SHOWERHEAD ATTACHMENT ASSEMBLY

• US 20080083844A1
• Filed: 10/09/2007
• Published: 04/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Water Pik Incorporated (Church & Dwight Company Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Water Pik Incorporated (Church & Dwight Company Incorporated)
• Inventors: Leber, Leland C., Quinn, Michael J., Golichowski, Gary D.
• Application Number:
  US11/869,183
• Publication Number:
  US 20080083844A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 239/600
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 3/28 Showers or bathing douchescombined with baths A47K3/20; nozzles, spray heads B05B1/00 ; means for suspending or supporting the supply pipe or supply hose E03C1/06
• 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 15/65 Mounting arrangements for fluid connection of the spraying apparatus or its outlets to flow conduits
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/652 whereby the jet can be oriented
• 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: F16L 3/16 with special provision allowing movement of the pipe F16L3/01 takes precedence; supporting pipes or cables inside other pipes or sleeves F16L7/00

Abstract

A shower arm attachment assembly may include a shower pipe coupling member, an arm coupling member, and a locking nut or sleeve. The shower pipe coupling member connects to a shower pipe, and the arm coupling member fluidly connects to a showerhead arm. The arm coupling member may be joined to the shower pipe coupling member. The arm coupling member may be selectively rotatable relative to the shower pipe member. Rotation of the arm coupling member relative to the shower pipe coupling member may be selectively controlled by selectively engaging a locking nut with the coupling members or selectively engaging a keying feature associated with one or both of the coupling members. Rotation of the coupling members relative to each other causes rotation of a showerhead relative to a shower pipe attached to the showerhead using the attachment assembly.

Claims

1. A shower arm attachment assembly comprising:

a first member operative to fluidly communicate with a showerhead;

a second member operative for attachment to a shower pipe and selectively rotatably joined to the first member;

a sleeve selectively engageable with a joinder between the first and second members;

wherein engagement of the sleeve with the joinder between the first and second members substantially prevents rotation of the first member relative to the second member.

2. The shower arm attachment assembly of claim 1, further comprising a snap ring joining the first member to the second member.

3. The shower arm attachment assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the first member includes a first keying feature; and

the second member includes a second keying feature operative to align with the first keying feature when the first member occupies at least one rotational position relative to the second member.

4. The showerhead of claim 3, wherein the sleeve is engageable with the first and second members when the first member occupies at least one rotational position relative to the second member.

5. The shower arm attachment assembly of claim 3, wherein:

the first keying feature comprises a plurality of substantially flat exterior surfaces formed on the first member; and

the second keying feature comprises a plurality of substantially flat exterior surfaces formed on the second member.

6. The shower arm attachment assembly of claim 5, wherein the sleeve includes a plurality of substantially flat surfaces for engagement with the first keying feature and the second keying feature when the first keying feature substantially aligns with the second keying feature.

7. The shower arm attachment assembly of claim 1, wherein the sleeve is selectively engaged with the first and second members by selectively sliding the sleeve over the first and second members.

8. The shower arm attachment assembly of claim 1, wherein the shower pipe includes threads and the second member includes threads to mate with the threads of the shower pipe.

9. The shower arm attachment assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the first member includes an interior surface defining a first fluid passage;

the second member includes an interior surface defining a second fluid passage;

the first fluid passage is in fluid communication with the second fluid passage;

the first fluid passage is in fluid communication with a fluid inlet of the showerhead; and

the second fluid passage of the second member is in fluid communication with a fluid outlet of the shower pipe.

10. A shower arm attachment assembly comprising:

a first member operative to fluidly communicate with a showerhead and including a first keying feature;

a second member operative for attachment to a shower pipe and including a second keying feature for engagement with the first keying feature to substantially prevent rotation of the second member relative to the first member; and

a third member selectively engageable with the first member and the second member, wherein engagement of the third member with the first and second members joins the first member with the second member and engages the first keying feature with the second keying feature.

11. The shower arm attachment assembly of claim 10, wherein the first keying feature includes a spline formed on a portion of a shaft of the first member and the second keying feature includes a plurality of grooves formed on a portion of a shaft of the second member to mate with the spline.

12. The shower arm attachment assembly of claim 11, wherein at least the splined portion of an interior surface of the shaft of the first member defines a cavity to receive at least the grooved portion of the shaft of the second member.

13. The shower arm attachment assembly of claim 10, wherein the first keying feature includes a plurality of raised first projections formed on an exterior surface of the first member and the second keying feature includes a plurality of raised second projections formed on an exterior surface of the second member to mate with the plurality of raised first projections.

14. The shower arm attachment assembly of claim 13, wherein:

the exterior surface of the first member defines a first opening to a first fluid passage in the first member and the plurality of first raised projections substantially encompass the first opening; and

the exterior surface of the second member defines a second opening to a second fluid passage in the second member and the plurality of second raised projections substantially encompass the second opening.

15. The shower arm attachment assembly of claim 10, wherein, wherein the shower pipe includes threads and the second member includes threads to mate with the threads of the shower pipe.

16. The shower arm attachment assembly of claim 10, wherein the second member includes threads and the third member includes threads to mate with the threads of the second member.

17. The shower arm attachment assembly of claim 16, wherein the third member is selectively engaged with the first and second members by sliding the third member over the first member and mating the threads of the third member with the threads of the second member.

18. The shower arm attachment assembly of claim 10, wherein the third member is a clamp ring.

19. A shower arm attachment assembly comprising:

a first member operative to fluidly communicate with a showerhead;

a second member joined to the first member and rotatable relative to the first member;

a third member operative to fluidly join the second member to a shower pipe water outlet; and

a fourth member selectively engageable with the second member, wherein rotation of the first member relative to the second member is substantially prevented when the fourth member is engaged with the second member.

20. The shower arm attachment assembly of claim 19, wherein:

the second member includes first and second threads;

the second member is threadedly joined to the first member using the first threads;

the shower pipe includes threads;

the third member includes threads to mate with the threads of the shower pipe; and

the fourth member includes threads to mate with the second threads on the second member.

21. A shower arm assembly comprising:

an arm;

a shower arm attachment assembly including an arm coupling member; and

an arm rotation assembly including;

a connector rod;

a nut joined to the connector rod and operative with the connector rod to press together the arm coupling member and the arm; and

a retaining clip attached to the connector rod and operative with the connector rod to prevent disassembly of the arm from the arm coupling member.

22. The shower arm assembly of claim 21, wherein:

the arm coupling member includes a first keying feature and the arm includes a second keying feature for engagement with the first keying feature to substantially prevent rotation of the arm relative to the arm coupling member; and

pressing the arm coupling member and the arm together using the arm rotation assembly engages the first and second keying features.

23. The shower arm assembly of claim 22, wherein:

the arm coupling member includes a third keying feature; and

the shower arm attachment assembly further includes;

a shower pipe coupling member operative for attachment to a shower pipe and including a fourth keying feature for engagement with the third keying feature to substantially prevent rotation of the shower pipe coupling member relative to arm coupling member; and

a locking nut selectively engageable with the arm coupling member and the shower pipe coupling member, wherein engagement of the locking nut with the arm coupling member and the shower pipe coupling member joins the arm coupling member with the shower pipe coupling member and engages the third keying feature with the fourth keying feature.

24. A shower arm assembly comprising:

an arm including a first keying feature;

a shower arm attachment assembly comprising an arm coupling member including a second keying feature for engagement with the first keying feature to substantially prevent rotation of the arm relative to the arm coupling member; and

an arm rotation assembly including;

a connector rod; and

a nut joined to the connector rod and operative with the connector rod to press together the arm coupling member and the arm to engage the first keying feature with the second keying feature.

25. The shower arm assembly of claim 25, wherein:

the arm coupling member includes a third keying feature; and

the shower arm attachment assembly further includes;

a shower pipe coupling member operative for attachment to a shower pipe and including a fourth keying feature for engagement with the third keying feature to substantially prevent rotation of the shower pipe coupling member relative to arm coupling member; and

a locking nut selectively engageable with the arm coupling member and the shower pipe coupling member, wherein engagement of the locking nut with the arm coupling member and the shower pipe coupling member joins the arm coupling member with the shower pipe coupling member and engages the third keying feature with the fourth keying feature.