Low flow showerhead and method of making same

• US 8,028,935 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2008
• Issued: 10/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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): Boeckmann; Jason J
• Application Number:
  US12/114,304
• Publication Number:
  US 20080272203A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,250 Days
• Field of Search: 239/442, 239/443, 239/447, 239/548, 239/556, 239/558, 239/581.1, 239/282, 239/283, 239/436, 251343-345
• US Class Current: 239/436
• 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 15/65 Mounting arrangements for fluid connection of the spraying apparatus or its outlets to flow conduits
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/654 using universal joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/04 Rotational or centrifugal casting, i.e. coating the inside of a mould by rotating the mould
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/00 Joining or sealing of preformed parts , e.g. welding of plastics materials; Apparatus therefor general aspects of processes or apparatus for joining preformed parts B29C66/00; using porous material formed by internal pressure generated therein for joining preformed parts B29C44/1228, B29C44/326
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/02 by heating, with or without pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/08 using ultrasonic vibrations non-plastics element to plastics elements B29C65/645
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/48 using adhesives , i.e. using supplementary joining material; solvent bonding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/56 using mechanical means or mechanical connections, e.g. form-fits
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/561 using screw-threads being integral at least to one of the parts to be joined
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/562 using extra joining elements, i.e. which are not integral with the parts to be joined using plastic snap elements B29C65/58; using plastic rivets B29C65/601
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/58 Snap connection
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1142 Single butt to butt joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/124 Tongue and groove joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/126 Tenon and mortise joints tenons and mortises for positioning purposes B29C65/7814
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/54 Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-shells, to form hollow articles, e.g. for making balls, containers; Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-cylinders, to form tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/55 sealing elements being incorporated into the joints, e.g. gaskets B29C66/52296 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 69/004 making articles by joining parts moulded in separate cavities, said parts being in said separate cavities during said joining B29C45/006, B29C51/267 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7696 Showers
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/021 Devices for positioning or connecting of water supply lines connection to the tap body E03C1/0403
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 27/047 : held in place by a screwed member having an internal spherical surface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6858 : Locomotive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49 : Method of mechanical manufacture

Abstract

A showerhead for a low flow rate may employ one or more of a showerhead housing, a showerhead engine, a flow restrictor and a flow regulation device. The showerhead engine may be moveably connected to the showerhead housing. The showerhead engine may include a back member, an intermediate member, and a front member defining various fluid chambers and apertures that allow for one or more spray modes. The showerhead may include a flow control device to selectively reduce flow to the showerhead engine. The flow control device may also be selectively pause fluid flow for more than one spray mode. The showerhead may include a flow restrictor. The flow restrictor may limit a maximum fluid flow rate of a fluid delivered from the showerhead engine to approximately 1.5 gallons per minute.

Claims

1. A showerhead comprising

a showerhead engine including at least two spray modes;

and

a flow control device operatively associated with the showerhead engine, wherein

the flow control device comprises a flow control ring and a flow control housing;

the flow control housing including first and second fluid chambers and a flow notch in fluid communication with the first and second fluid chambers;

the flow control ring is received by an outer surface of the flow control housing;

the flow control ring including sidewalls defining a recess in an inner surface of the flow control ring;

the flow control housing and the recess defining a third fluid chamber in selective fluid communication with the first and second fluid chambers;

selective movement of the flow control ring relative to the flow control housing enables and ends fluid communication between the third fluid chamber and at least one of the first and second fluid chambers;

the flow control ring is movable relative to the flow control housing from a first position in which a stop defined in an inner surface of the flow control ring or the outer surface of the flow control housing abuts against a first end of a groove defined in the other of the inner surface of the flow control ring or the outer surface of the flow control housing, to a second position in which the stop abuts against a second end of the groove; and

in the first position, the recess of the flow control ring engages with an engagement surface of the flow control housing and aligns the recess relative to the flow control housing such that fluid flows through the fluid chambers and;

in the second position, a seal member arranged in the flow control ring engages with the engagement surface of the flow control housing such that the flow control ring permits the flow of fluid between the first and second fluid chambers by way of the flow notch and prevents fluid flow though the third chamber, thereby substantially pausing fluid flow for any of the at least two spray modes.

2. The showerhead of claim 1, further comprising a flow restrictor with a maximum flow rating of approximately 1.5 gallons per minute or less operatively associated with the showerhead engine and limiting a maximum fluid flow rate of a fluid delivered from the showerhead engine to approximately 1.5 gallons per minute.

3. The showerhead of claim 2, further comprising a fluid passage in fluid communication with the showerhead engine, the flow control device, and the flow restrictor, the showerhead engine positioned at a downstream stream end of the fluid passage, and the flow control device and the flow restrictor positioned at an upstream end of the fluid passage.

4. The showerhead of claim 3, wherein the flow control device is positioned downstream of the flow restrictor.

5. The showerhead of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the seal member is positioned within a seal recess defined in the flow control ring.

6. The showerhead of claim 5, wherein the engagement surface of the flow control housing encompasses the first and the second fluid chambers and, in the second position, the seal member is compressed against the engagement surface of the flow control housing encompassing the first and second fluid chambers.

7. The showerhead of claim 6, wherein the seal member extends above the seal recess.

8. The showerhead of claim 1, wherein the engagement surface of the flow control housing encompasses the first and the second fluid chambers such that the third fluid chamber is formed by the recess and the sidewalls of the flow control ring engaging with the engagement surface.

9. The showerhead of claim 1, wherein the groove extends along a partial circumference of the inner surface of the flow control ring or the external surface of the housing such that the flow control ring moves relative to the flow control housing by the partial circumference from the first position to the second position.

10. The showerhead of claim 1, wherein the showerhead further comprises a handheld showerhead housing including an upstream and a downstream end portion, and the flow control device is positioned proximate the upstream end portion of the handheld showerhead housing and the showerhead engine is positioned proximate the downstream end portion of the handheld showerhead housing.

11. The showerhead of claim 1, wherein the flow control housing receives the flow control ring and a flow control fastener engages with the flow control housing and holds the flow control ring on the flow control housing.

12. A showerhead comprising

a showerhead engine including at least two spray modes;

and

a flow control device operatively associated with the showerhead engine, wherein

the flow control device comprises a flow control ring and a flow control housing;

the flow control ring is received by an outer surface of the flow control housing;

the flow control ring is movable relative to the flow control housing from a first position in which a stop defined in an inner surface of the flow control ring or the outer surface of the flow control housing abuts against a first end of a groove defined in the other of the inner surface of the flow control ring or the outer surface of the flow control housing, to a second position in which the stop abuts against a second end of the groove; and

in the first position, sidewalls defining a recess in the inner surface of the flow control ring engage with an engagement surface of the flow control housing and align the recess relative to the flow control housing such that fluid flows through the recess and the flow control housing and,

in the second position, a seal member arranged in the flow control ring engages with the engagement surface of the flow control housing to prevent fluid flow though the recess and to substantially pause fluid flow except that fluid flows through the flow control housing by way of a notch defined in an exterior of the flow control housing recessed below the engagement surface, thereby preventing a complete stop of fluid flow through the flow control housing for any of the at least two spray modes.

13. The showerhead of claim 12, wherein the notch is relatively smaller than the recess defined in the control ring such that fluid flows at a maximum rate in the first position and at a minimum rate in the second position.