Pulsating hot and cold shower head

• US 4,801,091 A
• Filed: 03/31/1988
• Issued: 01/31/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Arne P. Sandvik
• Original Assignee: Arne P. Sandvik
• Inventors: Sandvik, Arne P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnikow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): Merritt, Karen B.
• Application Number:
  US07/176,164
• Time in Patent Office: 306 Days
• Field of Search: 239/380, 239/381, 239/390, 239/391, 239/443, 239/444, 239/446, 239/447, 239/99, 4/492, 4/542, 4/615
• US Class Current: 239/381
• 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

The shower head dispensing device simultaneously dispenses a plurality of separate liquids in pulsating simultaneous streams. The liquid streams are maintained separate within the device by the use of separate distribution chambers, channels and nozzle sections. A free-turning, tiered rotor is provided within the device. The rotor turns on frictionless bearings provided by hydraulic balancing of the liquid pressures around the rotor. The liquid flow is maintained separate within the device and rotor and provides pulsating liquid flow through the tiers of the rotor and out through outlet openings provided in the device. Angularly adjustable nozzles are proivided within the nozzle sections and adjacent to each tier of the rotor so that the pressurized liquids flowing through the nozzles will impinge upon the outer perimeter of the rotor causing the rotor to rotate as the desired speeds. The speed of the rotor determines the time differential between the pulses present in each of the simultaneously dispensed liquids.

Claims

1. A liquid dispensing device for simultaneously dispensing a plurality of liquids in separate pulsed streams, the device comprising:

(a) a body means, said body means having liquid inlet and outlet means and a rotor recess arranged within said body means;

(b) said liquid inlet means including separate inlet conduit means for each liquid to be dispensed, said conduit means being arranged to include connector means whereby said conduit means can be connected to a suitable pressurized source of said liquid;

(c) distribution means arranged within said body means, said distribution means having a separate distribution chamber means and nozzle channel means for each liquid to be dispensed, each chamber means being connected to one of said inlet conduit means, each channel means having at least one nozzle means properly positioned and arranged next to said rotor recess;

(d) a rotor means arranged to freely rotate within the rotor recess formed within said body means, said rotor being divided into a plurality of tiers extending along the axis of rotation of said rotor means, at least one separate tier being provided for each liquid to be dispensed, one end of said rotor means coinciding with one end of said axis of rotation having a flat surface of rotation and each tier having one or more open angular segments which extend from the perimeter of the rotor tier to an opening in the flat surface of said rotor means, all of the surface openings on said rotor means being positioned to have at least a portion of the opening at the same radius from the axis of rotation of said rotor means; and

(e) said liquid outlet means having at least one opening in the surface of the body means which connects with the rotor recess and the flat surface of said rotor means, said opening means being positioned to correspond to the position of the rotor openings in the flat surface whereby the respective liquid will be dispensed from the rotor and through the outlet means when the segment opening corresponding to the rotor tier is aligned with said outlet means.

2. A liquid dispensing device as defined in claim 1 wherein said body means includes a cover means removably secured at one end of said body means and said outlet means is positioned within said cover means.

3. A liquid dispensing device as defined in claim 1 wherein a plurality of nozzle channel means are provided and connected to each chamber means, each of said nozzle chamber means include one nozzle means and the chambers are spaced equally around the perimeter of said rotor recess.

4. A liquid dispensing device as defined in claim 3 wherein said nozzle channel means alternate with the nozzle channel means connected to other chamber means within said body means.

5. A liquid dispensing device as defined in claim 1 wherein said rotor recess is sized to closely fit said rotor means, sufficient clearance being provided between the rotor recess and said rotor means to permit liquid leakage to occur within said rotor recess whereby the liquid leakage will provide lubrication to allow the rotor to freely turn within said recess.

6. A liquid dispensing device as defined in claim 5 wherein said rotor means has a central bore which allows the liquid leakage present within said recess to pass freely between the flat surface and the opposite surface of said rotor means to balance the liquid pressures on the rotating surfaces of the rotor means.

7. A liquid dispensing device as defined in claim 1 wherein said outlet opening means is a plurality of openings which are formed on a circle of rotation having an equal radius and coaxial with the axis of rotation of said rotor means.

8. A liquid dispensing device as defined in claim 7 wherein said outlet opening means are arranged in groups which are equally spaced around the circle of rotation.

9. A liquid dispensing device as defined in claim 7 wherein said outlet opening means are a plurality of holes which are equally spaced around the entire circle of rotation.

10. A liquid dispensing device as defined in claim 1 wherein said outlet means is positioned within a surface of said body means adjacent to said rotor recess, the inner surface of said body means containing said outlet means is raised inwardly within said rotor recess and has a generally flat surface which is positioned adjacent to the rotating flat surface of said rotor means, the outlet means having an opening in said body surface whereby the liquid will be dispensed through said outlet opening from said rotor flat surface opening with a minimum of leakage while said rotor means is rotating.

11. A liquid dispensing device as defined in claim 1 wherein said nozzle channel means includes at least one nozzle means, said nozzle means being arranged so that the liquid passing through said nozzle means will impinge directly on the outer perimeter of said rotor tier at a sufficient angle to cause said rotor means to rotate.

12. A liquid dispensing device as defined in claim 11 wherein said nozzle means further includes means whereby the nozzle means can be variably positioned to control the angle that the liquid impinges on the outer perimeter of said rotor means whereby the force imparted to said rotor means can be varied in order to control the speed of rotation of said rotor means.

13. A liquid dispensing device as defined in claim 12 wherein all of the nozzle means connected to the same chamber distribution means are connected to a control means whereby all of the nozzles can be variably positioned at the same angle with respect to the outer perimeter of said rotor means.

14. A liquid dispensing device as defined in claim 13 wherein the control means is connected to all of the nozzle means for all of the chamber distribution means whereby all of the nozzles within the device can be variably positioned simultaneously to control the speed of said rotor means.

15. A liquid dispensing device as defined in claim 14 wherein all of the nozzle means connected to said control means are arranged so as to have the same angle with respect to the outer perimeter of said rotor means.

16. A liquid dispensing device as defined in claim 15 wherein the control means is a continuous ring positioned around the inside perimeter of said body means with each nozzle having a connecting means attached to said ring and said ring includes a means extending through said body means whereby the ring can be positioned from outside of said body means.

17. A pulsating shower dispenser for use with a plurality of liquids having distinct temperature differences, the shower dispenser comprising:

(a) a body means having a liquid inlet means and a liquid outlet means, said body means also including a rotor recess positioned within said housing means;

(b) said liquid inlet means including separate liquid conduit means having connector means for each separate liquid to be dispensed, said connector means being connected to a suitable pressurized source of said liquid;

(c) distribution means arranged within said body means, said distribution means including a distribution chamber and one or more channels for each separate liquid to be dispensed, each distribution chamber being connected to one of said inlet conduit means, each channel being connected at one end to said distribution chamber with the other end connected to a nozzle means which is positioned adjacent to the outer perimeter of said rotor recess;

(d) a cylindrical rotor means arranged to freely rotate within the rotor recess formed within said body means, said rotor means being divided into a plurality of tiers along the axis of rotation, a separate tier being provided for each liquid to be dispensed, one end of said cylindrical rotor means being a flat surface of rotation and each rotor tier having one or more open segments which extend from the perimeter of the rotor tier to an opening in the surface of rotation of said rotor means, all of the surface openings on said rotor means being positioned at approximately the same radial distance from the axis of rotation of said rotor means, said nozzle means being positioned to direct the liquid flow from each channel at an angle to the perimeter of said rotor means whereby the force of the liquid impinging upon the open segments in the rotor tiers will cause the rotor to rotate at a desired rotational speed; and

(e) said outlet means have a plurality of openings in the surface of the body means, said outlet dimension and coincide with the openings in the surface of rotation of said rotor means whereby individual pulsed streams of liquid having different temperatures will be dispensed alternately from said outlet means as said rotor means rotates within said housing means.

18. A pulsating shower dispenser as defined in claim 17 wherein said nozzle means are arranged to pivot whereby the liquid issuing from the nozzles can be angularly varied with respect to the perimeter of the rotor means so that the rotational force applied to the rotor means and thus the rotational speed of the rotor means can be varied.

19. A pulsating shower dispenser as defined in claim 18 wherein an equal number of channels are connected to each distribution chamber and the individual channels are alternately positioned with respect to the channels connected to the other distribution chambers around the outer circumference of the rotor recess within said housing means.

20. A pulsating shower dispenser as defined in claim 19 wherein each of the nozzle means connected to the same distribution chamber are connected together by suitable means whereby all nozzle means carrying the same liquid can be variably positioned simultaneously.

21. A pulsating shower dispenser as defined in claim 20 wherein all of the nozzle means within the shower dispenser are connected to a single control means which includes a means movable from the outside of said body means whereby all nozzle means within the dispenser can be angularly moved at the same time to precisely control the speed of rotation of the rotor means.

22. A pulsating shower dispenser as defined in claim 21 wherein the movable means is a lever means arranged to extend through an opening in the body means whereby said control means can be properly positioned.

23. A pulsating shower dispenser as defined in claim 17 wherein the body means includes a separate cover means which includes the outlet means.