HANDSHOWER SLIDE MECHANISM

• US 20150233101A1
• Filed: 02/14/2014
• Published: 08/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kohler Company
• Original Assignee: Kohler Company
• Inventors: Andersen, Terrence J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,382,699 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/066 allowing height adjustment of shower head
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2/18 using cams, levers, eccentrics, or toggles for connections of rods or tubes engaged telescopically F16B7/1418, F16B7/1427, F16B7/1454
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2/185 using levers

Abstract

A handshower slide comprising a bar with a passageway and a slide mechanism positioned along a length of the bar. The slide mechanism comprises a handle, a cam, and a shower holder. The cam is positioned within the passageway and is rotatable between a first orientation and a second orientation relative to the bar. The slide mechanism is secured along the length of the bar while the cam is in the first orientation and movable along the length of the bar while the cam is in the second orientation. An orientation of the cam is controlled by a spring and is biased toward the first orientation. The handle is coupled the slide mechanism through the spring and an orientation of the cam is correlated to a position of the handle. The cam is movable from the first orientation to the second orientation by an external force on the handle.

Claims

1. A handshower slide comprising:

a bar with a passageway; and

a slide mechanism positioned along a length of the bar,

wherein the slide mechanism comprises a handle, a cam, and a shower holder,

wherein the cam is positioned within the passageway and is rotatable between a first orientation and a second orientation relative to the bar,

wherein the slide mechanism is secured along the length of the bar while the cam is in the first orientation and movable along the length of the bar while the cam is in the second orientation,

wherein an orientation of the cam is controlled by a spring and is biased toward the first orientation,

wherein the handle is coupled the slide mechanism through the spring and an orientation of the cam is correlated to a position of the handle, and

wherein the cam is configured to be movable from the first orientation to the second orientation by an external force on the handle that overcomes the force of the spring and frictionally engages the cam with the bar.

2. The handshower slide of claim 1, further comprising at least one gripping material on an outside perimeter of the cam.

3. The handshower slide of claim 1, wherein the cam has an oblong shape.

4. The handshower slide of claim 1, further comprising an inner slide at least partially within the passageway and movable with the slide mechanism.

5. The handshower slide of claim 1, wherein the shower holder is rotatable with respect to the slide mechanism.

6. The handshower slide of claim 5, further comprising a compressive spring between the handshower holder and the slide mechanism.

7. The handshower slide of claim 6, wherein the compressive spring is a wave spring.

8. The handshower slide of claim 5, wherein the shower holder is automatically securable in any radial position.

9. The handshower slide of claim 5, wherein a range of rotation of the shower holder is determined by a radial length of a slot between the shower holder and the slide mechanism.

10. The handshower slide of claim 1, wherein the spring is a torsion spring.

11. The handshower slide of claim 1, wherein the handle and the cam interlock through a spline and broach connection.

12. An adjustable holding mechanism comprising:

a bar having an elongated opening leading to an internal passage;

a cam disposed within the internal passage and rotatable between a first position where the cam is frictionally engaged with the bar and a second position where the cam is movable along the internal passage;

a handle coupled to the cam through the elongated opening; and

a spring coupled to the handle and a movable body of the holding mechanism and configured to bias the handle and the cam toward the first position.

13. The adjustable holding mechanism of claim 12, further comprising a shower head holder movable with the cam.

14. The adjustable holding mechanism of claim 13, wherein the shower head holder is rotatable and automatically maintains a position with respect to the movable body.

15. The adjustable holding mechanism of claim 12, further comprising an inner slide coupled to the movable body.

16. An adjustable handshower slide comprising:

a bar with an interior passageway accessible through an elongated opening;

a cam movable along a length of the passageway and at least partially covered by a gripping material,

wherein the cam is rotatable between a first position where the cam is not movable within the passageway and a second position where the cam is movable along the passageway;

a handle coupled to the cam through the elongated opening, wherein a position of the cam is directly correlated to an orientation of the handle; and

a movable base including a shower holder,

wherein the handle is rotatably attached to the base with a spring,

wherein the spring is biased to move the handle and the cam to the first position.

17. The adjustable handshower slide of claim 16, further comprising an inner slide coupled to the movable base and movable within the interior passageway.

18. The adjustable handshower slide of claim 16, further comprising a handshower holder rotatably attached to the movable base.

19. The adjustable handshower slide of claim 18, wherein the handshower holder is independently secured in any radial position with respect to the movable base.

20. The adjustable handshower slide of claim 16, wherein the cam has an oblong shape.