Shower head

• US 5,172,862 A
• Filed: 12/27/1990
• Issued: 12/22/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Friedrich Grohe AG & Co. KG (LIXIL Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Friedrich Grohe AG (LIXIL Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Bischoff, Bernd, Heimann, Bruno, Strelow, Hans-Peter, Wagner, Friedrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnikow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weldon, Kevin P.
• Application Number:
  US07/633,483
• Time in Patent Office: 726 Days
• Field of Search: 239/533.13, 239/106, 239/602, 239/104, 239/114-117
• US Class Current: 239/114
• 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 1/185 characterised by their outlet element; Mounting arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/528 by resilient deformation of the nozzle

Abstract

A shower head has a body having a wall and forming therewith a pressurizable compartment. This wall has an inner face in the compartment and an outer face and is formed therebetween with an array of throughgoing perforations. Respective flexible tubular extensions are provided on the outer face of the wall at the perforations. These extensions can be deformed to flake off lime formations adhering to the extensions. The extensions can be unitary with the wall, in which case the wall is made of an elastomer, or respective tubular liners in the perforations having outer ends projecting past the outer face can form the respective extensions. In this case each liner can have laterally projecting inner and outer ridges respectively bearing against the inner and outer faces of the wall. Furthermore each liner has a predetermined diameter of between 1 mm and 2 mm, preferably 1.2 mm, and each extension extends beyond the outer face by a distance generally equal to the respective diameter.

Claims

1. A shower head comprising:

a body having a wall and forming therewith a pressurizable compartment, the wall having an inner face in the compartment and an outer face being formed between the faces with an array of throughgoing perforations; and

respective flexible and normally open tubular liners in the perforations having

outer ends projecting past the outer face of the wall at the perforations, and

laterally projecting inner and outer ridges respectively bearing against the inner and outer faces of the wall, whereby lime formations adhering to the outer ends are flaked therefrom on deformation of the outer ends.

2. The improved shower head defined in claim 1 wherein each liner has a predetermined diameter and each outer end extends beyond the outer face by a distance generally equal to the respective diameter.

3. The improved shower head defined in claim 2 wherein the diameter is between 1 mm and 2 mm.

4. The improved shower head defined in claim 3 wherein the diameter is about 1.2 mm.

5. The shower head defined in claim 1 wherein the extensions are formed of an elastomer having a Shore hardness of 20 to 100.

6. The shower head defined in claim 5 wherein the outer ends are tubular and have a wall thickness of between 0.1 mm and 3.0 mm and project between 0.1 mm and 4.0 mm outward past the outer wall.

7. The improved shower head defined in claim 1 wherein each of the extensions has an outer end of outwardly decreasing wall thickness.

8. A shower head comprising:

a body having a wall and forming therewith a pressurizable compartment, the wall having an inner face in the compartment and an outer face being formed between the faces with an array of throughgoing perforations;

respective flexible and normally open tubular extensions on the outer face of the wall at the perforations and each having laterally projecting inner and outer ridges respectively bearing against the inner and outer faces of the wall; and

means including a plate carried on the wall and engageable with the extensions for deforming the extensions, whereby lime formations adhering to the extensions are flaked therefrom on deformation of the extensions.

9. The improved shower head defined in claim 8 wherein the plate is formed with respective throughgoing holes alignable in a use position with the extensions, the extensions projecting into the respective holes in the use position.

10. The improved shower head defined in claim 9 wherein the wall is movable relative to the plate for engagement with the extensions.

11. The improved shower head defined in claim 9 wherein the plate is pivotal on the wall.

12. The improved shower head defined in claim 11 wherein the wall is formed with a central hub and the plate is provided with a pivot engaged through it with the hub, the plate further being provided with finger formations permitting it to be gripped and rotated on the hub.

13. A shower head comprising:

a body having a wall and forming therewith a pressurizable compartment, the wall having an inner face in the compartment and an outer face being formed therebetween with an array of throughgoing perforations;

respective flexible and normally open tubular extensions on the outer face of the wall at the perforations and each having laterally projecting inner and outer ridges respectively bearing against the inner and outer faces of the wall; and

means on the shower head for deforming the extensions, the means for deforming including a plate carried on the wall spaced from the outer face of the wall and from the extensions and formed with holes alignable in a use position with the respective extensions, the plate being formed with bumps laterally engageable on displacement out of the use position with the extensions to deform same, whereby lime formations adhering to the extensions are flaked therefrom on deformation of the extensions by engagement with the bumps.