Adjustable massage shower head

• US 4,330,089 A
• Filed: 03/24/1980
• Issued: 05/18/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hans Grohe GmbH & Co. KG.
• Original Assignee: Hans Grohe GmbH & Co. KG.
• Inventors: Finkbeiner, Werner
• Primary Examiner(s): Reeves, Robert B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Forman, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US06/133,593
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• Field of Search: 239/383, 239/440, 239/441, 239/447-449, 239/456-458, 239/460, 239/102
• US Class Current: 239/381
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/1681 with a selecting mechanism comprising a gate valve, sliding valve or cock and a lift valve
• 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 3/04 driven by the liquid or other fluent material discharged, e.g. the liquid actuating a motor before passing to the outlet B05B3/023 takes precedence

Abstract

An adjustable massage shower head comprising, a housing defining a liquid input chamber for receiving a liquid, a flow guide mounted for axial movement in the housing defining a liquid flow passage from the input chamber and a turbine chamber, the flow guide having a spray bottom connected thereto with openings therethrough. A rotor valve is rotatably mounted and fixed at an axial position to the housing and disposed in the turbine chamber for rotation which produces a pulsating spray from the openings. A ring wall is disposed around the turbine chamber and has a plurality of ducts extending radially at an oblique angle therethrough for directing liquid against the rotor valve. The flow guide is axially movable to direct liquid against increasing areas of the rotor valve to increase the frequency of the pulsing spray. A valve disc is also connected to the housing in the flow guide for diverting the flow of liquid from the turbine chamber to a second flow passage around the flow guide to form a continuous spray which is adjustable with further axial movement of the flow guide.

Claims

1. An adjustable massage shower head comprising:

a housing defining a liquid input chamber for receiving a liquid;

a flow guide mounted for axial movement in said housing defining a liquid flow passage from said input chamber and a turbine chamber;

a spray bottom connected to said flow guide and defining one wall of said turbine chamber having openings therethrough;

a rotor valve rotatably mounted to said housing and in said turbine chamber, said rotor valve having a cutout-segment and being rotatable over said openings to produce a pulsating spray of liquid leaving said turbine chamber as said cutout-segment passes over said openings;

a ring wall connected to said flow guide between said liquid flow passage and said turbine chamber having at least one obliquely extending duct therethrough and

means for axially moving said flow guide in said housing to move said spray bottom and ring wall with said at least one duct from a position with said duct directing liquid from said flow passage to a portion of said rotor valve, to a position where said duct directs liquid to an increased portion of said rotor valve, whereby the pulsating spray is increased in frequency.

2. A shower head according to claim 1, including a spray ring having a plurality of circumferentially spaced slots therein connected to said flow guide and defining with said housing a non-pulsating spray nozzle, said flow guide defining with said housing a second liquid flow passage between said input chamber and said non-pulsating spray nozzle.

3. A shower head according to claim 2, including a valve disc connected to said housing and engaged with said flow guide for defining said first mentioned liquid flow passage at one axial position of said flow guide and for cutting off flow in said first mentioned liquid flow passage and permitting flow in said second liquid flow passage at another axial position of said flow guide.

4. A shower head according to claim 2, wherein said slots are shaped to change a characteristic of an unpulsating spray from said unpulsating spray nozzle with axial movement of said flow guide.

5. A shower head according to claim 1, including a pin connected to said housing extending axially therein and into said flow guide, said pin rotatably carrying said rotor valve.

6. A shower head according to claim 5, further including a bearing plate connected to the bottom of said pin for rotatably supporting said valve rotor on said pin, said bearing plate having a diameter less than that of said spray bottom for permitting contact between a portion of said spray bottom and said rotor valve when said flow guide is in at least one axial position with respect to said housing.

7. A shower head according to claim 1, wherein said flow guide is axially movable by said means for moving said flow guide, to establishing frictional contact between said rotor valve and said spray bottom to reduce the rotation of said rotor valve due to flow of the liquid through said at least one duct.

8. A shower head according to claim 1, wherein said means for axially moving said flow guide comprise a pin connected to and extending axially in said housing, a hollow cylindrical tube connected to said flow guide and embraced around said pin having exterior threads, and a portion of said housing having interior threads threaded on said exterior threads of said tube, whereby rotational movement of said flow guide about said pin produces axial movement of said flow guide in said housing.

9. A shower head according to claim 8, including a manually rotatable ring rotatably mounted to said housing and engaged with said flow guide for rotational movement therewith and for permitting axial movement of said flow guide.

10. A shower head according to claim 9, wherein said flow guide includes a spray ring having a plurality of circumferentially spaced grooves therethrough defining with an interior surface of said manually rotatable ring a non-pulsing spray nozzle, said flow guide defining with said housing and said manually rotatable ring a second liquid flow passage between said input chamber and said non-pulsating spray nozzle.

11. A shower head according to claim 1, wherein said rotor valve comprises a valve plate rotatable in association with said spray bottom having a cutout portion movable over said openings for producing a pulsating spray through said openings, and at least one vane extending from said plate positioned to receive liquid from said at least one duct to produce rotation of said rotor valve.

12. A spray head for producing pulsating and non-pulsating sprays of liquid comprising, a housing having an input chamber, a flow guide mounted for axial movement in said housing defining a first flow passage and a second flow passage from said input chamber, a ring wall connected in said flow guide defining a turbine chamber, said ring wall with said flow guide defining an annular space communicating with said first flow passage, said ring wall having a plurality of obliquely extending turbine ducts therethrough communicating said annular space with said turbine chamber, a pin connected to said housing and extending axially through said flow guide and into said turbine chamber, a rotor valve rotatably mounted on said pin and in said turbine chamber, said flow guide movable axially to expose said rotor valve to increasing cross-sectional areas of said turbine duct to increase a frequency of pulsing spray from said turbine chamber, a spray bottom connected to said flow guide and forming a wall of said turbine chamber having openings therethrough, said rotor valve having a cutout segment and rotatable in association with said spray bottom to produce the pulsating spray, a valve disc connected to said pin extending radially outwardly therefrom and slidable against a portion of said ring wall, said valve disc positioned to close flow of liquid through said first flow passage at a selected axial position of said flow guide, communication established between said input chamber and said second flow passage with axial movement of said flow guide.

13. A spray head according to claim 12, including a tube connected to said flow guide slidably mounted on said pin and having external threads, said housing including a portion extending toward said tube having internal threads threaded on said external threads of said tube, said flow guide movable axially with rotation thereof.