US3929287A - Portable shower head - Google Patents

Abstract

A portable shower head includes a diverter movable between first and second positions. In the first position, water from the shower inlet is discharged through a spray forming member. In the second position, water from the inlet passes tangentially into a diverter chamber. An oscillating plate is positioned within the diverter chamber and provides a pulsating discharge from the diverter through a spray head which is positioned concentric with and interiorly of said spray forming member.

Description

United States Patent [191 Givler et al.

[ Dec. 30, 1975 PORTABLE SHOWER HEAD [75] Inventors: John D. Givler, Avon Lake; Walter F. Schlotman, Bay Village; David L. Sipos, Elyria, all of Ohio [73] Assignee: Stanadyne, lnc., Windsor, Conn.

[22] Filed: Mar. 14, 1975 [21] Appl. No.: 558,233

[52] US. Cl. 239/102; 239/389; 239/396; 239/442; 239/447; 239/449 [51] Int. Cl. B05B 3/16; BOSB 1/30 [58] Field of Search 239/4, 101, 102, 583, 460, 239/390, 391, 396, 436, 442, 447, 448, 449,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,990,122 6/1961 Blumberg et al. 239/447 X 3,568,716 3/1971 Heitzmant 239/383 X 3,734,410 5/1973 Bruno 239/102 3,762,648 10/1973 Deines et. a1. 239/383 Primary Examiner-Robert S. Ward, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Kinzer, Plyer, Dorn & McEachran [57] ABSTRACT A portable shower head includes a diverter movable between first and second positions. In the first position, water from the shower inlet is discharged through a spray forming member. In the second position, water from the inlet passes tangentially into a diverter chamber. An oscillating plate is positioned within the diverter chamber and provides a pulsating discharge from the diverter through a spray head which is positioned concentric with and interiorly of said spray forming member.

15 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures US. Patent Dec.30, 1975 Sheet 1 of2 3,929,287

US. Patent Dec. 30, 1975 Sheet 2 of2 3,929,287

PORTABLE SHOWER HEAD SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a portable shower 5 head having both a steady spray discharge and a pulsating discharge.

One purpose of the invention is a shower head of the type described which is attached by a flexible conduit to a wall outlet so that it can be moved by the user during a shower.

Another purpose is a shower head of the type described in which the pulsating discharge is controlled by an oscillating plate which, in its rest position, is positioned off center from its supporting pivotal connection.

Another purpose is a shower head of the type described in which water is directed into the diverter chamber in a tangential or swirling manner.

Another purpose is a shower head having a reciprocally removable diverter member to control both a pulsating spray and a steady spray.

Another purpose is a shower head of the type described in which there is a space inside of the spray forming member which space receives a portion of the water flowing past the spray forming member to maintain the proper position of the spray forming member during water discharge.

Other purposes will appear in the ensuing specification, drawings and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is illustrated diagramatically in the following drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the shower head,

FIG. 2 is a top view of the shower head,

FIG. 3 is a partial top view of the shower head with the cover removed,

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical section showing the shower head in the spray position,

FIG. 5 is a partial vertical section, similar to FIG. 4, showing the shower head in position for a pulsating discharge,

FIG. 6 is a partial section taken online 66 of FIG. 3 illustrating the stop for the reciprocal diverter,

FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the diverter,

FIG. 8 is a top view of the spray forming member, and

FIG. 9 is a partial vertical section of a modified form of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The present invention is designed as a specific improvement on the structure shown in US. Pat. No. 3,734,410.

Looking particularly at FIGS. 1 and 2, a shower head indicated generally at 10 may have ahandle 12 and anintegral housing 14. Thehandle 12 may have a threaded adapter 16 for use in attaching the shower head to flexible conduit. The shower head shown and described herein is portable in that it may be held by the user and moved around to direct either one of the two spray discharges at various parts of the body. Acontrol know 18 is used to vary the type of discharge as will appear hereinafter and is positioned on ashaft 20 illustrated in FIG. 3, which extends outwardly from thehousing 14.

LII

Looking particularly at FIGS. 4 and 5, thehandle section 12 of the shower head defines awater passage 22 which extends from the adapter 16 to thehousing 14. Positioned within the housing is a diverter member indicated generally at 24 and which includes apiston 26 having an upwardly projectingstem 28 with a rack formed along one side thereof. Apinion 32, integral withshaft 20 is in engagement with therack 30 and thus rotation of thecontrol knob 18 is effective to reciprocally movepiston 26. As particularly shown in FIG. 6 theshaft 20 may mountintegral stops 34 and 35 which are positioned to bear against ahousing portion 36 and thus limit movement ofrack 30 andpiston 26.

Formed withinpiston 26 is achamber 38 and positioned withinchamber 38 is anoscillating plate 40. Aprojection 42 integral withpiston 26, extends down wardly, as shown in FIG. 4, toward plate to limit its movement withinchamber 38. Piston 26 has a downwardly extendingskirt 44 which cooperates with aretainer 66 to mount aspray head 46. Uniformly spaced slots orgrooves 48 in the exterior of the spray head form a discharge path. The spray head may have an upwardly extendingprojection 50, the apex of which supports theoscillating plate 40. It is important that the center line ofplate 40 indicated at 52, be slightly offset from the point of contact withprojection 50 when theplate 40 is in the rest or inoperative position. Thus when water is admitted intochamber 38, it will cause the plate to oscillate and move back and forth onprojection 50 within the chamber. If thecenter line 52 ofplate 40 rest precisely on the apex ofprojection 50, water within the plate would not cause oscillation and the plate would remain in a stable position. By having the center line slightly offset, the flow of water will cause the plate to move back and forth within the chamber. The movement of the plate within the chamber causes a pulsating discharge throughgrooves 48.

FIG. 5 illustrates the position ofpiston 26 when the shower head is used to provide a pulsating discharge. There are a pair ofpiston inlet passages 54 which are in communication with ahousing inlet 56.Inlet 56 in turn is in communication withwater passage 22. Thepassages 54 are each in communication with an exteriorannular groove 58 such that water atinlet 56 will be circumferentially passed to bothpassages 54 for subsequent flow intochamber 38.Passages 54 are not directed at the center ofchamber 38, but instead are directed in a more tangential manner. Each of thepassages 54 have awall 60 which defines the direction of flow of the incoming water and the flow path will be somewhat tangential to the sides ofchamber 38 and will create a swirling movement of water within the chamber. The swirling movement of water is effective to initiate the oscillating action ofplate 40.

Whenpiston 26 is in the position of FIG. 4 water flows frominlet 56 into anannular area 62 surroundingskirt 44. Positioned within this annular area is aspray forming member 64 held in position byretainer 66 depending from the bottom ofpiston skirt 44.Retainer 66 has an upwardly extending 'V-shapedridge 68 which is positioned against the bottom ofspray forming member 64. In the alternative, the ridge may be on the bottom of the spray forming member. The top or upper surface 70 of the spray forming member has a plurality of upwardly extendingbumps 72 which seat against alower surface 74 of the piston. 26. As clearly indicated in FIG. 4, there is anannular space 76 behindspray forming member 64 and water flows into this area throughnotches 78 formed insurface 74 ofpiston 26. Thus water inspace 76, behind the spray forming member, assists in maintaining the spray forming member concentric with the piston and in the proper position to carefully define a spray discharge without extrusion leakage.

The outer surface ofspray forming member 64 is formed by a plurality of uniformly spaced grooves ornotches 80 which may be formed at varying angles to define a somewhat cone shaped spray. Such a construction is known in the art.

Piston 26 may have a pair of seal rings 82 and 84 positioned in appropriate grooves on the exterior of the piston, with the seal rings being in sealing engagement with abody member 86 forming a portion of thehousing 14. Seal rings 82 and 84 are on opposite sides ofpiston water passages 54.

Thehousing 14 may include, in addition to thebody member 86, acover 88 which may have suitable indicia on its outer surface, with the cover being suitably attached to thehousing 14, as shown at 90. Alower portion 92 of the housing may have an upwardly extendingskirt 94 which seats thebody 86 within the housing. The entire assembly may be suitably assembled by sonic welding or the like into an integral structure.

FIG. 9 shows a modified form of the invention in which oscillatingplate 96 positioned within thechamber 38 of FIGS. 4 and may have a downwardly extendingprojection 98 similar to theprojection 50. Theupper surface 100 ofspray head 102 may be substantially flat or plane. The pivotal mounting of the oscillating plate may be formed either by a projection on the spray head and a plane surface on the plate or the reverse. In either case it is important that, in the rest position, the point of contact of the projection, whether it be on the plate or on the spray head, be slightly radially offset from the center of its facing surface.

In operation, when the shower head is in the position of FIG. 4, water will flow frompassage 22, throughinlet 56 to spray former 64. Water will pass downwardly through the various slots orgrooves 80 to form a spray discharge of generally conical configuration.

When the spray head is moved to the position of FIG. 5, through the described rack and pinion, the entire piston moves downwardly so thatinlet 56 is now in register with circumferentially extendinggroove 58 which provides water for the generally tangentially directedwater passages 54. Water will thus pass intochamber 38, causingplate 40 to oscillate on its pivotal mounting. The oscillation ofplate 40 will provide a pulsating discharge through thegrooves 48.

Whereas the preferred form of this invention has been shown and described herein, it should be understood that there may be many modifications, substitutions and alterations thereto.

We claim:

1. A shower head including a housing, a water inlet in said housing, water discharge means mounted in said housing and including a diverter movable in said housing between first and second positions, a spray forming member attached to said diverter and passage means in said housing connecting said inlet and spray forming member when said diverter is in said first position,

a chamber in said diverter and passage means in said diverter connecting said inlet and chamber when said diverter is in said second position, a spray head attached to said diverter and defining an outlet for 4 said chamber, and an oscillating member positioned in said chamber and pivotally mounted on said spray head for providing a pulsating discharge for said outlet.

2. The structure of claim 1 further characterized by and including means on said housing defining a reciprocal path for said diverter, and a handle extending outside of said housing and having means thereon cooperating with said diverter for effecting reciprocal movement thereof.

3. The structure of claim 2 futher characterized by and including seal means positioned on the exterior of said diverter and in sealing contact with the means on the housing defining said reciprocal path.

4. The structure of claim 2 further characterized in that the cooperating means on said handle and diverter include a rack on the diverter and a pinion on the handle.

5. The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that said spray forming member is positioned exteriorly of and concentric with said spray head, an annular chamber positioned about said diverter, said spray forming member being positioned in said annular chamber, said annular chamber being in communication with said inlet when said diverter is in said first position.

6. The structure of claim 5 further characterized by and including an annular space positioned inside of said spray forming member and outside of a portion of said diverter, and cooperating means on said spray forming member and diverter defining passage means between said space and said annular chamber for admitting water into said space.

7. The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that the pivotal mounting for said oscillating member includes a projection on said spray head extending toward said member, the center line of said member being offset from the center of said projection when said member is in the rest position.

8. The structure of claim 7 further characterized by and including means on said housing defining a reciprocal path for said diverter, said spray forming member being positioned concentric with and exteriorly of said spray head.

9. The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that the pivotal mounting of said oscillating member includes a projection on said member bearing against a substantially plane surface of said spray head, the center line of said projection being radially offset from the center of said spray head when said member is in the rest position.

10. The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that said diverter passage means are in communication with the exterior of said diverter, said diverter passage means being formed and adapted to discharge water into said diverter chamber in a swirling manner.

1 l. The structure ofclaim 10 further characterized in that said diverter passage means includes wall means extending generally tangentially of said chamber.

12. The structure of claim 11 further characterized by and including seal rings extending about the exterior of said diverter and on opposite sides of said diverter passage means.

13. A shower head including a housing, a water inlet in said housing, water discharge means mounted in said housing and including a spray forming member and a diverter, said diverter being movable between first and second positions in said housing, passage means in said housing connecting said spray forming me b d 14. The structure of claim 13 further characterized in inlet when said di t i i id fi t i i that the pivotal mounting for said oscillating member a chamber in said diverter and passage means in said includes a Projection P" one of said member and p y diverter connecting said inlet and chamber when 5 a a sllbstllmlany plane sprface the other said diverter is in said second position a p y head facing said PIOJeCtlOH, the centerlme of said plane surface bein offset from the enter of said ro'ection attached to said diverter and defining an outlet for g c p J t when said member is in the rest position. sald chamber and an osclllatmg member P051 15. The structure ofclaim 14 further characterized in 9 in Said chamber f l Pivotauy mounted on that said diverter passage means are formed to direct said spray head for providing a pulsating discharge water in a generally tangential path into said chamber. for said outlet.

Claims (15)

1. A shower head including a housing, a water inlet in said housing, water discharge means mounted in said housing and including a diverter movable in said housing between first and second positions, a spray forming member attached to said diverter and passage means in said housing connecting said inlet and spray forming member when said diverter is in said first position, a chamber in said diverter and passage means in said diverter connecting said inlet and chamber when said diverter is in said second position, a spray head attached to said diverter and defining an outlet for said chamber, and an oscillating member positioned in said chamber and pivotally mounted on said spray head for providing a pulsating discharge for said outlet.

2. The structure of claim 1 further characterized by and including means on said housing defining a reciprocal path for said diverter, and a handle extending outside of said housing and having means thereon cooperating with said diverter for effecting reciprocal movement thereof.

3. The structure of claim 2 futher characterized by and including seal means positioned on the exterior of said diverter and in sealing contact with the means on the housing defining said reciprocal path.

4. The structure of claim 2 further characterized in that the cooperating means on said handle and diverter include a rack on the diverter and a pinion on the handle.

5. The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that said spray forming member is positioned exteriorly of and concentric with said Spray head, an annular chamber positioned about said diverter, said spray forming member being positioned in said annular chamber, said annular chamber being in communication with said inlet when said diverter is in said first position.

6. The structure of claim 5 further characterized by and including an annular space positioned inside of said spray forming member and outside of a portion of said diverter, and cooperating means on said spray forming member and diverter defining passage means between said space and said annular chamber for admitting water into said space.

7. The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that the pivotal mounting for said oscillating member includes a projection on said spray head extending toward said member, the center line of said member being offset from the center of said projection when said member is in the rest position.

8. The structure of claim 7 further characterized by and including means on said housing defining a reciprocal path for said diverter, said spray forming member being positioned concentric with and exteriorly of said spray head.

9. The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that the pivotal mounting of said oscillating member includes a projection on said member bearing against a substantially plane surface of said spray head, the center line of said projection being radially offset from the center of said spray head when said member is in the rest position.

10. The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that said diverter passage means are in communication with the exterior of said diverter, said diverter passage means being formed and adapted to discharge water into said diverter chamber in a swirling manner.

11. The structure of claim 10 further characterized in that said diverter passage means includes wall means extending generally tangentially of said chamber.

12. The structure of claim 11 further characterized by and including seal rings extending about the exterior of said diverter and on opposite sides of said diverter passage means.

13. A shower head including a housing, a water inlet in said housing, water discharge means mounted in said housing and including a spray forming member and a diverter, said diverter being movable between first and second positions in said housing, passage means in said housing connecting said spray forming member and inlet when said diverter is in said first position a chamber in said diverter and passage means in said diverter connecting said inlet and chamber when said diverter is in said second position, a spray head attached to said diverter and defining an outlet for said chamber, and an oscillating member positioned in said chamber and pivotally mounted on said spray head for providing a pulsating discharge for said outlet.

14. The structure of claim 13 further characterized in that the pivotal mounting for said oscillating member includes a projection on one of said member and spray head and a substantially plane surface on the other facing said projection, the centerline of said plane surface being offset from the center of said projection when said member is in the rest position.

15. The structure of claim 14 further characterized in that said diverter passage means are formed to direct water in a generally tangential path into said chamber.

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