Collapsible handle for a shower head

• US 6,789,751 B1
• Filed: 03/25/2003
• Issued: 09/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Winner Double-H Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Winner Double-H Company Limited
• Inventors: Fan, Chen-Yueh
• Primary Examiner(s): Tapolcai, William E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad M.
• Application Number:
  US10/395,170
• Publication Number:
  US 20040188548A1
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 239/525, 239/530, 239/532, 239/587.1, 285/302, 285/303, 285/305, 138/114, 138/177
• US Class Current: 239/525
• 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 15/62 Arrangements for supporting spraying apparatus, e.g. suction cups
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/0409 Shower handles

Abstract

A collapsible handle for use with a shower head includes a hollow tubular handle provided with a pair of oppositely formed tracks formed on an inner face of the tubular handle. An inner tube is selectively and slidably received in the tubular handle so that the inner tube is able to extend out of the tubular handle. The inner tube has a pair of oppositely formed ribs on an outer face of the inner tube to correspond to the pair of tracks such that after the ribs are received in the corresponding tracks, the inner tube is able to slide in and extend out of the tubular handle. A retaining device is movably mounted on the tubular handle, so that relative position between the inner tube and the tubular handle is determined by the retaining device and overall length of a handle is adjustable.

Claims

1. A collapsible handle in a shower head having a nozzle, the collapsible handle comprising:

a hollow tubular handle provided with a pair of oppositely formed tracks formed on an inner face of the tubular handle;

an inner tube selectively and slidably received in the tubular handle so that the inner tube is able to extend out of the tubular handle, the inner tube having a pair of oppositely formed ribs on an outer face of the inner tube to correspond to the pair of tracks such that after the ribs are received in the corresponding tracks, the inner tube is able to slide in and extend out of the tubular handle; and

a retaining device movably mounted on the tubular handle to control the slidable movement of the inner tube relative to the tubular handle,

whereby a relative position between the inner tube and the tubular handle is determined by the retaining device so that an overall length of a handle of the shower head is able to be adjusted.

2. The collapsible handle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the retaining device comprises a controlling button movably mounted on the tubular handle and a retaining element driven by the controlling button, wherein the retaining element is sandwiched between the inner tube and the tubular handle.

3. The collapsible handle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the tubular handle has a through hole defined through a periphery of the tubular handle to movably receive therein the cap.

4. The collapsible handle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the inner tube has a passage defined in an outer face of the inner tube to receive therein the retaining element.

5. The collapsible handle as claimed in claim 3, wherein the inner tube has a passage defined in an outer face of the inner tube to receive therein the retaining element.

6. The collapsible handle as claimed in claim 3, wherein the controlling button has a cap, at least two wedged legs extending out from a bottom face of the cap and at least two positioning plates oppositely formed on the bottom face of the cap to clamp a peripheral edge defining the through hole of the tubular handle,

wherein the retaining element comprises at least two oppositely formed hooks corresponding to the at least two wedged legs such that the at least two wedged legs are able to drive the at least two hooks to move.

7. The collapsible handle as claimed in claim 4, wherein the controlling button has a cap, at least two wedged legs extending out from a bottom face of the cap and at least two positioning plates oppositely formed on the bottom face of the cap to clamp a peripheral edge defining the through hole of the tubular handle,

wherein the retaining element comprises at least two oppositely formed hooks corresponding to the at least two wedged legs such that the at least two wedged legs are able to drive the at least two hooks to move.

8. The collapsible handle as claimed in claim 5, wherein multiple sets of notches are formed on opposite walls defining the passage to correspond to the retaining element.

9. The collapsible handle as claimed in claim 7, wherein multiple sets of notches are formed on opposite walls defining the passage to correspond to the at least two hooks of the retaining element.

10. The collapsible handle as claimed in claim 6, wherein the controlling button further has a positioning block integrally formed on the bottom face of the cap and the retaining element has a positioning hole defined to correspond to the positioning block such that the positioning block is able to be received in the positioning hole.

11. The collapsible handle as claimed in claim 7, wherein the controlling button further has a positioning block integrally formed on the bottom face of the cap and the retaining element has a positioning hole defined to correspond to the positioning block such that the positioning block is able to be received in the positioning hole.

12. The collapsible handle as claimed in claim 8, wherein the controlling button further has a positioning block integrally formed on the bottom face of the cap and the retaining element has a positioning hole defined to correspond to the positioning block such that the positioning block is able to be received in the positioning hole.

13. The collapsible handle as claimed in claim 9, wherein the controlling button further has a positioning block integrally formed on the bottom face of the cap and the retaining element has a positioning hole defined to correspond to the positioning block such that the positioning block is able to be received in the positioning hole.

14. The collapsible handle as claimed in claim 9, wherein each of the at least two wedged legs engages with an outer face of the corresponding one of the at least two hooks so that the movement of the cap is able to force the at least two hooks to leave the corresponding set of notches to allow the tubular handle to slide relative to the inner tube.

15. The collapsible handle as claimed in claim 13, wherein each of the at least two wedged legs engages with an outer face of the corresponding one of the at least two hooks so that the movement of the cap is able to force the at least two hooks to leave the corresponding set of notches to allow the tubular handle to slide relative to the inner tube.

16. A collapsible handle in a shower head having a nozzle, the collapsible handle comprising:

a hollow tubular handle provided with a pair of oppositely formed tracks formed on an inner face of the tubular handle;

an inner tube selectively and slidably received in the tubular handle so that the inner tube is able to extend out of the tubular handle, the inner tube having a pair of oppositely formed ribs on an outer face of the inner tube to correspond to the pair of tracks such that after the ribs are received in the corresponding tracks, the inner tube is able to slide in and extend out of the tubular handle; and

a retaining device movably mounted on the tubular handle to control the slidable movement of the inner tube relative to the tubular handle,

wherein the retaining device comprises a controlling button movably mounted on the tubular handle and a retaining element driven by the controlling button, wherein the retaining element is sandwiched between the inner tube and the tubular handle,

whereby a relative position between the inner tube and the tubular handle is determined by the retaining device so that an overall length of a handle of the shower head is able adjustable.

17. The collapsible handle as claimed in claim 16, wherein the controlling button includes:

a rectangular body;

a button formed on a mediate portion of the body;

an extension extending out from one distal end of the body and having a pair of cutouts oppositely formed on the extension.

18. The collapsible handle as claimed in claim 17, wherein the retaining element includes:

a hollow rim to correspond to the button;

a pair of first claws corresponding to the pair of cutouts of the extension and a pair of second claws oppositely extending relative to the first claws from the hollow rim to correspond to the notches,

whereby when a user pushes the button to move the button in the hollow rim to have the first claws clamp the cutouts, relative position of the handle to the inner tube is changeable and therefore length of the sprinkler is changed,

when the user pushes the button to move the button in the hollow rim to have the first claws to leave limit from the cutouts and to allow the rectangular body to be received between the two second claws, because the rectangular body blocks resilience between the two second claws, relative position between the handle and the inner tube is fixed.