Abstract:
An improved shower soap dispenser for use with liquid soap, gels and body washes. It consists of a soap storage reservoir, main body containing control valves that intersects and connects directly to a conventional shower pipe and shower head. It mixes an adjustable amount of liquid soap with air into the flowing water. Its improved main valve, through incorporation of a truncated cone, provides greater vacuum and water flow to make it compatible with a wider range of water pressure and soap density and viscosity. The improved main valve also provides the capability for the user to clean out water passages of the dispenser without disassembly or removing any parts.

Description:
[0001]    This is a continuation in part of application Ser. No. 12/657,992 filed Feb. 2, 2010. The present application relates to U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,076 to Bishop which is fully incorporated herein by reference, including all figures and referenced elements of that invention. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to soap dispenser apparatuses for attachment to conventional shower pipe and shower heads used in showers and in particular to valves used in liquid soap dispenser apparatuses. One such invention is U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,076. The liquid soaps range from thin liquids to thick gels with a wide range of viscosity causing problems for devices in which the soap is to be mixed into a water flow. Devices utilizing valves to mix the soap into a water stream that must be capable of working with all of these types of soaps. 
         [0003]    Any debris present in water flowing through a device may become lodged in any restricted passages of the device. If the debris is large enough to become trapped in a shower device it could restrict the flow of water through the device. Devices which provide a valve clean-out capability provide unique advantages over devices lacking such a feature. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    The present invention is directed to a improved main valve element for a soap dispenser having an essentially cylindrical form, and mounted so that it can rotate within the main valve cavity. An embodiment of the main valve element comprises a metering passage and a straight through passage to control the water flow and the mixing of water and soap. 
         [0005]    An embodiment of the metering passage comprises an inlet section, a mixing intersection and an outlet section. The metering passage inlet section has a cross-sectional area smaller than the cross-sectional area of the metering passage outlet section. The metering passage mixing intersection separates the metering passage inlet and outlet section. The metering passage extends approximately diametrically through the main valve element and is positioned so that when the main valve element is rotated to a soap position the metering passage inlet section is aligned with a dispenser body inlet passage and the metering passage outlet section is aligned with a dispenser body outlet passage. When the main valve element is rotated to a cleaning position the metering passage inlet section is aligned with the dispenser body outlet passage and the metering passage outlet section is aligned with the dispenser body inlet passage. 
         [0006]    The straight-through passage consists of an inlet and an outlet, and extends through the main valve element at approximately its diameter. It communicates with the metering passage at the mixing intersection. The metering passage outlet section extends into the straight-through passage approximately one-half of the diameter of the straight-through passage in the shape of a truncated cone with the base of the cone at the circumference of the straight-through passage and the top of the cone opening at the intersection. A soap supply passage is positioned so that when the main valve element is rotated to the soap position the straight-through passage communicates with the soap supply passage, and when the main valve element is rotated to a rinse position the straight-through passage communicates with the body inlet passage and the body outlet passage. When the main valve element is rotated to a off-trickle position the straight-through passage inlet section is aligned so that it communicates with the dispenser body inlet at a straight-through passage inlet notch, and the straight-through passage outlet section is aligned so that it communicates with the dispenser body outlet section at a straight-through passage outlet notch. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1A  shows a front view of an embodiment of the shower soap dispenser; 
           [0009]      FIG. 1B  shows a right side view of an embodiment of the shower soap dispenser with extension handle; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2A  shows a right side view of an embodiment of the shower soap dispenser with selector handle in the soap position; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2B  shows a right side view of an embodiment of the shower soap dispenser with selector handle in the off-trickle position; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2C  shows a right side view of an embodiment of the shower soap dispenser with selector handle in the rinse position; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2D  shows a right side view of an embodiment of the shower soap dispenser with selector handle in the clean-out position; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3A  shows a sectional view from the right side of an embodiment of the shower soap dispenser body with the main valve element in the soap position; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3B  shows a sectional view from the right side of an embodiment of the shower soap dispenser body with the main valve element in the off-trickle position; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3C  shows a sectional view from the right side of an embodiment of the shower soap dispenser body with the main valve element in the rinse position; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3D  shows a sectional view from the right side of an embodiment of the shower soap dispenser body with the main valve element in the clean-out position; 
           [0018]      FIG. 4A  shows a side view of the main valve element from the metering passage outlet section side in an embodiment of the shower soap dispenser; 
           [0019]      FIG. 4B  shows a side view of the opposing side of the main valve element as shown in  FIG. 4A  from the metering passage outlet section side in an embodiment of the shower soap dispenser; 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  shows a side view of the main valve element from the metering passage inlet section side in an embodiment of the shower soap dispenser; 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  shows a section view of  FIG. 5  along the line  6 - 6 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  shows a side view of the main valve from the straight-through passage inlet side in an embodiment of the shower soap dispenser; 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  shows a section view of the main valve of  FIG. 7  along the line  9 - 9 ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 9  shows a section view of the main valve of  FIG. 7  along the line  8 - 8 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0025]    Various embodiments of the invention are directed to an improved shower soap dispenser for liquid soaps. The improved main valve element of the shower soap dispenser incorporates features to work in an extremely wide variety of water pressures while still delivering an exceptional and desirable flow of water. 
         [0026]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  show an embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment a water supply is connected to a water supply inlet  7  creating a water flows through a dispenser body  13  to a water supply outlet  8  to which is connected a shower head  6 . Soap is contained in a reservoir  10  and introduced into the water flow inside the dispenser body  13 . A soap valve  3  controls the amount of soap which is mixed into the water flow to suit individual user preferences and to accommodate different viscosities of liquid soap. An air valve  4  controls the amount of air which is introduced into the soap before it is mixed with the water flow. A selector handle  49  controls the mode of operation of the dispenser. This embodiment includes an extension lever  55  which communicates with the selector handle  49  to enable easier operation of the dispenser by disabled individuals. 
         [0027]    An embodiment of the dispenser has four modes of operation which are controlled by the selector handle  49  and shown in  FIGS. 2A ,  2 B,  2 C, and  2 D. The four modes of operation are a “soap” mode, an “off-trickle” mode, a “rinse” mode, and a “clean-out” mode.  FIG. 2A  shows the selector handle  49  in the soap mode of operation.  FIG. 2B  shows the selector handle  49  in the off-trickle mode of operation.  FIG. 2C  shows the selector handle  49  in the rinse mode of operation.  FIG. 2D  shows the selector handle  49  in the clean-out mode of operation. 
         [0028]    In the soap mode of operation the dispenser adds soap into the water stream allowing it to be showered, already lathered or “sudsed”, onto the user. Since the user is applying soap and does not want to have it immediately washed off, the water flow in this position is reduced. This has the additional benefit of saving water and soap in comparison with the usual practice of running the water at a high rate even when soap is being manually applied. 
         [0029]    In the off-trickle mode of operation water flow is reduced to a trickle. This allows the user to wash with the water flow stopped, again saving both water and soap, but immediately restoring water flow at the precisely set volume and temperature setting when the user wishes to do so. 
         [0030]    In the rinse mode of operation, water is delivered unimpeded to the shower head  6 . Water flow volume is returned to normal. 
         [0031]    The clean-out mode of operation allows the user to use the water flow to flush out small debris that may have entered the dispenser body  13  in the soap mode and that could potentially reduce the flow of water and the operation of the dispenser. 
         [0032]      FIGS. 3A ,  3 B,  3 C, and  3 D show sectional views looking at the right side of the dispenser body  13 , with the plane of the section taken from top to bottom of the dispenser body  13  separating a right side and a left side of the dispenser body. The water stream enters the dispenser body  13  at the water supply inlet  7 , flows through an dispenser body inlet passage  16  to a main valve cavity  14  in which is located a main valve element  61 , continues to flow through the main valve element  61 , exiting the main valve cavity  14  into an dispenser body outlet passage  17 , and then exits the dispenser body at the water supply outlet  8 . 
         [0033]    The main valve cavity  14  and main valve element  61  cooperate to control the flow of water, i.e., whether it is “ON” or “OFF”, and the mode of operation of the dispenser. The various modes of operation of the dispenser are selected by rotation of the main valve element  61  to precise positions with respect to passageways in the dispenser body  13 . The main valve element  61  has four positions corresponding to the four modes of operation of the dispenser. 
         [0034]      FIG. 3A  shows an embodiment of the invention where the orientation of the main valve element  61  in the dispenser body  13  for the soap mode of operation. In this mode of operation, water flows through the main valve element  61  and mixes with liquid soap and air drawn into the water stream by siphon from the soap reservoir  10  through a soap supply passage  19 . This is accomplished in the main valve element  61  by interactions between a metering passage and a straight-through passage  62 . The metering passage comprises an inlet section  59 , a mixing intersection  63  and an outlet section  60 . The straight-through passage comprises an inlet section and an outlet section. The two passages are oriented perpendicular to each other and communicate at the mixing intersection  63 . The metering passage outlet section  60  extends into the straight-through passage  62  in the shape of a truncated cone  58 . The base of the truncated cone  58  is located at the outer diameter of the straight-through passage  62 , and the top of the truncated cone  58  is located approximately at the center axis of the straight-through passage  62  and communicates with the metering passage mixing intersection  63 . 
         [0035]    An important function of the main valve element  61  is the provision of a venturi tube for the formation of a siphon. The metering passage inlet section  59  has a cross-sectional area that is less than the dispenser body inlet passage  16  and the metering passage outlet section  60 . As water flows into the metering passage inlet section the volume is restricted and the water flow is concentrated. When the water flow reaches the metering passage mixing intersection  63 , the passage cross-sectional area increases, creating a venture effect and resulting vacuum at the mixing intersection  63 . The combination of the restricted diameter of the metering passage inlet section  59 , the mixing intersection  63 , and the proximity of the metering passage outlet section  60  to the metering passage inlet section  59  produce a venturi tube which can siphon liquid soap, or a mixture of liquid soap and air through straight through passage  62 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 6  shows section  6  of  FIG. 5  in an embodiment of the invention and demonstrates the relationship of the metering passage inlet section  59 , the mixing intersection  63  and the metering passage outlet section  60 . The straight-through passage  62  communicates with the soap supply passage  19 . The metering passage outlet section  60  extends into the straight through passage  62  to reduce the distance across the mixing intersection  63  between the metering passage inlet section  59  and outlet section  60 . The protrusion of the metering passage outlet section  60  into the straight-through passage  62  is in the shape of a truncated cone  58 , with the base of the cone at the wall of the straight-through passage  62  and the top of the cone at the mixing intersection  63 .  FIGS. 6 and 7  show the truncated cone  58  in an embodiment of the invention as it extends the metering passage outlet section  60  into the straight-through passage  62 .  FIG. 8  shows a section view of the orientation of the metering passage outlet section  60  in an embodiment of the invention as it communicates with the straight-through passage  62 .  FIG. 9  shows a sectional view of the orientation of metering passage inlet section  59  in an embodiment of the invention as it communicates with straight-through passage  62 . 
         [0037]      FIG. 3B  shows the orientation of the main valve element  61  in the dispenser body  13  for the off-trickle mode of operation in an embodiment of the invention. In this mode of operation the flow of water through the main valve element  61  is reduced to a trickle.  FIGS. 4A and 4B  show a straight-through passage inlet side notch  56  and a straight-through passage outlet side notch  57  in an embodiment of the invention that are located at the inlet and outlet ends respectively of the straight-through passage  62 . These notches communicate with dispenser body inlet passage  16  and outlet passage  17  allowing a very reduced flow of water through the dispenser body  13 . 
         [0038]      FIG. 3C  shows the orientation of the main valve element  61  in the dispenser body  13  in an embodiment of the invention for the rinse mode of operation. In this mode of operation the straight-through passage  62  is oriented so that the inlet end of the straight through passage  62  communicates with the dispenser body inlet passage  16  and the outlet end of the straight-through passage  62  communicates with the dispenser body outlet passage  17 .  FIGS. 7 ,  8 , and  9  show the straight-through passage  62  in embodiments of the invention. 
         [0039]      FIG. 3D  shows the orientation of the main valve element  61  in the dispenser body  13  in an embodiment of the invention for the clean-out mode of operation. In this mode of operation, the main valve element  61  is oriented  180  degrees from its position in the soap mode of operation so that the metering passage inlet section  59  communicates with the dispenser body outlet passage  17  and the metering passage outlet section  60  communicates with the dispenser body inlet passage  16 . The flow of water is in the reverse direction through the metering passage so that the flow of water can dislodge any debris that may have entered the metering passage inlet section  59  in the soap mode of operation. 
         [0040]    Although particular embodiments have been described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in art that the present invention is not limited merely to those embodiments shown. Many variations and modifications can be made without departure from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the materials, the particular shapes, and the arrangement of the body and the shape and arrangements of the valves, as well as their particular locations, can be changed from those which are specifically illustrated. These and other variations are specifically contemplated. Accordingly, variation of the preferred form and the particulars as described for the present invention may be undertaken without departure from the scope of the invention which is defined only by the claims which follow.