Patent Publication Number: US-4094468-A

Title: Hand shower

Description:
This invention relates to a hand shower comprising a multifunction shower head. 
     Known hand showers comprise a shower head which is mounted on the handle for rotation about the longitudinal axis of the latter so that different nozzles can be selected in dependence on the position of the shower head. Such showers comprising a rotatable shower head require expensive novel shapes as well as a high structural expenditure also for sealing. Finally, the interior of these shower heads cannot be cleaned by an unskilled person because it is not easily accessible. On the other hand, such cleaning is required because the cross-section of flow of the shower may be restricted by rust particles and the like which have been entrained by the water in the mains. 
     The Opened German Specification No. 24 08 316 discloses a water dispenser, which is provided with a multi-function shower head, which is closed at its end by a nozzle plate that extends transversely to the longitudinal axis of the head and carries a plurality of nozzle inserts, which are arranged in a circle. Said nozzle plate is rotatably mounted adjacent to a cover plate that has an eccentric port so that each nozzle insert can be selected by a rotation of the shower head to the proper position. That water dispenser is suitable for dish-washing purposes rather than for a bath shower. 
     It is an object of the invention to provide for existing bath showers a multi-function shower head which can easily be cleaned and assembled so that the installation is also simplified, and which discharges a pulsating jet of water, which exerts a massage action, although the shower head has no mechanically movable parts. 
     In a hand shower having a multi-function shower head which comprises at its outer end a nozzle plate, which extends transversely to the longitudinal axis of the shower head and carries a plurality of nozzle inserts arranged in a circle, is rotatably mounted adjacent to a cover having an eccentric counterbore so that each nozzle insert can be selected by a rotation of the shower head to the proper position, this object is accomplished by a combination of the following features: 
     (a) A flow-dividing U-shaped baffle which is downwardly open, is mounted in the shower head and is spaced around a central socket for receiving a screw; 
     (b) The eccentric counterbore in the cover plate is formed as an axially open counterbore extending into a coaxially inwardly protruding boss which constitutes an integral part of the cover plate; 
     (c) The eccentric counterbore contains a coil spring which serves to impart turbulance to water flowing through the counterbore, and a shaped sealing element interposed between the coil spring and said nozzle plate and urged by the coil spring against the nozzle plate around an inlet opening which communicates with the selected nozzle insert. 
     Experiments have shown that the combination of the flow-dividing baffle and the succeeding coil spring result in a pulsating water jet without need for mechanically movable parts. 
    
    
     Further details of the hand shower comprising a multi-function shower head in accordance with the invention will now be explained with reference to an embodiment shown by way of example on the drawing, in which 
     FIGS. 1 and 2 are, respectively, a top plan view and a transverse section view showing a shower head, which is seen in FIG. 2 in a condition in which the nozzle plate is not yet fully mounted; 
     FIG. 3 is an elevation showing the nozzle plate viewed from the rear; and 
     FIGS. 4 to 6 are fragmentary transverse sectional views showing the various nozzle inserts. 
    
    
     As is apparent from the drawing, the multifunction shower head comprises a handle 2 and shower head 1 carrying at its outer end a transverse nozzle plate 3, which is disposed over a cover plate 4 and rotatably mounted by means of a screw 5. The shower head 1 includes an internal flow passage having an inlet end and an outlet end. The cover plate 4 comprises an inwardly protruding, eccentric counterbore 6. The water is received from the handle 2 and is divided by a U-shaped baffle 7, which is downwardly open and spaced around the centrally disposed, tapped socket 8, which is in threaded engagement with the screw 5. The cover plate 4 is formed with an axially outwardly open counterbore 6, whose bore extends into a coaxially inwardly protruding boss which forms an integral part of the cover plate 4. The eccentric counterbore 6 contains a coil spring 10 and a shaped sealing element 9, which is urged by the coil spring 10 against the nozzle plate 3 and in dependence on the angular position of the latter is adapted to register with any of the inlet openings 11 to 15 formed in the nozzle plate. The sealing element 9 is formed with a radially inwardly extending shoulder which is inwardly facing, and engaging the coil spring 10. The coil spring 10 serves also to impart turbulence to the water jet so that the combination of the flow-dividing baffle 7 and the succeeding coil spring 10 results in a pulsating flow of water. The cover plate 4 carries also a resilient detent pin 16, which is diametrically opposite to the counterbore 6 and cooperates with peripherally spaced apart indentations 17 formed in the nozzle plate 3 in order to hold the latter in its selected position. The indentations 17, are open towards the cover plate 4 and have the same eccentricity as the detent pin 16, so as to receive the detent pin, when one of the respective nozzle inserts registers with the eccentric counterbore. 
     The nozzle plate contains a plurality of various nozzle inserts, which communicate with respective ones of the inlet openings 11 to 15. Each of these inlet openings faces the cover plate. The nozzle plate is formed with a tapped opening which is open on the side opposite to the cover plate. In the embodiment shown on the drawing, the inlet opening 11 communicates with a known water-air mixing nozzle 18, which is screwed into a tapped opening 19. The inlet opening 12 communicates through a distributing disc 22, with an annular-orifice nozzle 20. The disc 22 is screw-threaded in a tapped opening 21. The nozzle 20 is fixed to the disc 22 by a screw 23. The inlet opening 13 communicates with a cylindrical or conical bore 24, which is chamfered at its outlet end 25. The inlet opening 14 communicates with a passage that contains a flow-dividing web 26, which extends across the nozzle passage axially outwardly of the inlet opening, for producing a double jet. Like the inlet opening 13, the inlet opening 15 communicates with a cylindrical or conical bore 27, which has a chamfered outlet end 28 but is smaller in diameter than the bore 24 so that a harder water jet is produced. 
     As has been described hereinbefore, the nozzle plate 3 overlying the cover plate 4 is rotatably mounted in the shower head 1 to extend transversely to the axis of the shower head. The nozzle plate 3 is rotatably mounted on a cylindrical portion 5a of the screw 5. The cover plate 4 is held in position against an annular shoulder 30 of the shower head 1. A gasket 29 is interposed between the cover plate 4 and the shoulder 30. The screw 5 is screwed into a socket 8, which is disposed in the flow passage, and having a tapped screw receiving opening. A known flow-dividing U-shaped baffle 7, which is downwardly open, is spaced around the socket 8. The screw 5 extends coaxially in the outlet end, and the screw receiving opening is detachably affixed in the head body. The screw 5 has a screw-threaded portion which is threadedly affixed in the tapped screw opening, and a cylindrical portion extending outwardly of the cover plate and into the nozzle plate 3, which is mounted on the cylindrical portion. The cover plate 4 is formed in the area of the counterbore 6, with a radially inwardly extending shoulder 31 which is axially and outwardly facing and surrounding the coil spring 10. The inner end face of the sealing element 9 is axially aligned with the shoulder 31.