Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
NUTATING FLUID DELIVERY APPARATUS
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Showerheads, faucets and other spray heads or nozzles are commercially
available in
numerous designs and configurations. While many showerheads and faucets are
designed and
sold for their decorative styling, there is a great number of different
showerhead mechanisms
which are intended to improve or change a characteristic of the water spray
pattern. Any
particular spray pattern may be described by the characteristics of spray
width, spray
distribution or trajectory, spray velocity, and the like. Furthermore, the
spray pattern may be
adapted or designed for various purposes, including a more pleasant feeling to
the skin, better
performance at rinsing, massaging of muscles and conservation of water, just
to name a few.
The vast majority of spray heads may be categorized as being either stationary
or
oscillating and having either fixed or adjustable openings or jets. Stationary
spray heads with
fixed jets are the simplest of all spray heads, consisting essentially of a
water chamber and
one or more jets directed to produce a constant pattern. Stationary spray
heads with
adjustable jets are typically of a similar construction, except that some
adjustment of the jet
direction, jet opening size and/or the number of jets utilized is facilitated.
For example, a
showerhead typically used in new residential home construction provides a
stationary spray
housing having a plurality of spray jets disposed in a circular pattern,
wherein the velocity of
the spray is adjustable by manually rotating an adjustment ring relative to
the spray housing.
These stationary spray heads cause water to flo\v through its apertures and
traverse
essentially the same path in a repetitive fashion, such as a showerhead jet
directing water at a
fixed position on a person's skin. The user of such a showerhead feels a
stream of water
continuously on the same area and, particularly at high pressures or flow
rates, the user may
sense that the water is drilling into the body, thus diminishing the positive
effect derived from
such a shower head. In order to reduce this undesirable feeling from
showerheads, and to
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
improve the water distribution from spray heads generally, various attempts
have been made
to provide oscillating spray heads.
Examples of oscillating showerheads are disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos.
3,791,584
(Drew et al.), 3,880,357 (Baisch), 4,018,385 (Bruno), 4,944,457 (Brewer), and
5,577,664
(Heitzman). U.S. Patent No. 4,944,457 (Brewer) discloses an oscillating
showerhead that
uses an impeller wheel mounted to a gear box assembly which produces an
oscillating
movement of the nozzle. Similarly, U.S. Patent No. 5,577,664 (Heitzman)
discloses a
showerhead having a rotary valve member driven by a wheel and gear reducer for
cycling the
flow rate through the housing between high and low flow rates. Both of these
showerheads
require extremely complex mechanical structures in order to accomplish the
desired motion.
Consequently, these mechanisms are prone to failure due to wear on various
parts and
mineral deposits throughout the structure.
U.S. Patent No. 3,691,584 (Drew et al.) also discloses an oscillating
showerhead, but
utilizes a nozzle mounted on a stem that rotates and pivots under forces
places on it by water
entering through radially disposed slots into a chamber around stem. Although
this
showerhead is simpler than those of Brewer and Heitzman, it still includes a
large number of
pieces requiring precise dimensions and numerous connections between pieces.
Furthermore,
the showerhead relies upon small openings for water passageways and is subject
to mineral
buildup and plugging with particles.
U.S. Patent No. 5,467,927 (Lee) discloses a showerhead with a device having a
plurality of blades designed to produce vibration and pulsation. One blade is
provided with an
eccentric weight which causes vibration and an opposite blade is provided with
a front flange
which cause pulsation by momentarily blocking the water jets. Again, the
construction of this
showerhead is rather complex and its narrow passageways are subject to mineral
buildup and
plugging with particulates.
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U.S. Patent No. 5,704,547 (Golan et al.) discloses a shower head including a
housing,
a turbine and a fluid exit body, such that fluid flowing through the turbine
causes rotation of
the turbine. The rotating (spinning) turbine can be used to cause rotation of
the fluid exit
body and/or a side-to-side rocking motion in a pendulum like manner.
U.S. Patent No. 4,073,438 (Meyer) discloses a sprinkler head having a housing
30
with an inlet, a water distributing structure having a nozzle on one end and a
cup shaped
element at the opposite end which is operative in response to the tangential
flow of water into
the housing for effecting the orbital movement of the nozzle. There is also
disclosed a disk
that rotates in rolling contact with a surface within the housing for
effecting the fractional
rotation of the nozzle. The cup shaped element rotates about the longitudinal
axis in response
to the tangential flow of water from the inlet.
Referring to Figure 35, U.S. Patent No. 3,091,400 (Aubert) discloses a
dishwashing
machine having a rotary wobble spraying apparatus comprising a spraying body
having a
spraying head and a bearing piece, together with a ring surrounding it. The
wobble spraying
apparatus 510 comprises body piece 512, having a spraying head 514 attached
thereto, and a
ring 516 surrounding it. The body piece 512 has an internal conical bearing
seat 518 and is
placed on a water supply pipe 520 having a rounded edge forming a bearing seat
522. The
body piece 512 has a collar 524 pulled down over the supply pipe 520 and an
adjoining,
outwardly projecting shoulder 526 engages the lower side of ring 516 and rolls
on it when
water is supplied under pressure. Water supplied through pipe 520 enters a
distribution
chamber 528 and emerges through the spraying apertures 530 of spraying head
514. The
orientation of the apertures 530 is chosen so that a moment of momentum sets
the spraying
body into rotation, whereby the shoulder 526 of body 512 rolls on the ring 516
as indicated at
point 532.
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A primary disadvantage of Aubert is that the wobbling motion is caused by the
tangential orientation of the apertures in the spray head, thereby limiting
the choice of spray
patterns. Specifically, the tangential apertures will form a very wide spray
pattern that may be
useful for dishwashing, but is very undesirable for a showerhead. Furthermore,
because of the
mass of the spray head 514 and the annular contact between the shoulder 526
and the ring
516, the water supply must be run at a high velocity and pressure before the
spray head will
begin wobbling.
U.S. Patent Nos. 2,639,191 and 3,357,643 (both Hruby) discloses a sprinkler
and
fountain devices having an elongate tubular stem received by a bushing inside
an elongate
tubular body, wherein the bushing provides sufficient clearance with the stem
to allow the
stem to gyrate or wobble inside an elongate tubular body. However, this device
also relies
upon a tangential flow of fluid to actuate the stem. Furthermore, the stem and
body are so
long that the device would not be suitable for many applications.
U.S. Patent No. 3,009,648 (Hait) discloses a sprinkler head having a single
piece
nozzle secured to a fluid conduit, where the nozzle has an inverter cone plug
supported in
position by struts. The plug includes a plurality of vanes to induce a rotary
motion on the
nozzle. The sprinkler distributes water in a rotating stream.
U.S. Patent Nos. 5,439,174 and 5,588,595 (Sweet) as well as U.S. Patent No.
5.671,885 (Davisson) disclose nutating sprinklers having a body portion with a
nozzle at one
end and a spray plate supported thereon at an opposite end downstream of the
nozzle. The
spray plate has a plurality of stream distributing grooves formed on one side
thereof
configured to cause the spray plate to rotate when struck by a stream emitted
from the nozzle.
The spray plate has a shaft coupled to the body via a ball and cage, a bearing
cage or a
flexible connector, respectively. Fluid is directed against the spray plate
and deflected
radially off the spray plate with no control or redirection of the fluid.
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However, there remains a need for an improved spray head, showerhead or other
fluid
discharging apparatus that delivers fluid, such as water, in a uniform and
controlled fashion.
It would be desirable if the spray head were able to deliver water in the
desired manner, even
at low pressures or flow rates suitable for use in showerheads and sink
faucets. The apparatus
would preferably cause minimal pressure drop and deliver fluid in a
directional spray pattern.
It would be further desirable if the spray head provided a simple and compact
design
involving minimal parts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an apparatus comprising: a body having a fluid
inlet; a
wobble turbine disposed downstream of the fluid inlet, the wobble turbine
being, configured
to rotate when struck by a stream emitted from the fluid inlet; and a fluid
redirecting means,
such as a moving or stationary shroud or a chamber, disposed downstream of the
wobble
turbine to redirect the stream. While the wobble turbine may be placed
downstream of the
fluid inlet in various ways, it is preferred that the wobble turbine is
disposed in an axially
spaced relationship to the fluid inlet. The apparatus may further comprise a
wobble limiting
member, such as a stator ring, engaging the wobble turbine.
While the wobble turbine may be disposed downstream of the fluid inlet in
various
ways, the wobble turbine is preferably coupled to the body in a post and
sleeve relationship.
The preferred wobble turbine includes a convex conical upper surface with
angular
momentum inducing members formed therein/thereon, wherein the angular momentum
inducing members are selected from grooves, vanes, blades and combinations
thereof.
The apparatus may further comprise a track formed adjacent the fluid inlet,
wherein
the wobble turbine has a first surface extending into rolling contact with the
track. One
preferred wobble turbine for use with the track has a plurality of blades
configured to cause
the wobble turbine to rotate when struck by a stream emitted from the fluid
inlet and has a
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downwardly angled deflector for the fluid redirecting means. In accordance
with the
invention, the fluid redirecting means may be either coupled to the wobble
turbine or the
body member.
The invention includes certain fluid delivery apparatus wherein the body forms
a
housing having a first end including a fluid inlet and a second end including
a collar. A
nozzle assembly may be used in conjunction with the housing, the assembly
comprising a
first end forming a post and sleeve relationship with the wobble turbine in
the housing, a
second end having an fluid outlet, and a fluid conduit extending through the
collar to provide
fluid communication between the housing and the fluid outlet. The nozzle
assembly may
further comprise a wobble limiting member, such as a wobble plate. A preferred
wobble plate
has a convex frustoconical surface that engages the housing adjacent the
collar to limit
movement of the nozzle assembly. The fluid outlet from the housing comprises a
spray
nozzle having a plurality of outlet channels formed in the spray nozzle.
In one aspect, the invention provides a spray head assembly comprising:
a housing having a fluid inlet, a nozzle assembly, an opening in said housing
with said nozzle assembly extending through said opening and having an
exterior portion
providing an outlet nozzle and an interior portion positioned within said
housing, said nozzle
assembly having a fluid channel connecting the interior portion within the
housing and the
outlet nozzle outside of the housing,
a wobble inducing member positioned within the housing, acting upon and
movable independently of the nozzle assembly interior position, said wobble
inducing
member being positioned within the housing relative to the fluid inlet to
induce wobble of the
nozzle assembly resulting from fluid flowing through the fluid inlet and
contacting the
wobble inducing member,
and means associated with the nozzle assembly for limiting wobble movement
thereof, as imparted to the nozzle assembly by the independently movable
wobble inducing
member.
In a further aspect, the invention provides a spray head assembly comprising:
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CA 02337336 2010-09-08
a housing having a fluid inlet, a nozzle assembly, an opening in said housing
with said nozzle assembly extending through said opening and having an
exterior portion
providing an outlet nozzle and an interior portion position within said
housing, said nozzle
assembly having a fluid channel connecting the interior portion within the
housing and the
outlet nozzle outside of the housing, means within said housing for inducing
wobble of the
nozzle assembly,
a fluid conduit within said housing connected to the fluid inlet and having
outlet means exteriorly of said outlet nozzle, and a bypass valve controlling
flow from said
fluid inlet to said fluid conduit and to said nozzle assembly.
In a further aspect, there is provided a spray head assembly comprising:
a housing comprising a first end having a fluid inlet and a second end
forming a collar;
a nozzle assembly comprising a first end forming a post disposed inside the
housing, a middle portion extending through the collar, a second end having a
fluid outlet, a
fluid conduit providing fluid communication between the housing and the fluid
outlet, and a
wobble limiting member, wherein the nozzle assembly is positioned downstream
of the fluid
inlet; and
a wobble inducing member disposed in the housing facing the fluid inlet, the
wobble inducing member comprising a sleeve extending therefrom to loosely
receive the
post therein.
In a further aspect, there is provided a spray head assembly comprising:
a housing comprising a first end having a fluid inlet and a second end forming
a collar;
a nozzle assembly comprising a first end forming a sleeve disposed inside the
housing, a middle portion extending through the collar, a second end having a
fluid outlet, a
fluid conduit in fluid communication between the housing and the fluid outlet,
and a wobble
limiting member, wherein the nozzle assembly is positioned downstream of the
fluid inlet;
and
a wobble inducing member disposed in the housing facing the fluid inlet and
having a post extending therefrom loose engagement with the sleeve.
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In a further aspect, there is provided a spray head assembly comprising:
a housing comprising a first end having a fluid inlet, a second end having a
collar and a flow channel extending between the first and second ends;
a nozzle assembly comprising a first end disposed inside the housing, a
wobble inducing member coupled to the first end and movable independently of
the nozzle
assembly, a middle portion extending through the collar a wobble limiting
member coupled
to the middle portion adjacent the collar, a second end having an outlet
nozzle, and a water
channel providing fluid communication between the flow channel and the outlet
nozzle.
In a further aspect there is provided a spray head assembly comprising:
a housing having a nozzle assembly;
means for wobbling the nozzle assembly; and means for adjusting a wobbling
range of the nozzle assembly.
In a further aspect, there is provided a spray head assembly comprising:
a housing having a nozzle assembly;
means for wobbling the nozzle assembly; and
means for adjusting a velocity of fluid directed at the means for wobbling.
In a further aspect, there is provided a spray head assembly comprising,
a housing comprising a first end having a fluid inlet and a second end forming
a collar;
a nozzle assembly comprising a first end disposed inside the housing, a
middle portion extending through the collar, a second end having a fluid
outlet, a fluid
conduit providing fluid communication between the housing and the fluid
outlet, and a
wobble limiting member, wherein the nozzle assembly is positioned downstream
of the fluid
inlet;
a wobble inducing member facing the fluid inlet and engaging the first end of
the nozzle assembly; and
a bypass valve having a first outlet providing selective communication from
the fluid inlet
towards the wobble inducing member and a second outlet providing selective
communication from the fluid inlet around the wobble inducing member.
In a further aspect, there is provided a spray head assembly comprising:
7a
CA 02337336 2010-09-08
a chamber having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet with a velocity tube; a
spray
nozzle having a fluid inlet in fluid communication with the velocity tube, the
spray nozzle
having a plurality of outlet channels; a bypass channel providing fluid
communication
between the chamber and the fluid inlet of the spray nozzle downstream of the
velocity tube;
a bypass valve disposed in the bypass channel to control flow from the chamber
through the
bypass channel to the spray nozzle fluid inlet, wherein the bypass channel and
bypass valve
provide fluid to the spray nozzle at a velocity that is less than the velocity
of fluid passing
through the velocity tube.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
So that the above recited features and advantages of the present invention can
be
understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention, briefly
summarized
above, may be had by reference to the embodiments thereof which are
illustrated in the
appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings
illustrate only
typical embodiments of this invention and are, therefore, not to be considered
limiting of its
scope, because the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments.
Figure 1 is a cross-sectional side view of a first embodiment of a spray head
assembly of the present invention.
Figures 2 and 3 are cross-sectional side views of a second embodiment of a
spray
head assembly of the present invention.
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional top view of the spray head taken along line 4-4
of Figure
1 showing the top of a wobble turbine.
Figure 5 is a bottom view of the spray head showing the outlets from the spray
housing.
Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of a third embodiment of a spray head
assembly of
the present invention.
7b
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Figure 7 is a cross-sectional side view of a fourth embodiment of a spray head
assembly of the present invention.
Figures 8A-D and 9A-D are graphical representations of the uniformity of the
spray
patterns from four spray heads, including a spray head of the present
invention, at two
different distances from the spray head.
Figures 10A-I are schematic diagrams of the wobble movement between a wobble
plate and housing floor of the present invention.
Figures i lA-B are schematic side views of a spray head and the pattern/angles
of
water delivered by the spray head.
Figures 12A-B are partial top views of alternative wobble turbines having
different
groove angles.
Figure 13 is a cross-sectional side view of a fifth embodiment of the spray
head
assembly of the present invention having a tracking ring.
Figure 14 is a top view taken along lines 14-14 of the embodiment shown in
Figure
13.
Figure 15 is a cross-sectional side view of a sixth embodiment of the spray
head
assembly of the present invention.
Figure 16 is a top view of the wobble turbine of the embodiment of the spray
head
shown in Figure 15 taken along lines 16-16of Figure 15.
Figures 17A-I are schematic diagrams illustrating the wobble movement between
a
wobble turbine sleeve and nozzle assembly post in accordance with the spray
head of Figure
2.
Figures 18A-I are schematic diagrams illustrating the wobble movement between
a
wobble turbine post and nozzle assembly sleeve in accordance with the spray
head of Figure
3.
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Figure 19 is a cross-sectional side view of a seventh embodiment of a spray
head
assembly of the present invention.
Figure 20 is a cross-sectional side view of a eighth embodiment of a spray
head
assembly of the present invention.
Figure 21 is a cross-sectional side view of a spray head assembly having a
flow
washer velocity control system.
Figure 22 is a cross-sectional side view of a spray head assembly having a
bypass
valve for redirecting fluid around the turbine or around the velocity tube.
Figures 23A-F are cross-sectional side views of the bypass valve of Figure 22
showing its operation at various angles of rotation.
Figures 24A-E, 25A-E and 26A-E are partial cross-sectional views of the bypass
valve in Figures 23A-E taken along lines 24A-24E, 25A-25E and 26A-26E,
respectively.
Figure 27 is a cross-sectional side view of a spray head assembly having a
bypass
valve for controlling fluid to a set of stationary fluid outlet channels.
Figure 28 is a cross-sectional side view of a spray head assembly having a
bypass
valve for redirecting fluid around the velocity tube and a cam shaft for
moving a sleeve that
controls the spray width.
Figure 29 is a cross-sectional side view of a spray head assembly as in Figure
26,
except that the sleeve is disposed below the wobble plate.
Figure 30 is a cross-sectional side view of a spray head assembly having a
spray
width adjustment ring below the wobble plate.
Figure 31 is a cross-sectional side view of a spray head assembly having a
bypass
valve for directing water around the velocity tube to achieve a soft wash.
Figure 32 is a cross-sectional side view of a spray head assembly having
external fluid
delivery to an external nozzle assembly.
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Figure 33 is a cross-sectional side view of a spray head assembly having a
lifting ring.
Figure 34 is a cross-sectional side view of a spray head assembly having an
impact
adjustment component disposed downstream of the velocity tube.
Figure 35 is a cross-sectional side view of a prior art spray head for use in
dishwashers.
Figure 36 is a cross-sectional side view of a first embodiment of a fluid
discharging
apparatus of the present invention.
Figure 37 is a cross-sectional side view of a second embodiment of the present
invention.
Figure 38 is a cross-sectional side view of a third embodiment of the present
invention.
Figure 39 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Figure 38.
Figures 40 and 41 are cross-sectional side views of a fourth embodiment of the
present invention.
Figure 42 is a cross-sectional side view of a fifth embodiment of the present
invention.
Figures 43-45 are schematic views of the top of a wobble turbine of the
present
invention.
Figure 46 is a bottom view of a typical apparatus of the present invention
showing the
outlet channels.
Figure 47 is a cross-sectional side view of an apparatus similar to that shown
in
Figure 36 with the post and sleeve relationship reversed.
Figures 48 and 49 are cross-sectional side views of an apparatus similar to
that shown
in Figure 36 with an optional feature providing a concentrated stream of
fluid.
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
Figures 50. 51 and 52 are cross-sectional side views of further embodiments of
the
apparatus.
Figure 53 is a cross-sectional side view of a first embodiment of an apparatus
of the
present invention;
Figure 54 is a cross-sectional side view of a second embodiment of an
apparatus of
the present invention;
Figure 55 is a cross-sectional side view of a third embodiment of an apparatus
of the
present invention;
Figure 56 is a cross-sectional side view of a fourth embodiment of an
apparatus of the
present invention;
Figure 57 is a cross-sectional side view of a fifth embodiment of an apparatus
of the
present invention;
Figure 58 is a cross-sectional side view of an alternate outlet channel for
use with the
apparatus shown in Figures 54 and 55;
Figure 59 is a cross-sectional side view of a sixth embodiment of an apparatus
of the
present invention;
Figure 60 is a cross-sectional side view of a seventh embodiment of an
apparatus of
the present invention;
Figure 61 is a cross-sectional side view of a eighth embodiment of an
apparatus of the
present invention;
Figure 62 is a cross-sectional side view of a ninth embodiment of an apparatus
of the
present invention;
Figure 63 is a cross-sectional side view of a tenth embodiment of an apparatus
of the
present invention; and
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Figure 64 is a cross-sectional view of an eleventh embodiment of the present
invention.
Figures 65, 65A and 66 are cross-sectional views of two alternative coupling
designs
used to harness the roto-nutational movement of a motor output shaft or nozzle
assembly and
use that movement to turn a gear or shaft, respectively, having a true
rotational axis.
Figure 67 is a cross-sectional side view of a first embodiment of a spray head
assembly of the present invention.
Figure 68 is a partial sectional view of the wobble turbine shown in Figure
67.
Figure 69 is a perspective view of the wobble turbine shown in Figure 67.
Figure 70 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of a spray head.
Figures 71A and 71B are cross-sectional views of a spray head having a fluid
inlet
with a variable cross-sectional area in the fully open and restricted
positions, respectively.
Figures 72A and 72B are cross-sectional views of a fluid flow control device
in the
open and closed positions, respectively.
Figure 73 is a cross-sectional view of a spray head having a bearing that
coupled the
turbine to the post.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
I. Spray Head Assemblies Including a Chamber
The present invention provides a spray head assembly with a moving spray
nozzle
that delivers fluid in a substantially uniform spray distribution. The
movement of the spray
nozzle is a wobbling motion, preferably combined with some rotational motion.
The
wobbling motion is generated by disposing a wobble inducing member or wobble
turbine in
the path of the fluid supply inside a housing. The water flowing over the
wobble turbine
causes the wobble turbine to wobble, wherein the axis of the turbine rotates
or swings about a
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CA 02337336 2007-08-10
reference axis defined by the wobble limiting member(s). The wobbling turbine
then causes
the spray nozzle to wobble. The spray pattern produced by the wobbling spray
nozzle
changes more or less rapidly so that fluid droplets or streams are directed
along arcuate paths
over time rather than continuously at a single point. This type of spray
distribution pattern is
gentler than many stationary patterns and the unique design of the wobble
turbine does not
include complex mechanical parts or significant flow restrictions.
More particularly, the present invention provides for a spray head assembly
having a
housing, a nozzle assembly, a wobble inducing member and a wobble limiting
member. The
housing has a first end having a fluid inlet and a second end forming a collar
or opening
therein. The nozzle assembly has a first end forming a post disposed inside
the housing, a
middle portion extending through the opening, a second end having an fluid
outlet, a fluid
conduit providing fluid communication between the housing and the fluid
outlet, and the
wobble limiting member. The nozzle assembly is positioned downstream of the
fluid inlet.
The wobble inducing member is disposed in the fluid channel facing the fluid
inlet and has a.
sleeve extending therefrom to loosely receive the post therein. The nozzle
assembly is caused
to wobble by fluid flowing past, over or through the wobble inducing member.
The post comprises at least one inlet, preferably a plurality of radial
channels, and a
passage providing fluid communication between the post inlet and the fluid
outlet. The inlet
can be tangential to the centerline of the passage. The post and sleeve may be
conical.
Preferably, the fluid outlet comprises a spray nozzle and a plurality of
outlet channels
formed in the spray nozzle. A sealing element may be disposed between the
collar and the
middle portion of the nozzle assembly to prevent leakage of fluid out of the
housing via the
collar.
In another embodiment, the present invention provides a spray head assembly
having
a housing, a nozzle having a wobble limiting member and a wobble inducing
member. The
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CA 02337336 2007-08-10
housing has a first end having a fluid inlet and a second end forming an
opening. The nozzle
assembly has a first end forming a sleeve disposed inside the housing, a
middle portion
extending through the opening, a second end having an fluid outlet, a fluid
conduit in fluid
communication between the housing and the fluid outlet. The first end of the
nozzle assembly
is positioned downstream of the fluid inlet. The wobble inducing member is
disposed in the
housing facing the fluid inlet and having a post extending therefrom loose
engagement with
the sleeve, preferably, the post and sleeve are conical.
In another embodiment, there is provided, a spray head assembly having a
housing, a
nozzle having a wobble limiting member and a wobble inducing member. The
housing has a
first end having a fluid inlet end, a second end having an opening and a flow
channel
extending between the first and second ends. The nozzle assembly has a first
end disposed
inside the housing, the wobble inducing member coupled to the first end, a
middle portion
extending through the opening, the wobble limiting member, such as a wobble
plate, coupled
to the middle portion adjacent the opening, a second end having an outlet
nozzle, and a water
channel providing fluid communication between the flow channel and the outlet
nozzle.
Preferably, the wobble inducing member is a wobble turbine head and the wobble
turbine head forms a conical surface with partially tangential grooves facing
the fluid inlet
end of the housing. In a preferred embodiment, the wobble inducing member may
be a
wobble turbine head having a plurality of radially extending vanes positioned
downstream of
the fluid inlet of the housing. The wobble limiting member can be a ring
attached to the
vanes.
One aspect of the present invention provides a spray head assembly with a
wobble
inducing member or wobble turbine that causes a spray nozzle to wobble
regardless of the
quantity, design or configuration of the spray nozzle outlet channels. More
particularly, the
wobble inducing member does not rely on tangential outlet channels in the
spray nozzle. This
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CA 02337336 2007-08-10
allows the outlets of the spray nozzle to be designed in a manner that
produces a desired
spray width and pattern, such as for a residential shower.
Another aspect of the invention provides a spray nozzle that may include any
number
and configuration of outlet channels, but preferably has a reduced number of
outlet channels
having greater internal dimensions to prevent plugging due to mineral deposits
or an
accumulation of particles. Because the spray nozzle is wobbling, the
distribution or coverage
of fluid over a surface is extremely uniform. Therefore, fewer outlet channels
are necessary to
provide full coverage over a surface and, in the case of a shower, achieve a
gentle feeling.
Since fewer channels are needed, each channel may be widened so that the
channels are less
likely to become restricted or plug with lime, other minerals or particles.
Most preferably, the
channels are wide enough to pass ordinary sand introduced into the fluid
supply.
Furthermore, the invention provides a velocity system where a major portion of
the
pressure drop, and preferably substantially all of the pressure drop, through
the spray head
occurs at one large orifice creating a water jet that is guided and
distributed down open
channels. This velocity system is advantageous for reducing mineral buildup
and the weight
of the spray head and spray nozzle. There is less mineral buildup using a
velocity system
because the outlet channels are no longer dependent upon openings having small
cross-
sectional areas to divide the water flow into individual streams and,
therefore, the outlet
channels can be widened or redesigned. The spray head and spray nozzle weigh
less with a
velocity system because the spray nozzle is downstream of the flow restricting
orifice and,
therefore, is not full of liquid during operation. Rather, the spray nozzle
includes a housing
and a diverter within the housing to direct the water exiting the orifice. The
reduced weight is
particularly beneficial in a wobbling spray nozzle since the reduced mass
causes a
proportional reduction in the angular momentum of the spray nozzle that causes
vibration of
the spray head housing. While the velocity system, as just described and as
supported by the
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
Figures below, is preferably using in combination with the wobble inducing
members
described herein, the velocity system may also be used in conjunction with
other wobbling
mechanisms, including that of U.S. Patent Number 5,551,635 and that of U.S.
Patent Number
4,073,438.
Yet another aspect of the invention provides a wobble limiting member. The
spray
width of a spray nozzle of the present invention is determined by both the
design of the outlet
channels in the spray nozzle and the angle of deflection imparted on the spray
nozzle. For
example, if the spray nozzle provided a 6 spray width during use in a
stationary mode and
the wobble produced an angular deflection of 5 off center, then the effective
spray width
during use in a wobbling mode in accordance with the present invention would
be about 16
(5 additional width in all directions). Therefore, the wobble limiting member
plays an
important role in determining the effective spray width of the spray nozzle as
well as the
extent of the arcuate path that each fluid stream traverses during a single
wobble.
A further aspect of the invention is a wobble inducing member that is disposed
in
direct engagement or contact with the spray head assembly. While the wobble
inducing
member may be coupled, held or otherwise secured to a spray nozzle assembly.
it is generally
preferred not to integrate or affix the wobble inducing member to the spray
nozzle assembly.
More particularly, the spray nozzle assembly has an end that is distal to the
spray nozzle. It is
preferred that this distal end of the spray nozzle assembly and the wobble
inducing member
receive each other in a loose male-female relationship, particularly where the
distal end and
the member can easily slide or pivot into the appropriate relationship without
restriction. One
particularly preferred arrangement is a cylindrical post (male) received
within a cylindrical
sleeve (female), where the outer diameter of the post is less than the inner
diameter of the
sleeve. Alternatively, the post may form a frustoconical surface (male)
received within a
frustoconical sleeve (female), where the frustoconical angle of the post is
less than the
16
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
frustoconical angle of the sleeve. It should be recognized that the post may
be part of the
spray nozzle assembly and the sleeve may be part of the wobble inducing
member, or vice
versa. It is preferred to design the post and sleeve with sufficient
tolerances therebetween so
that the wobble inducing member can wobble in relation to the spray nozzle
assembly
without binding. Furthermore, it is most preferred to utilize a wobble
inducing member
having a conical or frustoconical post of a first diameter received in a
conical or frustoconical
sleeve of the spray nozzle assembly.
One advantage of the loose relationship, such as a post and sleeve
relationship, of the
wobble inducing member or wobble turbine to the body is that there is very
little friction or
other forces to be overcome before the wobble turbine will begin wobbling. In
this manner,
the initiation and maintenance of a wobbling motion of the present invention
is substantially
independent of fluid flow rate and operates very effectively in shower heads
and faucets even
at flow rates much lower than the 2.5 gallons-per-minute maximum imposed by
the laws of
many states.
A second advantage of the post and sleeve relationship is that the wobble
turbine is
easily cocked, shifted or tilted away from the axial centerline of the fluid
inlet. In fact, even
when no fluid is being passed through the spray head assembly, the wobble
turbine may rest
at a tilted angle relative to the axial centerline of the fluid inlet. In
order to provide the most
effective wobbling motion, it is preferable for the wobble turbine to be
shifted sufficiently
away from the axial centerline of the fluid inlet so that a major portion of
the fluid delivered
through the fluid inlet is being directed at only one side of the wobble
turbine face at any
given point in time. The loose-fitting post and sleeve relationship allows the
fluid discharging
apparatus of the present invention to achieve a sufficient shifting of the
wobble turbine within
a much shorter longitudinal distance (the distance measured along the axial
centerline from
the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet) with fewer parts.
17
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A still further aspect of the invention provides for one or more intermediate
sleeves to
be disposed post and sleeve described above. For a spray nozzle assembly
having a post, a
sleeve and one or more intermediate sleeves, it is preferred that the
relationship between each
member (post, sleeve and intermediate sleeve) provide for wobbling
therebetween.
Another aspect of the invention provides a sufficiently open flow channel
throughout
the spray head assembly so that the fluid flow rate limiting restriction may
be a flow control
washer disposed in the spray head assembly near the fluid inlet and the size
of the orifice just
upstream of the outlet channels of the spray nozzle. In this manner, adequate
pressure is
maintained inside the housing to drive the wobble turbine, while adequate
water velocity is
generated at the fluid outlet to provide a satisfying shower.
Yet another aspect of the invention provides a spray head assembly having pins
mounted in the outlet channels of the spray nozzle. The wobbling motion and
forces of the
spray nozzle cause the pins to rotate or vibrate in contact with the inside
surface of the
channels, thus eliminating any possibility of mineral build-up. The pins
preferably have a
head restrained in the spray nozzle and a shaft attached to the pin head
extending through the
outlet channels. It is important that the pin head and shaft do not block the
flow of fluid
through the outlet channel.
It should be recognized that the spray heads of the present invention, and the
individual components thereof, may be made from any known materials that are
resistant to
chemical and thermal attack by the fluid passing therethrough. Where the fluid
is water, the
preferred materials include plastics, such as polytetrafluoroethylene, and
metals or metal
alloys, such as stainless steel. Other and further materials suitable for use
in the present
invention should be apparent to one of skill in the art and are considered to
be within the
scope of the present invention.
18
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Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a spray head assembly 40. The spray head
assembly 40 has a housing 42 for holding a wobble turbine 44 and a wobble
plate 46. The
housing 42 forms a substantially water tight chamber 43 with an inlet 45
positioned upstream
from the wobble turbine 44. The floor 50 of the housing 42 forms a collar,
hole or opening 52
therethrough for slidably receiving a shaft 54 which is fixed to the wobble
plate 46 inside the
housing 42, and the spray nozzle 48 outside the housing 42. The shaft 54 is
sealed within the
bore 52 by a lip seal 56 to prevent leakage of water from the housing while
allowing the shaft
54 to tilt and rotate within the opening 52. An o-ring may also be used to
seal the shaft 54 in
the opening.
The wobble turbine 44 has a conical upper surface 58 forming a plurality of
non-
radial channels 60 (see also Figure 4) and a generally cylindrical sleeve 62.
The upper surface
58 of the wobble turbine 44 preferably extends beyond the sleeve 62 to form an
annular
overhang 64. The sleeve 62 of the wobble turbine has an inside surface
defining an inside
diameter that is larger than the outside diameter of the shaft 54. When
assembled, the sleeve
62 slides over the shaft or post 54 and the wobble turbine 44 rests on top of
the shaft 54.
The wobble plate 46 has a bottom surface 72 that tapers upwardly away from the
floor
50 of the housing 42. The angle formed between the wobble plate 46 and the
floor 50
determines the maximum degree of wobble experienced by the spray nozzle 48 by
limiting
the tilt of the spray nozzle assembly. Preferably, the bottom surface 72 of
the wobble plate
forms an angle of between about 1 and about 20 degrees with the floor 50 of
the housing 42,
more preferably between about 2 and about 10 degrees, and most preferably
about 4 degrees,
when the center line of the nozzle assembly is aligned with the center line of
the housing. The
tilt of the spray nozzle will be similarly limited. with the foregoing angle
between the plate
and the housing resulting in an increase of the effective spray width of the
spray head by a
factor of two times the angle, i.e.. the same angular increase in all
directions.
19
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
The shaft or post 54 provides a passage 74 in fluid communication with the
shaft
inlet(s) 76 and the spray nozzle 48. The inlet 76 is preferably a plurality of
channels that
extend through the wall of the post, preferably angled downwardly from the top
of the
housing 42 toward the floor of the housing. The passage 74 comprises a
velocity tube 75
which limits the flow rate of fluid through the spray head in accordance with
water
conservation standards, such as 2.5 gallons per minute (GPM). The passage 74
then opens
into fluid communication with the outlet channels 78 of the spray nozzle 48.
Therefore, fluid follows a pathway by entering the chamber 43 through the
inlet 45,
passing over the wobble turbine 44, entering through inlet 76 into the passage
74 in the shaft
54, and exiting the spray nozzle 48 through a plurality of spray channels 78
in flow
communication with the passage 74 in the shaft 54. In operation, a fluid
source under
pressure is in communication with the inlet in the housing. The turbine
wobbles due to the
fluid impacting upon the upper surface of the wobble turbine. Wobbling means
essentially
that the wobble turbine tilts to one side and orbits about the central axis of
the shaft so that
the inside surface near the lower end of the wobble turbine is in rolling
contact with the
outside surface of the shaft. The wobble action of the wobble turbine exerts
forces on the
shaft which are translated to the wobble plate through the shaft, so that the
bottom surface of
the wobble plate is in rolling contact with the floor of the housing. The
spray nozzle also
wobbles in response to the wobbling movement of the shaft. Once the chamber is
substantially filled with water, water therein enters the inlet in the shaft
and flows through a
passage in the shaft to the spray nozzle.
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the spray head 40 taken along lines 4-4
of Figure
1. The top surface 58 of the wobble turbine 44 is illustrated having grooves
60 formed in a
non-radial configuration. It should be noted that fluid flow impacting upon
the wobble
turbine 44 will push the wobble turbine 44 aside into a tilting position so
that the center point
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
of the wobble turbine 44 is substantially out of the stream of fluid from
inlet 45 and only one
side of the wobble turbine 44 is aligned with the fluid stream at any point in
time. Each of the
channels or grooves 60 formed in the upper end 58 of the wobble turbine 44 are
non-radial
and act as vanes that cause the wobble turbine to orbit around the fluid inlet
as fluid flows
through the grooves. The non-radial grooves 60, the conical surface 58 and the
loose
relationship between the sleeve 62 and the post 54 ensure that when fluid
flows against the
top of the wobble turbine 44 under pressure, the wobble turbine 44 will tilt
off center and
start to wobble. More particularly, the fluid impinging on the conical surface
58 of the turbine
44 causes a tilting force 31 and the fluid passing through the grooves 60
causes rotational
forces 33. Therefore, the fluid stream passing through the inlet 45 causes the
wobble turbine
44 to wobble in the clockwise direction, as shown by arrow 61. Once the
wobbling motion
begins, the continued flow of water maintains the wobble turbine 44 in a
wobbling mode.
Furthermore, the flow of fluid also causes a hold down force which pushes
downward on the
turbine, tending to keep the turbine from being displaced from its cooperative
relationship
with the nozzle assembly. Therefore, it is preferred that the angle of the
conical surface 58 be
sufficiently great to produce at least a slight tilting force even when the
turbine is already
fully tilted, yet not so great as to cause the turbine to pull up and out of
contact with the
nozzle assembly.
For any given wobble turbine, the wobble rate or speed may be increased (or
decreased) by increasing (or decreasing) the flow rate of fluid through the
spray head.
However, it is possible to design the wobble turbine to have a faster or
slower wobble rate for
a given fluid flow rate by changing the angle or pitch of the grooves in the
wobble turbine.
Referring to Figures 12A and 12B, a wobble turbine may be designed to have a
generally
slower wobble rate by decreasing the pitch of the grooves, i.e., designing the
grooves 162 at a
small angle, 0, from radial. Similarly, the wobble turbine may be designed to
have a faster
21
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
wobble rate by increasing the pitch of the grooves. i.e., designing the
grooves 164 at a larger
angle, S, from radial. Referring back to Figure 4, the grooves may even be
designed with a
changing angle to form a "pin-wheel" type of pattern. Furthermore, the number
and size of
grooves may also be modified to customize a wobble rate.
Figures 17A-I are schematic diagrams illustrating the wobble movement between
a
wobble turbine sleeve 62 and nozzle assembly post 54 in accordance with the
spray head 40
of Figure 1. Starting with the turbine sleeve 62 and the post 54 tilted to the
right of the
housing 42, the turbine sleeve 62 and post 54 orbit clockwise around the
housing centerpoint
69, illustrated here in 45 degree increments between Figures. Because the post
54 and turbine
sleeve 62 always tilted in the same direction, their respective centerpoints
71,73 are
substantially radially aligned with the housing centerpoint 69. As the turbine
sleeve 62 orbits
in the clockwise direction (as exhibited by the movement of the turbine
centerpoint 71 around
the housing centerpoint 69), the sleeve 62 forces the post 54 to tilt and
orbit in the same
clockwise direction (as exhibited by the movement of the post centerpoint
around the housing
centerpoint 69).
Referring briefly back to Figure 1, the turbine 44 and turbine sleeve 62
contact the
post 54 at three points: (1) the lower inside edge of the sleeve 62 in the
direction of the tilt
(i.e., to the right in Figure 1), (2) an inside point near the upper end of
the sleeve 62 in the
direction away from the tilt (i.e., to the left in Figure 2), and (3) the
underneath side of the
turbine. Because there are three points of contact, it is necessary for one or
more of the points
to slide in order for the turbine to wobble. Although all the points of
contact are wetted by the
fluid, such as water, prolonged use of the turbine may cause some marginal
wear on the post
or the inner surface of the sleeve.
Figures IOA-I are schematic diagrams illustrating the wobble movement between
a
wobble plate and housing floor of the present invention. Due to the angle
formed between the
22
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
wobble plate and the floor, a circle of rolling contact between the wobble
plat and the floor
define a first circle on the wobble plate 46 having a diameter 47 (and a
circumference) that is
different than the diameter 51 of a second circle on the floor 50 of the
housing 42. In order to
maintain contact with the floor, the wobble plate must make up for the
difference in the
circumferences by rotating. As shown, if the diameter of the circle 47 is less
than the
diameter of circle 51, then (in the absence of slippage between the wobble
plate and the floor)
the wobble plate 46 will rotate (as indicated by arrow 140) in a direction
opposite to the
wobble (as indicated by arrow 142). Each subsequent view in Figures 1OA-I
represent a
wobble of 45 degrees clockwise.
The wobble begins in Figure 10A with the post (not shown) tilted down on the
page
so that the first circle 47 of the wobble plate is pushed over into contact
with the circle 51 of
the floor 50. For the purpose of illustration, two triangular markers 144,146
are placed on the
wobble plate 46 and the floor 50, respectively, adjacent the initial point of
contact between
the circles 47, 51. As the wobble, and consequently the point of contact,
moves clockwise,
the wobble plate experiences a slight rotation counter- clockwise. For the
given diameters 47,
51 shown in Figures 1OA-I, it appears that during one full wobble, the wobble
plate 46 rotates
about one-quarter of a turn in the opposite direction to provide a wobble:
rotation ratio of
about 4. The rotation in this instance is in the opposite direction of the
wobble because the
diameter and circumference of circle 47 is less than the diameter and
circumference of circle
51 (i.e., D3 > D4). It should also be recognized that the floor itself could
be frustoconical. It
should be recognized that the wobble:rotation ratio may be increased by
providing a greater
difference in the diameters of, or the angles between, the wobble plate and
the floor. The
principals governing the wobble:rotation ratio just described with respect to
the wobble plate
and floor also hold true for the wobble inducing member or wobble turbine and
the post.
23
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
Referring back to Figure 1, the post 54 is surrounded by two intermediate
sleeves
80,82 (the use of intermediate sleeves is optional) that have a diameter
greater than the shaft
54 and a less than the sleeve 62 of the wobble turbine 44. The sleeves 80,82
wobble (i.e., tilt
and rotate about the shaft) when contacted by the inside surface 66 of the
wobble turbine 44.
The addition of the sleeves allows the wobble turbine to tilt to the desired
angle while
maintaining a small contact angle between surfaces.
The post or shaft 54 also includes a sipping channel 84 that opens into an
annular cup
86 in the spray nozzle 48 in proximity to the opening 52. The sipping channel
84 catches any
water that may leak from around the opening 52 and the instance where no seal
is used. The
vacuum created by the water exiting the outlet channels 78 pulls water from
the cup 86
through the sipping channel 84 and into the passage 74. Channels 84 also
supply air to the
space below the velocity tube 75, thus allowing the water stream exiting the
velocity tube 75
to maintain its velocity while being deflected and guided down channels 78.
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of a spray head
assembly.
The spray head 90A is substantially the same as spray head 40 of Figure 1,
except for the
relationship between the wobble inducing member or wobble turbine 92 and the
distal end 94
of the spray nozzle assembly. In accordance with a previous discussion, the
wobble turbine
92 includes a post 96, rather than a sleeve, and the distal end 94 includes a
sleeve 98, rather
than a post. Furthermore, the post 96 and sleeve 98 illustrate the use of
frustoconical surfaces
100 and 102, respectively, most preferably having a common pivot point 104
somewhere
along the centerline. As with the previous wobble turbine 44, fluid flow from
inlet 45 impacts
the surface 58 and tilts the wobble turbine 92 to one side until the surfaces
100, 102 make
contact. The fluid flow through the grooves 60 on one side of the turbine
imparts tangential
forces on the wobble turbine 92 (as described in regard to Figure 4) causing
the wobble
turbine to wobble within the sleeve 98. The rolling component of the wobbling
motion can be
24
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
more easily visualized in this configuration of spray head 90A than in the
configuration of
spray head 40, probably because the contact between the turbine post 96 and
the sleeve 98 is
substantially a line rather than the three points of contact exhibited by the
turbine 44 of
Figure 1.
Figures 18A-I are schematic representations of the wobble movement between the
wobble turbine post 96 and nozzle assembly sleeve 98 in accordance with the
spray head 90A
of Figure 2. Because the diameter of circle 59 formed on the surface of the
turbine 96 is less
than the diameter of circle 61 formed on the opposing surface of the sleeve
98, as the turbine
96 wobbles clockwise, the turbine 96, exemplified by circle 61, will rotate in
the counter-
clockwise direction. The spray head 90A is preferred over the spray head 40
because the wear
associated with the three point contact is eliminated. It is believed that the
reduced wear is a
combined result of eliminating the three point contact and allowing the nozzle
assembly
rotation (counter-clockwise for a clockwise wobble as shown in Figures 10A-
10I) to match
the turbine rotation (counter-clockwise for a clockwise wobble). Because the
post 96 and
sleeve 98 rotate in the same direction, the amount of friction therebetween is
significantly
reduced or possibly eliminated. Although the spray head 90 is shown with the
post 96 and
sleeve 98 having the more preferred frustoconical surfaces, it is also
suitable to make the post
96 and sleeve 98 having simple cylindrical surfaces.
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the spray head of Figure 2 with two
modified
features. First, the spray head 90B incorporates a nozzle assembly having a
thin walled tube
110B coupling the wobble plate 46 to the spray nozzle 48. The thin walled tube
is preferable
made of a very rigid material, preferably a metal such as stainless steel, in
order to reduce the
outer diameter of the tube i i OB (as compared with the tube 11 OA in Figure
2). For example,
the tube may comprise a stainless steel tube having an inner diameter of about
0.15 inch and
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
an outer diameter of about 0.18 inch. Reducing the outer diameter of the tube
110E reduces
the amount of force required to tip or tilt the nozzle assembly.
Second, the spray head 90B is shown having one or more bypass channels or
slots 112
to divert a portion of the fluid flow around the turbine 92. The bypass
channels 112 may be
desirable to reduce the forces applied on the turbine by the water, and
consequently reduce
the forces applied between the turbine and the nozzle assembly and between the
nozzle
assembly and the floor and the like, to the amount of forces need to the
reliably maintain a
wobble. It is believed that unnecessarily high forces might cause increased
wear between the
moving members of the spray head and the generation of noise.
Figure 5 is a bottom view of the spray head showing the outlets of the spray
nozzle.
While the outlet channels may be provided in any manner known in the art, a
preferred set of
outlet channels 78 are defined by a plurality of fins 79 connected to a
deflector 77. The
primary purpose of the deflector 77 is to provide an curved path for the water
to flow through
the spray nozzle. It is preferred to direct a minor portion of the outlet
channels 78 at a lesser
angle to the axis of the spray nozzle 48 in order to provide more even spray
pattern or
coverage over an object at a short distance from the spray head, such as a
person taking a
shower. Lesser angle outlet channels 78a are preferably formed at spaced
intervals around the
perimeter of the spray nozzle or at locations radially inward toward the
central axis of the
spray nozzle (not shown).
Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of a spray head assembly 120, in which like
numerals label similar elements of the previous embodiment illustrated in
Figure 2. The inlet
channels 76 in the post 54, extend into the passage 74 forming a tangential
angle with the
central axis the post 54 and the passage 74 that causes the fluid to swirl.
The swirling or
spiraling fluid 122 passes through the passage 74 to the spray nozzle 124.
Since the
momentum of the swirling fluid forces the fluid outward against the walls of
the passage 74
26
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
and spray nozzle 124, there is no deflector required. Preferably, the spray
nozzle still includes
fins 79 to reduce or eliminate the swirling of the fluid and define a number
of fluid streams
exiting the spray nozzle. Most preferably the fins are set to cause fluid to
exit at a 5 angle
with the central axis of the post.
Figure 7 shows a cross-sectional view of an alternative spray head 130
constructed
and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention, and in
which like numerals label similar elements of the previous embodiment
illustrated in Figure
2. The spray head 130 has a spray nozzle 132 with pins 134 positioned in the
outlet channels
136. The pins 134 have a head at one end disposed within the chamber or
passage 138 and a
generally straight stem that extends downwardly into or through the outlet
channels 136. The
centrifugal force generated by the wobbling spray nozzle causes the pins 134
to rub and keep
the sides of the outlet channels 136 clear of lime and other mineral deposits.
This self-
maintenance feature is very useful in areas where the water has a high
concentration of lime
and other minerals and a pressurized spray head is desired.
Figures 8A-D are graphical representations of the uniformity of the spray
patterns
from four spray heads, including three commercially available shower heads
(Figures 8A-C)
and a shower head made in accordance with Figure 2 of the present invention
(Figure 8D), at
one distance from the spray head. Figures 9A-D are similar graphs prepared
using the same
four shower heads, but at a greater distance. Each of the spray heads were
connected to a
constant pressure source of water and directed generally downward onto a row
of glass tubes
each having a diameter of about 1/4 inch. The results of this experiment are
shown in the
graphs as a side view of the liquid collected in the tubes. It is clear that
the results shown in
Figures 8D and 9D provides the most uniform distribution of water across the
width of the
spray pattern. The other graphs show a tendency to concentrate the water
delivery at a point
or small sub-region of the spray pattern.
27
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Figures 11A and 11B are schematic side views of a spray head 40 in accordance
with
Figure 1 and the pattern of water delivered by the spray nozzle 48. If the
spray nozzle 48
were held stationary, a spray width defined by dashed lines 150 would result
in accordance
with the design of the spray nozzle itself. When the spray nozzle 48 is
allowed to wobble in
accordance with the present invention, the spray width increases by 2a, where
a is the same
angle as that angle between the wobble plate and the floor (See Figure 2).
Figure 11A also
illustrates the unique spray pattern which may be viewed with the naked eye.
The rapid
wobbling of the spray nozzle 48 causes the individual droplets or streams to
break up and
spread out over an arcuate path. For example, assume the spray nozzle has
twelve outlet
channels: three outlet channels 78a directed at 2 off center and nine
channels directed at 6
off center. If the spray head is designed to have a 2 wobble, i.e., by
providing a 2 angle
between the wobble plate and the floor, then a total spray angle (i.e., the
angle between
dashed lines 150) of 16 will be achieved. Because a 2 wobble will provide 4
of deflection
(i.e., 2 in all directions), the three outlet channels directed at 2 will
spray fluid at angles
covering 0 -8 from the axis, which represents one quarter of the area
sprayhead, and the nine
outlet channels directed at 6 will spray fluid at angles covering 8 -16 ,
which is three
quarters of the spray area. It should be noted that many other outlet channel
arrangements and
designs may be used in accordance with the present invention.
Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view of a alternative spray head assembly 160
constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
present
invention, and in which like numerals label similar elements of the previous
embodiment
illustrated in Figure 2. The spray head assembly 160 has a housing 42 for
holding a wobble
turbine 44 and a wobble plate 46. The housing 42 forms a chamber 43 with an
inlet 45
positioned upstream from the wobble turbine 44. The floor 50 of the housing 42
forms a hole
or opening 52 therethrough for slidably receiving a shaft 54 which is fixed to
the wobble
28
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
plate 46 inside the housing 42, and the spray nozzle (not shown) outside the
housing 42. The
shaft 54 is sealed within the bore 52 by a lip seal 56 to prevent leakage of
water from the
housing while allowing the shaft 54 to tilt and rotate within the opening 52.
An o-ring may
also be used to seal the shaft 54 in the opening. It should be noted that the
opening 52 in all
the embodiments described herein is wide enough to allow the shaft to rotate
and pivot about
the centerline of the housing so that the described wobbling motion can take
place. While the
housing 42 is preferably substantially fluid tight, some passage of fluid
between the shaft 54
and the opening 52 is anticipated and is within the scope of the present
invention.
The wobble turbine 44 has a conical upper surface 58 having a plurality of
radially
extending vanes 165 and a generally cylindrical sleeve 62. The vanes 165 are
preferably
tapered downwardly and toward the centerline of the turbine 44, similar to a
propeller. The
vanes 165 and the slanted or frustoconical surface 167 act to induce the
wobble motion of the
wobble turbine when contacted with a stream of water, much like the grooves of
the wobble
turbine shown in Figure 2. In order to limit the degree of wobble, there is
provided a wobble
limiting element 166 which can be a ring mounted around the perimeter of the
vanes 165 as
shown or the ends of each vane 165 can be formed so that they are facing
upstream as shown
in Figures 15 and 16. The wobble limiting element 166 acts to limit the degree
to which the
wobble turbine tilts on the shaft, to achieve a similar result as the wobble
plate described
above. Preferably, the wobble limiting element 166 forms a frustoconical
surface 169 that is
inverted with respect to the frustoconical surface 167 so that the passage
defined between the
surfaces 167,169 is urged to stay in alignment with the fluid entering the
housing 42 from the
jet 171, even as the turbine 44 wobbles. For example, if the turbine 44 is in
a substantially
vertical position, then the fluid passing through the jet 171 will push
against the surface 167
and cause the turbine 44 to tilt to the side. However, when the turbine 44
tilts sufficiently that
the surface 169 of the wobble limiting member 166 is drawn into the flow of
fluid passing
29
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
through the jet 171, then the fluid pushes against the surface 169.
Preferably, the surfaces
167,169 are designed with sufficient angles and surface areas so that the tilt
of the turbine is
limited. It should also be recognized that the vanes 165 may extend between
the surfaces
167,169 either exactly radially (as shown in Figure 14) or at some angle off-
radial. Vanes
having a greater angle off-radial may be designed to more correctly propel the
turbine in a
desired orbit without such heavy reliance, or perhaps any reliance, on a
tracking ring to limit
the degree of tilt. Furthermore, it may be useful to provide grooves or ridges
on the surface
167 of the tracking ring in order to increase the relative force that is
placed upon the tracking
ring.
The wobble turbine 44 preferably forms a plurality of openings 168 that are in
fluid
communication with the passage 74 in the shaft 54. The sleeve 62 of the wobble
turbine has
an inside surface defining an inside diameter that is larger than the outside
diameter of the
shaft 54. When assembled, the sleeve 62 slides over the shaft 54 and the
wobble turbine 44
rests on top of the shaft 54. The wobble turbine 44 and the shaft 54 can be
made from
TEFLON or other suitable polymer material, to allow for some friction between
the wobble
turbine 44 and the shaft 54 and so that the wobble turbine 44 can move freely
about the shaft
54. The vanes can essentially replace the wobble plate, described previously,
due to the fact
that the ring compensates and controls the amount of wobble experienced by the
shaft and the
spray nozzle. The wobbling motion in this embodiment is the same as that
described above in
Figures 10A-1.
Figure 14 is a top view of the wobble turbine 44 shown in Figure 13. The vanes
165
are positioned an angle such that when the fluid flow from the inlet strikes
the vanes, the
wobble turbine will tilt to one side and begin to wobble. The wobble limiting
element 166 in
this embodiment is a tracking ring. The ring tapers downwardly, and has an
outer diameter
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
that is larger than the outer diameter of the water inlet upstream. The
tracking ring acts to
limit the wobble motion of the turbine much like the wobble plate described
above.
Figures 15 and 16 are cross-sectional and top views respectively of a sixth
embodiment of the present invention, constructed and operative in accordance
with a
preferred embodiment of the present invention, and in which like numerals
label similar
elements of the previous embodiment illustrated in Figure 13. The wobble
turbine 44 has a
plurality of tapered vanes 165 that cause the wobble turbine to tilt to one
side and begin
wobbling upon contact with water from the inlet. The tapers on the vanes act
to limit the
wobble of the wobble turbine 44. The wobbling motion using the tracking ring
and/or the
tapered vanes is the same as that described above in Figures 1OA-I.
Figure 19 is a cross-sectional side view of a fifth embodiment of a spray head
assembly of the present invention and in which like numerals label similar
elements of the
previous embodiment illustrated in Figure 2. The spray head 170 includes a
lifting turbine
172 having a top surface 58 with grooves 60 as with other previously discussed
embodiments
of the invention. The lifting turbine 172 also has a sleeve 174 with fluid
passages 176
therethrough and a wobble limiting member or plate 178 attached to the end of
the sleeve 174
opposite the turbine surface 58. While the wobble plate 178 will wobble on the
floor 50 as
described in Figures 10A-I, the wobble plate 178 is part of the turbine 172,
instead of the
nozzle assembly 180 as with other embodiments disclosed herein. Rather, the
turbine 172
itself will wobble according to Figures l0A-I.
The wobble plate 178, or alternatively another portion of the sleeve, includes
an
annular lifting ring 182, shown here as an inward annular lip, that is
disposed in a constrained
position to a mating annular groove 184 in a portion of the nozzle assembly
180, such as the
upper portion of the post. In this manner, the wobbling action of the turbine
172, wobble
plate 178 and lifting ring 182 cause the lifting ring 182 to lift and lower
one side of the nozzle
31
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
assembly 180 at a time through contact with the upper wall 186 of the groove
184 and cause
the nozzle assembly 180 to wobble on the wobble limiting surface 183. As the
wobble plate
178 wobbles, the lifting ring 182 will maintain one point of contact with the
surface 186 of
the nozzle assembly 180 and the wobble plate 178 will maintain another point
of contact with
the floor 50, where the two points are on generally opposite sides of the
spray head axis 69.
Figure 20 is a cross-sectional side view of a sixth embodiment of a spray head
assembly in which like numerals label similar elements of the previous
embodiment
illustrated in Figure 2. The spray head 190 includes a turbine 44 having a top
surface 58 with
grooves 60 as with other previously discussed embodiments of the invention.
The turbine 44
also includes a sleeve 62 that is disposed over a post 54 of a nozzle
assembly. The nozzle
assembly of spray head 190 includes an elongate rod 192 having a first end
supporting the
post and a second end secured to a spray nozzle 190. The spray nozzle or
housing 190 is
similar to nozzle 48 of Figure 2 in that nozzle 190 includes a deflector 77
and outlet channels
78. However, spray nozzle 190 also includes an integral wobble limiting member
49 which
wobbles on a surface 196 of the housing 42. Note that the wobbling movement of
the wobble
limiting member 49 on the surface 196 is consistent with the description of
Figures l0A-I and
the wobbling movement of the turbine 44 on the post 54 is consistent with the
description of
Figures 17A-I. One advantage of the spray head 190 is that the seals 56 may be
eliminated
and the collar 52 is widened to receive the spray nozzle 48. It is preferred
that the housing 42
further include a conduit 194 directing fluid flow around the rod 192 and into
cooperation
with the outlet channels 78 of the spray nozzle 48. Most preferably, the fluid
passageway
defined between the conduit 194 and the spray nozzle 48 are aligned so that
the fluid passes
smoothly from the conduit to the outlet channels.
32
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
Method and Apparatus for Controlling Fluid Delivery
The present invention provides a spray head assembly that allows the user to
adjust or
control at least one characteristic of the fluid delivered from the spray
head, such as the spray
width, the spray velocity or impact, the volumetric flow rate, and the droplet
size. The spray
head assembly includes a housing, a nozzle assembly, a motion inducing member
and a
motion limiting member. The types of motions useful in accordance with the
invention
include wobbling, vibrating, spinning and the like. The most preferred motion
is wobbling.
The present invention delivers fluid through a nozzle assembly that is coupled
to, or at
least in a cooperative relationship with, a motion inducing member. Therefore,
altering or
controlling the movement of the motion inducing member or the movement of the
nozzle
assembly itself can be made to alter or control the delivery of fluid from the
nozzle assembly.
The present invention alters or controls movement of the nozzle assembly by
either (a)
changing the forces acting upon the motion inducing member (i.e., increasing,
decreasing,
redirecting the flow of fluid relative to the motion inducing member), (b)
limiting the range
of motion that the motion inducing member can traverse (i.e., constraining or
loosening the
physical boundaries of the motion inducing member, either directly or
indirectly), (c) limiting
the range of motion that the nozzle assembly can traverse, or (d) some
combination of (a)
through (b).
The housing has a first end having a fluid inlet and a second end forming a
collar or
opening therein. The nozzle assembly has a first end disposed inside the
housing, a middle
portion extending through the opening, a second end having an fluid outlet, a
fluid conduit
providing fluid communication between the housing and the fluid outlet. The
nozzle
assembly is caused to wobble by fluid flowing past, over or through the wobble
inducing
member.
33
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
The most preferred spray head for use in conjunction with the present
invention is the
wobbling spray head described below with reference to Figures 1-19, which
subject matter
was disclosed by the present inventors in U.S. Patent No. 6,092,739, which was
filed on July
14, 1998 and issued on July 25, 2000.. Accordingly, the wobble limiting member
preferably
comprises a wobble plate, most preferably a wobble plate having a convex
frustoconical
surface that engages the housing adjacent the opening to limit movement of the
nozzle
assembly. Furthermore, the wobble inducing member is preferably a wobble
turbine, most
preferably having a convex conical upper surface with angular momentum
inducing grooves,
preferably non-radial groove, formed therein.
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for altering the fluid
delivery
characteristics of a spray head having a moving spray nozzle, preferably a
wobbling spray
nozzle. A user can alter the fluid delivery characteristics of the spray
nozzle by manipulating
various simple interfaces, including push buttons, knobs with cams attached
thereto, and
other simple devices for manipulating or limiting the movement of the spray
nozzle. More
particularly, as described previously, the present invention delivers fluid
through a nozzle
assembly that is coupled to, integrally formed with, or at least in a
cooperative relationship
with, a motion inducing member. Therefore, altering or controlling the
movement of the
motion inducing member or the movement of the nozzle assembly itself can be
made to alter
or control the delivery of fluid from the nozzle assembly. The present
invention alters or
controls movement of the nozzle assembly by either (a) changing the forces
acting upon the
motion inducing member (i.e., increasing, decreasing, redirecting the flow of
fluid relative to
the motion inducing member), (b) limiting the range of motion that the motion
inducing
member can traverse (i.e., constraining or loosening the physical boundaries
of the motion
inducing member, either directly or indirectly), (c) limiting the range of
motion that the
nozzle assembly can traverse, or (d) some combination of (a) through (c).
34
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
Figure 21 is a cross-sectional side view of a spray head assembly 200 having a
flow
washer velocity control system. The term "flow washer velocity control system"
as used
herein refers to spray heads having a flow rate restricting washer 202
disposed downstream of
the inlet valve 204 and motion inducing member 92 (i.e., the wobble turbine),
but upstream
of the nozzle outlet channels 78. The flow rate restricting washer 202 is
designed to maintain
a relatively constant fluid flow rate through its central orifice by
constricting the orifice as the
chamber pressure increases. Additional detail and design of flow rate
restricting washers is
described in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,457,343 and 4,508,144.
By positioning the flow rate restricting washer 202 downstream of the motion
inducing member 92, the flow rate of fluid being delivered through the nozzle
48 is
maintained at a given level substantially independent of the fluid pressure or
velocity within
the chamber 43. A needle valve 204 is positioned in cooperation with a valve
seat 206 in
order to produce a flow restriction which causes a pressure drop in the
chamber 43 and an
increase in the velocity of the fluid imparting upon the motion inducing
member 92. In this
manner, the member 92 (turbine) can be made to move (wobble) at high rates
regardless of
the chamber pressure. Furthermore, at low fluid flow rates, the needle valve
may be restricted
(i.e., partially closed) in order to maintain a good movement or wobble speed.
It should be
noted that at higher chamber pressures, it is necessary to have a smaller
effective inlet
opening in order to cause sufficient fluid velocity for the member 92 to move
at a high rate.
For a residential shower, the preferred flow washer has a hole diameter of
about 0.128 inches
and may be used with an outlet tube 208 having a diameter greater than about
0.130 inches,
most preferably about 0.140 inches.
In accordance with the present invention, a primary advantage of the flow
washer
velocity control system is that it can be used for impact control of the fluid
exiting the nozzle.
As discussed above, when the chamber pressure increases the flow washer
orifice get smaller
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
resulting in a higher velocity fluid stream passing therethrough. In
conventional shower
heads, the flow washer must be positioned at the inlet to the chamber and any
benefit of a
high velocity stream is dissipated in the chamber since the velocity of fluid
exiting the nozzle
is determined by the nozzle outlets. In the flow washer velocity control
system of the present
invention, the outlet channels in the spray housing do not restrict the flow
of fluid, since the
collective cross-sectional area of the channels is much greater than that of
the flow washer or
the velocity tube. Consequently, the high velocity fluid passing through the
flow washer
enters the spray housing, is redirected by the deflector, and exists the
outlet channels at a high
velocity without any significant restriction. The result is that a constant
flow rate can be
maintained while allowing the user to select a low impact or high impact
spray.
With the needle valve 204 fully seated (closed), there is no flow through the
nozzle.
As the needle valve is slightly opened, such as by turning a handle 210 with a
cam 212
attached to the needle valve 204, the fluid passes into the chamber 43 at a
high velocity
causing a high wobble rate and a low chamber pressure causing a gentle
wobbling spray. As
the needle valve 204 is opened further, the pressure in the chamber 43
increases causing the
flow washer to constrict and provide a higher velocity and higher impact
spray. Optionally,
the motion inducing member may be slowed or stopped, by either further opening
the valve
204 to produce a low velocity stream or opening a bypass around the motion
inducing
member, to produce an even higher impact stream. Both the gentle spray and the
high impact
spray provide fluid flow in accordance with the rating of the flow washer 202.
Figure 22 is a cross-sectional side view of a spray head assembly 220 having a
bypass
valve 222 for redirecting fluid around the turbine 92 or around the velocity
tube 75. The
bypass valve 222 selectively communicates between the fluid inlet 45 and two
or more
channels selected from the channel 224 directed at the turbine 92, the channel
226 directed
into the chamber but around the turbine 92, or the channel 228 directed around
the chamber
36
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
43 to the nozzle assembly 48. The bypass valve 222 is made to communicate
fluid from the
inlet 45 with one or more of the channels 224,226,228 by turning a handle 230
coupled to the
stem 232. A preferred bypass valve element 222 may be described as a cylinder
seated into
the housing 42, wherein the cylinder walls have various holes at precise
longitudinal and
radial locations to align with appropriate channels 224,226,228 as the valve
222 is rotated.
Detailed operation of the bypass valve 222 is described with relation to
Figures 23A through
23F which follow.
Figures 23A-F are cross-sectional side views of the bypass valve of Figure 22
showing its operation at various angles of rotation. Figure 23A shows the
bypass valve in a
position in which fluid is directed from inlet 45 to channel 224,
substantially without
restriction. Therefore, the nozzle assembly is in a wobbling mode. Figure 23B
shows the
bypass valve in a position (45 degrees clockwise relative to Figure 23A as
shown by arrow
234) in which fluid is directed from inlet 45 through holes 225, 229 to both
channels 224,
226, respectively. Therefore, the portion of fluid directed through one or
more channels 226
bypasses the turbine, leaving a lower velocity stream through channel 224 and
reducing the
wobble speed of the turbine. Figure 23C shows the bypass valve in a position
(90 degrees
clockwise relative to Figure 23A as shown by arrow 234) in which fluid is
directed from inlet
45 through holes 229 to the bypass channels 226, thereby eliminating the
wobbling of the
turbine while maintaining the flow rate through the nozzle assembly.
Figure 23 D is the same as Figure 23A. Figure 23E shows the bypass valve in a
position (45 degrees counter-clockwise relative to Figure 23D as shown by
arrow 235) in
which fluid is directed from inlet 45 through holes 225, 227 to both channels
224, 228,
respectively. Therefore, the portion of fluid directed through one or more
channels 228 (such
as for a soft wash mode, use of a set of standard nozzles, or use of separate
outlet channels in
the spray nozzle) bypasses the turbine, leaving a lower velocity stream
through channel 224
37
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
and reducing the wobble speed of the turbine. Figure 23F shows the bypass
valve in a
position (90 degrees counter-clockwise relative to Figure 23D as shown by
arrow 235) in
which the fluid inlet 45 is blocked and the spray nozzle is off. It should be
recognized that the
incremental rotation of the valve 222 may achieve more or less gradual
transitions between
modes of operation.
Figures 24A-E, 25A-E and 26A-E are partial schematic cross-sectional views of
the
bypass valve in Figures 23A-E taken along lines 24A-24E, 25A-25E and 26A-26E,
respectively.
Referring again to Figure 22, the bypass channel 228 extends through the wall
of the
housing 42, then opens adjacent the nozzle assembly 48 such that fluid is
directed into a
collection trough 236. The trough 236 empties into the outlet channels 78 at
low pressure and
velocity through a plurality of holes 238 in order to reduce the overall
velocity of the fluid
exiting the outlet channels 78. The introduction of a low velocity stream into
a main stream
flowing at a higher velocity for the purpose of reducing the velocity of the
main stream is
referred to herein as a "soft wash" mode.
Figure 27 is a cross-sectional side view of a spray head assembly 240 having a
bypass
valve 242 for controlling fluid to a set of stationary fluid outlet channels
244. While the
bypass valve 242 operates in the same manner as bypass valve 222 of Figures 22-
26, the
valve 242 has been simplified by eliminating the channels 229. Clockwise
rotation of the
valve 242 directs fluid through the channel 228 and outlet channels 244.
Channels 244 are
preferably directed at such an angle as to increase the effective spray width
of the spray head
assembly 240.
Figure 28 is a cross-sectional side view of a spray head assembly 250 having a
bypass
valve 252 for redirecting fluid around the velocity tube 75 through channel
228 to the trough
236. The bypass valve 252 also includes a cam shaft 254 (off-center of the
bypass valve in
38
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
the direction out of the page) engaging a sleeve 256 that controls the spray
width of the
nozzle assembly by restricting movement of the wobble plate 46. As the bypass
valve 252 is
rotated, the cam shaft 254 lowers the sleeve 256 so that the annular ledge 258
comes into
contact with the wobble plate 46 limiting the degree of wobble and,
consequently, narrowing
the spray width. Further lowering of the sleeve may freeze the wobble plate
and provide a
high impact fluid flow.
Figure 29 is a cross-sectional side view of a spray head assembly 260. The
spray
head assembly 260 of Figure 29 is similar to the spray assembly 250 in Figure
28, except that
the sleeve 256 has a ledge 258 disposed below the wobble plate 46. As the
bypass valve 252
rotated, the cam 254 is made to raise the sleeve 256 so that the ledge 258
comes into contact
with the wobble plate 46, thereby limiting the nozzle assembly's range of
movement and
narrowing the spray width.
Figure 30 is a cross-sectional side view of a spray head assembly 270 having a
spray
width adjustment ring 272 below the wobble plate 274. As the adjustment ring
272 is turned
clockwise, the adjustment ring 272 is drawn towards the ring 276 via threaded
engagement
and the range of movement of the wobble plate 274 is limited. All surfaces of
the spray head
assembly 270 contacted by the wobble plate 274 are preferably angled towards a
common
point 278 in order to keep the post 279 centered within the channel 277.
Figure 31 is a cross-sectional side view of a spray head assembly 280 having a
bypass
valve 282 (of any known type) for directing water from the chamber 43 around
the velocity
tube 75 to the nozzle assembly for achieving a soft wash.
Figure 32 is a cross-sectional side view of a spray head assembly 290 having a
wobble inducing member 292, a wobble limiting member 294 and a nozzle 296.
Fluid is
delivered from the chamber 43 through holes 293 and channel 295 to an external
surface of
39
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
the nozzle 296. Additionally, a bypass valve 282 is included to provide a low
velocity
softwash stream to the channel 295.
Figure 33 is a cross-sectional side view of a spray head assembly 300 that is
substantially similar to the spray head assembly of Figure 19 except for the
addition of a
softwash bypass valve 282 delivering fluid into communication with the spray
nozzle outlet
channels 286. The outlet channels 286 are preferably directed so that the
fluid exiting the
channels 286 will mix with the fluid exiting outlet channels 78, but only
after the two fluid
streams have exited the nozzle 288.
Figure 34 is a cross-sectional side view of a spray head assembly 310 having
an
impact (velocity) adjustment assembly disposed downstream of the velocity tube
75. The
impact adjustment assembly 312 includes a needle valve 314 that may be
positioned into the
velocity tube 75 or other orifice to provide a greater flow restriction and an
increase in the
velocity of fluid passing therethrough. As shown in Figure 34, the assembly
310 may be
provided with a convenient gripping member 316 for stopping the wobble of the
nozzle
assembly while the needle valve 314 position is adjusted. The gripping member
316 is shown
as an annular ring that is urged upward by a compressed spring 318. A handle
320 is provided
to allow the user to pull the gripping member 316 downward until the gripping
surfaces 322
contact the outer surface of the spray housing 324 and secure the nozzle
assembly in a
stationary position. The tab 326 on the end of the needle valve 314 may then
be held between
the users fingers and turned. Because the needle valve 314 is threaded through
the center of
the deflector 328, the valve 314 can be advanced and retracted to obtain a
desired degree of
fluid impact. It is preferred that the threads be made sufficiently tight to
secure the needle
valve position despite prolonged wobbling or vibration of the nozzle assembly.
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
While the foregoing is directed to the preferred embodiment of the present
invention,
other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without
departing from the
basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims which
follow.
1. Additional Spray Head Assemblies Including a Chamber
The present invention provides an apparatus with a moving nozzle that delivers
fluid
for use in various applications, such as, but not limited to, whirlpool baths
or showers. The
movement of the nozzle may include a wobbling motion, a rotational motion, an
arcuate
motion, an oscillating motion or a combination of these motions. The movement
of the nozzle
is powered by disposing a wobble inducing member, such as a wobble turbine, in
the path of
the fluid supply inside a housing. The water flowing over the wobble turbine
causes the
wobble turbine to wobble. The wobbling turbine imparts movement to the nozzle
in
accordance with a defined arcuate path. Movement of the nozzle, or at least
redirection of the
nozzle outlet, provides a more satisfying whirlpool bath experience than many
stationary
nozzles. An advantage of the unique design of the wobble turbine is that it
does not include
complex mechanical parts or cause significant flow restrictions.
One aspect of the present invention provides an apparatus with a wobble
inducing
member or wobble turbine that is directly engaged with the nozzle. The nozzle
may have any
number of outlet channels, but preferably has less than about five outlet
channels and most
preferably has only one or two outlet channels directing the fluid at the same
or different
angles. The wobble turbine is preferably mounted on a post positioned inside a
sleeve or
track, where the top conical surface of the wobble turbine faces the water
inlet. Because the
post has a smaller diameter than the inside surface of the sleeve or track,
the number of
rotations the turbine must take for each wobble acts to reduce or control the
speed of the
wobble. The sleeve can form an oval receptacle that causes a flattening of the
angle of
rotation of the nozzle in accordance with an axis of the oval. Optionally, air
may be
41
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
introduced into the flow path of the water as it passes through or as it exits
the apparatus to
provide an aerated jet of water for contacting the skin. It should be
recognized that when the
detailed description of the invention discusses a wobble inducing member
having a post and a
nozzle assembly having a sleeve, the scope of the present invention and each
of the
embodiments disclosed also includes the wobble turbine having a sleeve and a
nozzle
assembly having a post. In fact, aspects of the present invention may be
operable in
combination with other coupling members that are capable of supporting the
wobble inducing
member while allowing it to wobble and rotate.
Another aspect of the invention provides an apparatus that may include more
than one
outlet channel, but preferably has two outlet channels at opposing angles to
the centerline of
the apparatus. In this arrangement, a wobble turbine is loosely received in a
sleeve that is
attached to the nozzle, so that as the wobble turbine wobbles, the nozzle
wobbles. Because
the nozzle is wobbling independent of the wobble turbine, the distribution or
coverage of
fluid over a surface is extremely uniform. The opening in the housing through
which the
nozzle assembly is received has a slightly larger diameter than the nozzle
assembly such that
the difference in the diameter can be used to determine the rotational speed
of the nozzle.
Yet another aspect of the invention provides a wobble limiting member.
Optionally,
the wobble limiting member can be adjusted manually by the user to obtain the
desired jet
from the apparatus. The speed of the wobble can be adjusted by allowing the
wobble turbine
to tilt more or less. The degree of tilt affects the radius of the wobble
turbine at which the
water stream strikes. A small tilt will result in a higher rotations per
minute (rpm) than a large
tilt for any turbine having a given cone angle, surface area and groove
angle/size.
Wobble limiting members in accordance with the present invention may be formed
in
a variety of configurations to define the travel of the wobble inducing
member. These wobble
limiting members include, but are not limited to, tracks, walls, plates,
slots, sleeves or
42
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
cylinders, posts. The invention utilizes any of a number of combinations of
wobble limiting
members and wobble inducing members or even portions of wobble inducing
members.
Exemplary combinations include (a) a turbine post limited by a sleeve (See
Figure 35), (b) a
nozzle post limited by a cylinder (See Figures 36 and 51-54), (c) a wobble
plate limited by a
slot (See Figure 37), (d) a wobble slot limited by a plate (See Figure 38),
(e) a wheel limited
by a track (See Figure 39), and (1) a turbine body limited by the chamber wall
(See Figure
45). However, these and other combinations will become apparent to those of
ordinary skill
in the art in light of the present disclosure and are included within the
scope of the present
invention.
While the wobble inducing member may be coupled, held or otherwise secured to
a
nozzle, it is generally preferred not to integrate or affix the wobble
inducing member to the
nozzle. More particularly, the nozzle has an end that is proximal to the
wobble inducing
member. It is preferred that this proximal end of the nozzle and the wobble
inducing member
receive each other in a loose male-female relationship, particularly where the
proximal end
and the wobble inducing member can easily slide or pivot into the appropriate
relationship
without restriction. One particularly preferred arrangement is a post and
sleeve relationship in
which a cylindrical post (male) is received within a cylindrical sleeve
(female), where the
outer diameter of the post is less than the inner diameter of the sleeve.
Alternatively, the post
may form a frusto-conical surface (male) received within a frusto-conical
sleeve (female),
where the frusto-conical angle of the post is less than the frusto-conical
angle of the sleeve. It
should be recognized that the post may be part of the nozzle assembly and the
sleeve may be
part of the wobble inducing member, or vice versa. It is preferred to design
the post and
sleeve with sufficient tolerances therebetween so that the wobble inducing
member can
wobble in relation to the nozzle assembly without binding. Furthermore, it is
most preferred
to utilize a wobble inducing member having a conical or frusto-conical post of
a first
43
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
diameter received in a conical or frusto-conical sleeve of the nozzle
assembly. Examples of
various wobbling spray head assemblies that can be adapted for use in the
present invention
are described in U.S. Patent No. 6,092,739, which was filed on July 14, 1998
and issued on
July 25, 2000.
Another embodiment or aspect of the invention provides a fluid powered motor
capable of driving various devices, such as a nozzle assembly, moving sprinker
or a
secondary pump. This motor is particularly useful in applications requiring a
low output
speed, because the complexity of reduction gears would probably be
unnecessary. The motor
is provided by a wobble inducing member in a post/sleeve relationship with a
drive assembly
or nozzle assembly, wherein the wobble of the drive assembly or nozzle
assembly is limited
or constrained by a wobble limiting member. While the wobbling of the drive
assembly is
limited, the drive assembly is still allowed to rotate within the wobble
limiting member and
the drive assembly forms a motor output shaft. The wobble limiting member is
preferably a
slot (engaging a wobble plate on the drive assembly or nozzle assembly), a
plate (engaging a
wobble slot in the drive assembly or nozzle assembly), or a cylinder (engaging
a post on the
drive assembly or nozzle assembly). The wobble limiting member should engage
the drive or
nozzle assembly within certain dimensional tolerances to restrict the degree
of wobble (the
maximum angle away from the central axis) imparted to the assembly. While the
degree of
wobble that can be tolerated is expected to be dependent upon the intended use
of the motor
output. the degree of wobble should generally be less than a five (5) degree
angle off center,
preferably less than a two (2) degree angle off center. It should be
recognized that the motor
output shaft may be coupled to any device without limitation, whether that
device is integral
to the shaft (such as an off-center drive pin), in a loose-fitting engagement
with the shaft,
coupled to the shaft, or in a temporary or conditional attachment to the
shaft. One preferred
motor shaft includes a fluid passage therethrough to form a nozzle assembly.
Another
44
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
preferred motor shaft engages a separate nozzle assembly in any known manner
to provide a
simple (circular, oscillating or reciprocating, etc.) or complex (elliptical,
sweeping, etc.)
motion of the nozzle assembly. Such a separate nozzle assembly is preferably
supported in
the housing on an axle or a ball and socket type attachment extending through
the center of
the assembly. The nozzle assembly can be a spherical or cylindrical shape and
a drive slot in
the assembly can be designed to produce the desired flow pattern exiting the
nozzle.
Another aspect of the invention provides an apparatus that may include more
than one
outlet channel, preferably at least one channel is aligned with the centerline
of the apparatus,
with the remaining channels positioned at opposing angles to the centerline of
the apparatus.
In addition, the chamber surrounding the wobble turbine and nozzle assembly is
not required
to be much larger than the nozzle assembly itself. The reduced size provides
for efficient
channeling of the fluid with very little loss of velocity, making this design
useful for areas
with low water pressure.
In an alternative embodiment, the wobble turbine is fixed to the nozzle
assembly. The
wobble turbine rotates in response to fluid flowing into the chamber and the
fluid flows out of
the nozzle assembly to provide a uniform flow pattern. This design is
particularly useful in
areas with low water pressure, because the water entering the nozzle can be
made to lift the
wobble turbine/nozzle assembly up out of the collar or slot, thus allowing the
whole assembly
to rotate easily.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the wobble turbine and
post are
attached to a nozzle that has a combination or both high and low pressure
chambers. The
water flows off of the wobble turbine and through the post as described above,
however, the
water then flows into a high pressure chamber having high pressure outlets
which emit small
droplets of water at high speeds. A portion of the water is directed to a low
pressure chamber
through a flow control member, the chamber having low pressure outlets, where
larger, low
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
velocity water droplets exit the nozzle. The large and small droplets
preferably exit the nozzle
at different speeds, thus producing two patterns of droplets that provide the
bather with
uniform coverage and a satisfying flow rate of water.
It should be recognized that the apparatus of the present invention, and the
individual
components thereof, may be made from any known materials that are resistant to
chemical
and thermal attack by the fluid passing therethrough. Where the fluid is
water, the apparatus
or components of the apparatus are preferably made from one or more injection
moldable or
extrudable plastic or polymer materials, most preferably an acetal resin such
as DELRIN (a
trademark of Du Pont de Nemours, E.I. 7 Co. of Wilmington, Delaware). The
apparatus may
also include components made from metals or metal alloys, such as stainless
steel. Other and
further materials suitable for use in the present invention should be apparent
to one of skill in
the art and are considered to be within the scope of the present invention.
Figure 53 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus 1010 of the present
invention. The
apparatus 1010 has a housing 1012 for holding a wobble turbine 1014. The
housing 1012
forms a chamber 1016 with an inlet 1018 positioned upstream from the wobble
turbine 1014.
The floor 1020 or distal end of the housing 1012 forms a collar, hole or
opening 1022
therethrough for slidably receiving a post 1024 which is fixed to the wobble
turbine 1014
inside the housing 1012, and a nozzle 1026 through the collar 1022. The post
1024 is retained
within the opening 1022 by an annular shoulder 1028 that allows the post 1024
to rotate
freely within the opening 1022. The annular shoulder 1028 may be tapered
upwardly to
provide a frusto-conical surface that contacts the floor 1020 of the housing
1012.
The wobble turbine 1014 has a conical upper surface 1036 forming a plurality
of non-
radial channels as shown in U.S. Patent No. 6,092,739, which was filed on July
14, 1998 and
issued on July 25, 2000. The upper surface 1036 of the wobble turbine 1014
preferably
extends beyond the track 1030 to form an annular overhang that faces the floor
1020 of the
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CA 02337336 2007-08-10
housing 1012. The wobble turbine 1014 and the post 1024 are preferably made
from
DELRIN or other suitable polymer material, to allow for some friction between
the post 1024
of the wobble turbine 1014, and the track 1030 while allowing the wobble
turbine 1014 to
move freely within the bounds set by the track 1030.
The housing forms a wobble limiting sleeve or nutating track 1030 in which the
wobble turbine 1014 rotates. The track 1030 has an inner diameter that is
several times larger
than the outer diameter of the post 1024 that allows the wobble turbine 1014
to roll around
within the track 1030 in a wobbling motion. The track acts to reduce the
wobbling speed of
the turbine 1014. The track can have an oval opening (top view) to similarly
flatten out the
movement of the nozzle to an oval pattern and the flow path of the water
exiting the nozzle in
accordance with the oval dimensions. Air may be introduced into the flow path
of the water
through a port 1038 as it exits the spray head to provide an aerated jet of
water. The aerated
jet may be desirable for contacting the skin in a whirlpool bath, where the
nozzle releases the
jet into a body of water.
The post 1024 provides a passage 1040 in fluid communication between the shaft
inlet(s) 1032 and the nozzle 1026. The inlet 1032 is preferably a plurality of
channels that
extend through the wall of the post, preferably angled downwardly from the top
of the
housing 1012 toward the floor 1020 of the housing 1012.
Therefore, fluid follows a pathway by entering the chamber 1016 through the
inlet
1018, passing over the wobble turbine 1014, entering through inlet 1032 into
the passage
1040 in the post 1024, and exiting the nozzle 1026 through a spray channel
1034 in fluid
communication with the passage 1040 in the shaft 1024. In operation, a fluid
source under
pressure, such as a water pipe from a residential or commercial tap water
source or pump
driven recirculating water, is in communication with the inlet 1018 in the
housing 1012. The
turbine 1014 wobbles due to the fluid flowing over the upper surface 1036 of
the wobble
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CA 02337336 2007-08-10
turbine 1014. "Wobbling" in this context means essentially that the wobble
turbine 1014 tilts
to one side so that the outside surface of the post 1024 of the wobble turbine
1014 is in
rolling contact with the inside surface of the track 1030. The wobble action
of the wobble
turbine exerts forces on the shaft 1024 which are translated to the water
exiting the passage
1040 through the nozzle 1026. Once the chamber is substantially filled with
water, water
therein enters the inlet in the shaft and flows through a passage in the shaft
to the nozzle.
For any given wobble turbine, the wobble rate or speed may be increased (or
decreased) by increasing (or decreasing) the flow rate of fluid through the
spray head.
Control of the flow rate can be accomplished by providing a valve 1042, such
as a gate valve,
at the inlet 1018.
Figure 54 is a sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention.
The
apparatus 1044 has a housing 1046 for holding a wobble turbine 1048 similar to
that shown
in Figure 53. However, the wobble turbine 1048 is loosely received in a sleeve
1050 which is
part of the nozzle assembly 1052. The housing 1046 forms a chamber 1054 with
an inlet
1056 positioned upstream from the wobble turbine 1048. The floor or distal end
1058 of the
housing downstream of the wobble turbine forms a collar, hole or opening 1060
therethrough
for slidably receiving the nozzle assembly 1052, which has a nozzle 1062
extending beyond
the collar 1060 and a sleeve 1050 for supporting the wobble turbine 1048.
The wobble turbine 1048 has a conical upper surface 1064 like the one
described
in Figure 53, that is attached to a post 1066. The upper surface 1064 of the
wobble
turbine 1048 preferably extends radially beyond post 1066 to form an annular
overhang.
The outer diameter of the post 1066 is smaller than the inner diameter of the
sleeve 1050 such
that when the wobble turbine wobbles within the sleeve, the wobbling motion is
translated to
the nozzle assembly 1052.
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CA 02337336 2007-08-10
The nozzle assembly 1052 provides an elongated portion having an annular
shoulder
portion 1070 that rests on an optional washer or bearing 1072. The elongated
portion of the
nozzle assembly has fluid inlets 1074 positioned above the annular shoulder
1070 and fluid
inlets 1078 positioned below the shoulder 1070. The elongated portion further
forms a
passage 1068 providing fluid communication between the inlet(s) 1074 and 1078
and the
nozzle 1062. The inlets 1074 are preferably a plurality of channels that
extend through the
wall of the nozzle, preferably angled downwardly from the top of the housing
1046 toward
the floor 1058 of the housing. The inlets 1078 preferably extend through the
wall of the
nozzle assembly, preferably angled downward and towards the centerline of the
nozzle
assembly 1052. The nozzle 1062 may provide one or more, preferably two, outlet
channels
1080 in fluid communication with the passage 1068. The outlet channels are
most preferably
angled away from each other off the centerline of the nozzle assembly 1052.
The opening 1060 has a slightly larger inner diameter than the outer diameter
of the
nozzle assembly 1052 that extends therethrough. This difference in diameter
acts to control
the speed of rotation of the nozzle assembly 1052. For example, if the inner
diameter of the
opening 1060 is 0.51 inches and the outer diameter of the nozzle assembly is
0.5 inches, with
each 360 wobble of the wobble turbine 1048, and hence one wobble of the
nozzle assembly,
then the nozzle assembly will rotate 0.0314 inches or 1150th of its
circumference in a
direction opposite the wobble, resulting in one complete revolution for every
fifty wobbles.
In this example, if the wobble turbine 1048 is wobbling at 1800 rpm, then the
nozzle
assembly 1052 would rotate at about 36 rpm.
The flow of water into the housing 1046 can be regulated by a needle valve
1082 or a
gate valve like the one shown in Figure 53. In addition, the water flow can be
aerated by
drawing air into the housing through port 1084.
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CA 02337336 2007-08-10
Figure 55 is a sectional view of an apparatus 1083 similar to that shown in
Figure 54,
in which like numerals label similar elements. The wobble turbine 1048 is
loosely received in
a sleeve 1050 which is part of the nozzle assembly 1052. The housing 1046
forms a chamber
1054 with an inlet 1056 positioned upstream from the wobble turbine 1048. The
floor 1058 of
the housing forms a collar, hole or opening 1060 therethrough for slidably
receiving the
nozzle assembly 1052, which has a nozzle 1062 position outside the housing and
the sleeve
1050 for supporting the wobble turbine 1048 inside the housing. The nozzle
assembly 1052
forms an annular shoulder 1070 that is positioned in an adjustable slot 1088.
The width of the
slot 1088 can be adjusted by moving plate 1087 up or down thereby limiting the
wobble
speed of the wobble turbine and in turn the wobble speed and tilt of the
nozzle assembly
1052. Decreasing the width of the slot (shown here as the vertical distance of
the slot 1088
between the floor 1058 and plate 1087) will result in a small tilt on the
nozzle assembly 1052
and a high RPM, where increasing the width of the slot will result in a
greater tilt and lower
RPM for the nozzle assembly.
Figure 56 is a sectional view of an alternative apparatus of the present
invention. The
apparatus 1090 provides a housing 1092 for holding a wobble turbine 1094 and a
nozzle
assembly 1096. The housing 1092 forms a chamber 1098 with a fluid inlet 1100
positioned
upstream of the wobble turbine 1094. The housing 1092 has a floor 1102 that
defines an
opening 1104 therethrough for supporting the nozzle assembly 1096. The wobble
turbine
1094 is slidably received in a sleeve 1108 having an open upper end. The
housing 1092 has a
support member 1110 attached thereto, where the support member 1110 defines a
bore 1112
therethrough for slidably receiving the lower end of the sleeve 1108. The
lower end of the
sleeve 1108 has a drive pin 1114 extending therefrom that is positioned off
center of the
longitudinal axis of the sleeve 1108.
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
The nozzle assembly 1096 defines an opening or drive slot 1116 therein for
receiving
the drive pin 1114, so that when the wobble turbine 1094 wobbles the wobble
motion is
converted to a rotary motion that is translated to the nozzle assembly 1096
through the drive
pin 1114. The nozzle assembly is fixed to the housing about axle 1097 allowing
a side to side
movement to the nozzle outlet 1120. A ball and socket joint may also be used
to fix the
nozzle assembly to the housing thereby allowing a circular or arcuate movement
of the nozzle
outlet 1120. Alternatively, the shape of the drive slot 1116 can be designed
to produce an
oscillating side to side pattern or an oval shaped fluid pattern exiting the
nozzle. It should be
recognized that the wobble/sleeve/support/ drive pin assembly may be
considered to be a
water powered motor which may drive any number of devices known to those
skilled in the
art.
The nozzle assembly 1096 defines a fluid passage that is in fluid
communication with
a plurality of fluid inlets 1118 inside the housing and a fluid outlet channel
1120 outside the
housing 1092. The fluid inlets 1118 preferably extend through the wall of the
nozzle
assembly 1096 at a slight angle. The nozzle assembly 1096 can be spherical,
round, elliptical
or oval in shape depending on the desired flow pattern of water exiting the
nozzle or fluid
outlet channel 1120.
In use, water contacts the top of the wobble turbine 1094 causing it to wobble
within
the sleeve 1108. The sleeve 1108 in turn wobbles, generating rotation from its
contact with
support member 1110, moving the drive pin 1114 in a generally circular motion
where the
center of the drive pin is not in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the
sleeve 1108. As
shown in Figure 56, the wobbling sleeve 1108 acts as a motor to rock the
nozzle assembly
1096 in a back and forth motion about the axle 1097 to produce a sweeping
pattern of water
exiting the nozzle 1120.
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CA 02337336 2007-08-10
The water flow can be aerated by delivering air into the chamber through a
port. The
water flow into the chamber may be restricted by activating a needle valve
shown or a gate
valve as discussed previously.
Figure 57 is a sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention.
The
apparatus 1122 has a housing 1124 for holding a wobble turbine 1126 and a
nozzle 1128. The
housing 1124 defines a chamber 1130 with an inlet 1132 in one end and a collar
1134 or
opening in the opposite end. The fluid inlet 1132 comprises a tube 1136 that
extends a
distance into the chamber 1130.
The wobble turbine 1126 has a lower end that is integral with the nozzle
assembly.
The top surface of the wobble turbine 1126 has vanes 1144 that are preferably
located on the
periphery of the upper surface to reduce the speed of the wobble turbine. The
chamber 1130
also forms a track 1138 between the tube 1136 and the inner wall of the
chamber 1130. The
wobble turbine 1126 has a conical upper surface with a shaft 1140 extending
therefrom. The
shaft 1140 has a tracking wheel 1142 that is sized to be received by the track
1138 formed by
the chamber 1130. The shape of the track 1138 can be modified to reflect the
desired flow
pattern exiting the nozzle such as circular, oval, elliptical etc. Because the
tracking wheel has
a much smaller circumference than the track, the turbine makes several
revolutions to
produce a single wobble, therefore effectively producing a very slow wobble
speed.
The nozzle assembly forms a passage 1146 in fluid communication with a
plurality of
inlets 1148 located inside the housing 1124 and an outlet channel 1150 located
outside the
housing 1124. The inlets 1148 preferably extend through the wall of the nozzle
assembly
1128. The outlet channel 1150 can consist of one channel or a plurality of
outlet channels as
described above in Figures 54 and 55.
The nozzle assembly is supported by a frusto-conical shoulder 1152 that faces
the
floor 1154 of the housing. The shoulder 1152 is tapered so that it is in
rolling contact with the
52
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
floor 1154 of the housing as the wobble turbine imparts the wobbling motion to
the nozzle
assembly 1128. The angle of tilt achieved by the wobble turbine is limited by
the track and
tracking wheel relationship.
Figure 58 is a sectional view of a movable jet outlet that could be used in
the nozzle
assembly in place of the outlet channels 1080 shown in Figures 54 and 55. The
end of the
nozzle assembly 1052 can be adapted to receive an outlet jet 1081 having a
plurality of outlet
channels extending therethrough. The outlet jet 1081 may form a ball secured
in a socket so
that the angular position of the outlet jet 1081 may then be adjusted by the
user with their
hands. Preferably, the ball is secured in the socket under sufficient friction
to avoid relative
slippage during use, but may be easily adjusted by a user. The outlet channels
formed in the
two independent hemispheres of the ball can be positioned at a diverging angle
from one
another as shown in Fig. 58 or at essentially parallel to one another. One of
ordinary skill in
the art would appreciate the multitude of usable angles for the outlet
channels.
Figure 59 is a sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention.
The
apparatus 1156 has a housing 1158 for holding a wobble turbine 1160 similar to
that shown
in Figure 1. However, the wobble turbine 1160 is loosely received in a sleeve
1162 which is
part of the nozzle assembly 1164. The housing 1158 forms a chamber 1166 with
an inlet
1168 positioned upstream from the wobble turbine 1160. The floor or distal end
1170 of the
housing forms a collar, hole or opening 1172 therethrough for slidably
receiving the nozzle
assembly 1164, which has a nozzle 1174 communicating outside the housing and
the sleeve
1162 for supporting the wobble turbine 1160 inside the housing.
The wobble turbine 1160 has a conical upper surface 1176 like the one
described in
Figure 1, that is attached to a post 1178. The upper surface 1176 of the
wobble turbine 1160
preferably extends beyond post 1178 to form an annular overhang. The outer
diameter of the
slightly frusto-conical post 1178 is smaller than the inner diameter of the
frusto-conical
53
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
surface of the sleeve 1162 such that when the wobble turbine wobbles within
the sleeve, the
wobbling motion is translated to the nozzle assembly 1164.
The nozzle assembly 1164 provides an annular shoulder portion 1180 that rests
on the
floor of the housing, fluid inlets 1182 positioned above the annular shoulder
1180, and forms
a passage 1184 in fluid communication with the inlet(s) 1182 and the nozzle
1174. The inlets
1182 preferably form a plurality of channels that extend through the wall of
the nozzle. The
nozzle has a plurality of outlet channels 1186, in fluid communication with
the passage 1184.
Preferably, one of the outlet channels 1186 is in alignment with the
centerline of the nozzle
assembly and the remaining outlet channels are angled away from each other off
the
centerline of the nozzle assembly 1164.
The opening or collar 1172 has a slightly larger inner diameter than the outer
diameter
of the nozzle assembly 1164. This difference in diameter acts to control the
speed of rotation
of the nozzle assembly 1164.
The water inside the housing 1158 may exit down the nozzle between the nozzle
and
the collar 1172, causing a random spray emitted from the nozzle assembly. In
order to
prevent a pressure build-up by the water between the collar and the nozzle, a
groove 1188 can
be formed in the nozzle assembly 1164. Therefore, when the water flows down
the outside of
the nozzle, the groove will relieve the pressure and allow the water to pass
along the outer
surface of the nozzle to join the fluid exiting channels 1186.
Figure 60 is a sectional view of an apparatus 1157 similar to that shown in
Fig. 59,
where similar parts bear the same number. In this embodiment, a groove 1190
can be formed
in the collar 1172 to achieve the same result as in the apparatus shown in
Figure 59. In
addition, the groove may be fitted with a sealing element 1191 such as an o-
ring etc. to keep
the water from exiting. The tip of the nozzle 1174 may be made from or covered
with a
54
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
resilient material 1175 such as rubber, so that the nozzle tip can be flexed
to break up and
remove lime or other mineral deposits easily.
Figure 61 is a sectional view of an apparatus 1200 similar to that shown in
Figure 59,
where similar parts bear the same number. The apparatus 1200 has a housing
1158 for
holding a wobble turbine 1160 similar to that shown in Figure 53. The wobble
turbine 1160 is
loosely received in a sleeve 1162 that is part of the nozzle assembly 1164.
The floor 1170 of
the housing forms a collar, hole or opening 1172 therethrough for slidably
receiving the
nozzle assembly 1164, which has a nozzle 1174 extending through the housing
and the sleeve
1162 for supporting the wobble turbine 1160 inside the housing. The nozzle
assembly also
includes in a sleeve 1202 forming an annular shoulder that rests against the
floor 1170 of the
housing. The sleeve 1202 has an outer diameter that is smaller than the inner
diameter of the
collar 1172, such that the sleeve 1202 and the nozzle assembly 1164 are free
to rotate within
the collar. The nozzle assembly forms a plurality of fluid inlets 1206 that
are connected to a
plurality of outlets 1208 via passages 1210.
When fluid is supplied to the housing through inlet 1168, the fluid pressure
pushes
down on the wobble turbine 1176, compressing spring 1204 and pushing the
nozzle 1174
downward so that the fluid outlets 1208 extend past the lower end 1214 of the
sleeve 1202
and release the fluid. When the fluid flow is turned off, the spring 1204
forces the nozzle
upward, pulling the outlets 1208 into the sleeve 1202 to prevent lime or other
mineral
deposits from forming on the nozzle outlets 1208. With the proper
configuration of fluid
inlets 1206 this action may also serve to regulate flow as to be constant even
when line
pressures may vary.
The collar 1172 may also form a groove 1216, similar to the one shown in
Figure 59,
to release water pressure and prevent random sprays. The sleeve 1202 may also
have a
groove to achieve the same purpose as groove 1216.
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
Figure 62 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus 1218 of the present
invention. The
apparatus 1218 has a housing 1158 for holding a wobble turbine 1220. The
housing 1158
forms a chamber 1166 with an inlet 1168 positioned upstream from the wobble
turbine 1220.
The floor 1170 of the housing 1158 forms a collar, hole or opening 1172
therethrough for
slidably receiving a post 1222 which is fixed to the wobble turbine 1220
inside the housing
1158, and a nozzle 1223 outside the housing 1158. The post 1222 is held in a
wobbling
relationship within the opening 1172 by an annular shoulder 1224 that allows
the post 1222
to rotate within the opening 1172.
The wobble turbine 1220 has a conical upper surface and is similar to the
wobble
turbine shown in Figure 59. The post 1222 provides passages 1226 in fluid
communication
between fluid inlet(s) 1228 and fluid outlets 1230. There are preferably a
plurality of inlet
channels 1228 that extend through the wall of the post, preferably radially
toward the
centerline of the post.
Therefore, fluid follows a pathway by entering the chamber 1166 through the
inlet
1168, passing over the wobble turbine 1220, entering through inlet 1228 into
the passage
1226 in the post 1222, and exiting the nozzle through one or more spray
channels 1230 in
fluid communication with the passage 1226 in the post 1222. In operation, a
fluid source
under pressure is in communication with the inlet 1168 in the housing 1158.
The pressure
from the water entering the housing exerts forces on the post 1222 pushing the
post 1222
downward and allowing the turbine to wobble. The turbine 1220 wobbles due to
the fluid
flowing over the upper surface of the wobble turbine 1220. Once the chamber is
substantially
filled with water, water therein enters the inlet in the post and flows
through a passage in the
post to the outlet channels in the nozzle. This design is particularly useful
for use with high
pressure water streams to produce a shower for bathing and the like.
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CA 02337336 2007-08-10
Figure 63 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus of the present invention
having a
plurality of nozzles. The apparatus 1232 is shown as a multiple-nozzle hand-
held shower unit
in fluid communication with a single water inlet 1233, but the individual
spray heads may be
used in single-nozzle units and the multiple-nozzle housing may be used in
association with
other spray heads in accordance with the invention. While there may be any
number of
elements, there are preferably between 5 and 15 elements. Most preferably,
there are seven
(7) elements arranged with one central element and six elements located in a
circle around the
central element, wherein three such elements 1234, 1236, 1238 are shown in the
cross-
sectional view. In a preferred embodiment, each of the elements 1234, 1236,
1238 have the
same constituent parts, therefore only element 1234 will be described in
detail herein.
This multiple-nozzle unit 1232 provides fluid communication from a water
source
through inlet 1233 to each of the elements 1234, 1236, 1238 by providing fluid
distribution
passages or a chamber 1241 which is sufficiently open and unrestricted to
avoid causing any
significant pressure drop in the fluid before it reached the individual
elements. The chamber
1241 is in fluid communication with each element through individual fluid
inlets 1248 to
each element which direct the fluid against the wobble turbine 1242. After the
fluid passes
over the wobble turbine, it is redirected into and through the wobbling nozzle
1257.
Each element 1234 has a housing 1240 for holding a wobble turbine 1242. The
housing 1240 forms a wall or track 1246 adjacent the fluid inlet 1248
positioned upstream
from the wobble turbine 1242. The floor or distal end 1250 of the housing 1240
forms a
collar, hole or opening 1252 therethrough for slidably receiving a post 1256
which is
preferably fixed to the body 1254 of the wobble turbine 1242 inside the
housing 1240. The
post 1256 and body 1254 provide a fluid passage for communicating fluid from
the housing
1240 to the nozzle opening 1266. The post 1256 is held in a wobbling
relationship within the
opening 1252 by an annular shoulder 1258 that allows the post 1256 to rotate
within the
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CA 02337336 2007-08-10
opening 1252. A washer. 0-ring or bearing 1260 may optionally be placed
between the
annular shoulder 1258 and the distal end of the housing 1240. In accordance
with this
construction, a portion of the cylindrical side wall of the wobble turbine
1242 will track along
the inside wall 1246 of the housing 1240.
While each housing on the multiple element unit must form a track or wobble
limiting
member of some kind, it is possible that the unit 1232 could allow open fluid
communication
between the elements after the fluid has passed through the inlets 1248. In
this manner, the
essential components of the unit 1232 include (a) a pan having a perimeter
wall, a floor and
multiple collars 1252 through the floor, (b) a plurality of wobble turbines,
each wobble
turbine having a nozzle extending through one of the collars, and (c) a fluid
distribution
manifold providing a fluid jet aligned with each collar, (d) a wobble limiting
member for
each wobble turbine. In the embodiment shown, the manifold is formed by a
fluid distribution
plate secured above the floor of the pan, the fluid distribution plate having
multiple inlets
aligned with the collars. Furthermore, the wobble limiting members are formed
by walls
extending between the pan floor and the bottom of the fluid distribution
plate, although it is
not necessary for the wall to prevent flow between the housings or even to
extend beyond the
provision of a wobble limiting member.
For each element, the turbine body 1254 has a fluid inlet(s) 1264 and a
passage 1262
that provides fluid communication between the inside of the housing 1240 and
the fluid
nozzle outlet 1266. It is preferred that the turbine body include a plurality
of inlet channels
1264 that extend through the wall of the post, preferably radially toward the
centerline of the
post.
Therefore, fluid follows a pathway by entering the apparatus through inlet
1233
passing into the housing 1240 through the inlet 1248, passing over the wobble
turbine 1242,
entering through inlet 1264 into the passage 1262 in the turbine body 1254.
and exiting the
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CA 02337336 2007-08-10
nozzle 1257 through fluid outlet 1266 in fluid communication with the passage
1262. The
fluid outlet 1266 may be a simple outlet as shown or contain multiple ports as
the same or
different angles (as in Figure 59).
In operation, a fluid source under pressure is in communication with the inlet
1233 in
the apparatus 1232. The pressure of the water entering the apparatus causes
water to flow to
through the individual inlets 1248 to the individual wobble turbines 1242. The
water exerts
forces on the turbine 1242 pushing the body 1254 downward and allowing the
turbine 1242
to wobble due to the fluid flowing, over the upper surface of the wobble
turbine 1242. Once
the housing 1240 is substantially filled with water, water therein enters the
inlet 1264 in the
post and flows through a passage 1262 in the post to the outlet 1266 in the
nozzle. This
design is particularly useful in a hand held spraying device, but may also be
used in a wall
mount device. While the device may have any number of nozzles, a preferred
device includes
between 7 and 12 nozzles. It should be recognized that besides sharing a
common source of
fluid, the individual elements or wobble turbines operate independent of each
other.
Figure 64 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus 1270 of the present
invention. The
apparatus 1270 has a housing 1272 for holding a wobble turbine 1274. The
housing 1272
forms a chamber 1276 with an inlet 1278 positioned upstream from the wobble
turbine 1274.
The floor 1280 of the housing 1272 forms a collar, hole or opening 1282
therethrough for
slidably receiving a post 1284 which is fixed to the wobble turbine 1274
inside the housing
1272, and a nozzle 1286 outside the housing 1272. The post 1284 is held in a
wobbling
relationship within the opening 1282 by an annular shoulder 1288 that allows
the post 1284
to tilt and rotate within the opening 1282. This embodiment employs wobble-
limiting,
rotation-generating wall contact similar to that of Figure 63, except that the
sleeve extension
of the post 1284 makes contact, rather than the turbine itself, and the wall
extends inwardly
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CA 02337336 2007-08-10
and forms a contact surface 1285, such as a high friction or pliable surface
like an 0-ring or
other suitable structure.
The wobble turbine 1274 has a conical upper surface and is similar to the
wobble
turbine shown in Figure 60. The post 1284 provides passage 1290 in fluid
communication
between fluid inlet 1292 and the nozzle 1286. It should be noted that the
particular wobble
turbine 1274 shown here is not limiting in that any of the wobble turbine/post
configurations
shown herein may be used.
The nozzle 1286 has a high pressure chamber 1294 that is in fluid
communication
with the passage 1290 and a plurality of high pressure outlet channels 1296.
The high
pressure chamber 1294 defines an opening 1298 that is in fluid communication
with a low
pressure chamber 1300. The low pressure chamber 1300 has low pressure outlet
channels
1302. A portion of the water flows through the high pressure chamber 1294 to
the low
pressure chamber 1300, where it exits the nozzle at a lower pressure than the
water exiting
the high pressure chamber, thus forming large droplets. The water exiting the
high pressure
outlet channels 1296 forms smaller droplets than the water exiting the low
pressure outlet
channels 1302.
Therefore, fluid follows a pathway by entering the chamber 1276 through the
inlet
1278, passing over the wobble turbine 1274, entering through inlet 1292 into
the passage
1290 in the post 1284. The fluid then exits the nozzle 1286 through either the
high pressure
outlet channels 1296 or the low pressure outlet channels 1302. In operation, a
fluid source
under pressure is in communication with the inlet 1278 in the housing 1272.
The pressure
from the water entering the housing 1272 exerts forces on the post 1284
pushing the post
1284 downward and allowing the turbine to wobble. The turbine 1274 wobbles due
to the
fluid flowing over the upper surface of the wobble turbine 1274. Once the
chamber is
substantially filled with water, water therein enters the inlet in the post
and flows through a
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
passage in the post to the outlet channels in the nozzle. This design is
particularly useful for
use with high pressure water streams to produce low and high pressure droplets
providing an
overall uniform shower for bathing and the like. The lower velocity, large
droplets help to
remove any pulsing feel of the high pressure droplets because they are out of
sync with the
high pressure droplets.
Figures 65, 65A (cross sectional view of Figure 65 taken along line 65A of
Figure 65)
and 66 are cross-sectional views of two alternative coupling designs that may
be used to
harness the roto-nutational movement of the motor output shaft or nozzle
assembly 1164 and
use that movement to turn a gear or shaft, respectively, having a true
rotational axis. In both
Figure 65 and 66, the housing 1158, the wobble turbine 1160 and the nozzle
assembly 1164
are essentially the same as in apparatus 1157 of Figure 60, and like reference
numerals are
used in reference to similar elements. The differences between motors 1310 and
1330, on the
one hand, and the apparatus 1157, on the other hand, are directed to
additional members
attached to the nozzle assembly 1164 in place of the nozzle 1174 and
additional member
attached to the floor of the housing 1158.
In Figure 65, the nozzle assembly 1164 has an extended post 1312 engaged with
a
"universal" type joint providing at least two degree of freedom that can
accommodate the
wobbling motion of the nozzle assembly 1164. A pin 1314 is pivotally engaged
through the
side of the post 1312, or alternatively pivotally attached to the side of the
post 1312. The
outermost ends of the pin 1314 are pivotally engaged with an annular ring 1316
having dual
tabs 1318 extending radially therefrom. The tabs 1318, in turn, are pivotally
engaged with
another annular ring 1320 having pilot holes 1322 therethrough. The annular
ring 1320 is
maintained in true axial alignment by a cylindrical bearing 1324 affixed to
the bottom of the
floor 1170 of the housing 1158. The ring 1320 may then be coupled to or
include various
drive means, including gear teeth 1326 disposed around the perimeter of the
ring.
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CA 02337336 2007-08-10
In Figure 66, the nozzle assembly 1164 has a shortened post 1332 having a
central
opening 1333 therein. A shaft 1334 is maintained in true axial alignment by a
cylindrical
bearing 1336 affixed to the floor 1170 of the housing 1158. The shaft 1334
includes a post
1338 that extends into the opening 1333. The post 1338 includes dual tabs 1340
extending
radially therefrom into a slots 1342 formed within the opening 1333 of the
nozzle assembly
1164. It is an important aspect of the invention that the motor 1330 is driven
by fluid that
does not exit through a nozzle, but rather exits through a separate port 1344
and, depending
upon the application, may need no chamber at all. Such a separate port may
also be
incorporated in the housing 1158 of Figure 65, preferably with the post 1312
being plugged.
CHAMBERLESS DESIGNS
The present invention provides a fluid discharging apparatus that delivers
fluid in a
substantially uniform spray distribution. The movement of the apparatus is a
wobbling
motion, preferably combined with some rotational motion. The wobbling motion
is generated
by supporting a wobble inducing member or wobble turbine in the path of the
fluid supply
with a body member, perhaps including. frames, beams, a housing, and/or other
structural
members. Unlike typical aperture-based nozzles, the body does not need to
contain pressure
or be fluid tight and may, in fact, be substantially open. The water flowing
over the wobble
turbine causes the wobble turbine to rotate and wobble. The wobbling turbine
then effects the
direction of the spray pattern exiting the spray nozzle, distributing the
fluid in a rotating
pattern about the axis of the apparatus. The distributed stream of fluid
coming off the wobble
turbine is intercepted by a deflector and redirected downward. The pitch of
the wobble
turbine and the deflector are chosen to minimize the fluid stream's loss of
momentum. In
accordance with the invention, the deflector may be provided in any suitable
manner, such as
an integral part of the body or wobble turbine or as a separate component
altogether.
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CA 02337336 2007-08-10
The spray pattern produced by the wobbling turbine changes more or less
rapidly so
that fluid droplets or streams are directed along arcuate paths over time
rather than
continuously at a single point. This type of spray distribution pattern is
gentler than many
stationary patterns and the unique design of the wobble turbine does not
include complex
mechanical parts or significant flow restrictions. For certain applications,
it may be desirable
to incorporate dividers onto the deflector in order to split the flow of fluid
into a plurality of
discrete fluid streams.
Another embodiment of the present invention provides a fluid discharging
apparatus
with a wobble inducing member or wobble turbine that causes the body or
housing that
supports the wobble inducing member or turbine to also wobble. More
particularly, the
wobble inducing member is positioned in loose contact with the body or housing
of the
apparatus, thus reducing the number of parts necessary to achieve such motion
and increasing
the ability of the apparatus to produce a desired spray width and pattern,
such as for a
residential shower or faucet. The fluid is distributed off the surface of the
wobble turbine in a
rotating pattern and then travels without flow restriction over the deflector
downward to the
outlet of the apparatus, which outlet may be substantially open or may include
non-restrictive
dividers or channels of any number and configuration. As used herein, the term
"downward"
or "downwardly" means that the fluid distributed off the wobble turbine at a
first angle
relative to the axial centerline of the fluid inlet is deflected so that the
fluid changes its
direction to a second smaller angle relative to the axial centerline of the
fluid inlet.
While the wobble turbine may conceivable distribute fluid at a first angle
that is
anything less than 90 degrees, the turbine should distribute fluid at an angle
less than 60
degrees from axial, preferably less than 45 degrees from axial, and most
preferably between
about 30 and about 40 degree from axial. The deflector should receive or
intercept the
distributed fluid from the turbine with a surface angled similar to the first
angle at which the
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CA 02337336 2007-08-10
fluid is distributed off the turbine. Further, while the deflector may
redirect the fluid at many
angles, even angles toward the axial centerline instead of angles away from
axial, the
deflector should have a smooth, gradually changing slope to redirect fluid
into a tighter fluid
discharging pattern than a given turbine would have otherwise provided.
Preferably, the
deflector will redirect the fluid at an angle within about +/- 20 degrees of a
line parallel to the
axial centerline, and even more preferably the deflector will redirect fluid
at two or more
angles, such as having twelve channels 66 with four of them angled at 0
degrees and the other
eight angles at 10 degrees. It should be recognized that since the turbine
wobbles and certain
embodiments of the deflector will wobble either dependent or independent of
the wobble
turbine that the relative angles and combinations of angles of the turbine and
deflector are
constantly changing and are further dependent upon the degree of wobble
allowed by the
design of their connections, i.e., a post and sleeve dimensions or an annular
wobble plate and
space limiting member, etc. Finally, the turbine and deflector surfaces are
preferably concave
in order to achieve a gradual transition of the direction in which the water
stream is going
with no more than minimial loss of momentum and without excessive splashing or
misting of
the water.
Preferably, the wobble inducing member or wobble turbine is disposed in direct
engagement or contact with the body of the apparatus. More particularly, the
body member
supports the wobble turbine in an axially spaced relationship with the fluid
inlet, whether that
support entails a mechanical linkage, such as a flexible connector or ball and
cage type
arrangement, or a loose male-female relationship, such as the most preferred
post and sleeve
relationship. The term "post and sleeve relationship", as used herein,
includes any of a
number of configurations where a post (male connector), forming an outer
cylindrical,
conical or frustoconical surface, is received loosely within a sleeve (female
connector),
forming a inner cylindrical, conical or frustoconical surface, to allow the
wobbling to occur
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CA 02337336 2007-08-10
therebetween. The bottom surface of the post is preferably rounded or
otherwise formed to
minimize friction and binding between the members. It should be recognized
that the sleeve
may be formed as an integral part of the body or housing and the post may be
part of the
wobble inducing member or vice versa. It is preferred to design the post and
sleeve with
sufficient tolerances therebetween so that the wobble inducing member can
wobble in
relation to the body or housing without binding. Furthermore, it is most
preferred to utilize a
post and sleeve relationship having a conical or frustoconical surface on
atleast a portion of
the post with a first diameter for rolling engagement with a conical or
frustoconical surface
on atleast a portion of the sleeve having a slightly greater diameter
supported in an axial
spaced relationship with the fluid outlet. The conical or frustoconical
surfaces should have a
common apex in order to for the surfaces to come into full rolling contact.
The wobble turbine may be supported by the body, frame or housing of the
apparatus
in any configuration, but is preferably support with a series of thin fins,
preferably three or
four, extending radially from the body, frame or housing wall positioned below
the outlet
channels. The use of thin fins is generally sufficient to support the wobble
turbine without
providing any significant restriction to the overall flow of fluid.
Alternatively, the wobble
turbine may be supported by a single arm extending along one side of the
apparatus.
The apparatus has exhibited the ability to operate with a reduced water
flowrate while
providing a satisfying stream of water that is particularly useful in a sink
faucet. Because of
the wobbling action, the distribution or coverage of fluid discharged out of
the apparatus onto
a surface is extremely uniform and may be characterized as a rotonutational
fluid distribution
as set out in U.S. Patent No. 6,092,739. Therefore, the distribution pattern
allows the
apparatus to have fewer and less restrictive channels having greater cross-
sectional area that
is less likely to become restricted or plugged with lime, other minerals or
particles.
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
Whereas the degree of wobbling may be limited by the tolerances between a post
and
sleeve or between a wobble plate and a space limiting member, the apparatus
may optionally
further include an active wobble limiting member. An active wobble limiting
member, such
as a tracking ring, operates as a self centering mechanism for the wobble
turbine.
It should be recognized that the apparatus of the present invention, and the
30
individual components thereof, may be made from any known materials,
preferably those
materials that are resistant to chemical and thermal attack by the fluid
passing therethrough.
Where the fluid is water, the preferred materials include plastics, such as
one or more
injection moldable or extrudable polymer materials, most preferably an acetal
resin, and
metals or metal alloys, such as stainless steel. Other and further materials
suitable for use in
the present invention should be apparent to one of skill in the art and are
considered to be
within the scope of the present invention.
Figure 36 is a cross-sectional side view of one embodiment of an apparatus 540
of the
present invention. The apparatus 540 has a housing 542 with an upper end
defining an
inwardly extending annular wobble plate or collar 544 and a lower end
supporting a sleeve
546 having a generally frusto-conical inside surface 548 that opens toward the
upper end of
the housing. The apparatus includes a water inlet 550 which defines an annular
flange 552
adapted to receive the wobble plate or collar 544 of the housing 542. A wobble
turbine 554
has a lower end or post 556 positioned inside the sleeve 546. The inside
surface 548 of the
sleeve 546 has a slightly larger inner diameter over most of its length than
the outer diameter
of the lower end or post 556 of the wobble turbine and a rounded lower end.
The wobble turbine 554 has an upper surface 558 that is generally conical in
shape
and forms a plurality of angular momentum inducing vanes 560 extending
therefrom. In
accordance with the present invention, grooves and vanes may be used
substantially
interchangeably to accomplish the same objective. However, it is expected that
thin profile
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CA 02337336 2007-08-10
vanes will transfer suitable wobble inducing forces to the turbine while
shedding fluid off the
turbine surface at one single angle defined by the conical surface between the
vanes. By
contrast, a surface having grooves over half of the surface area would shed
half the fluid at
one angle (say the angle of the groove valleys) and half the fluid at another
angle (say the
angle of the hills between the grooves).
The upper surface 558 of the wobble turbine 554 preferably forms an annular
overhang facing the lower end 556. The lower end 556 is a generally
cylindrical post having
a rounded bottom surface 563. The conical upper surface 558 is preferably
rounded at the
apex 562. An optional outer housing 564 may be included for aesthetic
purposes, but will
preferably not come into contact with the wobbling housing 542. The housing
542 forms an
integral deflector 567 with dividers or channels 566. The deflector surface
567 is preferably a
smooth arc that gradually redirects the water downward in a uniform flow
pattern with
minimal loss of momentum.
When assembled, the post 556 of the wobble turbine 554 rests inside the sleeve
546.
The wobble turbine and the sleeve may be made from any suitable material, but
preferably
are made from one or more injection moldable or extrudable polymer materials,
most
preferably an acetal resin such as DELRIN. It should be recognized that the
wobble turbine
and sleeve are in rolling contact and their materials should provide atleast
some friction as
required to produce a consistent wobbling or nutating action, yet not so much
friction,
particularly at the distal end of the post, as to dissipate the momentum of
the water or cause
binding of the turbine. The turbine and sleeve preferably contact each other
along
frustoconical surfaces with the area of contact being a controllable factor in
determining the
amount of friction therebetween.
In operation, the water flow enters through the water inlet 550 and strikes
the top of
the wobble turbine 554. The forces of the water stream against the conical
surface 558 and
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CA 02337336 2007-08-10
the vanes 560 along with the engagement of the post 556 within the frusto-
conical surface
548 induce the wobble motion of the wobble turbine 554 when contacted or
struck with a
stream of water. The wobbling motion of the wobble turbine 554 imparts a
wobbling
movement to the housing 542 in which the annular wobble plate or collar 544 of
the housing
contacts and wobbles about the annular flange 552. Without limiting the scope
of the
invention, it is believed that when the wobble turbine 554 is made to wobble
in a clockwise
direction about the centerline of the stream coming from the water inlet 550
that the housing
542 rotates in a counter-clockwise direction about the centerline. The water
is directed or
distributed to the deflector 567 of the spray housing 542 by the vanes 560.
Also shown in Figure 36, a flow control means such as a needle valve 568, as
described in U.S. Patent No. 6,186,414, which issued on February 13, 2001, may
be used to
control the flow of water on to the turbine.
Figure 37 is a cross-sectional side view of another embodiment of the present
invention, in which elements that are similar to those of Figure 36 are
labeled with the same
reference numbers. In this embodiment, the apparatus 551 has a stationary
housing 543 that
forms and supports a sleeve 570 opposite the water inlet 550 having a frusto-
conical inside
surface 574 for loosely receiving a sleeve 546 defined by a wobbling deflector
571. The
deflector 571 has an upper end 572 that is open and not attached to the water
inlet 550 as in
Figure 36. The wobble turbine 554 rests in the sleeve 546 of the deflector
571, while the
deflector sleeve 546 rests inside the housing sleeve 570. When fluid strikes
the wobble
turbine, both the turbine 554 and the deflector 571 wobble.
Figure 38 is a sectional view of yet another embodiment of the present
invention. The
apparatus 561 has a stationary housing 543 with a water inlet 550 at the upper
end and a
plurality of thin, radially extending fms 575 at the lower end extending
between the inside
wall of the housing 543 and the sleeve 570 to support the sleeve 570 within
the spray housing
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CA 02337336 2007-08-10
543. The wobble turbine 554 has a conical upper surface 558 with a plurality
of angular
momentum inducing vanes 584 extending outwardly from the turbine 554. The
opposite end
of the vanes 584 are connected to a deflector 586 to form a wheel and spoke
type
arrangement defining channels 566 therebetween. (See also Figure 39) The flow
channels
566 are formed between the vanes 584 and the deflector 586, where the vanes
584 act to
disperse the water flow through the channels 566. The deflector 586 is shown
having an
optional extended portion 576 extending upwardly from the vanes 584 in order
to contain the
water flow coming off the turbine and redirect it downwardly through the
channels 566.
Figure 39 is a perspective view of the turbine 554 shown in Figure 38 with
hidden
portions shown in dashed lines and the extended portion 576 of the deflector
586 removed for
clarity. Each of the vanes 584 extend radially about the post 556. Preferably,
each of the
vanes 584 have an angled side surface that imparts a rotational motion on the
turbine 554
when contacted with a water stream. The angled side surface preferably forms
an angle with
the vertical side surface of between 5 and 15 degrees, more preferably about 7
degrees. The
pitch of the angle is a important in establishing how fast the turbine will
rotate in response to
the water stream contacting the vanes. The water hits the top of the vanes and
travels down
the angled side surface, thus pushing the turbine 554 in a clockwise
rotational direction (as
viewed from the top in the configuration shown, although an alternate
configuration could
produce a counterclockwise rotational direction) which produces a counter-
clockwise wobble
or nutation of the turbine. The mechanics of this motion are described in
great detail in U.S.
Patent No. 6,092,739, which was filed on July 14, 1998 and issued on July 25,
2000. The
vanes work in cooperation with the deflector 586 which has an inner surface
that is
downwardly opening to direct water at one or more desirable angles.
When the water supply is turned on, water enters the housing 543 and strikes
the top
of the turbine 554, causing the turbine to tilt to one side and wobble within
the sleeve 570.
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CA 02337336 2007-08-10
The water is deflected off of the turbine 554 and through the outlet channels
566, thereby
striking the vanes and causing the turbine to rotate. The housing 543 supports
the sleeve 570,
preferably using about 3 or 4 thin, radially extending fins 575 extending from
the inside wall
of the housing 564 toward the sleeve 570. The turbine immediately begins to
wobble and
discharge water in a highly uniform distribution.
Figure 40 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus 561 similar to the one
shown in
Figure 38. The deflector 586 may have a wobble limiting or tracking element
580 which acts
to limit the degree to which the wobble turbine tilts in the sleeve 570. The
wobble limiting
element 580 preferably forms a frusto-conical surface 582 that is inverted
with respect to the
conical upper surface 558 of the wobble turbine 554 so that when the water
flowing from the
water inlet 550 impacts the surface 582, the turbine is urged back towards the
centerline of
the fluid inlet 550.
The fluid discharging apparatus can also be provided with a water control
element or
bypass 592 which allows additional water to flow through the apparatus. The
water control
element 592 can consist of a compression spring valve seat 585 that seals
against the inside
surface of the housing 543 when the valve is in a closed position.
As shown in Figure 41, if greater water flow is desired, the water pressure
supplied to
the apparatus may be increased, perhaps by opening a valve (not shown), until
the spring is
actuated and the seat is disengaged from the inside surface of the housing
543, thus allowing
more water to flow through the housing 543. In the configuration shown here,
the additional
water flow is generally directed against the walls of the housing 543 around
the wobble
turbine 554 and, therefore, does not significantly affect the degree of wobble
experienced by
the turbine 554 and the spray housing 543.
Figure 42 is a cross-sectional side view of an apparatus 573 similar to the
one shown
in Figure 36, except that the body or housing 543 does not wobble and the
optional,
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
decorative outer housing 564 has been omitted. The wobble turbine 554 has a
conical surface
558 and vanes 560 extending from the upper surface 558 which direct the water
flow
outwardly against the deflectore 567.
The housing 543 supports the sleeve 570 using a plurality of thin fins 594
extending
from the inside surface of the housing 543 to the sleeve 570. The deflector
567 formed on the
inner wall of the housing 543 may optionally include ridges or dividers 569
that split the flow
of water from the turbine into discrete water streams. Unlike other
embodiments of the
present invention discussed thus far, the apparatus 573 does not produce a
wobbling spray
pattern, but still provides a water distribution pattern comprising many
finely divided droplets
without using small apertures that can become plugged. Another advantage of
the present
invention compared with current spray heads, is the reduced number if parts
required to
produce an effective water distribution pattern, such as for showering, hand
washing, and the
like. It should be noted that the fluid inlet of this embodiment, as well as
any of the
embodiments described above, may be fitted with a flow control valve to
provide a suitable
water flow.
Figures 43-45 are top views of various conical top surfaces 558 of the turbine
554 as
shown in Figure 36. The top surface 558 of the wobble turbine 554 is
illustrated having vanes
560 formed in a non-radial configuration. It should be noted that fluid flow
impacting upon
the wobble turbine will push the wobble turbine aside into a tilted position
so that the center
point of the wobble turbine is substantially out of the stream of fluid from
the inlet and only
one side of the wobble turbine is aligned with the fluid stream at any point
in time. Each of
the vanes 560 formed in the upper surface of the wobble turbine 554 are non-
radial and cause
the wobble turbine 554 to orbit around the fluid inlet 550 as fluid flows
against the vanes 560.
The non-radial vanes 560, the conical surface and the loose relationship
between the post and
the sleeve ensure that when fluid flows against the top of the wobble turbine
554 under
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CA 02337336 2007-08-10
pressure (even low pressure), the wobble turbine will tilt off center and
start to wobble. More
particularly, the fluid striking the conical surface 558 of the turbine causes
a tilting force and
the fluid passing through the vanes 560 causes rotational forces. Therefore,
the fluid stream
passing through the inlet causes the wobble turbine to wobble.
Once the wobbling motion begins, the continued flow of water maintains the
wobble
turbine in a wobbling mode. Furthermore, the flow of fluid also causes a hold
down force
which pushes downward on the turbine, tending to keep the turbine from being
displaced
from its cooperative relationship with the sleeve. Therefore, it is preferred
that the angle of
the conical surface 558 be sufficiently great to produce at least a slight
tilting force even
when the turbine is already fully tilted, yet not so great as to cause the
turbine to pull up and
out of contact with the sleeve. It should be recognized that each of the
embodiments of
Figures 36 through 46 may be equally effective if the wobble turbine comprises
a sleeve
(instead of a post) and the spray housing comprises a post (instead of a
sleeve) for engaging
the wobble turbine sleeve.
For any given wobble turbine, the wobble rate or speed may be increased (or
decreased) by increasing (or decreasing) the flow rate of fluid through the
spray head.
However, it is possible to design the wobble turbine to have a faster or
slower wobble rate for
a given fluid flow rate by changing the angle or pitch of the grooves or vanes
of the wobble
turbine or by changing the relative dimensions of the post and sleeve or other
like wobbling
and wobble limiting members.
Referring to Figure 43, a wobble turbine may be designed to have a generally
slower
wobble rate by decreasing the pitch and depth of the vanes, i.e., designing
the vanes 560 at a
small angle, /3, from radial. Similarly. the wobble turbine may be designed to
have a faster
wobble rate by increasing the pitch of the vanes, i.e., designing the vanes
560 at a larger
angle, 6, from radial, shown in Figure 44. Furthermore, the number or spacing
and size of
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CA 02337336 2007-08-10
vanes may also be modified to customize a wobble rate, as shown in Figure 45
where the
vanes 560 are far apart allowing a significant portion of the water to pass
over the turbine
without impacting one of the thin vanes 600 and, therefore, providing less
angular
momentum to the turbine.
Figure 46 is a bottom view of the spray heads of Figures 37 through 41,
showing the
outlet channels of the housing. While the outlet channels may be provided in
any manner
known in the art, a preferred set of outlet channels 604 are defined by a
plurality of ribs or
dividers 606 connected to the inner surface 610 of the spray housing 542. Four
fins 608 are
attached to the housing 543 and extend radially inward to support the sleeve
570. It is
preferred to direct a minor portion of the outlet channels 604 at a lesser
angle to the axis of
the spray housing 542 in order to provide more even spray pattern or coverage
over an object
at a short distance from the spray head, such as a person taking a shower.
Lesser angle outlet
channels are preferably formed at spaced intervals around the perimeter of the
spray nozzle or
at locations radially inward toward the central axis of the spray housing (not
shown).
Figure 47 is a cross-sectional side view of an apparatus 581 similar to that
shown in
Figure 36. This embodiment includes a post and sleeve relationship between the
spray
housing 542 and turbine 554, but that relationship is the reverse of the one
shown in Figure
36, in that the wobble turbine 554 forms a sleeve 612 that is loosely received
by a post 614,
where the post 614 is integral with the spray housing 542. The wobble turbine
554 is
contacted by the water from the inlet 550 and tilts in one direction and begin
to wobble. In
turn, the sleeve 612 contacts the post 614 which causes the housing 542 to
tilt and wobble.
Figures 48 and 49 are sectional views of an apparatus 620 similar to that
shown in
Figure 36, except that the wobble turbine 622 defines a bore 624 extending
through the top of
the turbine 558 and through the post 556, preferably along the central axis of
the turbine. The
lower end of the sleeve 546 defines an opening 626 therein. A valve element
628 is disposed
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CA 02337336 2007-08-10
at the lower end of the sleeve 546 and acts to change the flow of the water
exiting the shower
head assembly 620. The valve element may take any number of forms, including
plug valves,
needle valves, butterfly valves, gate valves and the like, but is shown here
as a manual gate
valve or sliding element 628. When the sliding element 628 is in an open
condition, the water
flows through the bore 624 in the wobble turbine 622 and out the opening 626
in the sleeve
546. This flow pattern provides a compact stream of water that is useful for
cleaning a razor,
toothbrush or other object. As shown in Figure 49, when the sliding element is
in a closed
condition the water is forced to flow over the turbine and out through the
outlet channels 566.
Alternatively, the inside surface 548 near the lower end of the sleeve 546 may
taper inwardly
so that when the sliding element 628 is in an open condition, the turbine
drops slightly to be
secured by the housing, such as by the sleeve gripping the post and/or the
housing securely
engaging the underneath side of the wobble turbine head. It should be noted
that any of the
embodiments shown herein may be adapted to use a similar wobble turbine having
a bore
therethrough and a valve element to provide a narrow stream of water out of
the apparatus.
Figure 50 is a cross-sectional side view of a shower head assembly 630 that is
similar
to the one shown in Figure 36, except that the outer housing 564 has an arm
632 that rigidly
supports the sleeve 546 so that the wobble turbine 554 and the housing 542
wobble
independently without contacting each other. In the absence of contact, forces
acting upon the
turbine 554 are not directly transferred to the housing 542, but rather the
water passes over
the turbine 554 and is redirected somewhat radially against the inside surface
of the housing
so that the housing is tilted. As the turbine wobbles, the water stream coming
off the turbine
554 causes the housing 542 to wobble.
Figure 51 is a cross-sectional side view of an apparatus 640 that is similar
to the one
shown in Figure 50, except that the sleeve 546 is supported from the fluid
inlet 550 by a cage
or cradle element 642. The wobble turbine 622 is similar to the one shown in
Figure 14, with
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CA 02337336 2007-08-10
a bore extending therethrough. The cage 642 supports the sleeve 546 such that
the cage and
sleeve do not move when the wobble turbine 622 and the housing 542 are moving.
The cage
642 consists of arms 646 that are attached to the fluid inlet 550 and the
sleeve 546. The arms
646 have a thin cross-section so they do not interfere with the water flow
exiting the
assembly 640. A wobble limiting ring 648 for limiting the wobble of the
turbine 622 extends
from the water inlet 550 to a point just above the wobble turbine 622, so that
the conical top
surface of the wobble turbine can contact the inside surface of the ring 648.
The degree of
wobble for the housing 542 is similarly limited by the annular wobble plate or
collar 644 and
collar or space limiting means 552, including a wobble limiting plate 650
which contacts the
top of the housing 542 to limit the degree of wobble, thus allowing a compact
water stream as
in Figure 48. The wobble limiting plate 650 may be adjusted longitudinally to
allow varying
degrees of wobble for the housing 542.
Figure 52 is a cross-sectional side view of an apparatus 652 that is similar
to the one
shown in Figure 50. This design is particularly useful in applications with
low water pressure,
such as a shower in certain residential or rural areas. The angle of the face
of the wobble
turbine 554 and the narrow configuration of the housing 542 provides only
small changes in
the angles of the path that the water has to travel between the entrance to
the housing 542
through inlet 550 and the exit from the housing 542. This design allows for
the water stream
to experience a minimal loss of momentum and, therefore, a minimal drop in
water velocity.
Like the assembly in Figure 50, the outer housing 564 rigidly supports the
sleeve 546,
although it does so with fins 633 so that the wobble turbine 554 and the
housing 542 wobble
without contacting each other. In the absence of contact, forces acting upon
the turbine 554
are not directly transferred to the housing 542, but rather the water impinges
against the face
of turbine 554 at an angle (a) and is redirected against the inside surface of
the housing 542 at
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
a small angle of incidence (0) so that the housing is tilted, but the water is
redirected only
slightly and, therefore, the water loses as little velocity as possible.
It should be recognized that the angle a is a function of both the angle at
which the
turbine shaft is allowed to tilt from its common axis with the water inlet 550
and the angle of
the turbine face relative to the turbine shaft. Similarly, the angle 0 is a
function of the angle of
the water stream redirected from the turbine face, the angle of the sidewall
of housing 542,
and the angle at which the housing 542 is allowed to tilt relative to the
central axis of the
water inlet 550.
LOW PRESSURE DESIGNS
The present invention provides a spray head assembly with a moving spray
nozzle
that delivers fluid in a desired spray distribution with minimum velocity or
momentum loss
and controlled droplet size. The movement of the spray nozzle is a wobbling
motion,
preferably combined with some rotational motion. The wobbling motion is
generated by
disposing a wobble inducing member or wobble turbine in the path of the fluid
supply with or
without a housing. The water flowing over the wobble turbine causes the wobble
turbine to
wobble. The wobbling turbine then effects the direction of the spray pattern
exiting the spray
nozzle.
The spray pattern produced by the wobble turbine changes more or less rapidly
so that
fluid droplets or streams are directed along arcuate paths over time rather
than continuously
at a single point. This type of spray distribution pattern is gentler than
many stationary
patterns and the unique design of the wobble turbine does not include complex
mechanical
interconnections or significant flow restrictions. This wobbling, roto-
nutational fluid
distribution is described in U.S. Patent No. 6,092,739, which was filed on
July 14, 1998 and
issued on July 25, 2000.
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CA 02337336 2007-08-10
One aspect of the invention provides an apparatus with a wobble inducing
member
that is integral with a plurality of outlet channels that direct the fluid.
With this design, the
fluid flow can be reduced while evenly distributing the fluid stream over a
wide area without
relying on small outlet channels or orifices. The wobble turbine may be
supported by a
housing having a bearing or sleeve that is mounted to a plurality of thin fins
extending from
an outer wall of the housing. The fins are positioned below the outlet
channels of the turbine
and provide minimal interference to the overall fluid flow. This type of
housing is ideal for
use with a reduced water flow to provide a satisfying stream of water that is
particularly
useful in a sink faucet. As used herein, the terms "housing", "body" and
"frame" are used
synonymously to broadly mean a securing member or supporting framework and is
not
intended to be limited to an encompassing wall or chamber.
The wobble inducing member or wobble turbine wobbles about a stream of water
contacting the wobble turbine. More particularly, the wobble inducing member
is positioned
in loose contact with the housing of the apparatus, thus reducing the number
of parts and
increasing the ability of the apparatus to produce a desired spray width and
pattern, such as
for a residential shower or faucet. In addition, the water is deflected along
the wobble turbine
and travels substantially without restriction to the outlet channels which can
be provided in
any number and any configuration(s).
Preferably, the wobble inducing member is disposed in direct engagement or
contact
with the housing. More particularly, the housing has an end that is distal to
the water inlet. It
is preferred that this distal end of the housing and the wobble inducing
member receive each
other in a loose male-female relationship, particularly where the distal end
and the wobble
inducing member can easily slide or pivot into the appropriate relationship
without
restriction. One particularly preferred arrangement is a post forming a
cylindrical, conical or
frustoconical surface (male) received within a conical or frusto- conical
sleeve (female),
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CA 02337336 2007-08-10
where the bottom surface of the post is preferably rounded or otherwise formed
to minimize
friction and binding between the members. It should be recognized that the
sleeve may be
formed as an integral part of the housing and the post may be part of the
wobble inducing
member. It is preferred to design the post and sleeve with sufficient
tolerances therebetween
so that the wobble inducing member can wobble in relation to the spray housing
without
binding. Furthermore, it is most preferred to utilize a wobble inducing member
having a
conical upper surface with a first diameter, wherein the conical upper surface
is formed
around a post having a second, reduced diameter received in a conical or
frusto-conical
sleeve of the spray housing.
The preferred wobble limiting member is a tracking ring formed in the upper
end of
the housing. The upper surface or apex of the wobble turbine is in rolling
contact with the
tracking ring when driven by water flow from the inlet in the top of the
housing. The housing
can be adjusted in length (vertically as shown in Figure 67), such as by
advancing a threaded
relationship between the upper and lower portions of the housing, thus
changing the angle of
deflection for the wobble turbine accordingly. Bringing the tracking ring
closer to the wobble
turbine will decrease the width of the spray pattern, while moving the
tracking ring away
from the wobble turbine will increase the width of the resulting spray
pattern.
It should be recognized that the spray head assemblies of the present
invention, and
the individual components thereof, may be made from any known materials,
preferably those
materials that are resistant to chemical and thermal attack by the fluid
passing therethrough.
Where the fluid is water, the preferred materials include plastics, such as
polytetrafluoroethylene, and metals or metal alloys, such as stainless steel.
Other and further
materials suitable for use in the present invention should be apparent to one
of skill in the art
and are considered to be within the scope of the present invention.
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CA 02337336 2007-08-10
Figure 67 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of an apparatus 1410 of
the
present invention. The apparatus 1410 has a housing 1412 with an upper end
1414 defining
an inwardly extending track 1416 and a lower end defining a sleeve 1418 having
a generally
frusto-conical inside surface 1420 that opens toward the upper end 1414 of the
housing 1412.
The apparatus includes a water inlet 1422 in the upper end of the housing,
preferably aligned
with the central axis of the housing 1412. A wobble turbine 1424 has a lower
end or post
1426 disposed or extending inside the sleeve 1418. The inside surface 1420 of
the sleeve
1418 has a slightly larger inner diameter over most of its length than the
outer diameter of the
lower end or post 1426 of the wobble turbine 1424. The track 1416 is generally
annular and
acts as a wobble limiting member to define the degree of wobble experienced by
the wobble
turbine and generates rotation. It should be recognized that the wobble
turbine 1424 and track
1416 are in rolling contact and their materials should provide at least some
friction as
required to produce a consistent wobbling or nutating action, yet not so much
friction as to
dissipate the momentum of the water or cause binding of the turbine. The area
of contact
being the turbine and the track is a controllable factor in determining the
amount of friction
therebetween.
The wobble turbine 1424 has an upper surface 1428 that is generally conical in
shape,
a middle portion 1430 that forms a plurality of blades 1432 extending radially
therefrom, and
the lower portion or post 1426. The middle portion 1430 of the wobble turbine
1424
preferably has a wall 1434 connecting each blade 1432 such that outlet
channels 1436 are
formed between adjacent blades 1432. The lower end of the wobble turbine is a
generally
cylindrical post 1426 having a rounded bottom surface. The conical upper
surface 1428 is
preferably pointed at the apex 1435. The distal end of the housing 1412 is
substantially open
and has thin vanes 1433 that secure the sleeve 1418 to the housing. The outlet
channels 1436
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CA 02337336 2007-08-10
may have varying dimensions, such as the angle(s) or contour of the inside
surface 1438 of
the wall 1434, in order to direct the water in a uniform flow pattern.
When assembled, the post 1426 of the wobble turbine 1424 rests inside the
sleeve
1418. The wobble turbine and the sleeve may be made from any suitable
material, but
preferably are made from one or more injection moldable or extrudable polymer
materials,
most preferably an acetal resin such as DELRIN. There is preferably very
little friction
between the post 1426 and the sleeve 1418.
In operation, the water flow enters through the water inlet 1422 and strikes
the top
surface 1428 of the wobble turbine 1424. The force of the water stream against
the conical
surface 1428 induce the wobble motion of the wobble turbine 1424 when
contacted with a
stream of water. The wobble turbine 1424 wobbles and is in rolling contact
with the inside
surface of the track 1416 in a counter-clockwise direction (as seen from the
water inlet given
the turbine blade pitch shown in Figure 2) about the centerline of the fluid
stream coming
from the water inlet 1422. The water flows down the top of the wobble turbine
and is directed
into the outlet channels 1436 by the deflector wall 1434. The wall 1434
preferably extends
upwardly above the blades 1432 and generally follows an angle that converges
toward the
centerline of the apparatus.
The relative angles of the wobble turbine surface 1428 and the wall surface
1438 are
preferably designed so that the fluid maintains as much velocity or momentum
as possible.
While the wobble turbine may conceivable distribute fluid at a first angle
from that is
anything less than 90 degrees from axial, the turbine should distribute fluid
at an angle less
than 45 degrees from axial, preferably less than 30 degrees from axial, and
most preferably
between about 20 and about 25 degrees from axial. The deflector wall 1434
should receive or
intercept the distributed fluid from the turbine with a surface 1438 having an
angle from axial
similar to or less than the first angle at which the fluid is distributed off
the turbine. While the
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
surfaces 1428 and 1438 are shown as being straight, these surfaces may be
curved or
contoured, such as with the turbine surface 1428 being concave out and the
deflector surface
1438 being concave in. Furthermore, the surface 1428 may be ribbed or vained
to better
facilitate fluid entry into the channels 1436.
While the deflector may redirect the fluid at many angles, even angles toward
the
axial centerline instead of angles away from axial, the deflector should have
a smooth surface
1438 at a slope sufficient to redirect fluid into a tighter fluid discharging
pattern than a given
turbine would have otherwise provided. Preferably, the deflector will redirect
the fluid at an
angle within about +/- 20 degrees of a line parallel to the axial centerline,
and even more
preferably the deflector will redirect fluid at two or more angles, such as
having twelve
channels 1436 with four of them angled at 0 degrees and the other eight angles
at 10 degrees.
The wobble angle, and thus the spray width, may be adjusted by changing the
position
of the upper portion of the housing. The upper portion is threadably engaged
with a lower
portion of the housing such that the lower portion can be adjusted up or down
horizontally
with respect to the centerline of the wobble turbine. Thus, if the user wants
a wider
distribution pattern, then the lower portion of the housing can be adjusted
downward to
provide greater room (a greater angle relative to the axial centerline) for
the turbine to rotate.
Likewise, for a narrower distribution pattern, the lower portion can be
adjusted upward to
restrict the degree of wobble.
Figure 68 is a partial cross-sectional view of the turbine 1424 shown in
Figure 67. The
blades 1432 are angled so that the water flow, indicated by the arrows, is
directed down and
out of the turbine to induce the turbine to wobble, preferably with as little
angle of deflection
as necessary to prevent loss of fluid velocity or momentum. Minimizing the
angular
deflection of the fluid flow path from the point of contact with the top of
the turbine to the
distal end of the outlet channels makes the most efficient use of low pressure
water flows,
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CA 02337336 2007-08-10
such as those having pressures between about 2 and 3 pounds per square inch
(psi). If the
water pressure is greater than desired, the water inlet may be fitted with a
flow control
element to adjust the amount of water flowing into the apparatus. It should be
recognized that
one skilled in the art can modify the angles on the blades 1432 to suit a
particular application.
Figure 69 is a perspective view of the turbine 1424 shown in Figure 67 with
hidden
portions shown in dashed lines. Each of the blades 1432 extend radially about
the post 1426.
Preferably, each of the blades 1432 have an angled side surface 1439 that
imparts angular
motion on the turbine 1424 when contacted with a water stream. The angled side
surface
1439 preferably forms an angle with the vertical side surface of between 5 and
15 degrees,
most preferably about 7 degrees. The pitch of the angle effects how fast the
turbine will rotate
in response to the water stream contacting the blades. The water hits the top
of the blade and
travels down the angled side surface 1439, thus pushing the turbine 1424 in a
clockwise
direction. The blades work in cooperation with the wall 1434 which has an
inner surface that
is downwardly opening to direct water at one or more desirable angles.
When water enters the housing 1412 and strikes the top of the turbine 1424.
the
turbine will tilt to one side and wobble in a counter-clockwise direction
within the limits set
by the track 1416 and perhaps also the sleeve 1418. The water is deflected off
of the turbine
surface 1428 and through the outlet channels. The housing 1412 supports the
sleeve 1418,
preferably using about 3 or 4 thin, radially extending fins 1433 extending
from the inside wall
of the housing 1412 toward the sleeve 1418.
In one preferred embodiment, the upper portion of the wobble turbine is a
smooth
conical surface 1428 with a pitch of approximately 22 degrees relative to the
centerline of the
wobble turbine. The inside surface 1438 of the deflector wall forms an angle
of
approximately 17 degrees with the centerline of the wobble turbine so that the
fluid travels
over and through the wobble turbine with a minimal change in direction and a
minimal loss
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CA 02337336 2007-08-10
of velocity or momentum. This design works especially well in areas where the
water
pressure is low in order to minimize any further reduction in the flow rate or
velocity.
Figure 70 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of a spray head.
The
spray head 1440 has a track surface provided by an annular ring 1442 secured
in an annular
groove 1444 formed in the surface of housing 1412. The annular ring 1442 is
preferably
made from a material having a smooth, slide-resistant surface for contacting
surface 1428 of
the turbine 1424, such as a rubber or soft polymer material. The slide-
resistant annular ring
1442 help to assure that the turbine rotates as it wobbles instead of sliding
around the track
without rotation.
Figure 70 also illustrates a unique two-piece construction for the wobble
turbine 1424.
Rather than having a one-piece molded wobble turbine/post, the turbine is
constructed of a
blade assembly 1446 with a post assembly 1448 snapped into or otherwise
secured to a lower
portion of the blade assembly 1446. Referring back to Figure 66, a blade
assembly may also
be attached to a post assembly in an upper portion of the blade assembly. In
the case of a two-
piece wobble turbine, the pieces may be secured together by any conventional
means,
including but not limited to glue, threads, friction, ribbing, welding, and
the like.
Finally, Figure 70 includes a flow control washer 1450 positioned in the inlet
1422 to
the spray head 1440 for controlling the fluid flow rate through the spray
head. A typical flow
control washer works on the principle of compressing rubber. Such washers are
available
under the tradename Vemay from Vernay Labs of Yellow Springs, Ohio.
Figures 71A and 71B are cross-sectional views of a spray head 1460 having a
fluid
inlet 1422 with an optional variable cross-sectional area orifice in the fully
open and
restricted positions, respectively. Control of the cross-sectional area of
this orifice allows the
user to vary water velocity for impact and droplet size control.
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CA 02337336 2007-08-10
Figure 71A shows the inlet 1422 with a conical or narrowing throat region 1466
in
communication with a valve or insertion member 1462 having a first end 1464
that is
extendable into the inlet 1422 to reduce the effective cross-sectional area of
the inlet 1422.
The insertion member 1462 is preferably actuated by a knob or handle 1468
between the fully
open position (meaning that the inlet is unrestricted by the member 1462), the
restricted
position (meaning that the inlet is as fully restricted as the member 1462 is
designed to
achieve), or any position in between. The knob or handle 1468 is shown coupled
to an off-
center pin 1467 that communicates with a guide hole 1469 through the insertion
member
1462 so that turning the knob 1468 in a first direction lowers the pin 1467
(toward the inlet
1422) and urges the first end 1464 of the member 1462 into the inlet 1422 and
turning the
knob 1468 in a second direction raises the pin 1467 (away from the inlet 1422)
and
withdraws the first end 1464 of the member 1462 out of the inlet 1422. The
insertion member
1462 is preferably made of a pliable polymer or rubber material and the first
end 1464
preferably includes slots 1465 to form a plurality of fingers 1463 that can
bend on contact
with the narrowing region 1466 to extend easily into the inlet 1422.
Alternatively, the
member or valve 1462 is another type of valve know in the art, particularly
those valves that
can provide a smooth fluid flow through the inlet 1422.
Figure 71B is the same as Figure 71A, except that the insertion member 1462
has
been actuated (valve partially closed) to restrict the effective cross-
sectional area of the inlet
1422. At fluid pressures greater than 15 psi, restricting the inlet 1422
causes the differential
pressure across a flow control device 1470 to decrease and the fluid velocity
through the inlet
1422 to increase, resulting in a higher velocity fluid exiting the apparatus.
The lower
differential pressure allows the flow control device 1470 to rise up onto the
ribs 1476 to open
the passageways therethrough. When the insertion member 1462 is retracted
(valve opened),
the fluid velocity drops, and the pressure on the flow control device
increases to close the
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CA 02337336 2007-08-10
passageways. In this manner, the flow rate can be maintained constant while
allowing a
variable impact control, despite the pressure of the fluid source.
Figures 72A and 72B are cross-sectional views of the fluid flow control device
1470
(See also Figure 71A) in the open and closed positions, respectively. Flow
controls based on
the principle of compressing rubber are limited in the range of pressures that
they operate. A
typical flow control washer (as shown in Figure 70) for providing 2.5 gallons
per minute
(GPM) of water operates nicely at water supply pressures above about 15 psi,
but the flow
rate drops rapidly as the pressure drops below 15 psi. Therefore, the present
invention
provides a bypass to increase the total flow rate through the fluid inlet 1422
at fluid supply
pressures below about 15 psi for residential applications, but below any
desired minimum
pressure setpoint as desired for a given application.
The fluid flow control device 1470 is a floating or unsecured member formed 25
around the perimeter of the flow control washer 1450 and having a rim 1472
with a plurality
of shallow ribs 1476 molded into the bottom side of the rim. The ribs 1476 are
preferably
radially extending ribs that rest on an "0" ring 1474, which is secured to a
ledge or groove
1478, and at low fluid supply pressures provide a fluid passageway between the
ribs 1476 so
that fluid bypasses the flow control washer 1450 and supplements the fluid
flow through the
control washer 1450. As the fluid supply pressure increases, the floating
control device 1470
is forced downward, sinking the ribs 1476 into the pliable polymer or rubber o-
ring 1474. At
about 15 psi (or some other desired design pressure), the ribs 1476 are
completely embedded
into the o-ring, thereby shutting off the bypass flow entirely. As the fluid
supply pressure
(actually the differential pressure) increases, the only path for the fluid is
through the control
washer. This or equivalent systems are beneficial to assure optimum
performance over an
extended range of pressures beyond that of a typical flow control washer,
particularly the low
pressures at which the present apparatus is particularly well suited.
Alternatively, it should be
CA 02337336 2007-08-10
recognized that the o-ring could also be secured to the bottom side of the rim
to communicate
with ribs formed on the ledge 1478.
Figure 73 is a cross-sectional view of a spray head 1480 having a bearing 1482
that
couples the upper portion of the turbine 1424 to the post 1426. The bearing
1482 may be
formed in any known fashion, but is preferably formed of a simple pin 1484
extending from
the post 1426 that is received in a cylindrical sleeve 1486 to allow the
turbine to turn around
the pin 1484. In this arrangement, the upper portion of the turbine 1424
having the sleeve
1486 may rotate at one speed while the post 1426 rotates at another speed or
not at all, thus
limiting or preventing any binding of the turbine. Furthermore, in order for
the outer surface
of the deflector 1434, or alternatively a dedicated rolling portion of the
turbine, to begin
rolling along the track surface formed by ring 1442, the force of the water
stream acting upon
the turbine only has to overcome the friction in the bearing rather than the
friction that may
existing between the post 1426 and surface 1420.
The apparatus of the present invention has been found to produce a desirable
shower
by generating large droplets of fluid. The large size of these droplets is
attributed primarily to
two factors. First, the fluid is passed down only one side of the turbine at a
time so that there
is a large amount of fluid available to make the drops. Second, the flow
washer allows the use
of large outlet channels that provide substantially no flow restriction.
Furthermore, it has been observed that the turbines of the present invention
can be
made to aerate the water to a greater or lesser extent. A slight amount of
aeration can occur
since water is passing through only a portion of the channels 1436, such as
those on one side
of the turbine, at any one time. If the turbine is wobbling at a very fast
rate, it may be useful
to consider that the water is passing through the channels in packets, i.e.
plug flow, with air
filling the space between packets. As the water suddenly passes through a
channel, it pushes
or drives the air along with it.
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CA 02337336 2007-08-10
Referring back to Figure 73, the amount of aeration can be increased by
providing a
channel for supplying air to the water stream as it passes over the turbine or
through the
channels. One particular design or method for increasing aeration is to
provide an annular
notch or groove 1488 extending either partially or completely around the
turbine surface
1428. As the water passes over the notch, the air within the notch is drawn
along with or into
the water. In fact, if the notch is made to encircle the turbine, air may even
be drawn into the
notch by the action of the water. Nevertheless, a discrete notch, or portions
of an annular
notch, will fill with air when it is turned away from the water stream. As the
notch turns
towards the water stream, the air therein may be drawn into the water to
provide aeration.
One or more notches or grooves according to the invention may be used in
combination or
positioned, not only on the upper portion of the turbine, but on the lower
portion of the
turbine, the blades, the deflector or a combination thereof.
While the foregoing is directed to the preferred embodiment of the present
invention,
other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without
departing from the
basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims which
follow.
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