Patent Publication Number: US-2016243565-A1

Title: Apparatus Adding a Non-liquid Additive to a Shower Stream

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit under 35 USC 119 of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/176,600, filed on Feb. 24, 2015, entitled Shower Spa, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Technology 
     The disclosure relates to the fields of shower accessory, mixing, dissolving, or entraining additives in a shower stream prior to discharge. U.S. CI.: 239/310, 239/10 
     2. Background of the Invention 
     The art of dispensing an additive or soap into shower water is well known. The previously known devices provide various methods to solve the problem of dispensing an additive or soap without creating counter-pressure to a shower stream. These methods can be divided into two categories. 
     A first method teaches a means for adding or mixing an additive or soap into shower water before it is emitted from a showerhead. For instance, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0,101,733 discloses a device dissolving water-soluble additives in a mixing chamber integrated into a showerhead. Even though using the pressure of water supplied to the showerhead solved the problem of counter-pressure, to use the device it is required to change the showerhead. Such an installation is time consuming and difficult. It also did not allow its user to carry or install it easily when necessary, e.g. in hotels or motels. 
     A second method discloses liquid additive dispensing devices in which the additive is added to shower water after the water exits the showerhead. U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,028,933 and 6,923,384 provide such devices dispensing liquid additives to shower water exiting from a showerhead using a removable body member mounted to a receptacle or a hanging additive reservoir with a valve. The devices provide a small amount or droplets of a liquid additive with only a small portion of the devices, such as a valve, merged into the shower stream. However, because it is merely merged into a shower stream, the devices are not usable with non-liquid additives. 
     Limiting the nature of the workable additive prohibits users from obtaining benefit of various minerals, such as catechins from a green tea, which are antioxidants that fight and may even prevent cell damage, while taking a shower. Also, there is a need to provide devices for which installation is easy, not time-consuming and that is simple and inexpensive. 
     U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0,101,733 describes a controlled dispensing hand-held shower to dissolve water soluble into shower water. The apparatus is configured with a mixing chamber in the nozzle of a showerhead, which holds water soluble and mixes it with a shower water before the water exits a showerhead. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 8,028,933 describes an apparatus dispensing shower additive. The apparatus is constituted of an arm, a receptacle mounted to the arm, a body member, which has a cavity to retain a fluid and removably mounted on the receptacle, and microporous flow restrictor configured for allowing the fluid to exit the body member. The apparatus is capable of controlling the flow rate of a liquid additive using the microporous flow restrictor. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,923,384 describes an apparatus dispensing a liquid additive into shower water by gravity feed alone. The apparatus uses a hanging additive reservoir with a valve to independently dispense a liquid additive. The additive reservoir is hung by a support, which can be mounted to a shower structure, a wall, or a curtain rod. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,274,858 shows a shower soap assembly is provided for mounting to a shower head fixture. The assembly has open opposite ends and soap holding screens mounted within for holding a cake of soap. When soap is desired, the housing is moved to a down soap loaded position such that water from the shower head nozzle passes through the housing dissolving the soap, and soapy water is dispensed through the output end. When soap is no longer desired, the housing is moved to an upright position out of the path of the stream of water. 
     What the prior art fails to show is any means whereby an apparatus for adding additives is an independent structure that can be easily attached or used and at the same time is workable with any water-soluble substance e.g. non-liquid additives. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The illustrated embodiments of the present invention include an apparatus to add non-liquid additives to the water stream exiting from a showerhead, which is separate from a showerhead and whose installation is easy, not time-consuming and inexpensive. 
     The illustrated embodiments include a device for adding an additive to a shower stream that exit from a showerhead by dissolving any water-soluble substances, especially non-liquid additives (e.g. tea, herbal mix, aromatic compounds), using a perforated container, which is capable of being positioned into at least a portion of the shower stream. When the container stores an additive and is positioned into at least a portion of the shower stream, a part of the shower stream flows through and/or into the container so that an additive is infused with the water. Additive infused water is then dispensed from the container by gravity feed or entrainment into the shower stream. 
     As shown in the illustrated embodiments, a device for adding an additive to a shower stream is attached indirectly or directly to the showerhead with an elongated arm, which holds a container in a fixed position relative the showerhead or shower stream. The device is not integrated into the showerhead and does not require retrofitting or replumbing the showerhead in any way. The elongated arm enables the device to be realized as a relatively simple structure, so that it can be manufactured with low cost. 
     The illustrated embodiments of the device include a fitting affixed to the elongated arm to provide a fixed position of the elongated arm relative to the showerhead to define a relative position of the container to the shower stream. The fitting may be configured to be mounted to a shower supply pipe (e.g. a pipe clip). It allows the device to be installed or removed simply and easily without the need for special tools or skills. 
     The illustrated embodiments also include a device for adding an additive to a shower stream that exit from a showerhead using a perforated container and a funnel which covers the both showerhead and the container. When the funnel covers the both showerhead and the container, container is positioned into the shower stream. Through the funnel from the showerhead, the container is supplied with water under pressure so that additive is infused with the water. Then, additive infused water is dispensed from the container as a re-emitted shower stream of additive infused water under pressure from the shower supply. 
     These and other aspects of the illustrated embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the detailed disclosure and the accompanying figures. 
     While the apparatus and method has or will be described for the sake of grammatical fluidity with functional explanations, it is to be expressly understood that the claims, unless expressly formulated under 35 USC 112, are not to be construed as necessarily limited in any way by the construction of “means” or “steps” limitations, but are to be accorded the full scope of the meaning and equivalents of the definition provided by the claims under the judicial doctrine of equivalents, and in the case where the claims are expressly formulated under 35 USC 112 are to be accorded full statutory equivalents under 35 USC 112. The disclosure can be better visualized by turning now to the following drawings wherein like elements are referenced by like numerals. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a preferred embodiment of a device for adding a non-liquid additive to a shower stream with a perforated container, elongated arm, and fitting. 
         FIG. 1B  shows the embodiment in  FIG. 1  with a ring mounted on the perforated container. 
         FIG. 1C  is a perpendicular cross sectional view of  FIG. 1B  showing the structure of one embodiment of the mount for fixing the apparatus to the shower pipe. 
         FIG. 2  shows another embodiment of a device for adding a non-liquid additive to a shower stream with a perforated container and funnel. 
         FIG. 3  shows an exemplary flow diagram of steps taken to add a non-liquid additive to a shower stream using a device for adding a non-liquid additive to a shower stream with a perforated container, elongated arm, and fitting 
         FIG. 4  shows an exemplary flow diagram of steps taken to add a non-liquid additive to a shower stream using a device for adding a non-liquid additive to a shower stream with a perforated container, and funnel. 
     
    
    
     The disclosure and its various embodiments can now be better understood by turning to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments which are presented as illustrated examples of the embodiments defined in the claims. It is expressly understood that the embodiments as defined by the claims may be broader than the illustrated embodiments described below. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The following description is merely example in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features. 
     A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in  FIG. 1A . The device  10  for adding a non-liquid additive  12  to a shower stream  14  comprises three main components, which is a perforated container  16 , an elongated arm  18 , and a fitting  20 . The fitting  20  is configured for mounting the elongated arm  18  to a shower structure, such as a shower supply pipe  22 , or a wall  24 . 
     The perforated container  16  may be in a shape of rectangle, sphere, semi-sphere, or in an egg-shape. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1A , the perforated container  16  is in an egg-shape container. The perforated container  16  may be comprised of an upper half portion  16   a  and a lower half portion  16   b . The top  26  of the lower half portion  16   b  is circumferentially recessed to define an edge  28 , which may be threaded. Thus, the top portion  16   a  is removably attached to the edge  28  to form the egg-shape perforated container  16 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1B , the ring  30  may be mounted on the container  16  to removably attach the container to the elongated arm  18 . The one side  32  of the outer part of the ring  30  is affixed to the elongated arm to position the container  16  to at least a portion of the shower stream  14 . The ring  30  is in a shape to fit the container in its the inner part. In an embodiment in  FIG. 2 , the ring  30  is in a circle shape to fit the egg-shape container  16 . The ring is made of a suitable plastic, such as, but not limited to, polypropylene or a suitable metal, such as, but not limited to, stainless steel. The ring  30  may be in a variety of sizes to fit the container  16  in various sizes. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1A , the top and bottom portions  16   a ,  16   b  of the container  16  are perforated with holes  34  in of which diameter is preferably less than 50 mm. The holes  34  may be or may not be defined in the entirety of the top and bottom portions  16   a ,  16   b  of the container  16 . The top and bottom portions  16   a ,  16   b  of the perforated container  16  are made of a suitable plastic, such as, but not limited to, polypropylene, suitable wood, such as, but not limited to thin veneer, or a suitable metal, such as, but not limited to, stainless steel. The perforated container  16  may be in a variety of sizes to store, infuse, and dispense the non-liquid additive  12 . However, the diameter or the longest edge  30  of container  16  will not be greater than the diameter of a showerhead  36  in order to minimize the blockage or interference with the shower stream  24 . For this purpose, it is desirable that the diameter or the longest edge of the container  16  is no larger than approximately 5 inches. 
     The elongated arm  18  is in a linear shape with a curve affixed to the container  16 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1A , the elongated arm  18  is similar to a letter “L” shape, of which the upper part is positioned above a showerhead  36  and the lower part is approximately parallel to the surface of a showerhead&#39;s outlet  38 . At the curved point of the elongated arm  18 , there may be a hinge joint  40  allowing the upper part and lower portions  18   a ,  18   b  respectively of the elongated arm  18  to be rotatable. The hinge joint  40  may have a pin  42  to lock both portions  18   a  and  18   b  of the elongated arm  18  with respect to each other in at least one position as described in the embodiment of  FIG. 1A . For the device  10  to work with showerheads  36  in various sizes and shapes, the elongated arm  18  may be constituted with telescopic section  44  to adjust its length. The material of the elongated arm  18  is preferably a flexible material or suitable plastic, such as but not limited to polypropylene or polyethylene. 
     The fitting  20  is a means of coupling that may be attached by a mount to the shower structure, such as a shower supply pipe  22 , the shower wall  24  or any other suitable fixed structural element to provide a fixed position of the elongated arm  18  relative to the showerhead  36  to define a relative position of the container  16  to the shower stream  14 . As illustrated in the perpendicular cross sectional view of  FIG. 1C , the fitting  20  may include a resilient mount  48  that expands on its lower portion to grasp or snap over shower pipe  22  and then be secured thereto by manually forcing a C-clip  46  having a V-shaped channel  47  defined therein into which a mating V-shaped pair of descending prongs  49  fits, which prongs  49  integrally extending from the lower portion of mount  48 . A detent ridge  51  is defined either in prongs  49  or channel  47  to snap into a mating detent groove defined in the opposing one of prongs  49  or channel  47  to secure C-clip  46  to mount  48  when C-clip  46  has been properly positioned to tightly compress the portion of mount  48  onto pipe  22 . The upper portion of mount  48  is swivel mounted to telescopic section  44  of arm  18   b.    
     In another embodiment, the fitting  20  may be a suction cup that can be attached to a wall  24  from which shower structure extends. The fitting  20  is made of a suitable plastic, such as, but not limited to, polypropylene or a suitable metal, such as, but not limited to, stainless steel. 
     An embodiment of the invention is also shown in  FIG. 2 . The device  50  for adding a non-liquid additive  52  to a shower stream  54  comprises two main components, which is a perforated container  56 , and a funnel  58 . 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , the perforated container  56  is in cylinder-shape. The perforated container  56  may be in a shape of rectangle, sphere, semi-sphere, or in any shape that works with the funnel  58 . The perforated container  56  may be comprised of an upper half portion  56   a  and a lower half portion  56   b . The top  58  of the lower half portion  56   b  is circumferentially recessed to define an edge  60 , which may be threaded so that the top portion  56   a  is removably attached to the edge  60  to form the cylinder-shape perforated container  56 . And a ring  62  is mounted on the top of the upper half portion  56   b  to connect the container  56  with the lower part  58   b  of the funnel  58 . Thus, after the lower half portion of container  56   b  stores the additive  52 , it could be attached to the upper half portion  56   a  and, thereby, the container  56  is attached to the lower part of the funnel  58   b  to be positioned in at least a portion of the shower stream  54 . 
     As described in  FIG. 2 , the top and bottom portions  56   a ,  56   b  of the container  56  are perforated with holes  64  in of which diameter is preferably less than 50 mm. The holes  64  may be or may not be defined in the entirety of the top and bottom portions  56   a ,  56   b  of the container  56 . The top and bottom portions  56   a ,  56   b  of the perforated container  56  are made of a suitable plastic, such as, but not limited to, polypropylene or a suitable metal, such as, but not limited to, stainless steel. The perforated container  56  may be in a variety of sizes to store, infuse, and dispense the non-liquid additive  52 . 
     The funnel  58  is a sleeve connecting the container  56  and the showerhead  66  to provide a relative position of the container  56  to the shower stream  54 . As illustrated in  FIG. 2 . The lower edge  58   b  of the funnel  58  is removably locked up to ring  62  mounted on the container  56 . And the upper edge  58   a  of the funnel  58  covers nearly more than half surface of the showerhead  66 . The funnel  58  is made of suitable elastic material such as, but not limited to, rubber. To supply the container  56  with water under pressure and to dispense additive infused water as a re-emitted shower stream under pressure, it is desirable that the length of the funnel is as such to make the distance between the showerhead  66  and the container  56  less then 3 inches. 
       FIG. 3  depicts an exemplary flow diagram of the steps taken to add a non-liquid additive  12  to a shower stream  14  using a device  10  for adding a non-liquid additive  12  to a shower stream  14  with a perforated container  16 , elongated arm  18 , and fitting  20 . A user attaches a fitting  20  to a suitable shower structure, such as a shower pipe  22  (step  101 ). After including a non-liquid additive  12  into the perforated container  16  (step  102 ), the user mounts the perforated container  16  into a position at least in part to be disposed in the shower stream  14  by adjusting the elongated arm  18  with hinge joint  40  (step  103 ). If the shower stream  14  is directed to impinge at least in part onto the perforated container  16  by arranging the relative position of the perforated container  16  and shower stream  14  (step  104 ), then turn on the shower water supply (step  105 ). If the shower stream  14  is not directed to impinge at least in part onto the perforated container  16 , the user adjusts the elongated arm  18  to mount the perforated container  16  into the shower stream  14  (step  103 ). When shower water is supplied, additive infused water is dispensed from the container  16  by gravity feed or entrainment into the shower stream (step  106 ). 
       FIG. 4  depicts an exemplary flow diagram of the steps taken to add a non-liquid additive  52  to a shower stream  54  using a device  50  for adding a non-liquid additive  52  to a shower stream  54  with a perforated container  56  and funnel  58 . A user includes a non-liquid additive  52  into the perforated container  56  (step  107 ). After locking up the funnel  58  to the ring  62  mounted on the perforated container  56  (step  108 ), the funnel  58  is attached to the showerhead  66  covering more than half portion of it to position the perforated container  56  into the shower stream  54  (step  109 ). If the shower stream  54  is directed to impinge onto the perforated container  56  by arranging the relative position of the perforated container  56  and shower stream  54  (step  110 ), turn on the shower water supply (step  111 ). If the shower stream  54  is not directed to impinge onto the perforated container  56 , the user re-attaches the funnel  58  to the showerhead  66  (step  109 ). When shower water is supplied, additive infused water is dispensed from the container  56  as a re-emitted shower stream of additive infused water under pressure from the shower (step  112 ). 
     Many alterations and modifications may be made by those having ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiments. Therefore, it must be understood that the illustrated embodiment has been set forth only for the purposes of example and that it should not be taken as limiting the embodiments as defined by the following embodiments and its various embodiments. 
     Therefore, it must be understood that the illustrated embodiment has been set forth only for the purposes of example and that it should not be taken as limiting the embodiments as defined by the following claims. For example, notwithstanding the fact that the elements of a claim are set forth below in a certain combination, it must be expressly understood that the embodiments includes other combinations of fewer, more or different elements, which are disclosed in above even when not initially claimed in such combinations. A teaching that two elements are combined in a claimed combination is further to be understood as also allowing for a claimed combination in which the two elements are not combined with each other, but may be used alone or combined in other combinations. The excision of any disclosed element of the embodiments is explicitly contemplated as within the scope of the embodiments. 
     The words used in this specification to describe the various embodiments are to be understood not only in the sense of their commonly defined meanings, but to include by special definition in this specification structure, material or acts beyond the scope of the commonly defined meanings. Thus if an element can be understood in the context of this specification as including more than one meaning, then its use in a claim must be understood as being generic to all possible meanings supported by the specification and by the word itself. 
     The definitions of the words or elements of the following claims are, therefore, defined in this specification to include not only the combination of elements which are literally set forth, but all equivalent structure, material or acts for performing substantially the same function in substantially the same way to obtain substantially the same result. In this sense it is therefore contemplated that an equivalent substitution of two or more elements may be made for any one of the elements in the claims below or that a single element may be substituted for two or more elements in a claim. Although elements may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, it is to be expressly understood that one or more elements from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination and that the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or variation of a subcombination. 
     Insubstantial changes from the claimed subject matter as viewed by a person with ordinary skill in the art, now known or later devised, are expressly contemplated as being equivalently within the scope of the claims. Therefore, obvious substitutions now or later known to one with ordinary skill in the art are defined to be within the scope of the defined elements. 
     The claims are thus to be understood to include what is specifically illustrated and described above, what is conceptionally equivalent, what can be obviously substituted and also what essentially incorporates the essential idea of the embodiments.