Showerhead with replaceable housing
First Claim
1. A showerhead comprising:
- a ball joint having an inlet end adapted to be connected to a supply pipe, an outlet end including a ball and a passage connecting said inlet end with said outlet end to provide for fluid communication through said ball joint;
a skirt member mounted on said ball for swiveling movement thereon and coaxially disposed about said passage, said skirt member including a shoulder about a lower outer circumference;
a generally cylindrical water flow section extending from said skirt member for directing fluid flowing through said passage;
an annular groove disposed on an outer circumferential surface of said cylindrical section;
orifice plate means disposed in said cylindrical section downstream of said ball for shaping fluid flowing through said cylindrical section into a water spray pattern; and
a generally cylindrical decorative shell coaxially disposed about and radially spaced from said cylindrical water flow section including an annular end portion having a bead on an inner circumference thereof received in a snap-fit locking relationship in said groove;
said shell removably abutting said shoulder of said skirt member and having an outer surface continuous with an outer surface of said skirt member;
wherein said shell is removable from said cylindrical water flow section without disconnecting said ball joint from said supply pipe.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A showerhead which provides for a reduced flow volume through the showerhead includes a replaceable decorative cover. The showerhead has a skirt housing (24) which is swivelably mounted on a ball joint (10) connected to a water supply pipe. A generally cylindrical spray director (32) is welded to the skirt member (24) to provide a spray pattern emitting from the showerhead. An orifice plate (44) which reduces the flow volume and a face plate (50) which defines a spray pattern are disposed within the spray director (32) downstream of the ball joint (10). The face plate (50) is axially adjustable in order to vary the spray pattern as well as provide for a self-flushing showerhead. The decorative cover includes an annular shell (58) coaxially disposed about the spray director (32) and an end plate (64) which is snap-fit into the outlet of the spray director. In this way, decorative covers of different styles can be used with the same functional assemblies.
141 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A showerhead comprising:
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a ball joint having an inlet end adapted to be connected to a supply pipe, an outlet end including a ball and a passage connecting said inlet end with said outlet end to provide for fluid communication through said ball joint; a skirt member mounted on said ball for swiveling movement thereon and coaxially disposed about said passage, said skirt member including a shoulder about a lower outer circumference; a generally cylindrical water flow section extending from said skirt member for directing fluid flowing through said passage; an annular groove disposed on an outer circumferential surface of said cylindrical section; orifice plate means disposed in said cylindrical section downstream of said ball for shaping fluid flowing through said cylindrical section into a water spray pattern; and a generally cylindrical decorative shell coaxially disposed about and radially spaced from said cylindrical water flow section including an annular end portion having a bead on an inner circumference thereof received in a snap-fit locking relationship in said groove; said shell removably abutting said shoulder of said skirt member and having an outer surface continuous with an outer surface of said skirt member; wherein said shell is removable from said cylindrical water flow section without disconnecting said ball joint from said supply pipe. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification