Patent Application
20110084153
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-function shower head that provides three water flower levels in response to three watering modes to obtain low-flow and strong water flower, hence a water saving and strong flowing purpose of the shower head is achieved.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional multi-function shower heads, such as a wall type shower head, include a spherical knob to be connected to a water feeding pipe so that a user can adjust a watering angle based on requirement.
The above-mentioned shower head has level adjusting function so that water flows through different level of an inlet, an external passageway, chambers, and outlets to generate water flowers in different watering modes, such as jetted, massaged, sprayed, and fogged water flowers.
The conventional multi-function shower heads includes a standard flow controlling valve installed in the spherical knob to control the flow amount at 2.5 GPM/min, however such a sole standard flow amount can not satisfy environmental friendly purpose.
As the flow amount of the standard flow controlling valve is less then 1.5 GPM/min, the sprayed water flower is too small to generate strong water flower.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a multi-function shower head which obtains low-flow and strong water flower. Thereby, a water saving and strong flowing purpose of the shower head is achieved.
A multi-function shower head according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises
a holder including an inflow end disposed on an upper end thereof, an outflow end mounted on a lower end thereof, and a passage located between the inflow and the outflow ends and having at least one cavity arranged on the outflow end;
at least one plug installed in the cavity of the holder and pushed downward and including a through bore to flow water;
a distributing set rotably installed to the outflow end of the holder and including an upper disc, a middle disc, and a lower cover, all of which are connected with each other; between the upper disc and the middle disc being defined an upper first chamber and an upper second chamber; between the middle disc and the lower cover being defined a lower first chamber at a central portion therebetween and a lower second chamber under the lower first chamber to communicate with the upper first chamber and the upper second chamber respectively; the upper disc including a first inlet and a second inlet disposed on a top surface thereof to communicate with the upper first chamber and the upper second chamber individually; the lower cover including at least two first outlets and a plurality of second outlets to communicate with the lower first chamber and the lower second chamber;
a low-flow controlling valve installed in the first inlet of the upper disc of the distributing set to lower water at a standard flow amount to a lower flow amount;
a water flower generator installed in the lower first chamber of the distributing set and including an inflow tunnel extending downward therefrom, at least two outflow tunnels extending from a peripheral side of the inflow tunnel, and al least two path extending along a tangent of the inflow tunnel and the outflow tunnel; the inflow tunnel including an entrance disposed on a top end thereof and communicating with the upper first chamber of the distributing set, and the outflow tunnel including a vent mounted on a bottom end thereof to communicate with an external environment through the first outlet of the distributing set; wherein
after the water flow flows from the lower first chamber of the distributing set to the inflow tunnel of the water flower, a centrifugal force forms in the path and then passes through the outflow tunnel to spray water from the vents, obtaining low-flow and strong water flower;
a rotary positioning means fixed between the holder and the distributing set so that the distributing set is positioned between a first rotating position and a second rotating position;
when the distributing set is located at the first rotating position, water from the plug of the holder is controlled to become a low-flow water, and then flows through the upper first chamber and the water flower generator of the lower first chamber to generate a jetted water flower; when the distributing set is located at the second rotating position, water from the plug of the holder is controlled to become another water flower via the second inlet, the upper second chamber, and the lower second chamber.
The present invention will be clearer from the following description when viewed together with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.
Referring to
Referring to
the holder 10, as shown in
The holder 10 includes a passage 14 defined between the receiving room 131 and the spaced wall 121, and the passage 14 includes two guiding holes 141 fixed therein to communicate with the cavities 122 respectively. In addition, the spaced wall 121 includes a recessed portion formed at a center thereof and a shaft 124 extending downward from the recessed portion thereof.
The first outer rim 11 includes a limiting tab 112 extending outward from a bottom end thereof and an engaging projection 113 extending from an external side thereof to connect with the limiting tab 112.
The plugs 20a, 20b, as illustrated in
The distributing set 30 is rotably installed to the outflow end 102 of the holder 10 and includes an upper disc 31, a middle disc 32, and a lower cover 33, wherein
the upper disc 31 as shown in
The upper disc 31 includes a positioning gap 316 disposed around a top end of the first inlet 314a, and the lower fringe 31a includes a lock protrusion 317 extending outward thereform.
The top surface 31c of the upper disc 31 includes a first face 318 and a second face 319 between which a connecting section is defined, the first face 318 includes a first recessed zone 318a, and the second face 319 includes a second recessed zone 319a, and between the first face 318, the second face 319, and the lower fringe 31a is define a third recessed zone 319b.
The first recessed zone 318a extends from an outer side of the upper disc 31 toward a central portion thereof, and the first inlet 314a is in communication with the first recessed zone 318a, the first recessed zone 318a includes a conical column 318b extending from a central portion thereof and a conical mouth 318c facing to the conical column 318b so that water from the first inlet 314a flows through the conical mouth 318c and is guided to one side of the conical column 318b, generating a spiral water flow. The second inlet 314b is communication with the second recessed zone 319a, and the third inlet 314c communicates with the third trench 319b.
The upper disc 31 rotates relative to the holder 10, and when it is rotated to a first rotating position, the plug 20a communicates with the first inlet 314a to guide water from the plug 20a toward the first recessed zone 318a via the first inlet 314a, and the plug 20b is closed by the top surface 31c of the upper disc 31. Likewise, as the upper disc 31 is rotated to a second rotating position of the holder 10, the plug 20a communicates with the second inlet 314b and the plug 20b is closed by the top surface 31c of the upper disc 31, and when the upper disc 31 is rotated to a third rotating position of the holder 10, the plug 20b is communication with the third inlet 314c and the plug 20a is closed by the top surface 31c of the upper disc 31.
The seal pad 312 of the upper disc 31 abuts against an inner side of the first outer rim 11 to prevent waters which leaks from the plugs 20a, 20b from flowing outward from the holder 10 and the upper disc 31.
The middle disc 32, as shown in
The middle disc 32 includes a first orifice 321 arranged at a center thereof to communicate with the upper first chamber 34a so that a spiral water flow in the conical column 318b of the upper first chamber 34a flows to the first orifice 321. The first orifice 321 includes a raised block 322 extends therefrom to engage with the first recessed zone 318a of the upper disc 31 and having an inclined plane 323 disposed on a top end of the raised block 322 so as to guide a longitudinal water flow from the first inlet 314a to the conical column 318b to generate a lateral water flow.
The first orifice 321 of the middle disc 32 includes four second orifices 324 spaced a predetermined angle apart from each other to communicate with the upper second chamber 34b, and the second orifice 324 includes three third orifices 325 spaced a predetermined angle apart from each other to communicate with the upper third chamber 34c.
The middle disc 32 includes a first, a second, a third, and a fourth annular sides 326, 327, 328, and 329 extending longitudinally from an outer rim of the first orifice 321 in order, and includes a retaining edge 329a arranged around the middle disc 32.
The lower cover 33, as illustrated in
The side portion 331 of the lower cover 33 includes three first outlets 336 to abut against the first sealing cliff 332, and between the first and the second sealing cliffs 332, 333 are defined three sets of watering areas, each having a plurality of second outlets 337, and between the second and the third sealing cliffs 333, 334 are arranged a number of three outlets 338. A size of the first outlet 336 is more than that of the third outlets 338, and a size of the third outlet 338 is more than that of the second outlet 337. It is to be noted that the second outlet 337 is a tiny hole substantially.
The lower cover 33 includes three levering extensions 339 extending outward therefrom to be operated by user to stop a rotation of the distributing set 30 and the holder 10 relative to each other.
The low-flow controlling valve 40, as shown in
In order to flow water from the plug 20a toward the low-flow controlling valve 40, an abutting plate 41 is disposed to the positioning gap 316 of the first inlet 314a of the upper disc 31 and includes a partition 411 arranged on a middle portion thereof to separate two intakes 412 apart, such that a bottom end of the abutting plate 41 connects with a top end of the low-flow controlling valve 40 and a top surface thereof is biased against the through bore 23 stably.
The water flower generator 50, as illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 12-14, includes a top pillar 50a, three coupling portions 50b extending from the top pillar 50a, and three bottom pillars 50c extending from the coupling portions 50b so that the water flower generator 50 is received in the lower first chamber 335a of the distributing set 30, and the top pillar 50a is engaged and welded with the first face 318 of the middle disc 32, the bottom pillars 50c are inserted in the first outlets 336 of the lower cover 33.
The top pillar 50a of the water flower generator 50 includes an inflow tunnel 51 formed therein and having an entrance 511 arranged on a top end of the inflow tunnel 51, and the bottom pillar 50c includes an outflow tunnel 52 formed therein and having a vent 521 fixed on a bottom end of the outflow tunnel 52; the coupling portion 52b includes a path 53 disposed therein, two ends of the path 53 communicate with a bottom end of the inflow tunnel 51 and a top end of the outflow tunnel 52, and a width of the path 53 is less than those of the inflow tunnel 51 and the outflow tunnel 52 and communicates eccentrically with the inflow tunnel 51 and the outflow tunnel 52. Substantially, the path 53 extends along a tangent of the inflow tunnel 51 and the outflow tunnel 52 in the N direction, and the inflow tunnel 51 includes three arcuate margins 512 mounted on a bottom end thereof and connecting with one sides of the paths 53 at tangent points p1-p3 of the paths 53, such that as spiral water flow passes through the first orifice 321 of the distributing set 30 and the water flower generator 50 toward the inflow tunnel 51, the spiral water flower enters to the paths 53 so as to strengthen water flow. Also, the paths 53 extend at tangent points of the outflow tunnel 52 so that the waters in the paths 53 generate a spiral water flow after flowing into the top end of the outflow tunnel 52.
The outflow tunnel 52 includes a cone-shaped member 522 extending downward from a top side thereof so that water in the outflow tunnel 52 is further guided to one side of the cone-shaped member 522 to generate a spiral water flow stably.
The outflow tunnel 52 further includes a spiral impeller 524 disposed thereon relative to the path 53 to form a spiral water flow, and one side of the outflow tunnel 52 under the spiral impeller 524 is enlarged so that the spiral water flow sprays from the outflow tunnel 52 to generate an increased water flower to enhance spraying area. For example, circular water-flower areas spraying from the three vents 521 overlap with each other to obtain a common spraying area, wherein a spraying area keeping away 4 ft from the vent 521 generates a 65 cm of area more than a 31 cm of area of the shower head.
The path 53 extends along a tangent of the inflow tunnel 51 in N direction to enter spiral water flow to the path 53, and a rotating direction of the tangent is identical to a spiral direction of the spiral water flow in the inflow tunnel 51 without being limited in a specific direction.
The rotary positioning means 60, as shown in
The rotating vane 70a, as illustrated in
The spraying member 70b, as shown in
The fixing member 80a, as illustrated in
The fixing member 80a includes an annular dent 83 mounted around a lower end thereof so that when the upper disc 31 is fitted to the fixing member 80a, the lock protrusion 317 is retained to the longitudinal indentation 82, such that the upper disc 31 is limited to rotate with the distributing set 30, and the retaining edge 329a of the middle disc 32 is retained to the dent 83 to connect with the fixing member 80a securely.
The fixing member 80a further includes a defining lip 84 fixed around a top end thereof and having a cut 841 on the defining lip 84. When the holder 10 is fitted to the fixing member 80a, the limiting tab 112 is engaged by the defining lip 84 of the fixing member 80a so that the holder 10 rotates relative to the fixing member 80a and the distributing set 30 by using the defining lip 84 and the limiting tab 112. It is to be noted that as assembling the holder 10, the engaging projection 113 is aligned to the cut 841 of the fixing member 80a so that the holder 10 and the fixing member 80a are limited to rotate in a specific range by the cut 841, wherein the specific rotating range is between the first, the second, and the third fixing apertures 315a, 315b, 315c of the upper disc 31, hence the levering pin 61 allows to move and position between the first, the second, and the third fixing apertures 315a, 315b, 315c.
The retaining member 80b, as shown in
The connecting knob 90a, as illustrated in
The housing 90b, as shown in
With reference to
The multi-function shower head has the following advantages:
In operation, when the distributing set 30 is rotated to a high-flow watering mode (e.g., the first rotating position) as shown in
While we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it is clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
