Abstract:
A shower head with structural features for providing a water spray pattern having revolving characteristics is disclosed. The shower head includes an inlet assembly connectable to a water source and a cooperatively engaged outlet assembly including a body having a front facing surface, an impeller having a plurality of blades and a rotator assembly having a spray surface defining a plurality of spray apertures. The rotator spray surface forms a portion of the front facing surface. A seal spacer disposed between the inlet assembly and the front facing surface has a plurality of radially spaced ports. Each port is axially transverse to a plane of the seal spacer. Water flow through the ports creates a multi-directional water current downstream from the spacer to drive the impeller and consequently, cause rotation of the rotator spray surface and water emission in a revolving spray pattern.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a shower head and more particularly to a shower head having structural features for providing a water spray pattern having aesthetic revolving characteristics.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     A wide variety of shower heads are known in the art for installation in conjunction with residential plumbing. They can be used to provide various flow rates and pressures, and pulsating and non-pulsating flow. These types of shower heads are increasingly popular and provide a variety of massaging flow patterns. Different flow patterns appeal to individual consumer taste.  
         [0003]     Certain devices used to produce pulsating flow include internal impellers or rotators that rotate when in communication with water flowing through the shower head. Other designs produce an oscillating pattern by use of a wobbling member mounted internally within a nozzle housing. Still other designs rely on the cam action of a rotator actuating member to produce pulsating water emission. Consumers of such devices demand additional variety in the art, both in the style and the flow pattern produced. Further, a need exists for increased simplicity and lower cost of these devices.  
         [0004]     The present invention provides a new and improved shower head for providing a water spray pattern having aesthetic revolving characteristics. Handheld and fixed embodiments of the present invention use a rotator to directly emit water through a series of apertures therein to produce a rotating spray pattern. The present invention uses a two part design wherein a fixed inlet assembly is rotatably engaged to an outlet assembly. A plurality of spray patterns are selectable by the user. The spray surface of a rotator spins in relation to a fixed portion of the shower head spray surface. This spinning surface creates a revolving spray pattern as water is emitted through apertures in the surface. The fixed portions of the showerhead spray surface produce a bubbling spray and a non-revolving full spray as selected by the user. Further, the present invention is unique in construction and easy to install.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     In illustrated embodiments of the invention, a fixed shower head and a handheld shower head, each providing a revolving water spray pattern having aesthetically and physically advantageous characteristics, are disclosed. It should be understood that the illustrations of the specific fixed shower head and a handheld shower head shapes and styles are for exemplary purposes only, and the present invention may be practiced with any type of water dispensing device.  
         [0006]     In one embodiment, a fixed shower head for emitting a revolving spray pattern includes an inlet assembly having an inlet end for mounting to a water source connection and an outlet assembly in cooperative engagement therewith. The inlet assembly is disposed downstream from the inlet assembly and permits water flow from the water source through the outlet assembly. Water may flow through one or more of at least three passageways as diverted by user manipulation of a dial ring.  
         [0007]     The outlet assembly includes a body defining a front face surface, a rotatable impeller disposed in a spaced relationship between the inlet assembly and the front face surface and having a plurality of blades and an elongated tubular hub protruding downstream, and a rotator assembly mounted to the tubular hub and including a spray surface defining a plurality of spray apertures. Water entering the tubular hub exits the outlet assembly through the spray apertures. The rotator spray surface forms a portion of the outer assembly front face surface. Water flow through the outer assembly drives the impeller thereby causing rotation of the rotator spray surface and water emission in a revolving spray pattern.  
         [0008]     The outlet assembly may include a bubbling spray generator apparatus including an inlet portion, at least one wire mesh annular filter, a bubble gasket and an outlet portion. The apparatus generates a bubbling spray when water flow traverses the inlet and outlet portions.  
         [0009]     The inlet assembly may further include a fixed seat. The outlet assembly may further include a spray generator apparatus including a spray ring and a plurality of flexible nozzles. The apparatus generates a spray when an operator manipulates the spray ring in relation to the fixed seat to divert water flow to the flexible nozzles. The outlet assembly may include means for generating a non-revolving spray pattern.  
         [0010]     The outlet assembly may include a dial ring, wherein an operator may adjust the dial ring thereby manipulating the spray ring with respect to the fixed seat to divert water to one of at least three flow paths. The outlet assembly may include means for diverting water to two of at least three flow paths.  
         [0011]     Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description made with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a portion of a shower head constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, showing a two-dimensional rendition of a revolving spray water pattern;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is an exploded assembly view of the shower head of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the shower head of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is a front view of shower head of  FIG. 1 , showing the downstream facing surface including a first spray surface defined by a centrally disposed nozzle, a second spray surface defined by an intermediate radially disposed nozzle, and a third spray surface defined by an outward radially disposed nozzle;  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the shower head of  FIG. 1 , showing the water flow pattern through the shower head in a center spray position;  
         [0017]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a component of the shower head of  FIG. 1 , showing the upstream facing surface of a spray ring;  
         [0018]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a component of the shower head of  FIG. 1 , showing the upstream facing surface of a face plate;  
         [0019]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a component of the shower head of  FIG. 1 , showing the upstream facing surface of a seal spacer and directional water flow therethrough;  
         [0020]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a component of the shower head of  FIG. 1 , showing the upstream facing surface of a bubble gasket;  
         [0021]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a component of the shower head of  FIG. 1 , showing the upstream facing surface of an impeller and one rotational direction;  
         [0022]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the face plate of  FIG. 7 , showing a downstream facing surface;  
         [0023]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a component of the shower head of  FIG. 1 , showing the upstream facing surface of a rotator;  
         [0024]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the rotator of  FIG. 12 , showing a downstream facing surface;  
         [0025]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a component of the shower head of  FIG. 1 , showing the upstream facing surface of a fixed seat; and  
         [0026]      FIG. 15  is a cross-sectional view of shower head constructed in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention, showing the shower head in a center spray position. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0027]     Referring now to the drawings, a shower head  10  constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The shower head has structural features that emit a spray pattern having advantageous physical and aesthetic characteristics.  
         [0028]     The shower head is designed for user selection of up to four spray patterns, including the revolving or spiral spray pattern illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Other patterns include a steady stream full spray pattern, a bubbling spray pattern, and a combination of the steady stream fill spray and bubbling spray patterns.  
         [0029]     As seen in  FIG. 1 , a schematic representation of the revolving or spiral spray pattern is shown. The spray pattern  20  emits from the shower head in such a way as to appear to be revolving. The emitted spray is not pulsating but rather constant in pressure. As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the revolving spray pattern is emitted from spray apertures in a center nozzle surface  17 . This center nozzle surface rotates as it emits water, creating the revolving spray pattern  20 . In the embodiment shown, 10 small spray apertures are defined in the spray surface  17 . For purposes of perspective only,  FIG. 1  illustrates an individual spray pattern  25  emitting from one single aperture. As one with ordinary skill in the art would expect, the spray pattern diffuses in size and intensity with distance from the spray surface  17 . The rate of diffusion is a function of several features, including water pressure and rotation speed of the center nozzle spray surface  17 .  
         [0030]      FIG. 2  is a perspective exploded assembly view of the shower head  10 . The shower head includes an inlet assembly  12  and an outlet assembly  14 . Water flow through the outlet assembly  14  drives an impeller  175  disposed within the outlet assembly  14 . Rotation of the impeller consequently causes rotation of a rotator  195  spray surface  17  and water emission in a revolving pattern. The rotator  195  revolves at essentially the same speed as the impeller  175 .  
         [0031]     The inlet assembly  12  has an inlet end for mounting to a water source connection. The outer assembly  14  is in cooperative engagement with the inlet assembly and is disposed downstream therefrom. This engagement permits water flow from the water source into and through the outlet assembly. The outlet assembly has a body defining a front face surface  15  as shown in  FIG. 4 , and a rotatable impeller  175  disposed in a space relationship between the inlet assembly  12  and the front facing surface  15 . The impeller has a plurality of blades  176  and an elongated tubular hub  178  which protrudes downstream. As illustrated, the rotator assembly  192  is mounted to the tubular hub  178 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the tubular hub  178  has a male threaded surface  177  that engages a female threaded connection (not shown) defined by an upstream surface  191  of an accessory disk  190 . The rotator assembly  192  includes the accessory disk  190  which is press fit onto the rotator  195 . A downstream facing surface  196  of the rotator defines ten small spray apertures  197   a ,  197   b . Water flowing into the impeller and exiting the tubular hub flows into the rotator assembly and out the 10 spray apertures.  
         [0032]     Referring again to  FIG. 2 , the inlet assembly  12  has a metal ball joint  55  to which a tubular nut  50  is connected. The metal ball joint  55  includes at an upstream end a hexagon nut connection having internal female threads. The inlet assembly allows for rotation of the shower head about a shower inlet pipe.  
         [0033]      FIG. 5  shows a cross sectional view of the shower head  10 , including a schematic representation of water flow through the inlet and outlet assembly  12 ,  14 . As seen in  FIG. 5 , a user may manipulate a dial ring  90  having a thumb tab  91  to divert water to at least one of three flow passages. A first flow passage represented by arrows in  FIG. 5  illustrates water flow through the rotator  195  which produces the revolving flow pattern illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Water enters the ball joint  55  and passes through a flow restrictor  35  as shown. A gasket  65  maintains the downstream end of the ball joint in a sealed position with the housing  70 . The tubular nut  50  and the annular lining  60  allow the shower head housing  70  to be rotated about the ball joint  55 . As water enters the housing  70  along a center axis A c , water is diverted off the center axis as shown by the arrows in  FIG. 5 . Next, water flows downstream through a fixed seat  95  that is disposed within the inlet assembly  12 . As an operator manipulates the dial ring  90 , the upstream face of a spray ring  130  rotates relative to the fixed downstream face of the fixed seat  95 .  
         [0034]     Referring to  FIG. 6 , the upstream face of the spray ring  130  is illustrated. A port  132  defined by a surface  131  of the upstream face, permits water flow as illustrated in  FIG. 5 . When the spray ring  130  is manipulated such that water slow is permitted through a second port  133 , water flow is emitted from the shower head to an intermediate nozzle producing a bubbling spray. In yet another user manipulated setting, when water is permitted to flow through a U-shaped cavity  134 , a full spray is admitted from a series of spray nozzles disposed on an outward edge of the front facing surface  15 .  
         [0035]     Referring again to  FIG. 5 , water is shown flowing through two ports  96  within the fixed seat  95 . Water then contacts an upstream face of a seal spacer  145 . A top view of the seal spacer is illustrated in  FIG. 8 . The seal spacer is disposed in a space relationship between the inlet assembly of the shower head and the front facing surface  15 . The seal spacer includes three radially spaced ports  146 . Each port is axially transverse to a plane of the seal spacer, as well as being non-parallel to the center axis A c . In other words, as water flows through each port  146 , the flow is neither parallel nor perpendicular to the plane defined by the seal spacer nor to the center axis A c . Arrows in  FIG. 8  represent water flow through these ports.  
         [0036]     Once again referring to  FIG. 5 , water now exits the seal spacer in three locations, creating a circular flow pattern that engages an upstream face of the impeller  175 . This circular flow pattern engages the impeller blades  176  and creates a rotation of the impellers about the center axis. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that in the practice of the present invention, the seal spacer may be constructed such that clockwise or counter clockwise rotation of the impeller may occur.  FIG. 10  is a top view of the upstream face of the impeller. Arrows in  FIG. 10  represent clockwise flow of water engaging the impeller blades  176 . Water flow continues downstream into an internal passage way  179  within the tubular hub  178 .  
         [0037]     Downstream from the impeller upstream surface, water flow through the tubular hub  178  is illustrated by an arrow in  FIG. 5 . Water exiting the tubular hub  178  briefly gathers within a cavity on the upstream side of the rotator  195  defined by a cavity wall  196 . As water gathers in this cavity it is dispersed to 10 spray apertures. The ten spray apertures include five large apertures  197   a  and five small apertures  197   b . It should be understood by those skilled in the art that any suitable aperture pattern, size or number may be utilized in the practice of this invention.  
         [0038]     Referring again to  FIG. 2 , as water is emitted from the rotator  195 , the rotator is spinning. This spinning motion is created by its fixed relation to the impeller  175 . In assembly of the shower head  10 , the tubular hub  178  is inserted through an O ring  180 . The tubular hub  178  is then inserted through a center mounting hole  187  in the upstream face of a face plate  185 . The upstream face of the face plate is illustrated in  FIG. 7 .  
         [0039]     On the downstream side of the face plate  185  shown in  FIG. 11 , the male threaded connection of the tubular hub  178  engages female threads of the accessory disk  190 . The accessory disk includes two concentric protruding annular rings on its downstream face. These rings are press fit over either side wall of a single protruding annular ring  198  on the upstream face of the rotator  195 . The upstream face of the rotator is illustrated in  FIG. 13 . The above described assembly allows the impeller  175  and rotator  195  to spin concurrently in the same direction and at essentially the same rotations per minute. This spinning motion occurs relative to the fixed face plate  185 . The face plate includes threads on its circumferential surface which engage a female threaded internal wall within a downstream cavity of the spray ring  130 .  
         [0040]     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , a side view and front face view of the shower head  10  is shown. The front facing surface  15  of the shower head includes a center nozzle surface  17  an intermediately disposed nozzle surface  18  and an outwardly disposed nozzle surface  19 . As shown, the center nozzle surface  17  protrudes a greater distance downstream relative to the intermediately disposed nozzle surface  19 . It should be apparent to others with ordinary skill in the art that the nozzles&#39; relative positioning downstream may vary.  
         [0041]     The embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 5  allows for three alternative flow patterns of water as discussed in the orientation shown in  FIG. 5  water emits through a center nozzle surface  17  producing a revolving spray pattern. A user may manipulate the dial ring  90  to produce a second flow pattern which emits a bubbling spray pattern through the intermediately disposed nozzle  18 . Referring again to  FIG. 2 , this bubbling spray is created as water flows through a first filter mesh ring  170  a bubble gasket  165 , and a second filter mesh ring  170 . Water then emits in a bubbling spray pattern through spray apertures  187  in the face plate  185 . A third flow pattern that may be selected by a user emits water from the outwardly disposed nozzle surface  19 . The outwardly disposed nozzle includes a plurality of equally spaced flexible spray nozzles  137 . Water emitted from these spray nozzles is non-revolving in nature.  
         [0042]     A second embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in  FIG. 15 .  FIG. 15  shows a cross sectional view of a hand held shower head  210 . The hand held shower head  210  includes the same or similar internal components that generate the revolving spray pattern. Further, the shower head includes an extendable arm housing  215  in contrast to the ball joint inlet connection and fixed shower head housing  70  incorporated in the fixed shower head design. It should be understood by others with ordinary skill in the art that other shower head designs configurations and styles may be utilized in the practice of the present invention.  
         [0043]     While a single embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in considerable detail, the present invention is not to be considered limited to the precise construction disclosed. Various adaptations, modifications and uses of the invention may occur to those skilled in the arts to which the invention relates. It is the intention to cover all such adaptations, modifications and uses falling within the scope or spirit of the claims filed herewith.