Abstract:
A shower fixture being affixed to a wall at opposite ends of an existing shower enclosure. The fixture is connected at one end to a pressurized water source utilizing an existing shower head threaded plumbing connection. A pair of generally parallel or coaxial spaced tubes present pressurized water to both ends of the fixtures at approximately equivalent pressures. The horizontal fixture is attached to at least two showerheads disposed generally at opposite ends to provide an equalized flow of water from opposite directions in the shower enclosure.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to shower fixtures. The invention more specifically provides a shower fixture which may be used to retrofit an existing shower utilizing plumbing which is in place. The invention allows the conversion of a single shower outlet to multiple shower outlets and interconnection with the existing shower fixture plumbing.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     A shower fixture is well known in a domestic setting. Shower fixtures in most homes are conventional and have a base adapted to be fixed to a wall connected to a pressurized water source, normally a domestic water supply provided by a domestic well or a municipal water supply. Normally, the metal tube has an internal connection through the base to an outlet so that pressurized water can flow from the supply through the base of the tube to a showerhead. Conventional showerheads are pivotable on the tube, usually about an outer horizontal axis at the end thereof and are connected internally at the outer axis to the one tube so that water from the one tube can flow into the head. The tube is rigid so as to support a showerhead and it can be swung in various directions at the discretion of the user depending on the preferences.  
         [0005]     With a standard conventional domestic shower configuration, there is only one outlet or a remote handheld shower accessory can be attached whereby the showerhead is either replaced or augmented by a handheld shower device which sometimes has other accessories available, such as shower massages or spray fixtures which allow adjustment.  
         [0006]     Modern luxury bathroom configurations include spa-type showers and have styles including multiple showerheads normally projecting from more than one wall of the shower enclosure. Typical configurations include showerheads positioned at various levels or heights, as well as showerheads which are projected into the showering area from opposite ends of the enclosure. This allows a more luxurious experience in that multiple points of water spray are provided to the user.  
         [0007]     The disadvantage of the more sophisticated systems that are available to the average homeowner include need to install additional plumbing, a custom enclosure, or a prefabricated plumbing device which provides for the various outlets that must all be configured in the building process or in extensive remodeling. All of these solutions requires extensive resources and simply has a higher cost to the homeowner. There is a need to have a simple device that may be applied to a conventional showerhead fixture by an average homeowner without the need to install additional plumbing or to require installation of fixtures through substantial remodeling of an existing configuration of an typical domestic shower.  
         [0008]     The present invention provides a means to retrofit a conventional showerhead fixture by utilizing the existing showerhead neck threading, applying a flexible plumbing connection means to introduce the pressurized water source into the invention which itself has two or more showerheads configured at near opposite ends of the fixture. The fixture is comprised of a lineal design similar to the shape and configuration of a conventional shower curtain rod extending horizontally from the front of the shower to the rear, and may be installed using simple screws and anchoring devices in the same fashion that one would install a shower curtain rod. Spring loading or other affixing solutions including ratchet means may be used to allow for temporary or semi-permanent installation of the fixture to an existing shower.  
         [0009]     Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide an improved multiple showerhead fixture. It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved showerhead fixture which requires connection only to existing plumbing fixtures and showerhead-threaded extension pipes without the requirement to add additional plumbing nor requires extensive renovation to incorporate the device.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     A shower fixture in accordance with the present invention is adopted to be fixed to a wall connected to a pressurized water supply utilizing connections to an existing showerhead-threaded pipe, and the associated plumbing therewith. A pair of generally parallel spaced tubes comprise a plumbing loop which can be installed on or between existing walls within an existing shower enclosure from the front to the rear end of the shower enclosure overhead, allowing two or more shower heads or other water accessories to be fed from a single existing showerhead outlet pipe. The use of a pair of generally parallel spaced tubes to feed two or more showerheads allows pressure equalization to be obtained. Use of such plumbing loop allows the rate of water flow for each showerhead in the present invention to be equal and does not require valving or adjustments to regulate the quantity of flow from each shower.  
         [0011]     The invention may be mounted using conventional hardware similar to such hardware as used for shower curtain installation, and generally is connected to the existing shower outlet by removal of an existing showerhead device from the neck threads, and threading a flexible plumbing tube from the existing neck of the showerhead device to the inlet of the dual tube pressure loop which supplies two or more shower heads or other shower accessories.  
         [0012]     In its simplest configuration the invention is a continuous plumbing loop comprised of two parallel pipes which are connected at both ends to allow pressurized fluid to flow from one end, where the fluid is introduced, to all points in the resulting plumbing loop to allow the pressure of the fluid to be largely equalized across the length of the plumbing. In the preferred embodiment, the plumbing loop is contained internally to a shroud or housing coaxially constructed around the plumbing to hide the plumbing components with a facade. Such enclosures may be adapted to provide for a more uniform and finished appearance when the device is hung across the length of a conventional shower stall or enclosure. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]      FIG. 1  is a pictorial representation of the invention without any covering decorative shroud displaying the major components in a typical configuration of the invention attached to a conventional shower in a shower enclosure.  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is a view of the invention unattached to any enclosures or feed water illustrating the connection of an optional fixture to the unused end connection point.  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a ghosted view of an embodiment of the invention illustrating the decorative shroud which would enclose the invention to provide the symmetrical or decorative appearance.  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is an end view of the invention shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0017]     And now the invention shall be described in terms of the preferred embodiment utilizing the various figures provided, wherein like-numbers in the figures refer to like-parts. Beginning at  FIG. 1 , fixture  10  is shown in its entirety without any decorative covering shrouds which might normally be applied to dress the fixture, as will be described later. In carrying out the objects of the invention, it is desirable that the length of fixture  10  be constructed such as to be the length of a standard shower enclosure much in the way that a conventional shower rod might be designed to be ready to be attached without the need to cut or adjust the length of the fixture. In a similar fashion as a shower curtain rod, fixture  10  attaches across the top of a typical shower enclosure such that it may be attached to the front and back walls using first fixture support flange  26  and the second support flange  28  as shown. The flanges support the opposing ends of the fixture so that the unit may be applied as one unit with a minimum of plumbing necessary to convert an existing shower.  
         [0018]     Upper pipe  12  is parallel to lower pipe  14  as shown such as to provide equalized pressure across the fixture when pressure is applied to a first fixture water feed end  22  as shown. In applying water to the fixture, existing shower fixture pipe  16  is connected to flexible plumbing extension  20  through the threaded shower neck  18 . In utilizing the invention, it could be appreciated that the showerhead that would normally be found in a conventional shower would be removed from the shower fixture pipe  16  such as to allow the threaded shower neck  18  to be available for connection to the plumbing extension  20 . Extension  20  is a metallic or plastic flexible pipe frequently seen in bathrooms as might be used, for example, with a removable showerhead or other type of plumbing extension. One end of plumbing extension  20  is connected to the water source at shower fixture pipe  16 , the other end continuing and being threaded into the first fixture water feed end  22  as suggested in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0019]     Since fixture  10  is symmetrical in its design, it can be seen that the opposite end of the fixture has a similar second fixture water feed end  24  which essentially is equivalent to first fixture water feed end  22 . There can be either an elbow connection or a straight line connection for both end  22  and end  24  as may be desired for a particular application. As shown in  FIG. 1 , water feed end  22  introduces water into fixture  10  and applies equal pressure across the upper pipe  12  and lower pipe  14  to eliminate or reduce pressure drop between the multiple outlets as shall be described. Water flows from the feed end  22  up first connecting pipe  34  as well as down lower pipe  14  to provide water pressure to both showerhead outlet  30  and showerhead outlet  32 . By providing the loop or parallel pipe configuration shown in the various figures, the water pressure presented to the water fixtures or outlets opposite the feed end of the fixture is equalized as much as practical to provide for an even rate of water flow from each of the fixtures.  
         [0020]     In  FIG. 1 a  typical configuration where there are identical showerheads  40  and  42  connected to lower pipe  14  is presented. Upper pipe  12  presents water pressure from first fixture water feed end  22 , through first connecting pipe  34  and ultimately through second connecting pipe  36  to present water pressure to the second showerhead outlet  32  such as to equalize the flow rates of each fixture.  
         [0021]      FIG. 2  is an illustration of the invention further utilizing the second fixture water feed end  24  to attach a third water fixture, in this case shower wand  38 . Since it is only necessary to feed the fixture from either end as can be appreciated by one skilled in the art of plumbing, the unused feed end may be attached to a convention fixture to provide for the extra outlet as presented in  FIG. 2 . While it is, of course, possible to present feed water to both first and second feed ends, this type of plumbing is normally not available in conventional residential shower areas and ultimately would not be necessary except when high water flow rates are desired and if such plumbing feed outlets are available at opposite ends of the shower stall. It is contemplated that normally the invention would be applied in such shower stalls and residential applications in which there is only a single shower outlet  16  as shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0022]     Many times it would be desirable to have fixture  10  dressed in a more appropriate cover facade such as to hide the internal plumbing.  FIG. 3  presents the invention showing a typical plastic or metal cover for the fixture such as to allow fixture shroud  44  to telescope into first shroud end  46  and second shroud end  48  as shown. Shroud  46  and  48  are attached to first shroud flange  50  and second shroud flange  52  which secures the entire shroud and the internal plumbing fixture. Shroud end  46  and  48  are clamped down onto fixed shroud  44  as shown, being secured by the tightening of shroud set screws  54 . Set screws  54  can also be used to level shroud  44  in the event that there are minor differences in the height of the flange attached to first end  46  and second end  48  as shown. The internal plumbing in this configuration is slightly different as to accommodate the decorative shroud, while having essentially the same threaded outlets and supply pipe attachment points.  
         [0023]     In the configuration suggested in  FIG. 3  it can be appreciated that first fixture water feed end  22  and second fixture water feed end  24  exit downward to present the connection ends for flexible plumbing extension  20  and the possible attachment of a third optional fixture  38 .  
         [0024]      FIG. 4  is an end view of the finished configuration of fixture  10  shown in  FIG. 3 . The end view provided in  FIG. 4  shows a typical flange connected to first shroud end  46  and second shroud end  48  allowing said sections to be placed at opposite ends of the shower stall to be converted with the present invention. Fixed shroud  44  is placed around the internal plumbing which comprise fixture  10  such as shown. The materials used to construct the shroud as shown may be of a variety of plastics or metal if desired. PVC pipe works well and is easily machined to provide holes or slots for the fittings and fixture extensions to protrude through the shroud to allow connection as shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 . Any such shroud materials may be used to visually isolate the internal workings of the invention such as to present a more pleasing or finished end product.  
         [0025]     The embodiment shown in  FIG. 3  can be modified to allow for ratchet or spring loaded mounting mechanisms to compress the shrouding such as to provide force to be applied against the supporting walls to hold the fixture in a temporary mounting situation. Such mechanisms have been applied to shower curtain rods which are spring loaded and may be affixed in position without screws or nails, allowing them to be removed easily. The present invention may use the same installation methods, incorporating rubber ends to enhance friction in contact with the walls and ratchet and/or spring mechanisms to apply outward force to hold the fixture in position.  
         [0026]     Although the invention has been described in accordance with the preferred embodiment, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the application of the present invention is useful in a variety of configurations and designs not specifically described above. All such designs and applications are considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure, and the invention is applicable across a wide variety of applications. Such applications are considered within the scope and spirit of the present invention.