Showerhead bracket

• US 10,226,777 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2016
• Issued: 03/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Water Pik Incorporated (Church & Dwight Company Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Water Pik Incorporated (Church & Dwight Company Incorporated)
• Inventors: Quinn, Michael J., Leber, Leland C., Luettgen, Harold A., Saunders, Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Murphy, Kevin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cary, Kelsey
• Application Number:
  US15/162,107
• Publication Number:
  US 20160263592A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• Field of Search: 137356, 4615, 4567, 4570, 248 75, 248 743, 248 79, 248212
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/18 Roses; Shower heads with means for adding soap or the like E03C1/046; jet regulators E03C1/08
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/185 characterised by their outlet element; Mounting arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/3006 the controlling element being actuated by the pressure of the fluid to be sprayed B05B11/0062 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/3026 the controlling element being a gate valve, a sliding valve or a cock B05B1/3006, B05B1/326 take precedence; gate valves or sliding valves in general F16K3/00; cocks in general F16K5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/40 Filters located upstream of the spraying outlets
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/62 Arrangements for supporting spraying apparatus, e.g. suction cups
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/025 Water supply lines as such, e.g. shower hoses
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/0409 Shower handles
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/0412 Constructional or functional features of the faucet handle valve actuating members as such F16K31/60
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/06 Devices for suspending or supporting the supply pipe or supply hose of a shower-bath showers per se A47K3/28
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 2001/026 with flow restricting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/085 with cylindrical plug
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6851 With casing, support, protector or static constructional installations

Abstract

A showerhead bracket having a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, a valve and a valve housing. The valve may be operably connected between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet. The valve includes a valve inlet port, a low flow exit port and a high flow exit port. The valve housing is disposed between the fluid inlet and the valve inlet port. The valve can selectively rotate within the valve housing.

Claims

1. A showerhead bracket comprising:

a bracket housing defining a fluid inlet attachable to a shower pipe and a fluid outlet attachable to a showerhead assembly including a showerhead handle;

a cradle configured to support the showerhead handle that is selectively rotatable by a user relative to the bracket housing; and

a spring sandwiched between the bracket housing and the cradle,

wherein;

the bracket housing includes teeth that engage with the spring;

the spring is configured to rotate relative to the bracket housing; and

frictional forces between the spring and the bracket housing prevent the spring from rotating relative to the bracket housing when the showerhead handle is supported by the cradle and no rotational forces are applied to the cradle by the user.

2. The showerhead bracket of claim 1, wherein the spring comprises:

a central hub; and

an interaction rim in frictional communication with the bracket housing.

3. A showerhead bracket comprising:

a bracket housing configured to engage with a water source and a fluid delivery device, wherein the bracket housing includes a socket containing a plurality of socket teeth;

a cradle configured to support the fluid delivery device; and

a deformable member defining a plurality of teeth, wherein the deformable member is positioned within the socket and engages with the bracket housing socket teeth to allow the deformable member to rotate relative to the bracket housing when a rotational force exceeding a predetermined threshold is applied to the cradle, wherein the predetermined threshold is more than a force exerted by a weight of the fluid delivery device.

4. The showerhead bracket of claim 3, wherein the deformable member is an integral component of the cradle.

5. The showerhead bracket of claim 3, wherein the cradle comprises a cradle shaft and the bracket housing defines a hollow bracket shaft configured to receive the cradle shaft, wherein the mating of the cradle shaft with the bracket shaft rotatably connects the cradle to the bracket housing.

6. The showerhead bracket of claim 5, wherein the deformable member comprises a hub defining a central aperture through which the cradle shaft extends.

7. The showerhead bracket of claim 6, wherein:

the central aperture has a shape on a first side of the hub;

the cradle defines a key surrounding the cradle shaft and forms a shape that matches the shape of the central aperture on the first side of the hub; and

the mating of the central aperture on the first side of the hub with the cradle key prevents rotation of the cradle and the deformable member relative to one another.

8. The showerhead bracket of claim 3, wherein the bracket housing remains fixed in place when the rotational force is applied to the cradle.

9. The showerhead bracket of claim 3, wherein the deformable member comprises a central hub with a plurality of spokes extending outwardly from the hub, each of the plurality of spokes having an end opposite the central hub, and each end of the plurality of spokes contains a plurality of teeth.

10. The showerhead bracket of claim 3, wherein spring and frictional forces between the deformable member teeth and the socket teeth maintain the position of the deformable member teeth relative to the socket teeth when the fluid delivery device is resting in the cradle and no rotational force is applied by a user.

11. The showerhead bracket of claim 3, wherein the cradle is rotatable in a single direction.

12. The showerhead bracket of claim 11, wherein the socket teeth and the deformable member teeth are angled in the direction of rotation.

13. The showerhead back of claim 3, wherein the cradle is rotatable in two directions.

14. The showerhead bracket of claim 13, wherein the socket teeth and the deformable member teeth are uniform and symmetrical.

15. A showerhead bracket comprising:

a bracket housing defining a fluid inlet attachable to a shower pipe and a fluid outlet attachable to a showerhead assembly including a showerhead handle;

a cradle configured to support the showerhead handle selectively rotatable by a user relative to the bracket housing; and

a spring positioned between the bracket housing and the cradle, the spring comprising;

a central hub; and

an interaction rim frictionally engaged with the bracket housing, wherein;

the spring is configured to rotate relative to the bracket housing; and

frictional forces between the spring and the bracket housing prevent the spring from rotating relative to the bracket housing when the showerhead handle is supported by the cradle and no rotational forces are applied to the cradle by the user.

16. The showerhead bracket of claim 15, wherein the spring further comprises a plurality of spokes extending outward radially from the central hub to the interaction rim.

17. The showerhead bracket of claim 16, wherein the interaction rim comprises separate rim sections each attached to a respective spoke.

18. The showerhead bracket of claim 17, wherein each of the separate rim sections defines an oval structure that permits the separate rim sections to deflect inward, allowing the spring to rotate relative to the bracket housing.

19. The showerhead bracket of claim 15, wherein the interaction rim comprises separate rim sections spaced apart from one another.

20. The showerhead bracket of claim 15, wherein the interaction rim allows rotation of the cradle in one direction and prevents rotation in the opposite direction.

21. The showerhead bracket of claim 20, wherein the interaction rim further comprises asymmetrical teeth that allow rotation of the cradle in only one direction.