The present invention relates to hand showers and, more particularly, to a hand shower including a rotatable shower head.
A variety of fluid delivery devices are known for use within a shower or bathtub, including fixed overhead shower heads, wall-mounted body sprays, and hand showers. Hand showers, or handheld shower heads, are typically connected to a water supply through a flexible conduit thereby permitting the hand shower to be moved for directing water flow as desired by the user.
The present disclosure relates to a hand shower including a handle having a first waterway including an inlet portion and an outlet portion. The inlet portion is configured to be fluidly coupled to a water supply. A shower head includes a second waterway including an inlet portion and an outlet portion. The inlet portion of the second waterway is fluidly coupled to the outlet portion of the first waterway. The outlet portion of the second waterway includes a plurality of outlets configured to deliver water at an oblique angle relative to the handle. The inlet portion of the second waterway is rotatably coupled to the outlet portion of the first waterway, such that the shower head rotates about a longitudinal axis of the handle between a first position and a second position angularly spaced from the first position.
According to another illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, a hand shower comprises a handle having a base portion and a connecting portion defining a longitudinal connector axis, and a shower head including a plurality of outlets configured to deliver water in a direction generally parallel to a water flow axis. A connector rotatably couples the shower head to the handle, wherein rotation of the shower head about the longitudinal connector axis alters the angular orientation of the water flow axis relative to the base portion of the handle.
According to a further illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, a hand shower comprises a handle having a base portion and a connecting portion defining a longitudinal connector axis, and a shower head including a plurality of outlets configured to deliver water along a water flow axis. The shower head is operably coupled to the handle for rotation about the longitudinal connector axis between a first position and a second position angularly spaced from the first position. A detent device releasably secures the shower head in one of the first position and the second position.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiment exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.
The detailed description of the drawings particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:
The embodiments of the invention described herein are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to precise forms disclosed. Rather, the embodiments selected for description have been chosen to enable one skilled in the art to practice the invention.
Referring initially to
With reference to
With reference to
With further reference to
An external fluid coupling 84 is illustratively supported by the inlet end 50 of conduit 44. The fluid coupling 84 illustratively comprises a plurality of external threads 86 formed within the inlet portion 46 and is configured to fluidly couple with an external flexible hose or conduit 93 (
An external flange 88 extends radially outwardly from the conduit 44 proximate the inlet end 50. An o-ring 89 may be received radially around the inlet portion 46 of the conduit 44 and received axially intermediate flange 88 of the conduit 44 and the end flange 36 of the shell 24. Axially spaced external flanges 90, 92, and 94 extend radially outwardly from the conduit 44 proximate the outlet end 52. The end flange 38 of shell 24 is received within a groove 96 defined intermediate flanges 90 and 92 of conduit 44 (
Check valves 97 of conventional design may be received within the inlet portion 46 of the conduit 44. Similarly, a flow restrictor 98 also of conventional design may be received within the inlet portion 46 of the conduit 44.
With reference to
The shell 106 may be defined by a front cover 110 and a rear cover 112. The front cover 110 and the rear cover 112 may be formed of a polymer, such as a thermoplastic, and secured together through conventional means, such as heat welding, adhesives, or fasteners. The front cover 110 and the rear cover 112 include arcuate end walls 114a, 114b and 116a, 116b. End walls 114a and 114b together define an open end wall or end flange 114 defining an opening to receive the first and second waterways 26 and 108. End walls 116a and 116b together define a closed end 116. The end flange 114 of shell 106 is received within a groove 115 defined intermediate flanges 92 and 94 of conduit 44 of first waterway 26 (
The front cover 110 includes a spray face 117 having a plurality of openings 118 aligned with the water outlets 15. In the illustrative embodiment, five (5) openings 118 are provided in a linear arrangement. It should be appreciated that the number and arrangement of openings 118 and corresponding water outlets 15 may vary.
The second waterway 108 illustratively includes an inlet portion 120 and an outlet portion 122 extending between opposing ends 123 and 124. Illustratively, the second waterway 108 is formed of a molded polymer, such as a thermoplastic. Alternatively, the second waterway 108 may be formed of a metal, such as brass. The inlet portion 120 of the second waterway 108 is received within the inlet portion 102 of the shower head 14, and the outlet portion 122 of the second waterway 108 is received within the outlet portion 104 of the shower head 14.
The inlet portion 120 of the second waterway 108 illustratively comprises a tube or conduit 126 extending along a longitudinal inlet axis 127 that is coaxially aligned with the connector axis 16. The conduit 126 extends outwardly through end flange 114 of shell 106 and is illustratively rotatably received within the outlet portion 48 of the first waterway conduit 44. Axially spaced flanges 128, 130, 132, and 134 extend radially outwardly from the inlet portion 120 and define grooves 136 and 138 (
With reference to
With reference to
A plurality of tabs 156 and 158 are supported by the front and rear covers 110 and 112, respectively. The tabs 156 and 158 provide clamping surfaces to engage and secure the second waterway 108 within the shell 106.
The fluidic devices 152 define the plurality of outlets 15 configured to deliver water at an oblique angle relative to the handle 12. More particularly, the fluidic devices 152 are configured to deliver water generally along longitudinal flow axis 18, which is disposed at an angle relative to the base axis 80 of the handle 12. The angle is oblique (i.e., not a right angle or a multiple of a right angle). As further detailed herein, the angle may vary as the shower head 14 is rotated about the connector axis 16.
The fluidic devices 152 may comprise two-dimensional (2-D) or three-dimensional (3-D) fluidic devices or nozzles for providing multi-dimensional water spray patterns. With reference to
With reference to
Adequate clearance is provided by the spray face 117 to prevent the oscillating spray 186 from interfering therewith. More particularly, adequate clearance is provided by angled surfaces 188 formed within edges of openings 118 (
As described above, the inlet portion 120 of the second waterway 108 is rotatably coupled to the outlet portion 102 of the first waterway 26, such that the shower head 14 rotates about longitudinal connector axis 16 of the handle 12 between a first position (
The plurality of outlets 15 of the shower head 14 illustratively deliver water at a first oblique angle γ1 relative to the handle 12 toward a first, illustratively front, side of the hand shower 10 when the shower head 14 is in the first position. The plurality of outlets 15 of the shower head 14 illustratively deliver water at a second oblique angle γ2 relative to the handle 12 toward a second, illustratively a rear, side of the hand shower 10 when the shower head 14 is in the second position. The angles γ1 and γ2 are measured between the inlet axis 80 of the handle 12 and the water flow axis 18. The first oblique angle γ1 is different from the second oblique angle γ2. In the illustrative embodiment, the first oblique angle γ1 is approximately 46 degrees, while the second oblique angle γ2 is approximately 82 degrees. It should be appreciated that angles γ1 and γ2 may vary based upon different values of angles α and β of the first and second waterways 26 and 108, respectively.
With reference to
The flange 94 of first waterway 26 supports a first recess 202a and a second recess 202b associated with the first and second positions of the shower head 14. Each recess 202a, 202b is illustratively defined by a pair of opposing radially extending retaining members 204a, 206a, and 204b, 206b, respectively. Each retaining member 204, 206 includes inner and outer inclined surfaces 208 and 210 configured to cooperate with the inclined surfaces 198, 200 of the locking tabs 196.
The first locking tab 196a is received within the first recess 202a, and the second locking tab 196b is received within the second recess 202b to releasably secure the shower head 14 in the first position. Rotation of the shower head 14 by 180 degrees around the connector axis 16 results in the second locking tab 196b being received with the first recess 202a, and the first locking tab 196a being received within the second recess 202b for releasably securing the shower head 14 in the second position.
The cantilevered arms 192a and 192b are flexible such that the free ends supporting locking tabs 196a and 196b may move as force is applied thereto. As shown in
Continued rotation of the shower head 14 forces the arms 192a , 192b to flex upwardly thereby allowing the tabs 196a , 196b to cam out of the cooperating receiving recesses 202a , 202b . Once the tabs 196a , 196b are disengaged from the accepting recesses 202a , 202b , the shower head 14 is free to rotate until the tabs 196a , 196b engage the opposing retaining members 204, 206.
More particularly, as the shower head 14 is rotated clockwise from the front side to the rear side of the hand shower 10, the inclined surfaces 198 of locking tabs 196 engage cooperating outer inclined surfaces 210 of the opposite retaining members 206. Similarly, if the shower head 14 is rotated counterclockwise from the front side to the rear side of the hand shower 10, the inclined surfaces 200 of locking tabs 196 engage cooperating outer inclined surfaces 210 of the opposite retaining members 204.
Continued rotation of the shower head 14 forces the tabs 196a, 196b to engage the retaining members 204, 206 forcing the arms 192a, 192b upwardly. Continued rotation allows the tabs 196 to engage with the recesses 202, thereby locking the shower head 14 in position. This provides an audible click to the user.
A tactile feel may also be provided to the user as the shower head 14 is rotated. Lower surfaces 212 of the cantilevered arms 192 ride on an upper surface 214 of the waterway flange 94 with a biasing force created by an interference between the arms 192 and waterway flange 94 (
As detailed herein, the illustrative detent device 190 provides a positive position indication to the user of rotational position of the shower head 14 relative to the handle 12. Such user indication may include tactile, visual, and audible aspects.
With reference to
In operation, water is supplied through the flexible hose 93 to the inlet portion 46 of the first waterway 26, past the flow restrictor 98 and check valves 97, and into the connecting portion 48 of the first waterway 26. Water is supplied through the connector 105 and into the inlet portion 120 of the second waterway 108 within the shower head 14. In the first rotational position of
By rotating the shower head 14, either clockwise or counter-clockwise, the cantilevered arms 192 are flexed away from the flange 94 by camming action of the inclined surfaces 208 against the cooperating inclined surfaces 198, 200 of the tabs 196. The shower head 14 may then be further rotated about connector axis 16 to the second position (e.g., 180 degrees from the first position) where the tabs 196 are received within diametrically opposed recesses 202. As the tabs 196 approach the recesses 202, they are flexed away from the flange 94 by the inclined surfaces 210 of the associated retaining members 206. The tabs 196 then drop into the recesses 202 to illustratively provide an audible click, tactile feel, and visual indication to the user. In the second rotational position of
Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments, variations and modifications exist within the spirit and scope of the invention as described and defined in the following claims.
This patent application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Design patent application Ser. No. 29/390,013, entitled “Handheld Shower,” filed Apr. 19, 2011 now U.S. Pat. No. Des. 652,108, a continuation-in-part of U.S. Design patent application Ser. No. 29/390,027, entitled “Handheld Shower,” filed Apr. 19, 2011 now U.S. Pat. No. Des. 652,109, a continuation-in-part of U.S. Design patent application Ser. No. 29/390,028, entitled “Handheld Shower,” filed Apr. 19, 2011 now U.S. Pat. No. Des. 652,110, and a continuation-in-part of U.S. Design patent application Ser. No. 29/390,031, entitled “Handheld Shower,” filed Apr. 19, 2011 now U.S Pat. No. Des. 652,894, the disclosures of which are expressly incorporated by reference herein.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 29390013 | Apr 2011 | US |
Child | 13346208 | US | |
Parent | 29390027 | Apr 2011 | US |
Child | 29390013 | US | |
Parent | 29390028 | Apr 2011 | US |
Child | 29390027 | US | |
Parent | 29390031 | Apr 2011 | US |
Child | 29390028 | US |