim 94 on closure 30
completes the definition of outlets 34.
Projecting forwardly from closure 30 ls a spout
98 which surrounds the pattern of spray emmlt-ted from
outlets 32. A plurality of 1nner flutes 100 are spaced
circumferentially around the outer wall of spout 98 and
have forward ends which serve as a rest against which a
decal plate 102 is mounted as well as aga~nst a flat
surface 104 formed more outward1y on closure 30.
Flutes 100 also serve for accepting a tool used in
factory assembly or disassembly to perm~t screwing
action at threads 82. More outwardly-located flutes
106 aid the user for achieYing access to clean the
outlets when, and if, necessary.
A removable restrictor 110 is i nserted in
conduit 42 for reducing the ra-te of flow of water into
housing 22 as compared with what otherwise would be
permitted by the dimensioning of condu~t 42 for a glven
delivered water pressure. Restrictor 110 includes a
tab 112 which pro~ects rearwardly from ball 38,
allowing a user to remove restrictor 110 when, for his
particular pleasure, the outlet flow ls insufficlent to
accommodate his desires. Condui-t 42 is o~ hexagonal
sllape but defines a cyl1ndrical seat.114 within which
restrictor 110 is seated. In its simplest form,
~i3~33~
-- 10 --
restrictor 110 is of an oblong shape and 1ncludes a
pair of laterally spaced webs 116 that flt ~nto a
portion of conduit 42 and cont~nue ~nto tab 112 as well
as lnto an identlcal longitudinally-opposed tab 1189 SO
that no assembly orlentation ls requ~red.
Preferably, as shown in Flgure 12, restr~ctor
110a Includes a cen~ral portlon 120 wh~ch has a
multi-faceted cross-sectlonal shape, wlth that portlon
of condult 40 being formed to be receptlve of such a
shape. This enables randomly-selected orientation of
the restrictor.upon ;nsertion during assembly, and yet
ensures accessabili~y for removal ~v the user o:E ~he
restrlctor. In thls part~cular case, central portion
120 ~s in the shape of a cross.
Assembly of the showerhead is qu1ck and
efflcient. Shank 40 is lnserted through nut 44, and
seal 52 is fr~ctionally seated. Shank 40 is then
Inserted slidably through opening 26, wlth 0-rlng 90 ln
place, and lugs 66 are engaged behind nubs 72 by
twistlng. Control plate 60 ls inserted through hub
open1ng 24 and snapped lnto place, after whlch 0-rfng
86 is Installed and closure 30 fs threadably engaged.
At any convenlent time during thls procedure,
restrlctor 110 is inserted.
2~ For Installation, the installer simply engages
threads 46 on a s-tandard supply plpe and hand-tightens
nut 44. Upon that tlghtenlng, shank 40 an~ ball 30
become frict~onally engaged to nut 44, so as to
substantially be fixed ln place.
r:. r
;.
In tak~ng a shower, the user need only grasp
the knurled area 1?0 around the forward perlphery of
housing 22 and rotate the housing relative to shank 40.
That moves either channels 56 or channels 58 into
communicatlon with aperatures 62, thus select1ng as
between outer spray and inner spray.
Legs 64 stop plate 60 rotationally with respect
to plvot ball 38 as well as provlding a stop for nubs
72, allowing the user to feel a significan-t increase in
-10 rotational resistance by reason of the friction between
ball 38, and seal 52 and nut 44. Thls indicates to the
user that the selection of the mode functlon is
complete. At the same time, that feature prevents any
breakage of the lugs or the nubs due to user abuse in
applying excess~ve torque to housing 22.
Preferably~ restrictor 110 and all internal
flow channelling are sized so that the flow
characteristics of the shower with restr1ctor 110 in
place meet governmental or other agency flow
requ1rements for showerheads. Should a low pressure
condition exlst, however, the user may remove
restrictor 110 and employ the showerhead in an
otherwise normal manner.
It will be appreciated that YariOus
alternatiYes may be incorporated and the aesthetic
appearance may be changed. ~lere, a shroud 122 covers
the junction of housing 22 witil snout 48. That could
be accomplished otherwlse. For example, restricter 110
- 12 -
miyht simply be an insertable cylinder. Con-trol plate
60 may be affixed in another manner, so as to remain
stationary with regard to sl~nk 40 as housing 22 is
turned. Ilowever, the present approach is preferred
because control plate 60 not only serves -the function
implied by its name but i-ts legs also serve as part of
the securing and locking assembly for the mounting of
pivot ball 38 wi-th respec-t to housing 22.
~s will be apparent, the above-described shower-
head enables the user to achieve the benefit of a multi-
plicity of spray patterns wi-thout incurring significant
cost increase Eor obtaining that resul-t, while at the
same time readily enabling conservation of wa-ter usage,
and which enables the user to disenable the wa-ter-
saving fea-ture when that is not applicable because of
lower water pressure than averaye. The illustrated
showerhead has consumer-desired features and yet is so
devised that costs are not increased significan-tly over
-the older one-func-tion showerheads.
While a particular embodiment of -the present
invention has been shown and described, and modifica-
tions and alterna-tives may have been suggested, i-t will be
obvious to those skilled in the ar-t that changes and
modifications may be made without depar-tiny from the
invention in its broader aspects. Therefore, the
aim in the appended claims is -to cover all such changes
and modifica-tions as fall wi-thin the true spirit and
scope of -that which is patentable.
