MULTI-SPRAY BIDET

• US 20120222207A1
• Filed: 06/27/2011
• Published: 09/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kohler Company
• Original Assignee: Kohler Company
• Inventors: SLOTHOWER, Erich, Kuang, Qifeng
• Granted Patent: US 9,051,722 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 4/443
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 9/08 Devices in the bowl producing upwardly-directed sprays; Modifications of the bowl for use with such devices showers A47K3/28; bathing devices for special therapeutic or hygienic purposes A61H33/00, for specific parts of the body A61H35/00 ; Bidets; Combinations of bowls with urinals or bidets; Hot-air or other devices mounted in or on the bowl, urinal or bidet for cleaning or disinfecting
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 9/085 Hand-held spray heads for bidet use or for cleaning the bowl

Abstract

A bidet includes one or more water sources, a generally elongate wand, and a spray head. The wand is configured to communicate water from the one or more water sources to the spray head. The spray head is configured to spray the water received from water sources, and the spray head is also configured to releasably couple to the wand by being received through an upper surface of the wand into a receptacle thereof.

Claims

1. A sprayer for a bidet, comprising:

a generally elongate wand; and

a spray head comprising a body portion and a head portion;

wherein the wand is configured to communicate water to the body portion of the spray head, the body portion of the spray head is configured to communicate the water to the head portion, and the head portion is configured to spray the water; and

wherein the spray head is configured to releasably couple to the wand such that the head portion is centrally located relative to an upper surface of the wand.

2. The sprayer of claim 1, wherein the head portion is disposed generally toward a forward end of the wand.

3. The sprayer of claim 2, wherein the spray head is configured to releasably couple to the wand, the body portion being insertable through an aperture in the upper surface of the wand.

4. The sprayer of claim 3, wherein the wand comprises a receptacle configured to releasably couple to the spray head, and wherein the receptacle is configured to receive the body portion of the spray head and is configured to communicate water from one or more water sources to the spray head.

5. The sprayer of claim 4, wherein:

the body portion of the spray head comprises one or more slots extending around the periphery thereof and a gasket disposed in each of the one or more slots;

the receptacle includes one or more slots or surfaces, each slot or surface configured to be in alignment with one of the one or more slots of the body portion of the spray head; and

a seal is formed by each gasket between the slot of the body portion and the aligned slot or surface of the receptacle, such that the water is prevented from leaking and the body portion of the spray head is retained within the receptacle.

6. The sprayer of claim 1, wherein the head portion of the spray head comprises a first group of one or more nozzles and a second group of one or more different nozzles from the nozzles of the first group.

7. The sprayer of claim 6, wherein the one or more nozzles of the first group are configured to spray water toward an anterior portion of a user, and the one or more nozzles of the second group are configured to spray water toward a posterior portion of the user.

8. The sprayer of claim 6, wherein the one or more nozzles of the first group are configured to receive water from a first water source and the one or more nozzles of the second group are configured to receive water from a second water source different from the first water source.

9. The sprayer of claim 8, wherein at least one of the flow rate, temperature, pressure, or flow pattern of the first water source and the second water source may be independently controlled.

10. The sprayer of claim 1, wherein at least one of the wand or the spray head is composed at least in part of stainless steel.

11. The sprayer of claim 1, wherein an upper surface of the wand is flush with the head portion of the sprayhead.

12. A spray head for a bidet, comprising:

a body portion comprising a first port and a second port that generally surrounds the first port; and

a head portion provided above the body portion, the head portion comprising a first nozzle group and a second nozzle group, wherein the first nozzle group comprises one or more nozzles and the second nozzle group comprises one or more different nozzles from the first group;

wherein the first port is configured to communicate water to the first nozzle group and the second port is configured to communicate water to the second nozzle group.

13. The spray head of claim 12, wherein at least a portion of the second port is disposed above at least a portion of the first port, wherein the first port includes a generally vertical channel, and wherein the second port includes a generally horizontal channel that extends around the vertical channel of the first port.

14. The spray head of claim 13, wherein the spray head is configured to releasably couple to a bidet wand, wherein the second port is configured to form an upper chamber collectively with the wand, and wherein the upper chamber generally surrounds the vertical channel of the first port.

15. The spray head of claim 14, wherein the first port is configured to form a lower chamber collectively with the wand, and wherein the lower chamber is disposed generally below the upper chamber.

16. The spray head of claim 12, wherein the one or more nozzles of the first nozzle group are centrally located on an upper surface of the spray head, and wherein the second nozzle group comprises a plurality of nozzles disposed around the one or more nozzles of the first nozzle group on the upper surface of the spray head.

17. The spray head of claim 16, wherein the first port includes a generally vertical channel and the second port includes a generally horizontal channel that extends around the vertical channel;

and

wherein one or more nozzles of the first nozzle group are holes that extend through the upper surface of the spray head to the central channel, and the plurality of nozzles of the second nozzle group are holes that extend through the upper surface of the spray head to the horizontal channel.

18. A bidet, comprising:

one or more water sources;

a generally elongate wand; and

a spray head;

wherein the wand is configured to communicate water from the one or more water sources to the spray head;

wherein the spray head is configured to spray the water received from water sources; and

wherein the spray head is configured to releasably couple to the wand by being received through an upper surface of the wand into a receptacle thereof

19. The bidet of claim 18, wherein the wand includes an aperture in the upper surface thereof and a receptacle disposed below the upper surface, and wherein the spray head includes a body portion that is insertable through the aperture into the receptacle.

20. The bidet of claim 19, wherein the spray head comprises a head portion comprising a first nozzle group of one or more nozzles generally centered on the head portion and a second nozzle group of a plurality of nozzles disposed generally around the one or more nozzles of the first nozzle group;

wherein the body portion comprises a first port configured to receive water from a first water source and communicate the water to the first nozzle group; and

wherein the body portion comprises a second port disposed generally above the first port, the second port configured to receive water from a second water source and communicate the water to the second nozzle group.