LOW FLOW SHOWERHEAD AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME

• US 20080272203A1
• Filed: 05/02/2008
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Water Pik Incorporated (Church & Dwight Company Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Water Pik Incorporated (Church & Dwight Company Incorporated)
• Inventors: Leber, Leland C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,028,935 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 239/101
• 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 15/654 using universal joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/04 Rotational or centrifugal casting, i.e. coating the inside of a mould by rotating the mould
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/00 Joining or sealing of preformed parts , e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor general aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts B29C66/00; using porous material formed by internal pressure generated therein for joining preformed parts B29C44/1228, B29C44/326
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/02 by heating, with or without pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/08 using ultrasonic vibrations non-plastics element to plastics elements B29C65/645
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/48 using adhesives , i.e. using supplementary joining material; solvent bonding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/56 using mechanical means or mechanical connections, e.g. form-fits
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/561 using screw-threads being integral at least to one of the parts to be joined
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/562 using extra joining elements, i.e. which are not integral with the parts to be joined using plastic snap elements B29C65/58; using plastic rivets B29C65/601
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/58 Snap connection
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1142 Single butt to butt joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/124 Tongue and groove joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/126 Tenon and mortise joints tenons and mortises for positioning purposes B29C65/7814
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/54 Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-shells, to form hollow articles, e.g. for making balls, containers; Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-cylinders, to form tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/55 sealing elements being incorporated into the joints, e.g. gaskets B29C66/52296 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 69/004 making articles by joining parts moulded in separate cavities, said parts being in said separate cavities during said joining B29C45/006, B29C51/267 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7696 Showers
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/021 Devices for positioning or connecting of water supply lines connection to the tap body E03C1/0403
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 27/047 : held in place by a screwed member having an internal spherical surface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6858 : Locomotive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49 : Method of mechanical manufacture

Abstract

A showerhead for a low flow rate may employ one or more of a showerhead housing, a showerhead engine, a flow restrictor and a flow regulation device. The showerhead engine may be moveably connected to the showerhead housing. The showerhead engine may include a back member, an intermediate member, and a front member defining various fluid chambers and apertures that allow for one or more spray modes. The showerhead may include a flow control device to selectively reduce flow to the showerhead engine. The flow control device may also be selectively pause fluid flow for more than one spray mode. The showerhead may include a flow restrictor. The flow restrictor may limit a maximum fluid flow rate of a fluid delivered from the showerhead engine to approximately 1.5 gallons per minute.

Claims

1. A showerhead comprising:

a showerhead housing including a fluid passage;

a showerhead engine moveably associated with the showerhead housing;

the showerhead engine including;

a back member including a first back member fluid aperture in selective fluid communication with the fluid passage and a second back member fluid aperture in selective fluid communication with the fluid passage;

an intermediate member including a first intermediate fluid aperture and a second intermediate member fluid aperture; and

a front member;

the back member and the intermediate member defining a first fluid chamber and a second fluid chamber, the first fluid chamber in fluid communication with the first back and intermediate member fluid apertures, and the second fluid chamber in fluid communication with the second back and intermediate member fluid apertures;

the intermediate member and the front member defining a third fluid chamber and a fourth fluid chamber, the third fluid chamber in fluid communication with the first intermediate fluid aperture and a first fluid outlet, and the fourth fluid chamber in fluid communication with the second intermediate fluid aperture and a second fluid outlet;

the first fluid chamber upstream of the third fluid chamber;

the second fluid chamber upstream of the fourth fluid chamber; and

selective movement of the showerhead engine relative to the showerhead housing selectively enables and ends fluid communication between the fluid passage and at least one of the first and second back member fluid apertures.

2. The showerhead of claim 1, further comprising a flow restrictor with a maximum flow rating of approximately 1.5 gallons per minute or less in fluid communication with the fluid passage and positioned upstream of the first and second back member fluid apertures.

3. The showerhead of claim 2, further comprising a flow control device in fluid communication with the fluid passage, the flow control device positioned downstream of the flow restrictor.

4. The showerhead of claim 3, wherein the flow control device is positioned upstream of the first and second back member fluid apertures.

5. The showerhead of claim 1, further comprising a flow control device in fluid communication with the fluid passage, the flow control device positioned upstream of the first and second back member fluid apertures.

6. The showerhead of claim 5, wherein the flow control device comprises a flow control ring moveably joined to a flow control housing.

7. The showerhead of claim 6, wherein:

the flow control housing includes first and second flow control fluid chambers;

the flow control housing and the flow control ring define a third flow control fluid chamber in selective fluid communication with the first and second flow control fluid chambers; and

selective movement of the flow control ring relative to the flow control housing enables and ends fluid communication between the third flow control fluid chamber and at least one of the first and second flow control fluid chambers.

8. The showerhead of claim 7, wherein the flow control housing includes a flow notch providing fluid communication between the first and second flow control fluid chambers.

9. The showerhead of claim 1, wherein the showerhead housing comprises one of a base cone and a handheld showerhead housing.

10. The showerhead of claim 2, wherein the showerhead housing comprises a handheld showerhead housing including an upstream and a downstream end portion, and the flow regulator is positioned proximate the downstream end portion of the handheld showerhead housing.

11. The showerhead of claim 1, wherein the front member includes at least one of the first and second fluid outlets.

12. A showerhead comprising:

a showerhead engine including at least two spray modes;

a flow control device operatively associated with the showerhead engine; and

the flow control device selectively operable to pause fluid flow for any of the at least two spray modes.

13. The showerhead of claim 12, further comprising a flow restrictor with a maximum flow rating of approximately 1.5 gallons per minute or less operatively associated with the showerhead engine and limiting a maximum fluid flow rate of a fluid delivered from the showerhead engine to approximately 1.5 gallons per minute.

14. The showerhead of claim 13, further comprising a fluid passage in fluid communication with the showerhead engine, the flow control device, and the flow restrictor, the showerhead engine positioned at a downstream stream end of the fluid passage, and the flow control device and the flow restrictor positioned at an upstream end of the fluid passage.

15. The showerhead of claim 14, wherein the flow control device is positioned downstream of the flow restrictor.

16. The showerhead of claim 12, wherein the flow control device comprises a flow control ring moveably joined to a flow control housing.

17. The showerhead of claim 16, wherein:

the flow control housing includes first and second fluid chambers;

the flow control housing and the flow control ring define a third fluid chamber in selective fluid communication with the first and second fluid chambers; and

selective movement of the flow control ring relative to the flow control housing enables and ends fluid communication between the third fluid chamber and at least one of the first and second fluid chambers.

18. The showerhead of claim 17, wherein the flow control housing includes a flow notch in fluid communication with the first and second fluid chambers.

19. The showerhead of claim 18, wherein the flow control device includes a seal member selectively moveable relative to the flow control housing to restrict the flow of fluid between the first and second fluid chambers to the flow notch.

20. The showerhead of claim 19, wherein at least a portion of the seal member is positioned within a recess defined in the flow control ring.