Abstract:
Disclosed herein is a shower system having at least one showerhead mounted on large candy cane-shaped showerhead posts in which flexible water lines are disposed. A counterbalanced bearing mechanism for each tube permits the position the showerheads to be adjusted by simply rotating, raising and/or lowering the showerhead posts as needed. The counterbalance assembly automatically maintains the vertical position of the tube and the bearing hold the tube at the desired angle.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not applicable. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to shower systems, and in particular to mechanisms for positioning and supporting a shower post. 
     People commonly shower while standing in a tub enclosure or shower stall. The main showerhead is usually mounted on the wall to shower water down upon the person&#39;s head and body. However, the head is usually positioned to best accommodate people of average height. This can require individuals of large stature to bend down and duck their heads under the showerhead to wash their hair or faces. For children and shorter adults showerheads at this height may splash into their faces or be at an undesirably low pressure when the water reaches their bodies. 
     It is also known to attach a showerhead to a plumbing supply line via a hose or other flexible conduit to create what is known as a personal shower. The showerhead may be removed from a fixed shower wall mount and held by the hand during showering. However, this requires the bather to assign one hand to holding the spray head. This makes it more difficult to use shampoo, or shave, or use soap, at the same time. 
     In another approach showerheads have been attached to a rod so as to be vertically slidable along the rod. However, these systems typically require the user to loosen and re-tighten fasteners to adjust the height of the showerhead and secure it in the adjusted position. 
     Other shower systems provide a height adjustment mechanism in which the user can lift or lower the showerhead and the showerhead is held in a new position. See e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,360,159 and 2,685,093. Yet, such shower systems typically do not permit the stem or post of the showerhead to be rotated. Thus, the spray direction of the shower can only be adjusted at the pivot joint of the showerhead. 
     Accordingly, there exists a need for a further improved shower system having an adjustment mechanism in which both the height and angular direction of the showerhead can be easily adjusted. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a shower system having an adjustment mechanism which facilitates vertical and angular repositioning of the showerhead. The adjustment mechanism automatically holds the shower held in the adjusted position. 
     In one aspect the invention provides an adjustable showerhead which has a stationary sleeve defining an axial pathway, and a bearing disposed within the sleeve and axially slidable along the axial pathway, the bearing having an axial bore defining an inner race. 
     There is also a showerhead post having an upper end attached to a showerhead and an opposite end rotatably disposed within the bearing inner race while being essentially fixed in an axial position with respect to the bearing. 
     In a preferred aspect there is also a counter balance assembly. The sleeve includes a vertical slot and the bearing includes a tab extending through the slot. The counter balance assembly is attached to the bearing tab so as to assist in maintaining the vertical position of the showerhead post. 
     The counter balance assembly has a weight, an upper pulley, a lower pulley, an upper cable riding within the upper pulley and coupled to the bearing and to the weight, and a lower cable riding within the lower pulley and coupled to the bearing and to the weight. When the showerhead post moves up the weight moves down, and vice versa. 
     The sleeve has an axial track at its outer periphery along which the weight travels, and a cable attachment plate can be mounted to the bearing tab. There can also be a spring coupled to an end of the lower cable and to attachment plate, and the lower cable can have a ball tip at an end adjacent the bearing. There can also be a bracket mounted to the weight such that upper and lower cables are connected to the bracket via hooks. 
     In other aspects there can be an annular bearing fixed at an upper end of the sleeve and having an axial bore through which the showerhead post rides for further guiding the showerhead post within the sleeve. There can also be at the lower end of the showerhead post a coupler. The coupler has a first end fixedly disposed within the showerhead post, a second end disposed with the bearing bore, and an annular shoulder between the first and second coupler ends for abutting the showerhead post on one side and a top surface of the bearing on the opposite side. 
     In yet another aspect there can be a travel stop secured to the bottom end of the showerhead post adjacent the bearing for restricting the showerhead&#39;s upward and axial rotational movement. 
     The showerhead post is a hollow, open-ended tube in which a flexible water line can be positioned. The water line extends from a water valve to a showerhead mounted at an upper end of the showerhead post. 
     Preferably, friction elements, such as resilient o-rings, are fit between the coupler and the axial bore of the bearing to prevent unintended pivot within the bearing. 
     Thus, the shower system of the present invention permits the height of the showerhead to be easily and simply adjusted by lifting or pulling down on the upper (preferably curved) end of the showerhead post. The showerhead post stays in the adjusted position by operation of the counterbalance system without the need to adjust fasteners or otherwise additionally secure the showerhead post. The showerhead post can also be easily rotated by pivoting the upper end. The showerhead post is held at the adjusted rotational angle by friction between the bearing and the end of the showerhead post. 
     The foregoing and other advantages of the invention will appear from the following description. In this description reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and in which there is shown by way of illustration preferred embodiments of the invention. These embodiments do not represent the full scope of the invention. Thus, the claims should be looked to in order to judge the scope of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shower system having two adjustable showerhead posts of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a front plan view of the FIG. 1 shower system of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a fragmented perspective view of the adjustment mechanism for one of the showerhead posts; 
     FIG. 4A is a schematic view of the counterbalancing system of the adjustment mechanism of FIG. 3, shown with the showerhead post lowered completely; 
     FIG. 4B is a schematic view as in FIG. 4A, albeit shown with the showerhead post raised completely; 
     FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a bearing assembly at the lower end of such a showerhead post; 
     FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  6 — 6  of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  7 — 7  of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the FIG. 3 embodiment; 
     FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  9 — 9  of FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 10 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view showing a showerhead post within an upper guide bearing; 
     FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  11 — 11  of FIG. 10; and 
     FIG. 12 is a break-away perspective view, taken along arc  12 — 12  of FIG. 3, showing a counter weight cable attached to a cable attachment plate. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the shower system  10  of the present invention includes peripheral column housings  12  and  14  flanking a main housing  16 . These are suitably mounted to a bathroom wall (or alternatively to wall  18  of a shower stall  20 ). The column housings  12  and  14  have vertical openings  22  and  24  for body spray nozzles  26  and  28 , respectively. 
     The main housing  16  mounts a hot and cold water mixing valve  30  and spray diverter  32  for selecting between water flow to the body spray nozzles  26  and  28  and a pair of showerheads  34  and  36  mounted on adjustable candy cane shaped showerhead posts  38  and  40 . The showerhead posts  38  and  40  are identical and are supported by identical support and adjustment mechanisms mounted in parallel within the main housing  16 . Thus, for simplicity, only one showerhead post and corresponding adjustment mechanism will be described in detail below. 
     Showerhead post  38  is a hollow tube, preferably made of chrome-plated brass, having a straight end  42  disposed within the main housing  16  and a curved end  44  to which the showerhead  34  is pivotably attached. The showerhead post  38  thus forms a cane shape. The showerhead post  38  is designed to contain a flexible water line  46  (see FIG. 8) suitably coupled to the showerhead  34  at one end and to the mixing valve  30  at its other end. 
     Referring to FIGS. 3 and 5, the straight end  42  of the showerhead post  38  is disposed within a guide sleeve  48 , preferably made of extruded aluminum, mounted vertically within the main housing  16 . The guide sleeve  48  is generally cylindrical with a lengthwise slot  50  and a pair of lengthwise outer guide rails  52  and  54 . A bottom end  56  of the guide sleeve  48  is disposed within a recess in a bottom mounting plate (not shown). Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, an upper end  58  of the guide sleeve  48  is mounted to an upper mounting plate  60  by L-clips  62  fastened over the guide rails  52  and  54  by cap screws  64 . 
     Referring next to FIGS. 5,  6  and  8 , the straight end  42  of the showerhead post  38  is disposed within the guide sleeve  48  and centered by an annular upper bearing  66 , preferably made of nylon, secured at an opening  68  in the upper end  58  of the guide sleeve  48  by a cover plate  67  (see FIG.  10 ). At a bottom end  70  of the straight end  42 , the showerhead post  38  is rotatably mounted in and to a lower bearing  72  disposed within the inner diameter of the guide sleeve  48 . 
     The bottom end  70  of the showerhead post  38  is attached to the lower bearing  72  by a brass coupler  74  having a cylindrical upper end  76  fit within the inner diameter of the showerhead post  38 . The coupler  74  has a central circumferential shoulder  78  with the same outer diameter as the showerhead post  38  and a cylindrical lower end  80  having a decreased diameter. The lower end  80  has two circumferential grooves  82  and  84  each containing a resilient annular seal  86  and  88 , respectively. 
     The lower bearing  72  is preferably made of a glass-filled nylon material and has an annular body  90  with an outer diameter sized to fit within the guide sleeve  48 . The annular body  90  includes an axial bore  92  therethrough defining an inner race having a diameter sized to receive the lower end  80  of the coupler  74 . Thus, the lower bearing  72  can slide up and down within the guide sleeve  48  and the coupler  74  (and thereby the showerhead post  38 ) can rotate within the lower bearing  72  while remaining essentially fixed in an axial position with respect to the lower bearing  72 . The annular seals  86  and  88  provide a suitable amount of friction to prevent the showerhead post  38  from unintentionally being rotated by the force (approximately 3 pounds) of the water passing through the showerhead  34 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 7,  8  and  9 , below the annular body  90  of the lower bearing  72  is an arcuate member  94  terminating at stop surfaces  96  and  98 . These stop surfaces  96  and  98  contact a travel stop  100  of an annular locking collar  162  fastened to the lower end  80  of the coupler  74  below the annular body  90  of the lower bearing  72  by a pair of set screws  104 . The locking collar  102  prevents the showerhead post  38  from being pulled upward though the lower bearing  72  during use. 
     Moreover, referring to FIG. 9, the travel stop  100  rotates in unison with showerhead post  38  and contacts the stop surfaces  96  and  98  of the arcuate member  94  to limit the rotation of the showerhead post  38  through a prescribed angle, preferably 90 degrees or less. For each showerhead post  38 , the locking collar  102  is attached at the proper orientation to limit the rotation in either direction as needed to prevent the shower post from hitting a door, wall or other structure in the shower stall  20 . This setting will typically vary for each showerhead post  38 , but depends upon the specific application. 
     Referring to FIGS. 3,  6  and  7 , extending radially outward from the annular body  90  and arcuate member  94  of the lower bearing  72  is a T-shaped tab  105  having a stem  106  sized to ride within the opening  50  of the guide sleeve  48  and a perpendicular cross-member  108  to which a stainless steel cable attachment plate  110  is mounted via threaded fasteners  111 . The cable attachment plate  110  joins the lower bearing  72  to a counterbalance system  112  mounted to the guide rails  52  and  54  of the guide sleeve  48 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 3,  4 A,  4 B,  6  and  7 , the counterbalance system  112  includes a pair of upper  114  and lower  116  pulleys, preferably made of nylon, mounted at the top and bottom of the guide sleeve  48  by bolts  117  threaded into openings through the guide rails  52  and  54 . Spaced inwardly form each pulley  114  and  116  is a rubber ring bumper  118  also fastened by bolts  119  threaded into openings in the guide rails  52  and  54 . A split annular counterweight  122  has longitudinal grooves  129  for mating with the guide rails  52  and  54  so that the counterweight  122  can travel up and down along the guide sleeve  48  between the bumpers  118 . A pair of U-shaped brackets  126  (one shown) fit into recesses in the counterweight  122  and have top  128  and bottom  130  openings. 
     A pair of upper cables  132  attach at one end to the top openings  128  in the counterweight brackets  126  at Z-hooks  134 . The upper cables  132  extend from the counterweight brackets  126  up and around the corresponding upper pulley  114  and back down to the cable attachment plate  110  mounted to the lower bearing  72 . The upper cables  132  are attached to the cable attachment plate  110  via Z-hooks  134  disposed within a pair of upper openings  136 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 3 and 12, a pair of lower cables  138  extend from Z-hooks  134  attached to the bottom openings  130  in the counterweight brackets  126  down and around the corresponding lower pulleys  116  up to the cable attachment plate  110 . Each of the lower cables  138  are in part attached to the cable attachment plate  110  by an extension spring  140  having a tapered bottom end  142  and hook  144  at a top end disposed within a lower opening  146  in the cable attachment plate  110 . 
     Each of the lower cables  138  includes an upper ball  148  and a lower ball  150  spaced apart from each other. Each cable is inserted through the center of the corresponding spring  140  so that the lower ball  150  is captured by the tapered end  142  of the spring  140  and the upper ball  148  extends through the spring  140  and is captured by a clip  152  in the cable attachment plate  110 . 
     The distance between the two balls  148  and  150  of the each lower cable  138  is larger than the distance between the clip  152  and the tapered end  142  of the springs  120  before extension so that the lower cables  138  are slacked between the upper  148  and lower  150  balls. This allows the springs  120  to extend and dampen the shock that would otherwise occur if the counterweight  122  were to contact either bumper abruptly. 
     Referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, in this way, as the showerhead post  38  is raised or lowered, the lower bearing  72  slides within the guide sleeve  48 . In response to this movement, the upper  132  or lower  138  cables pull the counterweight  122  in an opposite direction that the showerhead post  38  is traveling. This provides a countervailing upward force equal and opposite to the weight of the showerhead post  38  and the components supported thereby. 
     Thus, the present invention provides for a pair of showerhead posts  38  and  40  that can be freely rotated, raised and lowered by simply grasping the curved end  44  of the showerhead posts  38  and  40  and/or the showerheads  34  and  36  themselves and moving the showerheads  34  and  36  to the desired position. The counterbalance systems  112  apply the appropriate counter-acting force on the showerhead posts  38  and  40  to maintain the showerheads  34  and  36  at the adjusted height. The annular seals  86  and  88  keep the showerhead posts  38  and  40  at the adjusted angle. 
     While there has been shown and described what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be evident from the above description to the those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made to the described device without departing from the scope of the present invention. Accordingly, to ascertain the full scope of the invention, reference must be had to the following claims. 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     The above disclosure provides a spout mounted on a rod that can easily be rotationally and vertically adjusted.