Multi spray pattern shower head

• US 5,476,225 A
• Filed: 06/24/1994
• Issued: 12/19/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: JING MEI Industrial Holdings Limited
• Original Assignee: Jing-Le IND Company Limited
• Inventors: Chan, Raymond W. M.
• Primary Examiner(s): YOUNG, KAREN MERRITT
• Application Number:
  US08/265,426
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 239/443, 239/446-449, 239/381, 239/383
• US Class Current: 239/449
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/1636 by relative rotative movement of the valve elements B05B1/1672 takes precedence
• 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 15/654 using universal joints
• 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

A shower head has a plurality of concentric circular water races, each race having therein a different pattern of spray emitting openings. An elastomeric sheet is spread between a water plenum and the races to prevent water from leaking from the plenum and into the races. The elastomeric sheet has an opening over each race. A selector may be either a dial or a push button which moves a device that covers or uncovers openings in the elastomeric sheet in order to select a specific spray pattern. The push button or a rubber boot over the dial facilitates an operation of the selector when the user has soapy hands.

Claims

1. A shower head housing with a coupler for connecting the shower head to a source of water, said shower head comprising:

a plenum connected to receive water from said source of water, a face plate closing said plenum, said face plate having a plurality of concentric races therein and on one side thereof which faces into said plenum,

each of said races having a pattern of orifices formed therein through which water may pass to an opposite side of said face plate in order to provide a predetermined spray pattern which is individually unique to each of said races,

a turbine rotor in one of said races, water in said one race impinging said turbine rotor to drive it in a spinning motion,

said turbine rotor successively covering and uncovering orifices in said one race depending on the turbine rotor'"'"'s instantaneous position as said turbine rotor spins, whereby said turbine causes the water emitted from said one race to pulse,

a distributor having at least an opening to enable a selective directing of water into any of the races and to block water from reaching other of said races,

an elastomeric sheet captured between the distributor and the face plate for blocking water from leaking from said plenum through said face plate,

the elastomeric sheet having perforations aligned with said races to allow water to pass from said plenum through said sheet and into at least a selected one of said races as directed by said distributor, and

a selector for aligning the distributor with at least one of said races in order to direct water from said plenum into at least one of said races.

2. The shower head as defined in claim 1 in which the race containing the turbine rotor includes a circular wall having at least one break therein, said wall near said break being tapered toward the break, and said break directing the impinging water tangentially toward the turbine rotor, the orifices in the race containing said turbine rotor being grouped into a plurality of spaced apart groups, and said turbine having an arcuate flange on the bottom thereof to cover and uncover said groups of orifices as said rotor spins.

3. The shower head as defined in claim 1 in which said races have a plurality of individually associated patterns of orifices to provide the following predetermined spray patterns:

large diameter orifices which produce a gushing pattern of emitted water,

small diameter orifices which produce a fine spray pattern,

intermediate diameter orifices which produce a coarse spray pattern, and

groups of orifices which produce a pulsing pattern in combination with the turbine rotor.

4. The shower head as defined in claim 3 in which said distributor may select more than one of said races to produce a combination of said spray patterns.

5. The shower head as defined in claim 1 in which the shower head is a hand-held device coupled to a source of water via an elastomeric hose, and said face plate includes rubber protuberances for massaging the body during a shower.

6. The shower head as defined in claim 1 in which said selector comprises a replaceable part which may be selected in order to provide different models of shower heads having different features.

7. The shower head as defined in claim 1 in which the selector is:

a push button controlled mechanism, and said distributor comprises a pivoted plate with an opening in it, and said push button mechanism swinging said pivoted plate to position said opening over a selected race to enable a direction of the water among the races.

8. The shower head as defined in claim 1 in which the selector is:

a dial mechanism, and said distributor comprises a post having a rotatable flange mounted thereon, an opening in said flange, said dial mechanism comprising an arcuate rack and pinion gear for enabling and controlling a rotation of said flange to place its opening in a selected position for directing water from said plenum into said selected race, and said rack limiting the rotation of said dial mechanism to a particular arc.

9. The shower head of claim 1 wherein said selector is a dial having an elastomeric outer surface for enabling a use by a person with soapy hands.

10. The shower head of claim 9 wherein said dial is held in place by a spring-detent mechanism which enables bi-directional dial movement.

11. A shower head having a plenum and a face plate separated by a water seal, at least two concentric circular races having openings therein, a water distribution system interposed between said races and said plenum for selectively directing water from said plenum through a selected opening in said seal to a race individually associated with said selected opening, said distribution system including a mechanism for guiding and directing a water flow, control means for directing water to said selected opening, and means outside said shower head for selectively operating said water distribution mechanism for causing said water to reach the opening and its selected race, said mechanism comprising a center post mounted to rotate, said post having a pinion gear affixed to one end and a flange affixed to the other end whereby a turning of said pinion gear rotates said flange, said comprising an elastomeric sheet with openings over individually associated ones of said races, and said flange having at least one opening for uncovering at least one while covering other openings in said elastomeric sheet, thereby selecting the race individually associated with the uncovered opening, and a manually operated dial having an arcuate rack for turning said pinion gear.

12. The shower head of claim 11 and means associated with said arcuate rack for limiting the turning of said pinion gear.

13. The shower head of claim 11 wherein said mechanism comprises an actuator ring which slides in reciprocal directions responsive to repeated push button operations, latch means associated with said actuator ring for selectively holding said actuator ring in either of at least two positions responsive to repeated operations of said push button, a pivotly mounted plate coupled to swing between at least two positions responsive to reciprocal motion of said actuator ring, and an opening in said plate for covering and uncovering said openings in said seal for causing said water to reach said selected race.