Power controlling apparatus in a showerhead

• US 4,165,837 A
• Filed: 03/30/1978
• Issued: 08/28/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rival Consumer Sales Corp.
• Original Assignee: Associated Mills Incorporated
• Inventors: Rundzaitis, Alfons
• Primary Examiner(s): Marbert, James B.
• Application Number:
  US05/891,608
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: 239/394, 239/443, 239/417.3, 239/541, 239/436, 239/445, 239/483, 239/449, 239/562, 239/101, 239/446, 239/381, 128/66
• US Class Current: 239/394
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/1654 about an axis parallel to the liquid passage in the stationary valve element
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/3026 the controlling element being a gate valve, a sliding valve or a cock B05B1/3006, B05B1/326 take precedence; gate valves or sliding valves in general F16K3/00; cocks in general F16K5/00

Abstract

An improvement of a power controlling apparatus is included in a showerhead.

Claims

1. An improvement of a water controlling apparatus in a hand-held showerhead, the showerhead having a handle-housing including a main body and an integral handle which extends from said main body, the main body having a cylindrical chamber wall and a back wall, the chamber wall defining a cylindrical chamber, the chamber having an open front portion and a rear portion, the handle defining a conduit through which water may flow with an upper end in communication with the rear portion of said chamber, the water controlling apparatus comprising, in combination:

a projecting portion of said main body rearward of said chamber defining an opening through said back wall into said chamber;

a valve member having a cylindrical valve portion positioned within said chamber and an integral post portion extending through said opening, said valve portion defining a channel for opening said upper end of said conduit to said front portion of said chamber, said valve portion and said post portion co-axially aligned, said valve member rotatable so as to rotate said channel into and away from registry with said conduit;

a control knob including a body portion, an integral lever portion and an integral indicator portion, said body portion fastened to said post portion of said valve member adjacent said projecting portion for rotation with said valve member, said lever portion extending from said body portion and adapted to be rotated manually, said indicator portion extending from said body portion; and

indicia on said back wall of said main body of said handle-housing, said indicia cooperating with said indicator portion of said control knob to indicate the strength of said flow, said indicia indicating at least a first strength when said channel is substantially in registry with said conduit and a second strength when said channel is substantially away from registry with said conduit.

2. A water controlling apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said channel is defined by an inner surface, a first side surface, a second side surface and a back surface within said valve portion, said inner surface substantially parallel to a diameter of said valve portion, said first side surface and said second side surface substantially perpendicular to said inner surface and said back surface slanted forward toward said inner surface.

3. A valve controlling apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said projecting portion of said main body has a back surface and said body portion of said control knob includes a front surface, an arcuate slot being defined within said back surface of said projecting portion and a cooperating tab projecting into said slot being defined on said front surface of said body portion whereby the location of said control knob and thereby said valve member is limited within a range defined by the arcuate length of said slot.

4. A water controlling apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said indicia indicates said first strength, and indicates said second strength when said channel is rotated in either rotational direction a preselected rotational distance from the position in which said channel is substantially in registry with said conduit and further indicating a third strength when said channel is rotated in either rotational direction a second preselected rotational distance from the rotational position in which said channel is substantially in registry with said conduit.

5. A water controlling apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said post portion has an axially extending planar face defined thereon and said body portion includes a cylindrical wall portion defining a generally cylindrical recess having a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of said post portion and defining an axially extending, mating planar face within said recess for cooperating with said planar face on said post portion for preventing relative rotation between said control knob and said valve member, said apparatus further comprising a fastener for fastening said main body against said post portion.