Abstract:
A diverter assembly includes a main body, a valve device and a movable body. The main body is hollow and has a water inlet tube and two water outlet tubes. One of the two water outlet tubes is communicated through a hose to a shower nozzle. The valve device is disposed on the main body and has a valve capable of linearly moving back and forth for steplessly communicating the water inlet tube with either or both of the water outlet tubes. The movable body is pivotally disposed at one end of the main body, and has a hole for the shower nozzle to be inserted in. Thereby, the diverter assembly can steplessly adjust the valve position for controlling the water to flow out from either or both of the water outlet tubes.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a diverter assembly for shower, and more particularly to a diverter assembly for holding a shower nozzle, and for controlling the amount of water to flow out through either or both of a shower head and a shower nozzle steplessly. 
         [0003]    2. Related Art 
         [0004]    Typical American shower appliances include a shower head fixed on a wall and a shower nozzle for a user to hold, and a diverter is disposed between the shower head and the shower nozzle for controlling the water to flow out through either or both of the shower head and the nozzle. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,299,510 discloses a holder device for a shower head and a shower nozzle as described above. The holder device includes an inlet and two outlet ports. A knob is pivotally disposed at one end of the holder device to operate a valve stem disposed inside the holder device for controlling the water flowing directions. An attaching device is disposed at the other end of the holder device for holding the shower nozzle. 
         [0006]    The two outlet ports of the holder device pass through a chamber, and the valve stem switches a valve member to positions corresponding to either one of the two outlet ports or between the two outlet ports. That is to say, when the valve stem switches the valve member to the position corresponding to one of the outlet ports, the water flows out through the other outlet port. When the valve stem switches the valve member to the position between the two outlet ports, the water flows out through both of the outlet ports. 
         [0007]    Although the above-mentioned controlling technique of the three valve stem positions satisfies basic needs of users, when the valve stem switches to the position to have the water flow out through both of the outlet ports, that is, when the water flows out through both of the shower head and the shower nozzle, users can not further adjust the amount of the water flowing out through both of the shower head and the shower nozzle. The above situation is obviously to be improved for users. 
         [0008]    On the other hand, an attaching device for the shower nozzle to be attached thereto includes a follower rotatably disposed on a partition secured to the holder device for the attaching device to be rotated along with the follower and for the opening of the attaching device to change the angle so that users can handle the shower nozzle or attach it in the holder device. 
         [0009]    However, there is nothing between the attaching device and the partition for securing the attaching device, and the securing of the attaching device comes from the friction among the follower, the attaching device and the partition. If the screw for securing the follower and the attaching device is loosen, or after being used for a long time, a wearing issue occurs among the follower, the attaching device and the partition such that the attaching device loses securing capability, resulting in the falling of the shower nozzle secured in the attaching device. The falling of the shower nozzle can result in damaging of the shower nozzle or other appliance, or more seriously, hurt users thereof. Therefore, the attaching device is needed to be improved further. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    The primary object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned issues and to provide a diverter assembly for holding a handheld shower nozzle, and for controlling the amount of water to flow out through either or both of a shower head and the shower nozzle steplessly. 
         [0011]    The secondary object of the present invention is to provide a multi-position movable body for securing the shower nozzle. 
         [0012]    For achieving the above-mentioned objects, the diverter assembly according to the present invention includes a main body, a valve device and a movable body. The main body is hollow and has a water inlet tube and two water outlet tubes. One of the two water outlet tubes is communicated through a hose to a shower nozzle. The valve device is disposed on the main body and has a valve capable of linearly moving back and forth for steplessly communicating the water inlet tube with either or both of the water outlet tubes. The movable body is pivotally disposed at one end of the main body, and has a hole for the shower nozzle to be inserted in. 
         [0013]    Accordingly, the diverter assembly can steplessly adjust the valve position for controlling the water to flow out from any of the water outlet tubes into either or both of the shower nozzle or the shower head, so as to achieve the object of steplessly adjusting the amount of water to flow out from the shower nozzle and the shower head. 
         [0014]    Furthermore, the movable body has an elastic engagement member and a plurality of meshing parts corresponding to the engagement member. The engagement member is inserted into the meshing parts to locate the movable body for securing the shower nozzle. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a shower appliance according to the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view along the III-III cross-sectional line in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional structural schematic view of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is a schematic view showing a first operating condition of the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is a schematic view showing a second operating condition of the present invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 7  is a schematic view showing a third operating condition of the present invention; and 
           [0022]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional structural schematic view of a main body and a pivotally disposed movable body in the second preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0023]    Refer to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 7 , which shows a preferred embodiment according to the present invention. 
         [0024]    Refer to  FIG. 1 , which is a schematic view of a shower appliance according to the present invention. A shower appliance usually has a water outlet tube  11  protruding on top of a wall. The water flowing out of the water outlet tube  11  is controlled by a switch  12  disposed on bottom of the wall. The diverter assembly  2  of the present invention is integrated with the water outlet tube  11 , respectively communicated with a shower head  13  and communicated with a handheld shower nozzle  15  by a hose  14 . 
         [0025]    Refer to  FIG. 2 , which is a perspective view of the present invention. The diverter assembly  2  of the present invention has a hollow main body  20 . The main body  20  has a water inlet tube  21 , a first water outlet tube  22  and a second water outlet tube  23 . A knob  24  is pivotally disposed at one end of the main body  20 . The knob  24  rotates in accordance with a valve device  3  (referring to  FIG. 4 ) disposed in the main body  20 , and the valve device  3  controls the water to flow out from the first water outlet tube  22  and the second water outlet tube  23 . 
         [0026]    A movable body  4  is pivotally disposed at one end of the main body  20  opposing the knob  24  and has a hole  41  for the shower nozzle  15  to be inserted in, and the hole  41  has an opening  411  for a user to take or hang the shower nozzle conveniently. 
         [0027]    Refer to  FIG. 2  to  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view along the III-III cross-sectional line in  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional structural schematic view of the present invention. A protruding part  25  is disposed at one end of the main body  20  opposing the knob  24  and has a ring groove  251  at an outer edge of the protruding part  25 . A container  252  is disposed at the center of the protruding part  25 . The protruding part  25  has at least one through hole  253  passing through the container  252  and the ring groove  251 . Two through holes  253  axially opposing each other are taken as an example in the present embodiment. The moveable seat  4  has a protruding ring  42  corresponding to the ring groove  251 . The protruding ring  42  has a plurality of meshing parts  421  spaced at intervals. An engagement member  43  is disposed in the container  252 , and is ring-shaped and made of an elastic material such as steel. The engagement member  43  has a protruding engagement part  431  corresponding to each through hole  253  respectively, and each engagement part  431  is protruding from the ring groove  251  and inserted in the meshing part  421  as shown in  FIG. 3  for securing the movable body  4  effectively. 
         [0028]    Refer to  FIG. 4 . The valve device  3  in the hollow main body  20  has a first sleeve  31  and a second sleeve  32  sleeved by each other. A partition A is formed between the first sleeve  31  and the second sleeve  32 , and communicates a first passage A 1  and a second passage A 2 . Three O-rings  311 ,  312  and  313  are disposed separately at an outer edge of the first sleeve  31  to form a first partition C 1 , a second partition C 2  and a third partition C 3  among the main body  20 , the first sleeve  31  and the second sleeve  32 . The first partition C 1  communicates with the water inlet tube  21 . The second partition C 2  communicates with the first water outlet tube  22 . The third partition C 3  communicates with the second water outlet tube  23 . 
         [0029]    Further, the first sleeve  31  has a first through hole  314  communicating the first passage A 1  and the second partition C 2  for the first passage A 1  to communicate with the first water outlet tube  22 . The second sleeve  32  has a fourth partition C 4  communicating with the second passage A 2  and the third partition C 3  respectively, so that the second passage A 2  communicates with the second water outlet tube  23 . 
         [0030]    A spiral sleeve  33  is slidably disposed at one end of the first sleeve  31  opposing the second sleeve  32  and integrated with an axis  34 . The axis  34  extends and passes the partition A and has a valve  35  at one section of the partition A. One end of the spiral sleeve  33  opposing the axis  34  is spirally engaged with a spiral rod  36 . The spiral rod  36  is pivotally disposed on the main body  20  by a cover  37 , and the section thereof extending out of the cover  37  is integrated with the knob  24  for the knob  24  to rotate the spiral rod  36  and further to slide the spiral sleeve  33  and the axis  34 . 
         [0031]    Further, a container D is disposed at one end of the first sleeve  31  opposing the second sleeve  32 . A sliding groove  315  is disposed respectively at two axially opposite ends of the container D. A slider  331  is disposed respectively at the spiral sleeve  33  opposing the two sliding grooves  315 . The spiral sleeve  33  can slide relative to the first sleeve  31  by the cooperating of the two sliding grooves  315  and two sliders  331 . 
         [0032]    Refer to  FIG. 5 , which is a schematic view showing a first operating condition of the present invention. When a user rotates the knob  24  to slide the spiral sleeve  33  and the axis  34  toward the second passage A 2  until the valve  35  closes the second passage A 2 , the water flows in through the water inlet tube  21  and then enters the partition A through the first partition C 1 , and then flows through the first through hole  314  and the second partition C 2  from the first passage A 1 , and is finally sprayed from the shower head  13  through the first water outlet tube  22 . 
         [0033]    Refer to  FIG. 6 , which is a schematic view showing a second operating condition of the present invention. When a user wants the water to flow out of the shower nozzle  15  and rotates the knob  24  to slide the spiral sleeve  33  and the axis  34  toward the first passage A 1  until the valve  35  closes the first passage A 1 , the water flows into through the water inlet tube  21  and then enters the partition A through the first partition C 1 , and onto the third partition C 3  through the second passage A 2  and the fourth partition C 4 , and finally into the hose  14  through the second water outlet tube  23  to be sprayed from the shower nozzle  15 . 
         [0034]    Refer to  FIG. 7 , which is a schematic view showing a third operating condition of the present invention. When a user wants the water to flow out of the shower head  13  and the shower nozzle  15  simultaneously and rotates the knob  24  to slide the spiral sleeve  33  and the axis  34  until the valve  35  is located between the first passage A 1  and the second passage A 2  and the first passage A 1  communicates with the second passage A 2 , the water flows in through the water inlet tube  21  and then enters the partition A through the first partition C 1 , and onto the partition A through the first passage A 1  and the second passage A 2 , and is finally sprayed from of the shower head  13  and the shower nozzle  15  through the first water outlet tube  22  and second water outlet tube  23 , so that the water is sprayed from the shower head  13  and the shower nozzle  15  simultaneously. 
         [0035]    If the user wants the amount of water flowing out from the shower nozzle  15  more than from the shower head  13 , the user can rotate the knob  24  to slightly slide the spiral sleeve  33  and the axis  34  toward the first passage A 1  so that the valve  35  is near the first passage A 1  and reduces the amount of water flowing from the first passage A 1  to the shower head  13  and increases the water flowing out from the shower nozzle  15 . Thereby, the location of the valve  35  is finely adjusted by the knob  34  to steplessly adjust the amount of water flowing out from the shower head  13  and the shower nozzle  15 . 
         [0036]    Moreover, the hole  41  of the movable body  4  is for the shower nozzle  15  to be inserted in, and the movable body  4  is pivotally disposed on the main body  20  and is capable of rotating and locating. Thus, the movable body  4  can pivotally rotate to adjust the angle for a user to take or hang the shower nozzle  15 . The engagement part  431  of the engagement member  43  on the movable body  4  can be inserted into any meshing part  421  of the protruding ring  42  for locating the movable body  4 , such that the shower nozzle  15  is inserted securely in the movable body  4  and prevented from dropping as occurred in the prior art. 
         [0037]    Refer to  FIG. 8 , which is a cross-sectional structural schematic view of a main body and a pivotally disposed movable body in the second preferred embodiment of the present invention. A protruding part  25 A of the main body has a ring groove  251 A, and the movable body  4 A has a protruding ring  42 A corresponding to the ring groove  251 A. A container  252 A is disposed concavely at an outer edge of the ring groove  251 A, and has an engagement member  43 A and a spring  44 A disposed therein. In a normal condition, the spring  44 A presses the engagement member  43 A to protrude from the ring groove  251 A. The protruding ring  42 A has a plurality of meshing parts  421 A corresponding to the engagement member  43 A, so that the spring force of the spring  44 A presses the engagement member  43 A to be inserted into the meshing part  421 A for locating the movable body effectively. Accordingly, the present embodiment achieves the same effect as in the first embodiment.