Shower head

• US 5,788,157 A
• Filed: 12/29/1995
• Issued: 08/04/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hansa Metallwerke AG (Paasikivi Family)
• Original Assignee: Hansa Metallwerke AG (Paasikivi Family)
• Inventors: Kress, Hermann
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnikow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): Douglas, Lisa Ann
• Application Number:
  US08/580,707
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 239/104, 239/106, 239/107, 239/109, 239/116, 239/117, 239/123, 239/548, 239/436, 239/447, 239/552, 239/553, 239/553.3, 239/554, 239/596, 239/602, 239/DIG. 12
• US Class Current: 239/123
• 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

In a known manner, a shower head, particularly for a hand shower, has a bell-shaped housing, which is closed off at the bottom by a shower base (1) and in which at least one water chamber is formed which connects with a water supply channel. The shower base (1) contains a large number of water outlet openings (15), which are made on hose-type jet attachments (11). The hose-type jet attachments (11) extend from a smooth, unbroken, continuous outer surface of the shower base (1) which is free of indentations apart from the water outlet openings (15) into the inside of the housing. In so doing they pass through a hole (3) in the shower base (1), the diameter of which is larger than the outer diameter of the jet attachment (11). In this way, there is formed round the jet attachment (11) a clear circular space (13) which does not open in the outer surface of the shower base (1) but in its inner surface. As a result of this clear circular space (13), the jet attachments (11), which are not visible from the outside, can be flexed to dislodge limescale.

Claims

1. Shower head comprising:

a) an essentially bell-shaped housing, in which at least one water chamber is formed which can be connected to a water supply channel;

b) a shower base, which closes off a bottom of the bell-shaped housing and has a number of water outlet openings, whereby

c) the water outlet openings comprise at least partly on hose-type jet attachments, which are made of an elastomer material, and whereby

d) at least some of the hose-type jet attachments in a specific axial area are surrounded by a clear circular space such that it is possible to flex the jet attachments by hand to dislodge limescale, wherein;

e) the jet attachments (11;

111;

211;

311;

410;

411;

511;

     611) surrounded by clear circular spaces (13;

113;

213;

313;

413;

450;

513;

     613) and going from a smooth outer surface of the shower base (1;

101;

201;

301;

401;

501;

     601) which has no indentations apart from the water outlet openings (15;

115;

215;

315;

415;

423;

515;

     615) pass through an inner hole (3;

103;

203;

303;

403;

503;

     603) in the shower base (1;

101;

201;

301;

401;

501;

     601), the diameter of which is larger than the outer diameter of the jet attachment (11;

111;

211;

311;

410;

411;

511;

     611),

such that the clear circular spaces (13;

113;

213;

313;

413;

450;

513;

     613) do not open in the outer surface of the shower base (1;

101;

201;

301;

401;

501;

     601) but in its inner surface.

2. Shower head according to claim 1, characterised in that the jet attachments (11) surrounded by a clear circular space (13) are radially contained at their inside end by a component (4) which is rigidly connected to the housing.

3. Shower head according to claim 2, characterised in that the component which is rigidly connected to the housing is a dividing wall (4) which divides the inner chamber of the housing into two water chambers and that the dividing wall (4) has a number of holes (5) which connect with a jet channel going through a jet attachment.

4. Shower head according to claim 3, characterised in that the clear circular spaces (513;

613) connect with one of the water chambers and are, in addition, connected to the outer surface of the shower base (501;

     601) via ring-segment shaped holes (530;

     630).

5. Shower head according to one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that all the jet attachments (11;

211;

     311) are preformed in one piece on a jet plate (1b;

201b;

301b) which, together with a perforated plate (1a;

201a;

301a) made of rigid material, forms the base of the shower (1, 201;

     301) and extends along the outer surface of the perforated plate (1a;

201a;

301a) such that the outer surface of the jet plate (1b;

201b;

301b) is also the outer surface of the shower base (1;

201;

     301).

6. Shower head according to claim 5, characterised in that each jet attachment (211;

311) surrounded by a clear circular space (213;

     313) has a cylindrical retaining collar (220;

     320) going around it which is preformed in one piece on the jet plate (201b, 301b) or on the jet insert, the outer shell surface of this retaining collar resting against the wall of the appropriate hole (203;

     303) in the perforated base (201a;

301a).

7. Shower head according to claim 5, characterised in that a number of collar-shaped lugs (440) are moulded on to the rigid perforated plate (401a), which go round the outer area of at least one part of the hose-type jet attachments (410, 411) and separate these from the jet plate (401b).

8. Shower head according to claim 1, characterised in that the jet plate (1b;

201b) and the jet inserts (101b) respectively are injection moulded on to the perforated plate (1a;

101a;

201a) using the two-component technique.

9. Shower head according to any one of the claims 1, characterised in that the jet plate (301b) is attached to the perforated plate (301a) so that it can be detached from the outside.

10. Shower head according to claim 1, characterised in that each jet attachment (111) is a single piece part of a jet insert (101b) which also has a ring flange shaped area (109) and that each jet insert (101b) is introduced into a hole (103) in a perforated plate (101a) made of rigid material, the diameter of which matches the outer diameter of the ring flange shaped area (109) so that perforated plate (101a) and jet inserts (101b) together form a shower base (101), the smooth, continuous outer surface of which is formed partly by the outer surface of the perforated plate (101a) and partly by the outer surfaces of the jet inserts (101b).

11. Shower head according to claim 1, characterised in that, on their outer shell surface, the jet attachments are provided with one or more reinforcing ribs.