Dual massage shower head

• US 7,114,666 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2003
• Issued: 10/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Water Pik Incorporated (Church & Dwight Company Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Water Pik Incorporated (Church & Dwight Company Incorporated)
• Inventors: Luettgen, Harold A., Golichowski, Gary D., Sokol, Gary L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Dinh Q.
• Application Number:
  US10/732,385
• Publication Number:
  US 20040195381A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 239/463, 239/380, 239/381, 239/382, 239/383, 239/444, 239/446, 239/447, 239/443, 239/390, 239/240, 239/397, 461/5, 460/1, 467/5, 467/6, 467/7, 137/867, 137/883, 222/548
• US Class Current: 239/463
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/1654 about an axis parallel to the liquid passage in the stationary valve element
• 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 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87877 Single inlet with multiple distinctly valved outlets

Abstract

A shower head having dual turbines. The shower head includes a body having an inlet for connection to a water conduit, a first outlet nozzle formed on the body, a second outlet nozzle formed on the body, a first turbine operably connected to the first outlet nozzle, and a second turbine operably connected to the second outlet nozzle. The shower head may include a flow actuation system taking the form of an actuator ring, a valve connected to the actuator ring and forming a flow channel, a first actuation point defined on the actuator ring, a second actuation point defined on the actuator ring, and a plunger situated within the flow channel. The plunger extends radially outwardly from a center of the valve when aligned with one of the first and second actuation points.

Claims

1. A shower head comprising:

a body having an inlet for connection to a water conduit;

a first outlet formed on the body;

a second outlet formed on the body;

a first turbine operably connected to the first outlet;

a second turbine operably connect to the second outlet;

a valve in fluid communication with said first and second turbines and operative to at least partially radially channel a fluid to only the first turbine in a first operating state, only the second turbine in a second oneratino state, and the first and second turbines simultaneously in a third operating state.

2. The shower head of claim 1, wherein:

the first outlet comprises one of a first plurality of outlets formed on the body, the first plurality of outlets operable to emit a first pulsating mode; and

the second outlets comprises one of a second plurality of outlets formed on the body, the second plurality of outlets operable to emit a second pulsating mode.

3. A shower head as defined in claim 1, wherein:

said first plurality of outlets is positioned adjacent to said second plurality of outlets.

4. A shower head as defined in claim 3, wherein:

said first plurality of outlets is concentric to said second plurality of outlets.

5. A shower head as defined in claim 2, wherein:

said first plurality of outlets is side-by-side said second plurality of outlets.

6. A shower head as defined in claim 3, wherein:

said first turbine comprises a circular, rotating turbine driven by water pressure;

said second turbine comprises a circular, rotating turbine driven by water pressure; and

said water pressure acts on said first and second turbines to create said first and second pulsating modes, respectively.

7. A shower head as defined in claim 6, wherein:

said first turbine is larger than said second turbine; and

said first turbine is positioned concentrically around said second turbine.

8. A shower head as defined in claim 6, wherein:

said first turbine and said second turbine are substantially similar in size; and

said first turbine and said second turbine are positioned side-by-side in the shower head.

9. A shower head as defined in claim 1, further comprising a face valve driven by a rack and pinion system.

10. A flow actuation system, comprising:

an actuator ring;

a valve operably connected to the actuator ring, the valve comprising a flow channel;

a first actuation paint defined on the actuator ring;

a second actuation point defined on the actuator ring; and

at least one plunger situated within the flow channel;

wherein

the at least one plunger extends radially outwardly from a center of the valve when aligned with one of the first and second actuation points; and

liquid pressure acts to radially outwardly extend the at least one plunger when the at least one plunger is aligned with one of the first and second actuation points.

11. The flow actuation assembly of claim 10, further comprising:

a second plunger; and

wherein

the valve further comprises a second flow channel housing the second plunger in an inner position;

the actuator ring further comprises an inner wall;

the second plunger extends radially outwardly from the center of the valve when aligned with first actuation point; and

the inner wail maintains the second plunger in the inner position when the second plunger is aligned with the second actuation point.

12. The flow actuation assembly of claim 11, wherein:

the at least one plunger seals the first flow channel against the flow of liquid when the at least one plunger is in the inner position; and

the flow channel permits the flow of liquid when the at least one plunger is in the radially outwardly extending position.

13. The flow actuation assembly of claim 11, further comprising:

a backplate comprising a rear backplate sidewall extending from a rear of the backplate; and

wherein

the valve further comprises a valve sidewall extending from a front of the valve;

the valve sidewall abuts the rear backplate sidewall;

the valve sidewall and rear backplate sidewall at least partially define a flow passage; and

the valve further comprises a flow outlet communicating between the first flow channel and the flow passage.

14. The flow actuation assembly of claim 13, wherein the flow outlet permits liquid flow between the first flow channel and the flow passage when the at least one plunger is in the radially outwardly extending position.

15. The flow actuation assembly of claim 12, wherein:

the plunger comprises an o-ring; and

the o-ring abuts a sidewall of the first flow channel when the at least one plunger is in the inner position.

16. The flow actuation assembly of claim 15, wherein:

the first flow channel comprises a D-shaped first channel cross-section; and

the at least one plunger comprises a D-shaped first plunger cross-section substantially matching the D-shaped first channel cross-section.

17. The flow actuation assembly of claim 16, wherein:

the second flow channel comprises a D-shaped second channel cross-section;

the second plunger comprises a D-shaped second plunger cross-section substantially matching the D-shaped second channel cross-section; and

the D-shaped first plunger cross-section is rotated one hundred eighty degrees from the D-shaped second plunger cross-section.

18. The flow actuator assembly of claim 17, further comprising:

a mode ring; and

at least one pin affixing the mode ring to the actuator ring;

wherein

the actuator ring rotates with the mode ring.

19. A shower head, comprising:

an inlet orifice;

a valve in fluid communication with the inlet orifice;

a backplate in fluid communication with the valve;

a first turbine in fluid communication with the backplate;

a second turbine in fluid communication with the backplate;

a faceplate comprising first and second nozzle groups, the first nozzle group in fluid communication with the first turbine, the second nozzle group in fluid communication with the second turbine;

wherein

the backplate and faceplate jointly define a first backplate channel and a second backplate channel.

20. The shower head of claim 19, wherein:

the valve comprises a flow channel; and

the shower head further comprises a plunger situated within the flow channel.

21. The shower head of claim 20, wherein the valve and backplate jointly define a flow passage.

22. The shower head of claim 21, wherein the valve further comprises a flow outlet facilitating fluid communication between the flow channel and flow passage.

23. The shower head of claim 19, wherein the backplate further comprises:

a first inlet nozzle facilitating fluid communication between the flow passage and the first backplate channel; and

a second inlet nozzle facilitating fluid communication between the flow passage and the second backplate channel.

24. The shower head of claim 23, wherein:

the first turbine is located within the first backplate channel; and

the second turbine is located within the second backplate channel.

25. The shower head of claim 24, wherein:

the first nozzle group is in fluid communication with the first backplate channel; and

the second nozzle group is in fluid communication with the second backplate channel.

26. The shower head of claim 25, wherein the wherein the backplate and faceplate further jointly define a third backplate channel.

27. The shower head of claim 26, wherein:

the faceplate further comprises a third nozzle group; and

the third nozzle group is in fluid communication with the third backplate channel.

28. The shower head of claim 27, wherein fluid communication between the third backplate channel and third nozzle group is unobstructed by a turbine.

29. A flow actuation system, comprising:

an actuator ring;

a valve operably connected to the actuator ring, the valve comprising a flow channel;

a first actuation surface defined on the actuator ring;

a second actuation surface defined on the actuator ring; and

at least one plunger situated within the flow channel and extending in a single direction from a center of the valve;

wherein

the at least one plunger extends outwardly from the center of the valve when aligned with one of the first and second actuation surfaces.

30. A shower head, comprising:

an inlet orifice;

a valve in fluid communication with the inlet orifice;

a first turbine in fluid communication with the valve;

a second turbine in fluid communication with the valve;

a faceplate comprising first and second nozzle groups, the first nozzle group in fluid communication with the first turbine, the second nozzle group in fluid communication with the second turbine; and

a valve in fluid communication with said first and second turbines and operative to at least partially radially channel a fluid to only the first turbine in a first operating state, only the second turbine in a second operating state, and the first and second turbines simultaneously in a third operating state.