Adjustable showerhead assemblies

• US 5,294,054 A
• Filed: 01/27/1993
• Issued: 03/15/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Charles E. Benedict
• Original Assignee: Benedict Engineering Company, Inc.
• Inventors: Middlebrooks, Thomas B., Belt, Charles W., Stampfli, Robert G., Benedict, Charles E., Tiedeberg, Jay S., Cordiano, Victor C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnikow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): Morris, Lesley D.
• Application Number:
  US08/009,749
• Time in Patent Office: 412 Days
• Field of Search: 239/380, 239/381, 239/383, 239/222.15, 239/237, 239/240, 239/443, 239/446, 239/135
• US Class Current: 239/222.15
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/1645 the outlets being rotated during selection
• 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 1/3006 the controlling element being actuated by the pressure of the fluid to be sprayed B05B11/0062 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/654 using universal joints
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 3/0427 the outlet elements being directly attached to the rotor or being an integral part of it
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 3/0495 the liquid or other fluent material discharged powering several motors, e.g. several turbines
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 3/06 by jet reaction , i.e. creating a spinning torque due to a tangential component of the jet

Abstract

Multi-functional showerheads which include a central water supply shaft along which an outer housing is selectively adjustable so that the showerheads are operable in a first mode wherein the housing rotates to provide a massage action and in a second mode to provide a fixed or rotary shower spray.

Claims

1. An adjustable showerhead assembly comprising, a central fluid supply shaft having upper and lower ends, an open elongated passageway extending axially of said shaft from said upper end and terminating in spaced relationship from said lower end thereof, a lateral passageway extending through said shaft and communicating with said elongated passageway, a sleeve means having upper and lower portions and a central cavity extending between said upper and lower portions, spaced upper and lower openings in said sleeve means which communicate with said cavity, said shaft being received within said cavity, said sleeve means being axially shiftable relative to said shaft from a first position wherein said lateral passageway communicates with said upper opening to a second position wherein said lateral passageway communicates with said lower opening, an outer housing having upper and lower portions, an impeller means mounted within said housing, said impeller means being generally aligned with said upper opening in said sleeve means, an inner housing disposed within said outer housing, an outer chamber defined between said inner housing and said outer housing which encloses said impeller means and an inner chamber defined between said sleeve means and said inner housing which communicates with said lower opening in said sleeve means, face plate means for substantially closing said outer and inner chambers adjacent said lower portion of said outer housing, a plurality of first nozzle openings in said face plate means communicating with said outer chamber, a plurality of second openings in said face plate means communicating with said inner chamber, said inner and outer housings being shiftable with said sleeve means between said first and said second positions, whereby when said sleeve means is in said first position, fluid introduced through said elongated passageway in said shaft is directed through said upper opening in said sleeve means and toward said impeller mean to thereby discharge fluid through said first nozzle openings to thereby rotate said outer housing, and when said sleeve means is in said second position, fluid introduced through said elongated passageway will flow through said lower opening into said inner chamber so as to be discharged through said second openings.

2. The adjustable showerhead assembly of claim 1 including guide means for retaining said sleeve means in substantially non-rotatable orientation with respect to said supply shaft.

3. The adjustable showerhead assembly of claim 2 including upper and lower seal means mounted to said supply shaft on opposite sides of said lateral passageway.

4. The adjustable showerhead assembly of claim 3 in which said guide means includes at least one groove disposed along said supply shaft intermediate said upper and lower ends thereof, and pin means carried by said sleeve means extending into said groove.

5. The adjustable showerhead assembly of claim 4 in which said groove includes upper and lower portions, a first laterally extending recess communicating with said upper portion of said groove, said pin means being seated within said first recess when said sleeve means is in said second position, and said pin means being seated within the lower portion of said groove when said sleeve means is in said first position.

6. The adjustable showerhead assembly of claim 5 including a second laterally extending recess communicating with an intermediate portion of said groove, said pin means being seated within said second recess when said sleeve means is intermediate said first and second positions.

7. The adjustable showerhead assembly of claim 5 in which said impeller means includes a plurality of blades which are fixedly mounted with respect to said outer housing, whereby said outer housing rotates about said sleeve means when said sleeve means is in said first position.

8. The adjustable showerhead assembly of claim 7 in which, sa..id first nozzle openings include inner and outer portions which are reduced in cross section from said inner portions toward said outer portions thereof, said first nozzle openings being angled so that said outer portions thereof trail said inner portions thereof in the direction of rotation of said outer housing whereby fluid passing through said first nozzle openings creates a thrust to assist in the rotation of said outer housing about said sleeve means.

9. The adjustable showerhead assembly of claim 3 in which said lateral passageway communicates with an annular recess formed in said supply shaft.

10. The adjustable showerhead assembly of claim 1 in which said impeller means includes a plurality of channel means extending outwardly from said central cavity of said sleeve means and including outlets opening into said outer chamber.

11. The adjustable showerhead assembly of claim 10 in which said lateral passageway communicates with an annular recess formed in said supply shaft.

12. The adjustable showerhead assembly of claim 10 in which said sleeve means includes a hub, said channel means being integrally formed with said hub, said hub having an annular flange which is secured to said outer housing, whereby said sleeve means rotates with said outer housing when in said first position.

13. The adjustable showerhead assembly of claim 12 including a support collar means having upper and lower ends and an elongated opening therethrough, said fluid supply shaft being rotatably supported within said elongated opening whereby said fluid supply shaft, said sleeve means and said outer housing rotate together relative to said collar means when said sleeve means is in said first position.

14. The adjustable showerhead assembly of claim 13 in which said inner housing includes at least one annular wall member integrally formed with said face plate means, said at least one annular wall member extending inwardly of said outer housing and engaging said hub of said sleeve means.

15. The adjustable showerhead assembly of claim 13 including friction means for retaining said sleeve means with respect to said fluid supply shaft

16. The adjustable showerhead assembly of claim 15 in which said first nozzle openings include inner and outer portions and are tapered between said inner and outer portions, and said first nozzle openings being angled so that said outer portions thereof trail said inner portions thereof in the direction of rotation of said outer housing.

17. The adjustable showerhead assembly of claim 13 in which said collar means includes a recess in said upper end thereof, said fluid supply shaft including an upper end disposed within said recess, secondary impeller means carried by said upper end of said supply shaft and surrounding said elongated passageway therethrough, a flow diverter means mounted within said recess and about said secondary impeller means for selectively directing fluid toward said secondary impeller means to rotate said supply shaft.

18. The adjustable showerhead assembly of claim 17 in which said flow diverter means includes a central channel which is aligned with said elongated passageway of said supply shaft, a valve means disposed within said central channel, a plurality of auxiliary channels communicating through said valve means with said central channel, said auxiliary channels having discharge openings for directing fluid against said impeller means, and means for channeling fluid from said impeller means to said central channel.

19. The adjustable showerhead assembly of claim 1 in which said impeller means includes a plurality of arcuate conduit means having first and second ends, a plurality of said upper openings in said sleeve means, said first ends of said conduit means communicating with said upper openings, said lower ends of said conduit means communicating with said first nozzle openings, and said first nozzle openings being inclined so as to discharge fluid therefrom in a direction opposite the direction of rotation of said outer housing when said sleeve means is in said first position.

20. The adjustable showerhead assembly of claim 19 including a support collar means having upper and lower ends and an elongated opening therethrough, said fluid supply shaft being rotatably supported within said elongated opening whereby said fluid supply shaft, said sleeve means and said outer housing rotate together relative to said collar means when said sleeve means is in said first position.

21. The adjustable showerhead assembly of claim 20 including friction means for retaining said sleeve means relative to said supply shaft.

22. The adjustable showerhead assembly of claim 21 in which said inner housing includes an annular hub integrally formed with said sleeve means and extending outwardly intermediate said upper and lower openings, and an outwardly extending annular flange which extends from said hub to engagement with said face plate means.

23. The adjustable showerhead assembly of claim 20 in which said collar means includes a recess in said upper end thereof, said fluid supply shaft including an upper end disposed within said recess, secondary impeller means carried by said upper end of said supply shaft and surrounding said elongated passageway therethrough, a flow diverter means mounted within said recess and about said secondary impeller means for selectively directing fluid toward said secondary impeller means to rotate said supply shaft.

24. The adjustable showerhead assembly of claim 23 in which said flow diverter means includes a central channel which is aligned with said elongated passageway of said supply shaft, a valve means disposed within said central channel, a plurality of auxiliary channels communicating through said valve means with said central channel, said auxiliary channels having discharge openings for directing fluid against said secondary impeller means, and means for channeling fluid from said secondary impeller means to said central channel.

25. The adjustable showerhead assembly of claim 1 including a support collar means having upper and lower ends and an elongated opening therethrough, said fluid supply shaft being rotatably supported within said elongated opening whereby said fluid supply shaft, said sleeve means and said outer housing rotate together relative to said collar means when said sleeve means is in said first position.

26. The adjustable showerhead assembly of claim 25 including a seal means carried by said upper end of said collar means, said fluid supply shaft including an annular flange adjacent said upper end thereof, said annular flange being rotatably seated on said seal means.

27. The adjustable showerhead assembly of claim 26 including an adapter means having base and body portions and a central passageway therethrough, said base being mounted to said upper end of said collar means, swivel means carried by said adapter means, and means for connecting said swivel means to said fluid supply shaft so as to be oriented generally axially therewith whereby said fluid supply shaft is at least partially rotatably supported by said swivel means.

28. The adjustable showerhead assembly of claim 25 in which said collar means includes a recess in said upper end thereof, said fluid supply shaft including an upper end disposed within said recess, secondary impeller means carried by said upper end of said supply shaft and surrounding said elongated passageway therethrough, a flow diverter means mounted within said recess and about said secondary impeller means for selectively directing fluid toward said secondary impeller means to rotate said supply shaft.

29. The adjustable showerhead assembly of claim 28 in which said flow diverter means includes a central channel which is aligned with said elongated passageway of said supply shaft, a valve means disposed within said central channel, a plurality of auxiliary channels communicating through said valve means with said central channel, said auxiliary channels having discharge openings for directing fluid against said impeller means, and means for channeling fluid from said impeller means to said central channel.

30. The adjustable showerhead assembly of claim 28 in which said first nozzle openings ar adjustable with respect to said outer housing.

31. The adjustable showerhead assembly of claim 28 in which said elongated passageway through said supply shaft is defined by sidewalls, and at least one spiral fluid directing means extending along said sidewalls.

32. The adjustable showerhead assembly of claim 25 in which said elongated passageway through said supply shaft is defined by sidewalls, and at least one spiral fluid directing means extending along said sidewalls.

33. The adjustable showerhead assembly of claim 1 in which said elongated passageway through said supply shaft is defined by sidewalls, and at least one spiral fluid directing means extending along said sidewalls.

34. The adjustable showerhead assembly of claim 1 including valve means for regulating the pressure of fluid flow through said elongated passageway of said fluid supply shaft.

35. The adjustable showerhead assembly of claim 34 including adapter means for connecting said fluid supply shaft to a source of fluid supply, said adapter means having a fluid passageway therethrough, a valve seat formed within said fluid passageway, a valve means, and resilient means for urging said valve means from said valve seat and being yieldable to close said valve means toward said valve seat when the pressure of fluid from the source of said supply exceeds a predetermined value.