Abstract:
A device for attachment to an existing shower water supply to provide a primary shower head for normal delivery of water during a shower and a secondary shower head for delivering an adjustable mixture of water and moisturizing lotion to the body of the user.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of the prior filed, co-pending provisional application Serial No. 60/422,297, filed Oct. 30, 2002. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    This invention relates to shower spray heads and more particularly to a device providing a secondary shower head for delivering a mixture of water and lotion to the body at the conclusion of a shower to moisturize the skin.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    During the course of a typical shower, soap, shampoo and large volumes of warm water are applied or sprayed onto the skin. Most soaps dry and irritate the skin and in combination with the warm water, rob the skin of its natural oils. This loss of natural skin moisturizers can cause or exacerbate eczema, psoriasis and other conditions. Dry skin conditions are typically worse in winter months when the relative humidity of indoor air is often extremely low. To counter the effects of dry air conditions and the drying effects of showering, many individuals apply lotion after showering and prior to getting dressed.  
           [0004]    Devices exist in the prior art to deliver soap, shampoo or conditioner via shower heads for the convenience of the user. However, these devices typically do not deliver lotion or other moisturizers to the body during showering, while avoiding undesired application of such substances to the face and hair of the user.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    A device in accordance with the present invention includes a primary shower head for delivering water during normal shower operation, a secondary shower head for delivering a mixture of water and lotion to the body at the conclusion of the shower, a diverter valve for redirecting water from the primary shower head to the secondary shower head when application of lotion is desired, a metering valve for selecting the amount of lotion applied by the second shower head, and a means for drawing lotion from a receptacle or from a container into the water flow directed to the second shower head. An important aspect of this invention includes positioning of the second shower head so as to direct the stream of water and lotion to the body while avoiding the head and particularly the face and hair. The device is constructed so that the secondary shower head is deactivated, and the normal flow path restored, when water is turned off at the conclusion of the shower, and, so that tubing supplying water to either shower head does not retain standing water when not in use. The device thereby avoids delivering a short burst of ambient temperature water when water is diverted from the primary to the secondary shower head and will always be reset for delivery of water through the primary shower head at the next instance of use. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]    [0006]FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a shower attachment unit in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 2 is a front view of the shower attachment unit of FIG. 1;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of an alternative embodiment of the device of FIGS. 1 and 2 including a removable cover;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail view of selected elements including a diverter valve coupling and an alternative reset mechanism;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 5 is a partial cross sectional view of the diverter valve coupling shown in FIG. 4;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the diverter valve coupling shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 7 is an enlarged, front, downward perspective view of the cover shown in FIG. 3;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 8 is an enlarged, front, upward perspective view of the cover of FIG. 7;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 9 is a front elevation of another alternative embodiment including means for selecting from a plurality of fluid reservoirs;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of a diverter valve;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 11 is a breakaway and partial cross sectional view of the diverter valve of FIG. 10 showing the fluid flow path to the primary shower head;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 12 is a breakaway and partial cross sectional view of the diverter valve of FIG. 10 showing the fluid flow path to the secondary shower head;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 13 is a breakaway view of the reset mechanism of FIG. 9.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0019]    Turning to a detailed description of the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a shower attachment unit  100  in accordance with the present invention including an inlet pipe  102  having threads at both proximate  103  and distal  104  ends and adapted to couple at the distal end  104  by threaded means to a conventional shower supply pipe or riser  110 . The riser  110  may by provided with an elbow  110   a  for directing a female, threaded opening toward an access hole  106   a  in the shower wall  106  (shown in phantom lines). The riser  110  is typically located behind the wall  106  of a shower and is typically connected to conventional plumbing fixtures (not shown) that provide a selected mixture of cold and hot water. In the open-frame embodiment shown in FIG. 1, an escutcheon  109  may be used to surround the inlet pipe  102  and cover the access hole  106   a.    
         [0020]    The proximate end  103  of the inlet pipe  102  is removably connected to a diverter valve coupling  112  which joins the inlet pipe  102  in fluid communication to a diverter valve  120 . In its resting state, the diverter valve  120  allows water to pass from the inlet pipe  102  through the body of the diverter valve  120 , then through a primary diverter valve outlet  122  to a primary shower head  130 , and then exit through the face  136  of the shower head  130 . The shower head typically already in place prior to installation of the device of the present invention  100  may be selected for use as the primary shower head  130 . Typically, the selected primary shower head  130  is connected to the diverter valve  120  via a primary shower head connection pipe  132 . When the diverter valve  120  is in its resting position, the primary shower head  130  functions as a conventional shower head providing only water to the body of the user.  
         [0021]    In addition to the inlet pipe  102  and the primary shower head  130 , a metering valve  140  is also in fluid communication with the diverter valve  120  through a secondary diverter valve outlet  124 . A pipe  142  or other suitable device may be used to connect the metering valve  140  to the diverter valve  120 . When the diverter valve  120  is in its activated state, water is diverted within the body of the valve  120  from flowing through the primary outlet  122  to the primary shower head  130 , to flow instead through the secondary outlet  124  to the metering valve  140 , and thence to a secondary shower head  150 . The secondary shower head  150  should be constructed so as to minimize creation of back pressure. More particularly, the secondary shower head  150  should not include flow restriction structures as used in reduced flow shower heads. As with connector  132 , one or more connectors ( 152  and  154 ) may be used to fluidly connect the secondary shower head  150  to the metering valve  140 .  
         [0022]    A supply tube  160  fluidly connects to the metering valve  140  so that when water flows through the metering valve  140  from the diverter valve  120  to the secondary shower head  150  a venturi effect is created causing a vacuum to be applied to the supply tube  160 . The supply tube  160  projects downwardly from the metering valve  140  through a cap  164  and into a selected fluid reservoir such as a bottle of body lotion  168  (shown in phantom lines). Appropriate lotions include those containing humectants such as glycerin as hydrating agents for increasing water absorption by the skin surface.  
         [0023]    A means for holding the lotion bottle  168  in position is provided by a rack  170  or other suitable device. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the rack  170  is shown as being comprised of tubular plastic including a upper portion  172  bent in a U-shape to rest upon the inlet pipe  102  and a lower portion bent outwardly and horizontally to form a support ledge  174  for a bottle shelf  176 . As shown, the bottle shelf  176  includes a vertically projecting lip  177  for further retaining the lotion bottle  168 .  
         [0024]    In addition to holding the lotion bottle  168 , the rack  170  also provides an attachment point and housing for an operating lever  180 . The operating lever  180  is used to activate the diverter valve  120 . As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the operating lever  180  is connected to the diverter valve  120  via primary  182  and secondary  184  arms.  
         [0025]    The diverter valve  120  shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is controlled by a spring bias device  200  used to hold the diverter valve  120  in a selected resting or activated state. When in the resting state, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the diverter valve  120  provides a normal flow of water to the primary shower head  130 . Upon downward motion of the operation lever  180 , the primary connecting arm  182  is raised. This upward motion is transferred to the secondary connecting arm  184  which raises a diverter valve shaft  210  via upward pressure on nut  212  fixed to the shaft  210  and located above the secondary connecting arm  184 . Resistance to this upward motion of the shaft  210  is provided by biasing spring  214  which exerts a pressure against flange  218  and a tension adjustment nut  216  that tends to drive shaft  210  downward. Downward motion of the shaft  210  returns the diverter valve  120  to the resting state.  
         [0026]    FIGS.  10 - 12  illustrate an embodiment of a diverter valve  120  that may be used to practice the present invention. FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of the diverter valve  120  showing the diverter valve inlet  126 , primary outlet  122 , secondary outlet  124  and activation channel  128 . FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate the interior of the diverter valve  120  of FIG. 10 in resting and activated states respectively. Shaft  210 , as illustrated in FIG. 1, is connected to a plunger  1210  located within the valve  120 . The plunger  1210  includes two spaced plunger gaskets  1220  and  1222 , referred to herein as the upper gasket  1220  and lower gasket  1222 .  
         [0027]    When the plunger  1210  is in a lowered position (see FIG. 11), the diverter valve  120  is in the resting state. When in the diverter valve  120  is in the resting state, a seal formed between the lower gasket  1222  and inlet baffle  1230  directs water to the primary shower head  130 , via the primary exit  122 , and prevents water from entering the secondary exit  124 . Arrows  1240   a  and  1240   b  indicate the flow path of water through the diverter valve  120  when the valve is in the resting state.  
         [0028]    When the plunger  1210  is in a raised position (see FIG. 12), the diverter valve  120  is in the activated state, and a seal formed between the lower gasket  1222  and outlet baffle  1232  sends water to the secondary shower head  150 , via the secondary outlet  124 . Arrows  1240   c  and  1240   d  indicate the flow path of water through the diverter valve  120  when the valve is in the activated state. In both the resting and activated states, the upper gasket  1220  prevents water from exiting upward through the activation channel  128 .  
         [0029]    When the plunger  1210  is raised and the valve  120  is in activated state water pressure is exerted against the lower gasket  1222 , overcoming resistance provided by the biasing spring  214 , and retaining the valve  120  in an activated state even after downward pressure on  180  is released.  
         [0030]    Upon shutting off the flow of water to the shower riser  110 , water pressure within the diverter valve  120  no longer pushes against the biasing spring  214  and, therefore, the biasing spring  214  is able to return the diverting valve  120  to its resting position. Alternatively, normal operation of the diverter valve  120  may be restored by raising the operation lever  180 , thereby manually setting the diverter valve  120  to the resting position. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the biasing spring  214  exerts a force tending to cause the diverter valve  120  to rest in a non-activated state. It is important to the function of the device that the tension applied by the biasing spring  214  be overcome by the system water pressure. Due to differences in water pressure from region to region or house to house, an adjustment knob  216  may be used so that the tension of the biasing spring  214  may be manually adjusted.  
         [0031]    When water is diverted to the metering valve  140  it passes through the valve to the secondary shower head  150  causing a venturi effect and applying vacuum to the supply tube  160 . In order to vary the amount of lotion drawn by vacuum from the lotion bottle  168  through the supply tube  160  to the metering valve  140 , the metering valve used should include an adjustment mechanism for varying the amount of vacuum. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the metering valve  140  includes vacuum release apertures  145 . Although not shown in FIG. 2, these apertures  145  are of varying diameters. By turning metering valve knob  144 , a selected aperture  145  may be exposed allowing air to enter the valve  140 , through the aperture  145 , thereby reducing the vacuum applied to supply tube  160  and the rate at which fluid is drawn from bottle  168 .  
         [0032]    The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 includes a cover  300  that rests against the shower wall  106 , rendering use of an escutcheon  109  unnecessary.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative diverter valve coupling  113  and an alternative reset mechanism  250 . The reset mechanism  250  includes a diverter valve shaft  258  projecting from the top of an associated diverter valve  120 , an outer barrel  260  threadably engaged to an inner barrel  264 , a spring  254  surrounding shaft  258 , and adjustment nut  256  threadably engaged to shaft  258 . As illustrated, inner barrel  264  is fixed to the upper surface of diverter valve  120 . When primary connecting arm  182  is raised upon engagement of the device via lever  180 , upward motion is transferred to secondary connecting arm  184  raising diverter valve shaft  258 . Resistance to the upward motion of shaft  258  is provided by biasing spring  254 , which exerts pressure against outer barrel  260  and adjustment nut  256 . Adjustment nut  256  may be moved rotatably upwards or downwards along shaft  258  to increase or decrease resistance, respectively, to the upward movement of shaft  258 . Alternatively, the resistance provided by spring  254  may be adjusted by rotating outer barrel  260  about inner barrel  264  via threads  262 , thereby compressing or releasing spring  254 .  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 5 is a partial cross sectional view of the diverter valve coupling shown in FIG. 4 showing threaded flange  115  at the end of a diverter valve  120  inlet and compression ring  114  which, when tightened against flange  115  by screwing compression fitting  113  onto flange  115 , causes a water-tight seal to form between tube  102  and the diverter valve  120  inlet.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the threaded diverter valve coupling shown in FIG. 1. In this embodiment the ends of tube  102  and the diverter valve inlet are sealed by a gasket (not shown) housed within compression nut  112 . When compression nut  112  is threaded onto the threaded end  103  of tube  102 , the tube  102  and the diverter valve inlet are drawn together and against the gasket, thereby forming a water tight seal. It should be appreciated that functional equivalents of the mechanisms shown in FIGS.  4 - 6  may be used.  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 7 is an enlarged, front, downward perspective view of the cover  300  shown in FIG. 3 showing a top surface  310 , left  312 , and right  314  sides, and a front surface including three holes  330 ,  340  and  350  for accommodating the protrusion of the primary shower head  130 , metering valve knob  144 , and secondary shower head  150 , respectively, through the front surface of the cover (see also FIGS. 1 and 3). FIG. 8 is an enlarged, front, upward perspective view of the cover of FIG. 7 showing the side and front surfaces of FIG. 7 and also a bottom surface  360  including a notch  364  for providing space for the supply tube  160  and the bottle cap  164 .  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 9 is a front elevation of an alternative embodiment including means for selecting from a plurality of fluid reservoirs (e.g.  410  and  420 ). As illustrated, supply tube  160 , depending from metering valve  140  is in further fluid communication with a switching valve  400 , commonly known in the art and typically operated via a switching lever or knob  405 . The switching valve  400  is provided so that an operator may select one of two differing fluids, as required for specific conditions, for application to the body through the secondary shower head  150 . Differing fluids may include lotions of differing scents, medication properties, or humectant properties. When the switching valve  400  is selected to position  1 , for example, fluid from bottle  410  is drawn via venturi action through associated tube  412  into switching valve  400  and then through supply tube  160  where it continues through to the metering valve  140  and exits through the secondary shower head  150  along with the stream of water. FIG. 9 also illustrates an optional position for the lever  180  on the rear of the metering valve  140 .  
         [0038]    An alternative embodiment  500  of the reset mechanism is also shown in FIG. 9 and is illustrated in further detail in FIG. 13. As illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 13, this embodiment of a reset mechanism includes a shaft and biasing spring mechanism similar to that illustrated in FIG. 1, housed in a sleeve  510 . Turning more particularly to FIG. 13, the reset mechanism  500  is mounted the top of the diverter valve  120 . The diverter valve plunger  1210  is connected to a reset mechanism shaft  520  via a coupler  530 . Alternatively, plunger  1210  may be constructed in an elongated form to incorporate the structure of shaft  520 . A tension adjustment nut  540  is threadably mounted on shaft  520  for providing a means of adjusting the compression of biasing spring  550 . A sleeve cap  560  is threadably engaged, or otherwise mounted, to a top portion of the sleeve  510 . The shaft  520  projects upward through the cap  560  and is engaged to a connecting arm  182  which is raised in the manner described above via lever  180 .  
         [0039]    It is to be understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto except insofar as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable equivalents thereof.