Showerhead with dual oscillating massage

• US 10,265,710 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2017
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Water Pik Incorporated (Church & Dwight Company Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Water Pik Incorporated (Church & Dwight Company Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cacka, Joseph W., Rogers, Craig P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Valvis, Alexander M
• Application Number:
  US15/483,742
• Publication Number:
  US 20170297039A1
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/1636 by relative rotative movement of the valve elements B05B1/1672 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/169 having three or more selectively effective outlets
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/185 characterised by their outlet element; Mounting arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 3/04 driven by the liquid or other fluent material discharged, e.g. the liquid actuating a motor before passing to the outlet B05B3/023 takes precedence

Abstract

In one embodiment, a massage mode assembly for a showerhead is disclosed. The massage mode assembly includes a drive element, a cam, and a shutter. The drive element has a drive element length or diameter, depending on the shape of the drive element, and is rotatable about an axis by fluid flowing through the showerhead. The cam is connected to the drive element and rotates with the drive element. The shutter is operably engaged with the cam and has a shutter length that is longer than the drive element length and the rotation of the cam causes the shutter to move correspondingly.

Claims

1. A showerhead comprising:

a housing having an inlet in fluid communication with a fluid source; and

an engine received within the housing and in fluid communication with the fluid source, the engine comprising;

a turbine;

a cam extending from the turbine;

a shutter operably connected to the cam and defining a first flow aperture and a second flow aperture;

a first plate in fluid communication with the inlet; and

a second plate in fluid communication with the inlet, the second plate comprising;

a first group of outlet nozzles positioned on a first side of a central axis of the engine;

a second group of outlet nozzles positioned on the first side of the central axis, adjacent to the first group of outlet nozzles;

a third group of outlet nozzles positioned on a second side of the central axis;

a fourth group of outlet nozzles positioned on the second side of the central axis, adjacent to the third group of outlet nozzles; and

wherein;

the turbine rotates as fluid flows from the inlet into the engine;

as the turbine rotates, the cam rotates, translating the shutter correspondingly between a first position and a second position;

in the first position of the shutter, the first group of outlet nozzles and third group of outlet nozzles are fluidly disconnected from the fluid inlet and the second group of outlet nozzles and fourth group of outlet nozzles are fluidly connected to the fluid inlet, and the first flow aperture is aligned with the second group of outlet nozzles; and

in the second positon of the shutter, the second group of outlet nozzles and the fourth group of outlet nozzles are fluidly disconnected from the fluid inlet and the first group of outlet nozzles and the third group of outlet nozzles are fluidly connected to the fluid inlet, and the second flow aperture is aligned with the third group of outlet nozzles.

2. The showerhead of claim 1, wherein the second group of outlet nozzles are the only nozzles in selective fluidly communication with the first flow aperture and the third group of outlet nozzles are the only nozzles in selectively communication with the second flow aperture.

3. The showerhead of claim 1, wherein the first flow aperture is defined on a first side of the shutter and the second flow aperture is defined on a second side of the shutter.

4. The showerhead of claim 1, wherein the first flow aperture comprises a plurality of apertures and the second flow aperture comprises a plurality of apertures.

5. The showerhead of claim 4, wherein the first flow apertures are arranged in an arc and the second flow apertures are arranged in an arc.

6. The showerhead of claim 5, wherein the shutter further comprises a cam aperture for receiving the cam, wherein the first flow apertures are positioned around a first side of the cam aperture and the second flow apertures are positioned around a second side of the cam.

7. The showerhead of claim 1, wherein the second plate further comprises a track extending from a bottom surface of the second plate and surrounding the first group of outlet nozzles, the second group of outlet nozzles, the third group of outlet nozzles, and the fourth group of outlet nozzles, wherein the shutter is positioned within the track and the track constrains movement of the shutter in at least one direction.

8. The showerhead of claim 7, wherein the track defines a substantially linear movement path for the shutter as the shutter moves from the first position to the second position.

9. The showerhead of claim 1, wherein a length of the shutter extends past first and second perimeter edges of the turbine.

10. The showerhead of claim 1, wherein:

the second group of outlet nozzles is positioned between the first group of outlet nozzles and the central axis; and

the third group of outlet nozzles is positioned between the fourth group of outlet nozzles and the central axis.

11. The showerhead of claim 1, wherein:

the first group of outlet nozzles and the fourth group of outlet nozzles are positioned diametrically opposite each other about the central axis; and

the second group of outlet nozzles and the third group of outlet nozzles are positioned diametrically opposite each other about the central axis.

12. The showerhead of claim 1, wherein the first group of outlet nozzles and the fourth group of outlet nozzles are positioned such that either the first group of outlet nozzles or the fourth group of outlet nozzles are in fluid communication with one or more edge flow paths around one or more outer edges of the shutter depending on the position of the shutter.

13. A showerhead comprising:

a housing having an inlet;

a plate connected to the housing and defining a plurality of nozzles including a first bank of outlet nozzles positioned adjacent a first side of a central region of the showerhead, a second bank of outlet nozzles positioned between the first bank of outlet nozzles and the central region, a third bank of outlet nozzles positioned adjacent a second side of the central region, and a fourth bank of outlet nozzles, the third bank of outlet nozzles positioned between the fourth bank of outlet nozzles and the central region; and

a massage mode assembly received within the housing and in fluid communication with the inlet and the plurality of nozzles, the massage mode assembly comprising;

a turbine;

a cam connected to the turbine, wherein rotation of the turbine causes rotation of the cam; and

a shutter engaged with the cam such that rotation of the cam causes the shutter to translate and, as the shutter translates, one or more edge flow paths around one or more outer edges of the shutter are defined such that fluid from the inlet flows through the one or more edge flow paths to one or more nozzles of the plurality of nozzles, and one or more aperture flow paths through one or more flow apertures in the shutter are defined such that fluid from the inlet flows through the one or more flow apertures to one or more nozzles of the plurality of nozzles;

wherein;

the first bank of outlet nozzles and the fourth bank of outlet nozzles are positioned such that either the first bank of outlet nozzles or the fourth bank of outlet nozzles are in fluid communication with the one or more edge flow paths depending on the position of the shutter; and

the second bank of outlet nozzles and the third bank of outlet nozzles are positioned such that either the second bank of outlet nozzles or the third bank of outlet nozzles are in fluid communication with the one or more aperture flow paths depending on the position of the shutter.

14. The showerhead of claim 13, wherein:

the shutter moves between a first position and a second position;

in the first position, a first edge flow path and a first aperture flow path are defined; and

in the second position, a second edge flow path and a second aperture flow path are defined.

15. The showerhead of claimer 13, wherein:

the first bank of outlet nozzles and the fourth bank of outlet nozzles are positioned diametrically opposite each other about the central region; and

the second bank of outlet nozzles and the third bank of outlet nozzles are positioned diametrically opposite each other about the central region.