Hand shower

• US 5,297,735 A
• Filed: 05/15/1992
• Issued: 03/29/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Friedrich Grohe AG & Co. KG (LIXIL Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Friedrich Grohe AG (LIXIL Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Bischoff, Bernd, Heimann, Bruno, Haufe, Rudolf, Gransow, Eckhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnikow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weldon, Kevin P.
• Application Number:
  US07/884,396
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 285/38, 285/39, 285/317, 285/319, 239/600, 239/588, 239/525, 239/530
• US Class Current: 239/120
• 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: E03C 1/0409 Shower handles
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/0841 by means of a transversally slidable locking member surrounding the tube
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/086 by means of latching members pushed radially by spring-like elements

Abstract

A hand shower has a shower housing having an inner end formed centered on an axis with an axially open central recess and an outer end carrying a shower head. A male coupling part adapted to be fixed to the end of a supply hose has a tubular outlet end engageable axially in the housing inner end. A latch element can be displaced radially of the axis in the inner end between a holding position engaging and axially retaining the coupling part in the recess and a freeing position allowing the coupling part to move axially freely into and out of the recess. The housing has a central feed tube forming the inner and outer ends and at least one rigid outer housing part surrounding and completely enclosing the central feed tube. Furthermore the shower includes a pair of such latch elements radially oppositely displaceable between the positions. These elements can be fitted without soldering or fusing into the housing for a very inexpensive and simple assembly of the device.

Claims

1. A hand shower comprising:

a shower housing having an inner end formed centered on an axis with an axially open central recess and an outer end;

a shower head on the outer end;

a male coupling part adapted to be fixed to the end of a supply hose and having a tubular outlet end engageable axially in the housing inner end; and

a pair of latch elements unitarily formed of a resilient synthetic resin and displaceable radially of the axis in the inner end and opposite to each other between a holding position engaging and axially retaining the coupling part in the recess and a freeing position allowing the coupling part to move axially freely into and out of the recess, each element being basically annular and being formed unitarily with

a pair of relatively thin and easily deformable curved side parts each having two ends,

a relatively thick latch part bridging the side parts between two of the ends thereof, and

a pushbutton on the side parts at the other two ends thereof.

2. The hand shower defined in claim 1 wherein the housing includes

a central feed tube forming the inner and outer ends, and

at least one rigid outer housing part surrounding and completely enclosing the central feed tube.

3. The hand shower defined in claim 1 wherein the shower includes a pair of such latch elements radially oppositely displaceable between the positions.

4. The hand shower defined in claim 1 wherein the elements are each formed with an actuating button, the housing being formed at the inner end with diametrally opposite ports through which the element buttons are exposed.

5. The hand shower defined in claim 1 wherein the outlet end of the male coupling part is formed with a radially outwardly open groove into which the latch elements are engageable.

6. The hand shower defined in claim 1 wherein the inner housing end is formed with a pair of axially spaced annular abutments between which the elements are engaged.

7. The hand shower defined in claim 1 wherein each element is basically centered in the inner end axis and is formed with an axially projecting web having an end provided with a widened cross piece, the side parts being laterally spaced by a maximum dimension slightly greater than the width of the cross piece, each web of each element extending axially through the other element.

8. The hand shower defined in claim 1 wherein the pushbuttons are circular and about 10 mm in diameter, the housing being formed at the inner end with circular holes about 10 mm in diameter through which the buttons are engaged.

9. The hand shower defined in claim 1 wherein each element has on its side opposite the respective pushbutton a resilient spring tongue bearing radially on the button of the other element.

10. The hand shower defined in claim 1 wherein the side parts of the elements have cylindrical extensions forming a gap and in the freeing position the web of each element fits in the gap immediately adjacent the button of the other element.

11. The hand shower defined in claim 1 wherein the housing includes

a central feed tube forming the inner and outer ends,

a rigid upper housing half, and

a rigid lower housing half, the halves together enclosing the feed tube.

12. The hand shower defined in claim 11 wherein the tube fits snugly at the inner housing end in the lower housing half.

13. The hand shower defined in claim 11 wherein the housing is formed at the lower end with drain holes.

14. A hand shower comprising:

a shower housing including

a central feed tube forming an inner end formed centered on an axis with an axially open central recess and an outer end,

a rigid upper housing half,

a rigid lower housing half, the halves together enclosing the feed tube, the lower housing half being provided at the inner end with an annular part completely surrounding the tube at the inner end, the upper housing half being formed with lugs hooked into the annular part, and

fasteners engaged at the outer end between the two housing halves and retaining same together;

a shower head on the outer end;

a male coupling part adapted to be fixed to the end of a supply hose and having a tubular outlet end engageable axially in the housing inner end; and

a latch element displaceable radially of the axis in the inner end between a holding position engaging and axially retaining the coupling part in the recess and a freeing position allowing the coupling part to move axially freely into and out of the recess.