Patent Abstract:
Shower heads are disclosed providing for varying types of spray. One spray head provides three different spray patterns, with two of the patterns having pulsing impellers which can pulse at different speeds from each other.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/482,467, filed Jan. 13, 2000.  
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    This invention relates to shower heads which allow for selection of a variety of discharge spray patterns and intensities.  
           [0003]    There are a wide variety of shower heads which are used in conjunction with plumbing installations. They provide a variety of spray patterns with different flow rates, as well as pulsated sprays. One such apparatus is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,201,468 where the head has three different flow paths to provide a central, outer and middle spray pattern. There is a pulsating turbine in communication with the middle spray pattern.  
           [0004]    In U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,669 a rotatable housing is provided with a small opening and a large opening, with the large opening feeding water to rotate a valve and cause pulsing of the water from orifices. U.S. Pat. No. 5,862,985 shows pulsating spray channels for fluid communication with pulsating spray selector holes for varying flow to the pulsating spray assembly.  
           [0005]    U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,397,064 and 5,577,664 disclose pulsating shower heads each with a pair of impellers. However, only one of the impellers causes a pulsation of water flow.  
           [0006]    Notwithstanding this variety of options in shower heads, there is nevertheless a desire for further variety. For example, it is preferred to have a set of spray apertures which can provide an outlet of pulsed water or optionally non-pulsed water (through the same apertures), along with a second set of spray apertures which provides only non-pulsed water.  
           [0007]    Another desired feature (the subject of this divisional) would be to provide multiple impellers that provide concentric pulsing through two sets of pathways, with the pulsing being at different rates, along with a non-pulsing separate third pathway.  
           [0008]    Yet another desired feature would be a shower head having three concentric rings of spray options, where none are in communication with an impeller and the central spray pattern can provide a more forceful spray out any given nozzle than the outer and middle spray patterns.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    In one embodiment the invention provides a shower head. It has an inlet assembly having a portion for connection to a fluid supply at a first end, and an outlet assembly abutting the inlet assembly opposite the first end and being rotatably attached thereto.  
           [0010]    The outlet assembly includes a housing positioned opposite the inlet assembly, and a diverter member in the housing. The diverter member includes three separate passages, the second passage being of a smaller cross section than the first passage. There is also a face plate member connected to the housing. The face plate member has two sets of fluid passageways therethrough. A first of the sets of passageways is capable of being in communication with either the first or the second passages, and the second of the sets of passageways is capable of being in communication with the third passage.  
           [0011]    There is also an impeller positioned between the first of the sets and the first passage. When the first passage is in communication with the first set of passageways, and water is passed through the shower head, the impeller will spin. When the second passage is in communication with the first set (and water is passed through the shower head) the impeller will not spin. A consumer can therefore select a pulsing central flow at high force, or a more gentle non-pulsing central flow (e.g. to clean off the face), or a more diffuse spray to wash soap off the rest of the body.  
           [0012]    In preferred forms flexible nozzles are positioned in the passageways, there is a seal member surrounding the first and second passages, the first set of passageways are positioned radially inward from the second set of passageways, and the diverter member includes a raceway for accommodating a detent member.  
           [0013]    In another embodiment (the subject of this divisional) there is a shower head that has an inlet assembly with a first chamber therein, a means for coupling the first chamber to a fluid supply, and an exit from the first chamber. There is also an outlet assembly abutting the inlet assembly and being rotatably attached thereto. The outlet assembly has a body having an inlet positionable to communicate with the exit when the outlet assembly is rotated into different positions with respect to the inlet assembly. The body also has a discharge section in which outlets are positioned.  
           [0014]    There is also a face plate member connected to the body. The face plate member has three sets of fluid passageways therethrough. The first set is a radially inward set. The second set is a radially middle set. The third set is a radially outward set.  
           [0015]    Also provided are a first rotatable impeller positioned between a first outlet and the first set of passageways, and a second rotatable impeller positioned between a second outlet and the second set of passageways. When an outlet of the body is in communication with the first set of passageways and water is passed through the shower head, the first impeller will spin. Similarly, when an outlet of the body is in communication with the second set of passageways and water is passed through the shower head, the second impeller will spin. Water can also pass through the third set of passageways when an outlet of the body is in communication with the third set. In a preferred form the head is connected to a hand held shower handle.  
           [0016]    In this form of the invention the two different impellers can cause pulsing at different rates. There is also the option of a non-pulsed flow. This provides increased massaging flexibility.  
           [0017]    In yet another embodiment there is provided a shower head. It has an inlet assembly with a first chamber therein, a means for coupling the first chamber to a fluid supply, and an exit from the first chamber. There is also an outlet assembly abutting the inlet assembly and being rotatably attached thereto.  
           [0018]    The outlet assembly has a body with an inlet positionable to communicate with the exit when the outlet assembly is rotated into different positions with respect to the inlet assembly. The body also has a discharge section in which outlets are positioned.  
           [0019]    There is also a face plate member connected to the body. The face plate member has three sets of fluid passageways therethrough. The first set is a radially inward set constructed and arranged to provide water at a first force level for a given volume of water passing through the head. The third set is a radially outward set constructed and arranged to provide water at a third force level which is less than the first force for said given volume of water passing through the head. The second set is a radially middle set constructed and arranged to provide water at a second force level which is less than the first force level and greater than the third force level for said given volume of water passing through the shower head. The shower head is further characterized in that it does not have any impeller in fluid communication with the face plate. In judging force levels for a set for this purpose, one looks to the force of the water exiting the nozzle of the set with the highest force level.  
           [0020]    This embodiment permits water to exit from three different concentric arrays, with varying levels of force. No impeller is required.  
           [0021]    The invention thus provides a variety of different options for a shower head. The assembly is relatively inexpensive to produce and manufacture. Further, repair of the assembly is quite easy.  
           [0022]    The advantages of the invention therefore include providing shower heads of the above kind which:  
           [0023]    a. can provide a multiplicity of spray patterns;  
           [0024]    b. can provide a variety of flow rates;  
           [0025]    c. are easily installed and maintained;  
           [0026]    d. are adapted to be employed in conjunction with both wall mounted fluid supplies and hand held shower outlets.  
           [0027]    These and still other advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description which follows. In the detailed description below, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments do not represent the full scope of the invention. Rather the invention may be employed in other embodiments. Reference should therefore be made to the claims herein for interpreting the breadth of the invention.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0028]    [0028]FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a first shower head of the present invention;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 2 is an end view of the outlet end of the shower head shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the FIG. 1 shower head;  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line  4 - 4  of FIG. 3;  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of an inlet member and diverter of the FIG. 1 shower head;  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line  6 - 6  of FIG. 4;  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but with parts shown at a different rotational position;  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line  8 - 8  of FIG. 7;  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 7, albeit illustrating yet another position of the shower head;  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along line  10 - 10  of FIG. 9;  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 2, albeit of a second embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view of the shower head shown in FIG. 11;  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 13 is a view taken along line  13 - 13  of FIG. 12;  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a selector plate of the shower head;  
         [0042]    [0042]FIG. 15 is a second perspective view of the selector plate of FIG. 14;  
         [0043]    [0043]FIG. 16 is a view taken along line  16 - 16  of FIG. 13;  
         [0044]    [0044]FIG. 17 is a view similar to FIG. 13, but in a rotated position;  
         [0045]    [0045]FIG. 18 is view taken along line  18 - 18  of FIG. 17;  
         [0046]    [0046]FIG. 19 is a view similar to FIG. 17, albeit showing the selector plate in yet another rotational position;  
         [0047]    [0047]FIG. 20 is a view taken along line  20 - 20  of FIG. 19;  
         [0048]    [0048]FIGS. 21 and 22 are longitudinal sectional views of a third embodiment of the present invention, in two different rotational positions; and  
         [0049]    [0049]FIG. 23 is a view similar to FIG. 2, albeit of the embodiment shown in FIG. 21.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0050]    Referring first to FIGS.  1 - 3 , a shower head generally  10  represents a first embodiment of the present invention and includes an inlet assembly  12  and an outlet assembly  14 . The head can select between two different spray patterns by rotating outlet assembly  14  with respect to the inlet assembly, and as will be described one of these can be either pulsating or not.  
         [0051]    The inlet assembly  12  has a metal ball joint  16  to which is connected tubular member  18  by means of set screw  20 . O-ring seals  26  are placed therebetween. Tubular member  18  is internally threaded such as at  22 , and can have a screen filter  24  placed therein.  
         [0052]    Collar  28  is connected between the ball joint  16  and the tubular member  18 . It includes a spring  30  and a closure ring  32  and provides for connection to a fluid supply. Another collar  36  surrounds the ball joint  16  and a seal  40  is placed therebetween. A pivot  42  extends into cutout  44  on the ball joint  16  to provide for a pivoting of the head  10 . Inlet member  48  is connected to collar  36  by the threads  38  and has an endwall  49  and a flange  51 .  
         [0053]    Outer shell or housing  50  rides over inlet member  48  and is retained by flange  51  of inlet member  48 . A suitable seal  52  is placed between inlet member  48  and shell  50 . Grip rings  54  are disposed on the outside of shell  50  for the purpose of assisting rotation of shell  50 . A diverter member  56  is disposed between inlet member  48  and face plate  60  to rotate therewith. It is connected to shell  50  by the threads  62 . Face plate  60  has nozzles  63  and  64 , and there is a seal  65  placed between the face plate and the diverter  56 . An impeller  66  is rotatably mounted in chamber  67  of face plate  60 .  
         [0054]    Referring to FIGS.  4 - 5 , it is seen that diverter  56  is connected to shell  50  by the grooves  68  on the diverter and the tongues  69  extending from the shell. A detent mechanism  70  is housed in the member  48  and includes a compartment  72  for a biased detent  73  and the spring  74 . The detent extends from inlet member  48  and into the raceway  75  on the diverter  56 . This aids in the rotation of the diverter  56  with respect to the inlet member  48 . A central locating notch is also provided at  71 .  
         [0055]    As best seen in FIG. 4, there is a large passage  76  and a small passage  77  extending through diverter  56 , as well as a seal surrounding the passages.  
         [0056]    [0056]FIGS. 7 and 8 represent one phase of operation of the shower head  10 . This is the passage of water out through the centrally located nozzles  64 . In this instance, water passes in through the passage  17  of the ball joint  16  and against the end wall  49  of inlet member  48 . As shown by the directional arrows, water will flow to the passage  80  of inlet member  48  and into the small passage  77 . From there, it will enter the chamber  67  and exit the nozzles  64 . As the small passage will restrict the flow of water into chamber  67 , it will not be of sufficient force to rotate the impeller  66 . In order to effect rotation of the impeller  66 , the diverter  56  will be rotated so that passage  80  of inlet member  48  will be orientated with the larger passage  76  in the diverter. This will effect rotation of the impeller.  
         [0057]    [0057]FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate the passage of water to the outerly disposed nozzles  63 . In this instance, the passage  80  is located away from either large passage  76  or small passage  77 . Water will then flow around these passages and be sealed therefrom by the seal  78 . Water will flow against the wall  49  and thereover until it reaches the passages  86  in the diverter  56 . From there it flows into passages  88  in the face plate  60 .  
         [0058]    It should be noted that the nozzles  63  are preferably composed of a flexible and resilient material so as to provide a nozzle which can be flexed and thus prevent clogging.  
         [0059]    A second embodiment of the invention is shown in the shower head  110  in FIGS.  11 - 20 . Shower head  110  comprises an inlet assembly  112  and an outlet assembly  114 . A user of the shower head  110  can adjust the spray volume, and select among three different spray patterns by rotating the outlet assembly  114  with respect to the inlet assembly  112 , as will be described.  
         [0060]    The inlet assembly  112  has a ball joint  115  which includes an internal threaded member  117  adapted to mate with a pipe extending from a shower enclosure. The ball joint  115  has an aperture  134  extending therethrough with a conventional inlet screen  135 . The inlet assembly includes a hollow cylindrical inlet cap  116  with an aperture  118  at one end through which the ball joint  115  passes and a larger diameter  119  at the other end adjacent the outlet assembly  114 .  
         [0061]    The outlet assembly  114  includes an annular outer shell  120  having two grip rings  121  for rotational purposes. The end of the outlet assembly  114  which is remote from the inlet assembly  112  has a large circular opening within which several components are concentrically located. These components create the different spray patterns. The first of these components is a channel ring  122  which abuts the inner surface of the outer shell  120 . A ring shaped diffuser  124  is placed between the distributor  128  and the outer shell  120 , and provides for nozzles  125 .  
         [0062]    As seen in FIG. 12, an inlet housing  138  has a tubular portion  140  that threads onto a tubular projection  139  inside the inlet cap  116 . The inlet housing  138  has a hollow, conical section  142  extending from the tubular portion  140  and an internal wall  144  which extends across the junction of the tubular portion  140  to the conical section  142 . The internal wall  144  has a number of apertures  145  extending therethrough. A tubular member  146  extends from the wall inside the conical section  142  defining each chamber  150  therebetween.  
         [0063]    The ball joint  115  extends through the aperture  118  in the inlet cap  116  with a sphere  137  of the ball joint located inside the tubular portion  140  of the inlet housing  138 . The sphere  137  is larger than the aperture  118  so that it will not fit therethrough. A resilient washer  147  is placed between the sphere  137  in the inlet cap  116  to prevent contact with and damage to the surface finish of the sphere. An annular gasket  148  is positioned within the tubular portion  140  between the ball joint  115  and the wall  144  and is biased against the ball by the compression spring  149 . This assembly of components within the tubular portion  140  of the inlet housing  138  forms a watertight pivoted coupling for connecting the showerhead  110  to a water supply pipe. The water flows from the ball joint  115  into the tubular portion  140  and passes through aperture  145  into chamber  150  within the conical section  142 .  
         [0064]    Chamber  150  is closed by an annular head plate  152  which extends across the interior of the inlet housing  138  abutting the exposed end of the conical section  142  and the tubular member  146  in a manner which provides a fluid tight seal there between. The head plate  152  also forms a wall of the inlet assembly  112  which abuts the outlet assembly  114 . Two cylindrical cavities  154  are formed in the outer surface of the head plate  152  and have aperture  156  to which the chamber  150  communicates with each cavity. A separate annular inlet seal  158  lies within each cavity  154  and is biased outward by a compression spring  159 .  
         [0065]    As shown in FIG. 16, another cavity  160  is provided in the head plate  152  in a radially spaced relationship to the two cavities  154 . A ball bearing  162  is located within the cavity  160  and is biased outwardly therefrom by the spring  164 . The ball bearing  162  rides against a selector plate  166  which forms an inner wall of the outlet assembly  114 .  
         [0066]    As previously noted, three different spray patterns of the shower head are selected by rotating the outlet assembly  114  with respect to the inlet assembly  112 . At the centerpoint of the rotation of travel, where one of the three spray patterns is selected, the ball bearing  162  falls into a depression  163  providing a detent as a sensory feedback to the user when the spray head is in this position. The other two spray patterns are selected by rotating the assembly  114  into that extreme positions in opposite directions as will be described subsequently. Rotational stops strike the walls which form the cavities  154  and thereby define each of these extreme positions.  
         [0067]    With reference to FIGS.  13 - 15 , the selector plate  166  of the outlet assembly  114  has two sets of three outlet apertures  167 ,  168  and  169  extending therethrough. Each set of apertures is positioned to communicate with one of the rubber inlet seals  158  upon rotation of the outlet assembly. FIGS. 12 and 13 illustrate a first water passage through the selector plate  166 . One of the selector plate apertures  168  communicates with a radially transversed passage  170  on each side of the annular selector plate  166 . The outer most ends of the passages  170  are sealed by plugs  183 . The inner most ends open into a central aperture  172 .  
         [0068]    The passages  170  permit water entering the selector plate through apertures  168  to flow toward the central aperture  172  by means of a passage  170 . From there water will enter through the apertures  174  in the central post  175  having the channel  176 . From there water flows past the flow director  178  and into the channel  179  where it will strike the impeller  180  which is mounted over the central post  186  of central housing  130 .  
         [0069]    As the water flows therethough, it will cause the impeller to rotate, and the impeller blade  181  to momentarily block water flow through the nozzle  182  thereby effecting a pulsation of the water. It should be noted that selector plate  166  which is remote from the inlet assembly  112  abuts and is welded or cemented to the inner ends of the channel ring  122  and the distributor  128  so as to rotate with the outlet assembly  114 .  
         [0070]    [0070]FIGS. 17 and 18 represent the flow of water to the intermediate outlets  131 . The flow of water from apertures  156  in head plate  152  is directed to the outlet apertures  167  in selector plate  166 . From there the water flows through the passages  171  in the selector plate and into chamber  184 . Chamber  184  has rotatably mounted therein the impeller  185  and the passage of water therein will effect a rotation of the impeller in the same manner as impeller  180  in chamber  165 .  
         [0071]    [0071]FIGS. 19 and 20 show the passage of water to the outer nozzles  125 . In this instance, the selector plate  166  is positioned such that water will pass from apertures  156  in head plate  152  into aperture  169 . From there it will flow through passages  177  and through outlets  173 . From outlet  173  water will flow into chamber  188 , through passage  189  and into chamber  190 , as well as passage  190  and ultimately out through nozzles  125 .  
         [0072]    It should be noted that outlet assembly  114  is rotatably connected to inlet assembly  112  by the post member  175 . A threadable connection is provided at  191  for engagement with tubular member  146 . The flange  192  engaging distributor  128  provides for the rotation.  
         [0073]    An important feature of shower head  110  is that it affords concentric pulsating spray options while also permitting regular spray aperture  182  which are centrally located as well as the outlets  131 .  
         [0074]    A third embodiment of a shower head is shown at FIGS.  21 - 23 . Similar components are shown with similar numbers as in embodiment  110  except they are in the  200  series. The main difference between the two embodiments is that shower head  210  has no impellers. Instead, the flow from the central chamber  265  is out through the nozzles  293  which are joined by base member  294 . Also, it will be seen that the flexible nozzles  295  are placed in distributor  228 .  
         [0075]    As may be appreciated from FIG. 23, the overall cross sectional area of the passageway holes of the radially innermost set is less than that of the second set, which in turn is less than that of the third set. Thus, for any given volume of water passing through the head water will at least in part be more forcefully expelled through the center set than the set next to that. Similarly, water expelled from the middle set will be more forceful through any given hole than water expelled from the outside holes.  
         [0076]    Industrial Applicability  
         [0077]    The present invention provides shower heads with settings for varying the type of flow and force of flow through various outlets.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1