Patent Publication Number: US-6991182-B2

Title: Spraying head assembly for massaging tub

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a spraying head assembly, and more particularly to a spraying head assembly for a massaging tub. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   A conventional massaging tub in accordance with the prior art shown in  FIG. 6  comprises tub body  1  having an inner wall provided with a circulation head  2 , a drain head  3  and a plurality of nozzles  4 , and a motor  5  mounted in the inside of the tub body  1 . The motor  5  is connected to the circulation head  2  through a circulation pipe  6 , and is connected to the nozzles  4  through a water outlet pipe  7 . When the motor is started, the water contained in the tub body  1  is drawn through the circulation head  2 , the circulation pipe  6  and the water outlet pipe  7 , and is then injected outward from the nozzles  4 , thereby providing a massaging effect. Each of the nozzles  4  is connected to an air guide pipe  8  which introduces the air into the nozzles  4  by the siphon effect, so that the water injected from the nozzle  4  contains air bubbles. The air guide pipe  8  is connected to an air flow regulating valve  9  to regulate the air inlet rate. The drain head  3  is provided with a control valve  3   a  to control operation of the drain head  3 . 
   However, it is necessary to assemble the circulation pipe  6 , the water outlet pipe  7  and the air guide pipe  8  in the tub body  1 , thereby complicating the assembly process and increasing costs of assembly. In addition, the motor is operated to draw the water contained in the tub body  1  through the circulation head  2 , the circulation pipe  6 , the water outlet pipe  7  and the nozzles  4 , so that the motor needs a larger power, and the water beam injected from the nozzles  4  is weakened. Further, the circulation head  2  is easily choked by an article, such as the towel or the like, so that the circulation head  2  forms a closed state, thereby wearing the motor due to the idling operation. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a spraying head assembly for a massaging tub. 
   Another objective of the present invention is to provide a spraying head assembly, wherein the water is pressurized by rotation of the helical blades of the vortex rotor and the helical plates of the water outlet valve seat to produce a strong water beam that is injected outward from the nozzle, thereby enhancing the massaging effect. 
   A further objective of the present invention is to provide a spraying head assembly, wherein the cover has a periphery formed with a plurality of water inlet holes, so that the spraying head assembly will not be blocked or choked by articles, thereby preventing the motor from being worn out due to an idling operation. 
   A further objective of the present invention is to provide a spraying head assembly, wherein the two water outlet openings of the impulse rotor can co-operate with the transverse bar of the nozzle, so that the water beam injected from the nozzle has an impulse oscillation effect, thereby greatly enhancing the massaging effect. 
   A further objective of the present invention is to provide a spraying head assembly, wherein each of the two water outlet openings of the impulse rotor has a chamfered face, so that the water pressure can push the impulse rotor to rotate successively. 
   A further objective of the present invention is to provide a spraying head assembly, wherein the spraying head assembly can be detached from the massaging tub easily and conveniently, thereby facilitating replacement and maintenance of the spraying head assembly. 
   In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a spraying head assembly, comprising: 
   a housing having an opened first end and a closed second end; 
   a cover mounted on the first end of the housing and having a periphery formed with a plurality of water inlet holes; 
   a water outlet valve seat mounted on the cover and received in the housing; 
   a water outlet valve cover mounted on the water outlet valve seat and received in the housing; 
   a vortex rotor rotatably mounted on the water outlet valve seat and received in a space between the water outlet valve seat and the water outlet valve cover; 
   a bushing mounted in the cover and extended into the cylinder of the water outlet valve seat; and 
   a nozzle rotatably mounted in the bushing. 
   Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a spraying head assembly in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the spraying head assembly in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2   a  is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the spraying head assembly as shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the spraying head assembly in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a side plan cross-sectional view of the spraying head assembly as shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a schematic operational view of the spraying head assembly as shown in  FIG. 4  in use; and 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a conventional massaging tub in accordance with the prior art. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring to the drawings and initially to  FIGS. 1–4 , a spraying head assembly for a massaging tub in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a housing  10 , a cover  20 , a water outlet valve seat  30 , a water outlet valve cover  40 , a vortex rotor  50 , a bushing  60 , a nozzle  70 , an impulse rotor  80 , and a motor  90 . 
   The housing  10  is substantially cylindrical shaped, and has a periphery provided with a plurality of semi-circular posts  11 . The housing  10  has an opened first end having a periphery formed with an annular lip  12 . The housing  10  is provided with an O-ring  121  rested on a side of the lip  12 . The housing  10  is provided with a plurality of locking screws  122  each extended through the lip  12 , and a plurality of urging plates  123  each screwed on a respective one of the locking screws  122  and each connected to a respective one of the semi-circular posts  11 . The lip  12  of the housing  10  is formed with a plurality of locking holes  124  for passage of the locking screws  122 . The housing  10  has a closed second end having a center formed with a through hole  13  and having a side formed with an air inlet hole  14  connected to an inside of the housing  10 . Preferably, the air inlet hole  14  of the housing  10  is arranged in an oblique manner. 
   The cover  20  is secured on the lip  12  of the housing  10 . The cover  20  has a center formed with a stepped mounting hole  21  having a periphery formed with an annular mounting flange  22 . The cover  20  has a periphery formed with a plurality of water inlet holes  23 . 
   The water outlet valve seat  30  is mounted on the cover  20  and received in the housing  10 . The water outlet valve seat  30  has a first end provided with a cylinder  31  secured on the mounting flange  22  of the cover  20 , and a second end provided with a disk  32 . The cylinder  31  of the water outlet valve seat  30  has a bottom face having a center formed with a circular recess  312  having a periphery formed with a plurality of water outlet holes  311 . The disk  32  of the water outlet valve seat  30  has an inner face having a center formed with a protruding shaft  322  and having a periphery formed with a plurality of helical plates  321  arranged in a radiating manner. 
   The water outlet valve cover  40  is secured on the water outlet valve seat  30  and received in the housing  10 . The water outlet valve cover  40  has an arcuate shape. The water outlet valve cover  40  has a center formed with a water inlet hole  42  and has a periphery provided with a plurality of support legs  41 . 
   The vortex rotor  50  is rotatably mounted on the water outlet valve seat  30  and received in a space between the water outlet valve seat  30  and the water outlet valve cover  40 . The vortex rotor  50  includes a sucker-shaped main body  51  having a first side provided with a hollow mounting post  52  protruded outward from of the main body  51  and mounted on the shaft  322  of the disk  32  of the water outlet valve seat  30  and a second side formed with a square insertion hole  511 . The main body  51  of the vortex rotor  50  has a periphery provided with a plurality of helical blades  53 . 
   The bushing  60  is mounted in the mounting hole  21  of the cover  20  and extended into the cylinder  31  of the water outlet valve seat  30 . The bushing  60  includes a stepped annular body  61  having a periphery formed with a plurality of elastic plates  62  extended outward, and a rubber ring  622  mounted on the elastic plates  62 . Each of the elastic plates  62  of the bushing  60  has an outer wall having a first end formed with a rib  621  located adjacent to the annular body  61  and snapped on an inner face of the mounting hole  21  of the cover  20 , and a second end formed with an arc-shaped groove  624  (see  FIG. 2   a ) for receiving the rubber ring  622 . Each of the elastic plates  62  of the bushing  60  has an inner wall having a distal end formed with a protruding urging edge  623  rested on the vortex rotor  50 . 
   The nozzle  70  is rotatably mounted in the bushing  60  and is elastically retained by the urging edge  623  of each of the elastic plates  62  of the bushing  60 . The nozzle  70  is a semi-spherical hollow body, and has an end formed with a transverse bar  71  formed with a protruding shaft  72 . 
   The impulse rotor  80  is mounted in the nozzle  70  and has a center formed with a protruding hollow mounting stud  81  mounted on the shaft  72  of the nozzle  70  and has a periphery formed with two radially opposite water outlet openings  82  each having a chamfered face. 
   The motor  90  is secured on the second end of the housing  10  by a locking plate  93 , and has an end face having a center provided with a square rotation shaft  91  extended through the through hole  13  of the housing  10  and the water inlet hole  42  of the water outlet valve cover  40  and inserted into the insertion hole  511  of the vortex rotor  50 . The end face of the motor  90  has a periphery provided with a plurality of threaded rod  92  each screwed into the housing  10 . 
   In assembly, the bushing  60  is mounted in the mounting hole  21  of the cover  20 , and the rib  621  of each of the elastic plates  62  of the bushing  60  is snapped on the inner face of the mounting hole  21  of the cover  20 , so that the bushing  60  is secured on the cover  20 . Then, the impulse rotor  80  is mounted in the nozzle  70 , and the mounting stud  81  of the impulse rotor  80  is rotatably mounted on the shaft  72  of the nozzle  70 . Then, the nozzle  70  is rotatably mounted in the bushing  60  and is elastically retained by the urging edge  623  of each of the elastic plates  62  of the bushing  60 . Then, the cylinder  31  of the water outlet valve seat  30  is secured on the mounting flange  22  of the cover  20 , so that the water outlet valve seat  30  is combined with the cover  20 . Then, the mounting post  52  of the vortex rotor  50  is mounted on the shaft  322  of the disk  32  of the water outlet valve seat  30 , so that the vortex rotor  50  is rotatably mounted on the water outlet valve seat  30 . Then, the water outlet valve cover  40  is secured on the water outlet valve seat  30 , so that the vortex rotor  50  is rotatably mounted between the water outlet valve seat  30  and the water outlet valve cover  40 . Then, the cover  20  is secured on the lip  12  of the housing  10 . Finally, the motor  90  is secured on the second end of the housing  10  by a locking plate  93 , and the rotation shaft  91  of the motor  90  is extended through the through hole  13  of the housing  10  and the water inlet hole  42  of the water outlet valve cover  40  and inserted into the insertion hole  511  of the vortex rotor  50 . 
   In operation, referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5  with reference to  FIGS. 1–3 , the housing  10  of the spraying head assembly is mounted in a fitting hole B of the inner wall A of the massaging tub. Then, the locking screws  122  are rotated to drive the urging plates  123  to press the inner wall A of the massaging tub, so that the housing  10  is fixed on the inner wall A of the massaging tub. Then, the rotation shaft  91  of the motor  90  is rotated to drive the vortex rotor  50  to rotate therewith, thereby forming a suction force to suck the water contained in the massaging tub to flow through the water inlet holes  23  of the cover  20  into the housing  10 , and to flow through the water inlet hole  42  of the water outlet valve cover  40  into the water outlet valve seat  30  and the water outlet valve cover  40 . Then, the water contained in the water outlet valve seat  30  and the water outlet valve cover  40  is pressurized by rotation of the helical blades  53  of the vortex rotor  50  and the helical plates  321  of the water outlet valve seat  30  and is then driven to flow through the water outlet holes  311  of the water outlet valve seat  30  into the nozzle  70  to push and rotate the impulse rotor  80 , thereby producing a strong water beam that is injected outward from the nozzle  70  through the two water outlet openings  82  of the impulse rotor  80 , so as to provide a massaging effect. 
   In addition, each of the two water outlet openings  82  of the impulse rotor  80  has a chamfered face, so that the water pressure can push the impulse rotor  80  to rotate successively. Further, when the two water outlet openings  82  of the impulse rotor  80  are rotated to align with the transverse bar  71  of the nozzle  70 , the water beam is stopped by the transverse bar  71  of the nozzle  70 , so that the water beam has an impulse oscillation effect. Further, the air is introduced through the air inlet hole  14  of the housing  10  into the housing  10  by the siphon effect, so that the water injected from the nozzle  70  contains air bubbles. 
   Accordingly, the spraying head assembly of the present invention has the following advantages. 
   1. The water is pressurized by rotation of the helical blades  53  of the vortex rotor  50  and the helical plates  321  of the water outlet valve seat  30  to produce a strong water beam that is injected outward from the nozzle  70 , thereby enhancing the massaging effect. 
   2. The cover  20  has a periphery formed with a plurality of water inlet holes  23 , so that the spraying head assembly will not be blocked or choked by articles, thereby preventing the motor  90  from being worn out due to an idling operation. 
   3. The two water outlet openings  82  of the impulse rotor  80  can co-operate with the transverse bar  71  of the nozzle  70 , so that the water beam injected from the nozzle  70  has an impulse oscillation effect, thereby greatly enhancing the massaging effect. 
   4. Each of the two water outlet openings  82  of the impulse rotor  80  has a chamfered face, so that the water pressure can push the impulse rotor  80  to rotate successively. 
   5. The spraying head assembly can be detached from the massaging tub easily and conveniently, thereby facilitating replacement and maintenance of the spraying head assembly. 
   Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention.