Shower head with integrated mixing valve

• US 10,577,784 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2017
• Issued: 03/03/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kohler MIRA Limited (Kohler Company)
• Original Assignee: Kohler MIRA Limited (Kohler Company)
• Inventors: Peel, Kevin T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Viet
• Application Number:
  US15/818,255
• Publication Number:
  US 20180073227A1
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: 239401, 239414, 2394162, 236 1212, 236 1215, 4676, 137801
• 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 1/24 incorporating means for heating the liquid or other fluent material, e.g. electrically
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 1/24 Applying particulate materials
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/006 Arrangements or methods for cleaning or refurbishing water conduits
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/074 Arrangement of water treatment devices
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/075 Arrangement of devices for control of pressure or flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/078 Combined units with different devices; Arrangement of different devices with respect to each other
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/02 Plumbing installations for fresh water
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/04 Water-basin installations specially adapted to wash-basins or baths valves, faucets, mixing valves, taps F16K
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/0404 Constructional or functional features of the spout
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/0409 Shower handles
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/044 having a heating or cooling apparatus in the supply line water heaters, e.g. with continuous flow, F24H
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/055 Electrical control devices, e.g. with push buttons, control panels or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/44 Details of seats or valve members of double-seat valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/22 with an actuating member for each valve, e.g. interconnected to form multiple-way valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/24 with an electromagnetically-operated valve, e.g. for washing machines
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 19/00 Arrangements of valves and flow lines specially adapted for mixing fluids multiple-way valves F16K11/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 19/006 Specially adapted for faucets
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 27/0263 multiple way valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/04 using a motor
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 49/002 : Electric heating means
• CPC Class Codes: F17D 1/00 : Pipe-line systems conveying articles or materials through a pipe- line by means of a fluid carrier B65G51/00, B65G53/00; liquids B67D; special devices for transferring liquids from bulk storage containers into vehicles or boats or vice versa, e.g. loading or unloading vehicles or portable containers B67D7/00; conveying material which has been excavated by a dredger or soil shifter through a pipe-line E02F7/10; sewer pipe-line systems E03F3/00; thermal insulation of pipe-lines F16L59/00; central heating systems F24D
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 11/13 : characterised by the use of electric means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 11/16 : Controlling mixing ratio of fluids having different temperatures, e.g. by sensing the temperature of a mixture of fluids having different viscosities
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1393 : characterised by the use of electric means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1858 : by varying the mixing ratio of fluids having different temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/19 : characterised by the use of electric means G05D23/1393 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 : using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0617 : specially adapted for fluid materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 : Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0329 : Mixing of plural fluids of diverse characteristics or conditions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0391 : Affecting flow by the addition of material or energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0424 : Liquid cleaning or flushing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6606 : With electric heating element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7759 : Responsive to change in rate of fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8376 : Combined
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8593 : Systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86389 : Programmer or timer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87668 : Single actuator operates plural flow control means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87684 : Valve in each inlet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87692 : With common valve operator

Abstract

A shower head having a stem; a spray head coupled to the stem; a mixing valve located within the stem or the spray head, the mixing valve having a first valve member assembly for controlling a first fluid flow to a mixing chamber and a second valve member assembly for controlling a second fluid flow to the mixing chamber. Each valve member assembly includes a spool, a first valve member on the spool that engages with a first valve seat in a closed position and a second valve member on the spool that engages with a second, separate, valve seat in the closed position. An electrically powered first motor is located within the stem or the spray head. The first motor is coupled to the first valve member assembly to control movement of the first valve member assembly to control the flow of the first fluid to the mixing chamber.

Claims

1. A shower head comprising:

a stem;

a spray head coupled to the stem and rotatable within a spray head mount about two opposing pivots, the spray head mount extending from the stem; and

a mixing valve located within the stem or the spray head, the mixing valve comprising a first valve member assembly for controlling a flow of a first fluid to a mixing chamber and a second valve member assembly for controlling a flow of a second fluid to the mixing chamber,

wherein each valve member assembly comprises;

a spool;

a first valve member disposed on the spool and configured to engage with a first valve seat in a closed position of the valve member assembly; and

a second valve member disposed on the spool and configured to engage with a second, separate, valve seat in the closed position;

wherein the shower head further comprises;

an electrically powered first motor that is located within the stem or the spray head, wherein the first motor is coupled to the first valve member assembly to control movement of the first valve member assembly to control the flow of the first fluid to the mixing chamber;

a controller located within the stem or the spray head, wherein the controller provides control signals to control a flow rate of each of the first and second fluids through the mixing valve; and

a user interface located on the stem or the spray head, wherein the user interface communicates with the controller to allow a user to control the flow rate of each of the first and second fluids through the mixing valve.

2. The shower head of claim 1, wherein the stem is a moveable handset configured to detachably dock with a shower head dock, wherein the mixing valve and the first motor are located within the stem, and wherein fluid flowing through each flow control valve exerts substantially no net force on the associated valve member assembly.

3. The shower head of claim 2, wherein the spool of the first valve member assembly is side by side and parallel to the spool of the second valve member assembly, and wherein a first end of the spool of the first valve member assembly is directly connected to the first motor.

4. The shower head of claim 3, wherein the mixing valve includes a housing located within and separate from the stem, wherein the housing houses the first valve member assembly and the second valve member assembly, and wherein a second end of the spool of the first valve member assembly is slideably received within a guide bore in the housing.

5. The shower head of claim 1, wherein the controller is located within the stem and includes a sensor configured to monitor the flow rate of fluid from the mixing valve, wherein the control signals are from the sensor and control the first motor.

6. The shower head of claim 5, further comprising a remote controller that is external to the stem and the spray head, wherein the remote controller communicates wirelessly with the controller located within the stem to control the flow rate of fluid, and wherein the user interface is located on the stem.

7. A shower head of claim 1, comprising:

a stem;

a spray head coupled to the stem; and

a mixing valve located within the stem or the spray head, the mixing valve comprising a first valve member assembly for controlling a flow of a first fluid to a mixing chamber and a second valve member assembly for controlling a flow of a second fluid to the mixing chamber,

wherein each valve member assembly comprises;

a spool;

a first valve member disposed on the spool and configured to engage with a first valve seat in a closed position of the valve member assembly; and

a second valve member disposed on the spool and configured to engage with a second, separate, valve seat in the closed position,

wherein the shower head further comprises an electrically powered first motor that is located within the stem or the spray head, wherein the first motor is coupled to the first valve member assembly to control movement of the first valve member assembly to control the flow of the first fluid to the mixing chamber, and

wherein the spray head is rotatable within a spray head mount about two opposing pivots, the spray head mount extends from the stem, an outlet of the mixing valve is fluidly connected to the spray head by an outlet conduit, and the outlet conduit extends through the spray head mount and enters the spray head through the two opposing pivots to fluidly connect the mixing valve and the spray head.

8. The shower head of claim 1, further comprising an electrically powered second motor that is located within one of the stem and the spray head, wherein the second motor is coupled to the second valve member assembly to control movement of the second valve member assembly to control the flow of the second fluid to the mixing chamber.

9. A shower head comprising:

a stem;

a spray head assembly comprising a spray head mount coupled to the stem and a spray head movably coupled to the spray head mount;

a mixing valve housing located within the stem and comprising a cold water inlet, a hot water inlet, and a mixing chamber;

a first valve member assembly comprising first and second valve members that control a flow of cold water from the cold water inlet to the mixing chamber through first and second cold water valve seats of the mixing valve housing, respectively;

a second valve member assembly comprising first and second valve members that control a flow of hot water from the hot water inlet to the mixing chamber through first and second hot water valve seats of the mixing valve housing, respectively;

a first electrically powered motor that controls movement of the first valve member assembly between a closed position, in which cold water does not flow to the mixing chamber, and an open position, in which cold water flows to the mixing chamber; and

a second electrically powered motor that controls movement of the second valve member assembly between a closed position, in which hot water does not flow to the mixing chamber, and an open position, in which hot water flows to the mixing chamber;

wherein the spray head comprises;

a first set of outlets configured to discharge water into a first spray pattern; and

a second set of outlets configured to discharge water into a second spray pattern that is different than the first spray pattern,

wherein the spray head is moveable relative to the spray head mount between a first position, in which water flows through the first set of outlets with at least one valve member assembly in the open position, and a second position, in which water flows through the second set of outlets with at least one valve member assembly in the open position, and

wherein the stem is configured to be detachably docked with a shower head dock, wherein the spray head is rotatable relative to the spray head mount about two opposing pivots, wherein the spray head mount is annular shaped, and wherein the spray head is located within a central opening defined by the annular shaped spray head mount so that the spray head is rotatable in the central opening relative to the spray head mount.

10. The shower head of claim 9, further comprising a digital display for providing a visual indication of a flow rate of water from the mixing valve housing, wherein the digital display is part of a user interface that allows a user to input a selected flow rate from the mixing valve housing, and wherein the user interface includes a touchscreen user interface.