Patent Publication Number: US-6209799-B1

Title: Shower device having a resiliently depressible jet disk for removing mineral deposits

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/120,543, filed Jul. 22, 1998 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,113,002. 
    
    
     FIELD OF USE AND PRIOR ART 
     The invention relates to a shower device having a flexible, flat jet or spray disk. 
     Shower devices with a flat jet disk are very widely used. U.S. Pat. No. 3,383,050 discloses a shower head, which has a flexible jet disk for adjusting the shower jets. The convexity can be varied by means of a central screw. A similar jet disk is described in DE-OS 2 235 217. 
     German utility model 79 04 756 discloses a shower having an elastically deformable jet disk. As a result of the deformability of the jet disk, it can be zonally, manually pressed in, permitting the detachment of disturbing lime deposits on its surfaces and in the vicinity of water passage channels formed by holes. As a result of the pressing in of the jet disk, the latter is deformed to such an extent that deposits are detached and can be flushed away. 
     Besides impairing the optical impression of the shower, lime deposits suffer from the disadvantage of clogging and even blocking the water passage channels, so that in certain circumstances the operation of the shower can be very significantly impaired. In addition, lime and other deposits are not hygienic. 
     PROBLEM AND SOLUTION 
     The problem of the invention is to provide a shower device in which lime and other deposits can be easily and reliably removed. 
     This problem is solved by a shower device having a flexible, flat spray or jet disk, in which at least one surface zone of the jet disk is curved outwards and on exceeding a specific pressing in force exerted thereon springs round suddenly with the curvature inwards into an area located behind it and on relieving the force automatically springs back into the starting position. 
     These springing or jumping processes during a deformation of the jet disk bring about, in addition to the deformation of the latter, both acceleration forces and also a vibration of said jet disk. As a result of the special nature of the invention, three factors aid a detachment of lime or other deposits. In particular, the vibration of the jet disk and the complete shower device brings about a detachment of rigid lime deposits in the vicinity of the jet disk. The jet disk can be given widely differing shapes and in particular contours. As a result of the springing out of the jet disk, it is ensured that it automatically returns in all cases to the starting position. 
     In order to permit a deliming of the shower device according to the invention without great effort and expenditure for a user, the at least one surface zone can be pressed in with one finger. This can e.g. take place during the use of the shower device, so that detached lime or other deposits are flushed by the shower water out of the shower device. To facilitate the initiation of the deliming process, the surface of the jet disk and in particular the at least one surface zone which can be pressed in, can be larger than a finger tip. 
     Advantageously, a jet disk has a clearly defined contact surface for the application of a force, e.g. by finger pressure. The contact surface is preferably smaller than the surface zone and in particular has a diameter, which is somewhat less than half the diameter of the surface zone. The contact surface can have a random shape. 
     In a preferred development of the invention, a jet disk is provided with at least one material weakening, particularly along a substantially closed line. The material weakening can extend over a width roughly located in the vicinity of the average thickness of the jet disk and can be produced in various ways. 
     Advantageously, the wall thickness of the material weakening, particularly a material thinning, is in a range between 10 and 60% of the average jet disk thickness and is preferably approximately 30%. Such a material weakening permits a clearly defined springing round of the domed jet disk. The material weakening is preferably constructed as a film hinge. 
     It is also possible to have the material weakening along a line through recesses or holes along said line.As a result of the spacing and diameter of said holes, it is possible to vary the material weakening. As a result of the design possibilities for the material weakening, it is possible to influence the springing round of at least one surface zone of the jet disk both with respect to its surface area and with respect to the springing round process. 
     The shower device can have a solid component, which is outwardly connected to an outer material weakening, particularly of the jet disk. It preferably frames the jet disk. In order to give the jet disk the necessary strength, said component can be constructed in a particularly torsionally strong manner, e.g. by a wall thickness, which is considerably greater than the average thickness of the jet disk. The construction of the shower device is simplified if the solid component is directly connected to the material weakening. The solid component serves as a type of frame, which contains both the jet disk and material weakening, as well as in particular absorbing the forces occurring during its deformation, especially those occurring roughly radially without giving way thereto. 
     For a compact and in particular stable construction of the shower device, the jet disk is preferably connectable or connected to the solid component. In particularly advantageous manner both are constructed in one piece as an assembly, which facilitates manufacture, installation and handling. 
     In a preferred development of the invention, the jet disk is made from plastic, preferably a thermoplastic. As a result the jet disk can be produced by injection moulding. The flexibility of the jet disk is obtained by its construction with a limited wall thickness. Through the use of a plastics material, a construction of the jet disk is obtained with a film hinge in the form of the material weakening, which surrounds at least one inwardly pressable surface zone. The latter is variable along said film or ring hinge in its position relative to the remaining shower device, particularly the solid component. 
     The solid component can have a cylindrical pipe section, which is preferably connectable to a shower casing. A one-piece construction of the component with the pipe section is considered particularly advantageous. The connection to the shower casing is e.g. possible via a screw thread. The solid component can have a solid flange externally connected to the jet disk and which is preferably connectable to the shower casing. Such a flange improves the stability of the component, particularly with respect to radial forces emanating from the jet disk during the pressing in or back process. 
     Advantageously, the material weakening is annular. It can have a diameter of approximately 10 to 60 mm, a diameter of approximately 20 to 40 mm being considered particularly favourable. 
     Advantageously, the jet disk has an average wall thickness of approximately 0.4 to 1 mm, particularly approximately 0.7 mm. Such a material thickness is considered to give adequate flexibility in the case of the preferably used plastics. It gives the jet disk the necessary strength for use in a shower device. Thus, the jet disk can withstand the force exerted by an unknowing or careless user, which is a multiple of the pressing in force preferably used on pressing in. 
     The material thickness of the material weakening is preferably between 0.1 and 0.5 mm, particularly between 0.2 and 0.3 mm. This allows a clear reduction in the wall thickness of the material, limited to a small width, in the vicinity of the material weakening, compared with the remainder of the jet disk and accompanied by the formation of a film hinge. If, in an alternative construction, the material weakening is in the form of a perforation, the wall thickness in the vicinity of the webs of the surrounding material between the holes, can roughly correspond to the material thickness of the jet disk. 
     It is considered advantageous for the function and handling of the shower device for the contact surface to be positioned within the material weakening and preferably the surface centres are close to one another or may coincide. In this way a precise and uniform snapping round of the pressed in surface zone of the jet disk is obtained, because the radial forces caused when applying a pressing in force are distributed roughly uniformly along the material weakening. 
     The jet disk can be rotationally symmetrically shaped or made and preferably maintains said rotational symmetry both in the starting position and the maximum inwardly curved state. Preferably, the rotational symmetry is also maintained during a correctly performed pressing in or back process. In the manner of a click stop, the jet disk, in a particularly preferred embodiment, not only suddenly springs round, but produces as a result of said sudden springing round a preferably clicking noise. This noise indicates to a user, that the jet disk is springing round and lime and other deposits are blown off. Thus there is an acoustic back indication concerning the springing round process. 
     The contact surface is preferably provided with a stiffening or the like, which can in particular be in the form of a stiffening ring or rib. The stiffening aids the uniform springing round and in particular the automatic springing back of a pressed in jet disk. If the stiffening is on the outside of the contact surface, particularly in the form of a rib, it can serve as a centring aid for a finger applied to the contact surface, so that the pressing in force takes place intuitively at the optimum point for the snapping round process. 
     The contact surface preferably has a diameter of approximately 5 to 15 mm, particularly approximately 10 mm. This size range is particularly suitable for the intuitive feeling with the finger and for an adequately precisely defined application of the pressing in force. 
     In a preferred development, the contact surface is not curved outwards. It can be zonally or sectionwise planar or curved inwards. 
     Water passage channels for the water flowing through the shower device are preferably formed by holes within the material weakening, particularly also within the contact surface. The holes can have different configurations, e.g. different cross-sectional shapes or diameters. In this way, the water can be split up into a plurality of water jets, created as a function of the design of the water passage channels. It is also possible to have massage jets, which are in particular discharged discontinuously with a high exit speed from the jet disk. The holes can be arranged in a random manner, but preferably in concentric rows. The centre of the concentric rows can coincide with the axis of symmetry of a rotationally symmetrical jet disk. The holes of one row can be displaced with respect to the holes of neighbouring rows. 
     In a preferred development of the invention, in a central area, particularly a circular and preferably uninterrupted central area, the jet disk can be inwardly curved. This central area can be located in the centre of the jet disk or the contact surface. Such a curved central area centres the pressing in force applied by finger pressure by the user. The snapping round process of the jet disk is improved by said central area, because through the inward curvature thereof, the jet disk material surrounding it, on exceeding a springing round point, is automatically curved inwards with a specific pitch. Preferably, the central area has a diameter of 1 to 8 mm and with particular advantage approximately 4 mm. The vertical clearance of the centre of said central curvature over the plane of the contact surface is between 0.2 and 0.8 mm, particularly approximately 0.5 mm. The material thickness in the vicinity of the central curvature is roughly the average thickness of the jet disk. The inwardly curved central area is preferably free from holes. 
     Preferably, the at least one domed surface zone or the jet disk in the starting position has no pretension. As a result of the relieved position of the jet disk, it maintains its position optimized for the normal shower process, in the absence of external influences. A springing back from the pressed in state by removing the pressing in force, takes place in a particularly defined and established manner, if the jet disk can spring back into a position, where it is exposed to no significant force influences. 
     An outward curvature of the at least one surface zone can preferably amount to approximately 2 to 15% of the surface zone diameter, i.e. the vertical clearance of the curvature maximum over the plane of the material weakening is consequently roughly this surface zone diameter proportion. With particular advantage the figure is 7 to 10%. 
     A curvature of the at least one surface zone following the inward pressing in can be roughly the same as the outward extension of the curvature. A springing round between two such positions produces a jump or click action, which is looked upon as adequately fulfilling the many advantages of the invention with respect to lime removal. The jump or click occurs in a force maximum passed during each springing round. The path of the curvature, in particular the significantly conically tapering part of the jet disk, can form an angle of approximately 10° with the plane of the material weakening. 
     The pressing in force for a surface zone is preferably between 10 and 120 N, particularly between 30 and 90 N and with particular advantage approximately 77 N. This is looked upon as a force range, in which on the one hand the force can be applied without significant effort by finger pressure by a user and on the other where a snapping round process adequately removing lime deposits is achieved. A restoring force of the surface zone is between 5 and 60 N, particularly approximately between 10 and 50 N and with particular advantage at approximately 45 N. 
     In a preferred development of the invention, the jet or spray disk can be made from a halogen-free thermoplastic with a dimensional stability up to 100° C., preferably up to 120° C., e.g. of polyoxymethylene or polypropylene. Its modulus of elasticity is between 800 and 1600 N/mm , preferably at approximately 1200 N/mm , and is considered advantageous for the design and use of the jet disk in a shower device. These plastics can be produced with a very smooth surface, which makes it difficult for deposits to form and facilitates the removal thereof by a snapping round process according to the invention. 
     The shower device is preferably constructed as a shower head, particularly as a head or side shower, for connection to a fixed wall connection, which is directionally adjustable in a certain range by means of a spherical joint and has a circular jet disk, whose diameter is approximately 26 mm. 
     These and further features can be gathered from the claims, description and drawings and the individual features, both singly and in random subcombinations, can be implemented in an embodiment of the invention and in other fields and can represent advantageous, independently protectable constructions for which protection is hereby claimed. The subdivision of the application into individual sections and subheadings in no way restrict the general validity of statements made thereunder. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     An embodiment of the invention is described hereinafter relative to the drawings, wherein show: 
     FIG. 1 A section through an inventive shower device with a jet disk having water passage channels. 
     FIG. 2 A view from below of the shower device with a jet disk positioned centrally in a flange. 
     FIG. 3 A section through the lower part of a shower device according to FIG. 1 with a jet disk curved inwards by a pressing in force. 
     FIG. 4 A deflection-pressing in force diagram, which in exemplified manner shows a configuration of a force to be applied to the jet disk relative to the deflection as a path. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIG. 1 shows in section a shower device  11  constructed as a shower head according to the invention, which has a conically widened casing  12 . In said casing  12  is placed in partly countersunk manner a substantially spherical joint  13 , which passes upwards into a substantially cylindrical socket  14 . In the interior of said socket  14  there is a thread  15 , into which can be screwed a connecting piece  16  provided with a matching counterthread. This connecting piece  16  provided with a through bore can e.g. be a water connection for a head shower projecting out of a wall. Shower water, which can have a temperature desired by a user as a result of an upstream mixer battery or the like, passes through the hollow connecting piece  16  into the joint  13  having a through bore. The connection between the connecting piece  16  and the socket  14  can be sealed to the outside by a sealing washer  17 . The bore  18  through the spherical joint  13  can be stepped with decreasing bore diameters as from the socket  14  shaped in one piece therewith. As a result it is possible to introduce into the joint  13  inserts or the like, which can be held by the projecting shoulders of the tapering bore diameter against the water pressure occurring from above in FIG.  1 . 
     From below, the joint  13  is inserted through an opening  19  in the casing  12  with the socket  14  at the front. The diameter of the opening  19  somewhat exceeds that of the socket  14 , but is slightly less than the diameter of the preferably rotationally symmetrical joint  13 . Thus, the joint  13  strikes against the circumferential rim of the opening  19 . For sealing the connection between the joint  13  and the casing  12 , a toroidal sealing ring  21  is placed in a groove  20 , which downwardly passes round the opening  19  following onto the casing  12 . It is preferably made from rubber or the like. The toroidal sealing ring  21  is held in the groove  20  formed by striking against both an upper rim of a cup-shaped insert  22  and against an upper rim of a cylindrical pipe section  23 . As a result the cylindrical pipe section  23  surrounds the cup-shaped insert  22 , the walls of the two parts being at least zonally in contact. By means of a projecting shoulder in the inner wall of the pipe section  23 , which engages in a corresponding diameter reduction of the outer wall of the insert  22  in frictional manner, the insert  22  is pressed by the pipe section  23  against the toroidal sealing ring  21 . 
     Moreover, as a result of a conically, downwardly tapering internal diameter in the upper region, the insert  22  has a contact zone  24 , which engages on the outside diameter of the joint  13 . Thus, the joint  13  is firmly seated in the casing  12  and has neither an axial, nor a radial free motion. However, it can be turned or pivoted within a certain range about the centre of its spherical outer face, the exit opening of the joint  13  remaining completely free in each pivoting position. Through the opening of the stepped bore  18  in the joint  13 , the shower water passes out downwards and into the cup-shaped insert  22 . The latter is provided with a ring of holes  25 , made centrally in the insert. The diameter of said ring  25  is larger than that of the opening of the bore  18  in the downwards direction. In the space between the insert  22  and the joint  13 , it is possible to calm down the shower water, in order to finally pass through the ring of holes  25  in the downwards direction and in a substantially calmed state. 
     In the downwards direction is connected to the cylindrical pipe section  23  a substantially vertically projecting flange  27 , which engages at its outer end on the casing  12 . A thin-walled jet disk  28  is inwardly contained in the pipe section  23 . The three parts are shaped in one piece, as an assembly, by injection moulding from a thermoplastics material. The transition between the pipe section  23  and the jet disk  28  is formed by a material weakening  29 , which surrounds the circular jet disk  28 . In its outer region, the roughly conically, outwardly curved jet disk  28  has an inclination to the plane of the material weakening  29  of approximately 10°. In this substantially, slightly conical region, the jet disk  28  has three rows of concentric holes  31 , which essentially form the water passage channels for the shower device  11 . Following onto the same, the jet disk passes into a region forming a contact surface  32 . In its outer region, it runs substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis  30 . At the transition between the bevelled region with the holes  31  and the contact surface  32  is formed an all-round stiffening ring  33  on the underside or outside of the jet disk  28 . 
     A central region  34  of the contact surface  32  is curved inwards. This central region  34  is surrounded by a ring of holes  35 , but does not itself have any holes. To it can be applied an injection access, which cannot be felt with the finger as a result of the depression in the curvature. 
     Shower water coming from above out of the insert  22  passes through the jet disk holes  31  and  35  out of the shower device  11 . The holes  31  and  35  can be made in the jet disk  28  in such a way that they transform the shower water passing through them into shower jets, which can be oriented within a certain range as a function of the design thereof. The holes  31  and  35  can be given different configurations for obtaining different types of shower jets and this more particularly applies to their diameter and direction through the jet disk  28 . 
     The pipe section  23  is connected to the casing  12  by means of an external thread  36  on the pipe section, which can be screwed into a corresponding thread on the inside of the casing  12 . With a conical construction of the casing  12  according to FIG. 1, the internal thread  37  of the casing  12  can be formed as an additional cylindrical portion on the casing. The pipe section  23  can be screwed into the casing  12  to such an extent that, together with the insert  22 , it engages frictionally on the toroidal sealing ring  21 . To facilitate the screwing of the pipe section  23  into the casing  12 , in the flange  27  can be provided attachment possibilities for tools. In FIG. 1 they are constructed in the form of cup-shaped, substantially cylindrical depressions  38  in the form of blind holes. 
     The average wall thickness of the spray or jet disk  28  is approximately 0.7 mm, but is only approximately 0.2 mm in the vicinity of the material weakening. The width of the film hinge formed by the material weakening  29  is approximately 0.5 to 1 mm and roughly corresponds to the material thickness of the jet disk  28 . The circumferential stiffening ring  33  has a maximum material thickness of approximately 1.2 mm and with a semicircular cross-section can be mounted quasi-externally on the jet disk. The diameter of the contact surface is approximately 10 mm, the diameter of the upwardly curved central region being approximately 4 mm. The curvature of the central region  34  extends by a maximum of approximately 0.5 mm over the plane of the contact surface  32 . The holes  31  and  35  forming the water passage channels are given an identical diameter in the case of the shower device  11  of FIG. 1, said diameter being approximately 1.1 mm. The holes in the ring  25  of the cup-shaped insert  22  have a diameter of approximately 2 mm. 
     The diameter of the jet disk is approximately 26 mm and the external diameter of the flange  27  approximately 45 mm. The outside radius of the circumferential stiffening ring  33  is approximately 1.2 mm, its diameter approximately 11 mm, the inside radius of a hollow, forming the material weakening  29  compared with the jet disk  28 , being approximately 1 mm. The vertical clearance of the contact surface  32  of the jet disk  28  over the plane of the film hinge  29  is approximately 1.0 mm. 
     The connecting piece  16  and joint  13 , which is connected in one piece to the socket  14 , are preferably made from a metal. Brass is particularly suitable for this purpose and e.g. is given a surface treatment by chromizing. The remaining parts of the shower device  11  are made from plastic, polyoxymethylene and polypropylene being suitable. 
     FIG. 2 shows the shower device  11  from below, as distinguished by the user and the rotational symmetry is clear. The flange  27  has six depressions  38  for the application of tools for the screwing of the pipe section  23  into the casing  12 . Within the depressions  38 , the material weakening  29  has a width of approximately 2 mm. It surrounds the jet disk  28 , which is provided with three concentric rows of holes  31 . As can be seen, the holes of each row are displaced with respect to those of neighbouring rows. Within the concentric rows of holes  31  passes the circumferential stiffening ring  33 , which extends over a width of approximately 2 mm. It surrounds the contact surface  32 , which is provided with a ring of holes  35 . This ring surrounds the inwardly curved central region  34 . 
     FIG. 3 shows in section the lower part of a shower device  11  according to FIG. 1, in which the jet disk  28  has been pressed inwards by a pressing in force E. As can be seen, it is curved inwards. The angle enclosing an area of the jet disk  28 , located between the material weakening  29  and the stiffening ring  33  and passing roughly linearly and slightly conically, with the plane of the material weakening  29  is approximately 12°, but can also be smaller. Thus, in the case of an inward springing round, the jet disk  28  is curved somewhat further inwards than outwards in the starting position. The vertical clearance of the stiffening ring  33  over the plane of the film hinge  22  is approximately 0.9 mm and the vertical clearance of the contact surface  34  is approximately 1.6 mm. 
     In the case of the inward curvature and in particular during the springing round process between both positions, there can be a slight change to the diameter of the holes  31  and  35 , but this is not shown in FIG.  3 . Such a diameter reduction helps to blow off deposits within the holes and is consequently looked upon as advantageous. 
     The path of the pressing in force E can be gathered from the deflection-pressing in force diagram of FIG.  4 . The deflection starts in the plane of the contact surface  32  in the starting position according to FIG. 1, particularly in the vicinity of the stiffening ring  33 . The curve of the pressing in force E starts in the origin and then rises steeply with decreasing gradient until it reaches a snapping in point  40  at an apex. The pressing in force E has risen to approximately 77 N, whilst the deflection in this point roughly corresponds to the vertical clearance of the contact surface  32  over the plane of the material weakness  29 , amounting to approximately 1.0 mm. As from this snapping in point  40 , with increasing deflection, the force curve runs steeply downwards. This means that after passing the snapping in point  40 , the further inward deflection of the jet disk with a much smaller force expenditure is possible, the force maximum having been passed. The curve ends in the position of the inward curvature of the jet disk according to FIG. 3, the total deflection being approximately 2.6 mm. The force necessary for keeping the jet disk  28  in this position is approximately 45 N. 
     The force curve forms a type of hysteresis, in that during the springing back process of the jet disk  28 , it has a different configuration compared with that during the pressing in process. Starting from the point of maximum inward curvature, the force rises again with decreasing deflection, but not as strongly as in the upper part of the curve. Thus, at the snapping back point  41 , the curve reaches a lower force than in the snapping in point  40  and said force can e.g. be approximately 55 N. It forms a further force maximum, namely that for the springing back process. On passing its two maxima  40  and  41 , the curve has a rounded configuration, but this can also tend to a pointed configuration. 
     The snapping in point  40 , passed by the jet disk  28  on pressing in, can occur for the same deflection as the snapping back point  41 . These are the points, which, as a function of the deflection, are passed in the moment in which the jet disk  28  snaps round and in certain circumstances produces a clearly audible noise. During the further course of the force curve, with decreasing deflection, the force decreases again and passes into the origin. 
     Despite the precise details concerning the force and deflection, the diagram of FIG. 4 is to be considered diagrammatically, because the shape and configuration of the individual curve portions can be varied in the case of different design possibilities of the invention. It is also not absolutely necessary for the snapping in point  40  and snapping back point  41  to be at the same deflection. 
     It is important for the course of the force curve to have at least four sections. At least two sections are provided for the movement process of the jet disk  28  on springing in and out. They are linked at the origin and at the end point of the maximum deflection and are interrupted by the snapping round point  40  and snapping back point  41 . It is important that the force in the snapping in point  40  is above the force in the snapping back point  41 . 
     Thus, in a preferred construction of the invention, a head shower forms the shower device  11  and has a flexible, press-in jet disk  28  with an outward curvature. The jet disk is mounted by a film hinge formed by a material weakening  29  in a flange  27  of a pipe section  23  in the head shower casing  12 . As a result of the construction of the curvature and the mounting, by applying a pressing in force to the contact surface  32 , the jet disk can be pressed inwards in a jump process. After removing the force, it jumps back automatically in a further jump process to the starting position and in each case the force maximum is passed. 
     As a result of the jump processes, lime and other deposits at the jet disk holes  31 ,  35  are blown off and removed.