Patent Application
20140117112
Showerheads.
This application does not claim the priority date of any other applications.
Showerheads are commercially available in numerous designs and configurations. The types of showerheads may be broadly categorized as being either stationary or oscillating and having either fixed or adjustable water jets. A typical stationary showerhead is composed of a water chamber and a number of fixed jets that deliver water in a constant spray pattern. The spray pattern is limited by the number and direction of the fixed jets. The showerhead typically incorporates a standard ball joint that is connected to the water outlet pipe via a threaded connection. The ball joint gives the user the ability to adjust the position of the showerhead, but the range of adjustability is limited. Thus, the drawbacks of a typical stationary showerhead include a limited range of motion and a limited spray pattern.
Other showerheads may incorporate an oscillating mechanism that produces a variable water spray pattern. While these dedicated oscillating showerheads may provide a pulsating or massage action, they also suffer from a limited range of motion and limited spray pattern.
Conventional fixed and oscillating showerheads make it difficult to clean the shower stall, because a user cannot manipulate the spray pattern to rinse the entire shower. Accordingly, there remains a need for an shower head configuration that provides greater adjustability and a greater spray pattern.
The oscillating shower massager overcomes the limitations associated with the prior art by providing a rotating or oscillating spray pattern that may be adjusted by the user. The oscillating shower massager has a housing with two water discharge outlets. The oscillating shower massager incorporates a water driven gear system that turns the rotating side discharge outlet. A series of stop pins are provided that may be used to adjust the rotation. When the stop pins are retracted, the rotating discharge outlet turns a full 360 degrees, allowing the user to spray all the walls and ceiling of the shower stall to facilitate cleaning. When the stop pins are extended, the rotating side outlet provides an oscillating spray pattern.
The oscillating shower massager also incorporates a forward facing outlet and heated shaving mirror with an integrated water tank. Water flowing through the integrated water tank raises the temperature of the shaving mirror and eliminates fogging of the mirror. A light source may be incorporated into the heated mirror to provide light for shaving.
The oscillating shower head massager gives a user the ability to adjust the movement of an oscillating shower head to direct the flow of water in almost any direction. Unlike conventional shower heads that have a limited range of motion, the oscillating shower head massager rotates up to a full 360 degrees.
The rotating side outlet 5 provides rotating or oscillating water flow. A plurality of stop pins 6 are attached to the rotating side outlet 5. The stop pins 6 may be manually extended or retracted. The rotating side outlet 5 may be threaded to facilitate connection with other plumbing fixtures. In this embodiment, a ball joint 7 is connected to the rotating side outlet 5, and a shower head 8 is connected to the ball joint 7. The oscillating shower head massager 1 also incorporates a heated shaving mirror 9. A light source may be included in the rim 10 around the shaving mirror 9 to provide illumination. The light source may include battery powered led lights.
An integral water tank 18 is attached to the rear of heated shaving mirror 9. To use the mirror 9, the user turns the lever 15 to direct water to the water tank 18. Water flows through the valve 14, through tubing 16, and into an inlet 19 at the top of the water tank 18. The forward facing outlet 3 is connected to the bottom of the integral water tank 18. The water flows through the water tank 18 down to the forward facing outlet 3, and out through the shower head 4 attached to the forward facing outlet 3. The passage of water through the integral water tank 18 raises the temperature of the shaving mirror 9, thereby preventing the shaving mirror 9 from fogging.
When the lever 15 is turned to its other position, water is directed through the two-way valve 14 to tubing 16 attached to the water driven gear system 17. Water passing through the gear system 17 drives the gear system and causes the rotating side outlet 5 to rotate or oscillate. The water driven gear system 17 is similar to systems used in oscillating lawn sprinklers, and variations of the gear system are possible. One embodiment of the gear system is depicted in
In the embodiment depicted in
The direction of the rotating side outlet's 5 rotation depends on which of the nozzles 21 is transmitting water to the turbine 23. Discharge from one nozzle 21 spins the turbine 23 clockwise, while discharge from the other nozzle 21 reverses the direction of the turbine 23 and reverses the rotation of the rotating side outlet 5. A user controls the direction by manipulating the stop pins 6. A wheel stop lever 32 extends through the side of the housing 2. As the rotating side outlet 5 turns, a stop pin 6 that is extended will strike the wheel stop lever 32 and actuate the lever 32. The wheel stop lever 32 is connected to a shaft 33 that passes through the water driven gear system 17 and is connected to a wheel stop pawl 34.
The wheel stop pawl 34 is depicted in
The stop pins 6 rotate as the rotating side outlet 5 turns. If a stop pin 6 is extended, it will actuate the wheel stop lever 32 as the rotating side outlet 5 turns. Actuating the wheel stop lever 32 rotates the shaft 33 and actuates the wheel stop pawl 34. When the wheel stop pawl 34 is actuated, the arms of the pawl 34 contact the inlet closing wheel 35 and cause the wheel 35 to rotate. When the inlet closing wheel 35 rotates, it moves the protrusions 37 and diverts the water flow from one nozzle 21 to the other nozzle 21, thereby reversing the rotation of the gear system 17 and reversing the rotation of the rotating side outlet 5. When no stop pins 6 are extended, the rotating side outlet 5 turns a full 360 degrees. This allows a user to spray all the walls and ceiling of the shower stall and makes cleaning the shower much easier. When two of the stop pins 6 are extended, the rotating side outlet 5 will oscillate rather than turning a full 360 degrees. This allows a user to select and adjust the range of oscillation.
The foregoing description of preferred embodiments for the oscillating shower head massager is presented for the purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments are chosen and described in an effort to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical applications, and to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.
