Hand shower with an extendable handle

• US 7,770,822 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2007
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Water Pik Incorporated (Church & Dwight Company Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Water Pik Incorporated (Church & Dwight Company Incorporated)
• Inventors: Leber, Leland C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ganey; Steven J
• Application Number:
  US11/965,223
• Publication Number:
  US 20080156903A1
• Time in Patent Office: 957 Days
• Field of Search: 239/280, 239/280.5, 239/281, 239/525, 239/530, 239/532, 239/587.1, 239/588, 239/600, 285/144.1, 285/145.1, 285/145.4, 285/298, 285/302, 285/303
• US Class Current: 239/530
• 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: B05B 15/628 of variable length
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/68 Arrangements for adjusting the position of spray heads B05B15/628, B05B15/652, B05B15/656 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/0409 Shower handles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49401 Fluid pattern dispersing device making, e.g., ink jet

Abstract

A handheld shower assembly is provided. The handheld shower assembly includes a water conduit, a handle, and a showerhead. The water conduit is adapted to attach to the showerhead at one end and to a water source extending from a wall of a shower stall at another end to receive water flow. The handle includes a first portion and a second portion adapted to accept the water conduit within an interior portion of the handle. The first portion is adjustably coupled to the second portion. This allows the first portion to telescope with respect to the second portion, thereby the first portion extends from a first retracted position to a second extended position. The showerhead is coupled to the water conduit and the handle. The showerhead may receive the water flow from the water conduit as well as expelling the water flow.

Claims

1. A handheld shower assembly comprising

a handle having

a first portion comprising a first curvilinear body;

and

a second portion comprising a second curvilinear body, wherein

the first portion is slidably attached to the second portion;

the first portion is operative to move between at least a first position in a range of positions to a second position in the range of positions coaxially with respect to the second portion;

the first portion extends along a range of lengths outwardly from the second portion when in the first position and retracts at least partly within the second portion relative to the first position when in the second position; and

the handle holds a curvilinear shape when the first portion and the second portion are in the first position and when the first portion and the second portion are in the second position; and

a showerhead coupled to the handle configured to distribute water; and

a hose adapted to receive and transport water from a water source to the showerhead, the hose extending through an interior of the handle and directly coupling to the showerhead.

2. The handheld shower assembly of claim 1, wherein the showerhead is coupled to the first portion of the handle.

3. The handheld shower assembly of claim 1, wherein when the first portion is in the first position, the showerhead is arranged relative to the second portion at a first angle, and wherein when the first portion is in the second position, the showerhead is arranged relative to the second portion at a second angle different from the first angle.

4. The handheld shower assembly of claim 3, wherein the first angle comprises an angle for delivering an overhead shower spray angle when the handheld shower assembly is placed in a mount on a wall.

5. The handheld shower assembly of claim 3, wherein the second angle comprises an angle for delivering a side spray angle when held in the hand of a user.

6. The handheld shower assembly of claim 1, wherein the handle further comprises a locking mechanism to secure the first portion relative to the second portion in the second position.

7. The handheld shower assembly of claim 6, wherein the locking mechanism is configured to allow the first portion to variably adjust relative to the second portion from the first position to the second position.

8. The handheld shower assembly of claim 6, wherein the locking mechanism is configured to allow the first portion to adjust relative to the second portion in fixed incremental steps when transitioning from the first position to the second position.

9. The handheld shower assembly of claim 1, wherein the showerhead further comprises a connection structure that allows the hose to directly couple within the showerhead substantially perpendicular to a back wall of a fluid dispersion portion.

10. A method of manufacturing a handheld shower assembly comprising

coupling a first handle portion having a first curvilinear body to a second handle portion having a second curvilinear body to form an adjustable handle, wherein the first handle portion is operative to slide between at least a first position to a second position with respect to the second handle portion, the first handle portion extending at least a partly outwardly from the second handle portion when in the first position and retracted at least partly within the second handle portion relative to the first position when in the second position, wherein the handle maintains a curved form whether in the first position or the second position;

extending a hose for receiving and transporting water from a water source through the adjustable handle;

directly coupling the hose to a showerhead; and

coupling the showerhead to the first handle portion.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein coupling the first portion and the second portion further comprises coupling a locking mechanism between the first portion and the second portion to variably secure the first portion relative to the second portion in the first position and the second position.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein coupling the locking mechanism further comprises configuring the locking mechanism to allow the first portion to variably adjust with respect to the second portion and secure a variable length of the handle when transiting from the first position to the second position.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein coupling the locking mechanism further comprises configuring the locking mechanism between the first portion and the second portion to adjust and secure the first portion relative to the second portion in fixed incremental adjustments.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein coupling the first portion and the second portion further comprises coupling the first portion and the second portion such that when the first portion slides between the first position and the second position, an overall length of the handle is modified.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein coupling the first portion and the second portion further comprises coupling the first portion to the second portion such that when the first portion slides between the first position and the second position, water dispersed by the showerhead changes from a first spray angle to a second spray angle with respect to the second portion.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein directly coupling the hose to the showerhead further comprises using a connection structure to directly couple the hose substantially perpendicular to a back wall of a fluid dispersion portion within the showerhead.