Automatically adjustable shower head

• US 4,275,843 A
• Filed: 11/14/1979
• Issued: 06/30/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Moen, Inc. (Canada) (Fortune Brands Innovations, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Stanadyne Corporation (Stanadyne Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Moen, Alfred M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reeves, Robert B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Church, Gene A.
• Application Number:
  US06/094,293
• Time in Patent Office: 594 Days
• Field of Search: 239/587, 239/570, 239/498, 239/499, 239/460, 239/453, 239/553, 239/553.5, 138/45, 138/46
• US Class Current: 239/499
• 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 1/3006 the controlling element being actuated by the pressure of the fluid to be sprayed B05B11/0062 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/323 the valve member being actuated by the pressure of the fluid to be sprayed B05B11/0062 takes precedence

Abstract

An automatic pressure responsive shower head includes an outer housing and a body member positioned within the housing and attached thereto. The body member has a water discharge at one end and is connected to a swivel member at the other end. There are water passage means within the body member between the swivel member and the body member water discharge. A water pressure responsive control member is positioned within the body member and is effective to control the flow of water through the body member water passage.

Claims

1. An automatic pressure-responsive shower head including an outer housing, a body member within the housing, said body member including a generally cylindrical portion and an outwardly-flared skirt at one end, said body member being in contact with said housing at one end of said cylindrical portion and at the outer periphery of said skirt, a partition across said body member at the junction of said skirt and cylindrical portion, a swivel member and means for attaching it to said body member including a flexible body member flange positioned against said swivel member on one side of a diameter and a seal ring positioned between said body member and swivel on the other side of the same diameter, a cup-shaped retainer having an outwardly-flared end positioned within said body member, a spring seated on said partition and urging said flared end against said seal member, a water passage in said body member partition in communication with said swivel member through an aligned opening in said retainer, a control member extending through the aligned openings in said partition and retainer and having an enlarged head outside of said body member partition to perform a water control function therewith, said control member having outwardly-extending flange means with spaces therebetween, a spring seated on said retainer and acting against said flange means to urge said control member head toward said partition, the spaces between said control member flange means providing water communication between said swivel and said body member partition water passage, water flowing from said swivel toward said control member urging said enlarged head away from said body member partition water passage.

2. The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that the interior surface of said body member skirt includes a plurality of spray forming grooves, said spray forming grooves being in constant communication with said body member partition water passage, regardless of the position of said control member enlarged head, thereby providing for a constant, although variable, flow of water from said body member partition water passage to said spray forming grooves.