Patent Publication Number: US-2005116065-A1

Title: Water distributor for various spraying devices

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a water distributor, and more particularly to a water distributor for attaching to such as bathrooms, and for selectively coupling to various spraying devices.  
      2. Description of the Prior Art  
      Typically, in bathrooms, one or more shower heads are provided and coupled to a faucet which may control the water to selectively flow out through the shower heads.  
      However, the faucet may not be coupled to the other spraying devices, and thus may not supply water to the other spraying devices.  
      The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional water distributors.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a water distributor for attaching to such as bathrooms, and for selectively coupling to various spraying devices.  
      In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a water distributor comprising a housing including a bore formed therein and defined by an inner peripheral surface, and an inlet communicating with the bore thereof, for coupling to a water reservoir, and for receiving water from the water reservoir, the housing including a peripheral wall having a first opening and at least one second opening formed therein and communicating with the bore thereof, a first water outlet member coupled to the first opening of the housing, at least one second water outlet member coupled to the second opening of the housing, and a valve member rotatably received in the bore of the housing, and including an orifice formed therein and communicating with the inlet of the housing, for receiving water from the inlet of the housing, and including a side aperture formed therein and communicating with the orifice thereof, for selectively directing toward and aligning with either of the first opening or the second opening of the housing, and to allow the water to flow out through either of the first water outlet member or the second water outlet member.  
      The valve member includes a plug received in the side aperture of the valve member, for engaging with the inner peripheral surface of the housing. The valve member further includes a spring for biasing the plug to engage with the inner peripheral surface of the housing. The plug includes a peripheral recess formed therein for receiving the spring. The plug includes a peripheral bulge extended outwardly therefrom, to engage into the side aperture of the valve member, and to force-fit the plug in the side aperture of the valve member.  
      An anchor member may further be provided and attached to the housing, to rotatably retain the valve member in the bore of the housing.  
      The housing includes a peripheral fence having a notch formed therein, the anchor member includes a jut extended therefrom and engaged into the notch of the housing, to position the anchor member to the housing, and to prevent the anchor member from being rotated relative to the housing.  
      The anchor member includes a plurality of depressions formed therein, the valve member includes a spring biased projection to selectively engage into either of the depressions of the anchor member, and to position the valve member relative to the anchor member.  
      A barrel may further be provided and attached to the housing and including a peripheral flange extended inwardly therefrom, to engage with the anchor member, and to stably retain the anchor member and the valve member within the bore of the housing. The valve member includes a stem extended therefrom, and a knob attached to the stem, to rotate the stem and the valve member relative to the housing.  
      Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating a water distributor in accordance with the present invention for coupling to various spraying devices;  
       FIG. 2  is a partial exploded view of the water distributor;  
       FIG. 3  is another partial exploded view of the water distributor;  
       FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of the water distributor;  
       FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view taken along lines  5 - 5  of  FIG. 2 ;  
       FIGS. 6, 7  are cross sectional views taken along lines  6 - 6 , and  7 - 7  of  FIG. 3  respectively,  
       FIG. 8  is a plan view of an anchor member of the water distributor; and  
       FIG. 9  is a cross sectional view taken along lines  9 - 9  of  FIG. 8 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      Referring to the drawings, and initially to  FIG. 1 , a water distributor in accordance with the present invention is generally indicated with a reference numeral “ 10 ” and is attached to such as a bathroom  8 , for coupling to such as a fixed water outlet member  81  or a shower head  81 , a portable or movable water outlet member  82  or a shower head  82 , and various water outlet member or faucets or spraying devices  83 ,  84 ,  85 , for selectively distributing water through either of the shower heads  81 ,  82  or the spraying devices  83 ,  84 ,  85 .  
      Referring next to  FIGS. 2-5 , the water distributor  10  comprises a housing  20  including a bore  21  formed therein and defined by an inner peripheral surface  29 , and an inlet  22  communicating with the bore  21  thereof, for coupling to a water reservoir, and for receiving water from the water reservoir. The housing  20  includes a peripheral wall  23  having two or more openings  24  formed therein, and preferably equally spaced from each other, and communicating with the bore  21  thereof.  
      Two or more fittings or couplers  25  are attached to the openings  24  of the housing  20  respectively, for coupling the shower heads  81 ,  82  and the spraying devices  83 ,  84 ,  85  to the openings  24  of the housing  20  respectively. The housing  20  includes a peripheral fence  26  extended upwardly therefrom, and having a notch  27  formed therein.  
      As shown in  FIGS. 2, 3 ,  4 ,  6 , a valve member  30  is rotatably received in the bore  21  of the housing  20 , and includes an orifice  31  formed therein, and an aperture  32  formed in the side portion thereof and communicating with the orifice  31  thereof, for receiving water from the inlet  22  of the housing  20 , best shown in  FIG. 4 . A spring  33  and a gasket  34  and a plug  35  are received in the aperture  32  of the valve member  30 .  
      As best shown in  FIG. 7 , the plug  35  is preferably made of rubber or synthetic materials, and includes a peripheral bulge  36  extended radially and outwardly therefrom, for engaging into the aperture  32  of the valve member  30 , and for allowing the plug  35  to be force-fitted within the aperture  32  of the valve member  30 . The plug  35  includes a bore  37  formed therein, and a peripheral recess  351  formed therein for receiving or seating the spring  33 .  
      In operation, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the plug  35  may be biased and forced against the inner peripheral surface  29  of the housing  20  by the spring  33 , for allowing the plug  35  to be snugly fitted or engaged onto or against the inner peripheral surface  29  of the housing  20 , and thus for making a water tight seal between the plug  35  and the valve member  30  and the housing  20 , and for preventing the water from flowing through the contact portion between the plug  35  and the inner peripheral surface  29  of the housing  20 .  
      The plug  35  or the aperture  32  of the valve member  30  may be directed toward or aligned with either of the openings  24  of the housing  20  when the valve member  30  is rotated relative to the housing  20 , for allowing the water to be selectively distributed or supplied to either of the shower heads  81 ,  82  or the spraying devices  83 ,  84 ,  85 , via either of the openings  24  of the housing  20 .  
      The valve member  30  includes a cavity  38  formed therein ( FIGS. 3, 6 ), to receive a spring  50  and a ball or projection  51  which may be biased by the spring  50 . The valve member  30  further includes a stem  39  extended therefrom. One or more sealing rings  52 ,  53  may be engaged between the valve member  30  and the housing  20  ( FIGS. 3, 4 ), for making a water tight seal between the valve member  30  and the housing  20 .  
      As shown in  FIGS. 2-3  and  8 - 9 , an anchor member  40  includes a bore  41  formed therein to rotatably receive the stem  39  of the valve member  30 , and thus for allowing the stem  39  of the valve member  30  to be rotated relative to the anchor member  40 . The anchor member  40  may be rotatably secured onto the stem  39  of the valve member  30  with such as a retaining ring  42 .  
      The anchor member  40  further includes two or more depressions  43  formed therein, to selectively receive the spring biased projection  51  ( FIG. 4 ), and thus to position the valve member  30  to the anchor member  40  at selected or predetermined angular positions. The anchor member  40  further includes a jut  44  extended therefrom and engaged into the notch  27  of the housing  20  ( FIG. 2 ), to position the anchor member  40  to the housing  20 , and to prevent the anchor member  40  from being rotated relative to the housing  20 .  
      The anchoring or securing of the anchor member  40  to the housing  20  may be used to stably and rotatably retain the valve member  30  within the bore  21  of the housing  20 , and may be arranged to allow the plug  35  and the aperture  32  of the valve member  30  to be suitably directed toward or aligned with either of the openings  24  of the housing  20 .  
      One or more sealing rings  54  may be engaged between the valve member  30  and the anchor member  40  ( FIGS. 3, 4 ), for making a water tight seal between the valve member  30  and the anchor member  40 , and one or more sealing rings  55  may be engaged between the housing  20  and the anchor member  40  ( FIGS. 3, 4 ), for making a water tight seal between the housing  20  and the anchor member  40 .  
      A casing or a barrel  60  may be secured onto the housing  20 , such as threaded to the peripheral fence  26  of the housing  20 , and includes a peripheral flange  61  extended radially and inwardly from the middle portion thereof ( FIG. 4 ), to engage with the anchor member  40 , and thus to stably retain the anchor member  40  and thus the valve member  30  within the bore  21  of the housing  20 .  
      The barrel  60  includes a peripheral bulge  62  and an outer thread  63  formed on the outer peripheral portion thereof, a lock nut  64  and a cap  65  may be threaded onto the outer thread  63  of the barrel  60 . The cap  65  includes a peripheral flange  66  extended inwardly therefrom, to engage with the peripheral bulge  62  of the barrel  60 , and thus to secure the barrel  60  and the cap  65  together.  
      A knob  70  may be secured to the stem  39  of the valve member  30 , for rotating the stem  39  of the valve member  30  relative to the anchor member  40  and the housing  20 , and thus for aligning or directing the plug  35  and the aperture  32  of the valve member  30  toward either of the openings  24  of the housing  20 .  
      In operation, the valve member  30  may be rotated relative to the anchor member  40  and the housing  20  with the knob  70 , to suitably align or direct the plug  35  and the aperture  32  of the valve member  30  toward either of the openings  24  of the housing  20 , and thus to allow the water to be selectively distributed or supplied to either of the shower heads  81 ,  82  or the spraying devices  83 ,  84 ,  85 , via either of the openings  24  of the housing  20 .  
      The spring biased projection  51  of the valve member  30  may be biased and engaged into either of the depressions  43  of the anchor member  40 , to position the valve member  30  to the anchor member  40  and thus to the housing  20  at selected or predetermined angular positions, and to maintain the plug  35  and the aperture  32  of the valve member  30  in suitable alignment with either of the openings  24  of the housing  20 .  
      Accordingly, the water distributor in accordance with the present invention may be attached to such as bathrooms, and for selectively coupling to various spraying devices.  
      Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.