Dual volume shower head system

• US 20060219822A1
• Filed: 03/15/2006
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Alsons Corporation (Masco Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alsons Corporation (Masco Corporation)
• Inventors: Voel, Jon, Lev, Mordechai, Miller, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US11/375,913
• Publication Number:
  US 20060219822A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 239/562
• 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 1/30 designed to control volume of flow, e.g. with adjustable passages B05B11/0094 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/304 the controlling element being a lift valve

Abstract

A dual volume shower head assembly utilizes two flow control regulators to provide specific flow rates. A flow control diverts fluid flow around a low flow limiter such that an upstream high flow limiter provides the restriction. The limiters may provide any desired flow rate by simply snapping a limiter of a desired rate into the mount locations.

Claims

1. A volume control shower head assembly comprising:

a high flow limiter;

a regulator plate having an opening;

a low flow limiter downstream of said high flow limiter;

a flow control mounted within said opening along a first axis;

a cam shaft transverse to said first axis, said cam shaft movable to move said flow control between a first position engaged with said opening to provide a first flow volume defined by said low flow limiter and a second position disengaged from said first opening to provide a second flow volume defined by said high flow limiter.

2. The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said second volume is greater than said first volume.

3. The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said flow control is axial movable along said first axis.

4. The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said cam shaft extends through said flow control.

5. The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said high flow limiter is mounted within a connector.

6. The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said low flow limiter is mounted within said regulator plate.

7. The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein said high flow limiter and said low flow limiter are replaceable.

8. The assembly as recited in claim 1, further comprising a flow engine downstream of said regulator plate to define a spray pattern.

9. A volume control shower head assembly comprising:

a ball connector;

a high flow limiter mounted within said ball connector;

a regulator plate having an opening and a low flow limiter, said regulator plate downstream of said high flow limiter;

a flow control mounted within said opening along a first axis;

a cam shaft transverse to said first axis, said cam shaft movable to move said flow control between a first position engaged with said opening to provide a first flow volume defined by said low flow limiter and a second position disengaged from said first opening to provide a second flow volume defined by said high flow limiter; and

a flow engine mounted downstream of said regulator plate to define a spray pattern.

10. The assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein said flow control includes a valve mounted to a shaft, said valve engageable with said opening.

11. The assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein said opening defines a frustro-conical opening.

12. The assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein said cam shaft extends through said flow control upstream of said valve.

13. The assembly as recited in claim 12, further comprising an airfoil-shaped member mounted along said cam shaft, said airfoil-shaped member engageable with an oval-shaped opening formed in said flow control.

14. A method of volume control for a dual volume shower head assembly comprising the steps of:

(A) communicating a fluid through a high flow limiter to provide a first fluid flow volume defined by the high flow limiter;

(B) communicating the fluid through a low flow limiter after said step (A) to restrict the first flow volume to a second fluid flow volume less than the first fluid flow volume; and

(C) selectively communicating the first fluid flow through both the low flow limiter and an opening to provide the first fluid flow volume as defined by the high flow limiter.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein said step (C) further comprises:

(a) sealing the opening with a flow control.

16. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein said step (C) further comprises:

(b) locating the opening in a regulator plate which retains the low flow limiter.

17. A method as recited in claim 16, further comprising the step of:

(D) communicating the fluid through a flow engine downstream of the regulator plate.

18. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein said step (D) further comprises:

(a) defining a spray pattern with the flow engine.

19. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein said step (A) further comprises:

(a) locating the high flow limiter within a ball connector connected to a fluid source.

20. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein said step (C) further comprises:

(B) rotating a cam shaft to axially drive a flow control to a position to close the opening.