Combination Shower And Toiletries Dispenser

Abstract

A device for storing and dispensing in a wall fixture associated with a shower head, a plurality of shower bathing fluids. The fluids are stored in aerosol cans receptacled in the device. The cans are selectively actuated by remote push buttons to discharge their contents into a mixing chamber associated with the shower head or into the hand for application to the body.

Description

The shower in the typical American bathroom is inconveniently arranged with respect to the handling of toiletries. Usually such a shower is equipped only with a stall, a shower head and a soap dish. A great many toiletries are used in the shower, for example, soap, shampoos and rinsing liquids of various sorts. This has been a source of inconvenience and a safety hazard as well. National manufacturers of toiletries have recognized this problem and have acted to reduce the safety hazards by packaging their toiletries which are commonly used in showers and bathrooms in plastic instead of glass bottles. This has, to a great extent, reduced the safety problems in the shower, although many commonly used toiletries are still packaged in glass. But, still untouched is the problem of the inconvenience in transporting toiletries from m storage place to shower and back again. There is the inconvenience of handling slippery tubes and bottles of toiletries. If the bather desires to use a number of different toiletries, he or she must employ makeshift means for storing these articles in the shower while awaiting use, usually setting them on the floor where such articles are under foot and drenched with water from the shower. Another convenience feature which the average bathroom lacks is a device for mixing certain toiletries into the shower stream so that they can be used as a part of the showering process without the necessity of first applying the toiletry by hand. Soap, for example, is applied by hand and then a shower stream is applied to create a lather. It is much more convenient to have a source of soap supply which is mixed into the shower stream without the necessity of handling soap, either in the liquid or in the solid form. This is especially important for persons with physical handicaps such as the elderly and the convalescing. People with many types of minor handicaps find it inconvenient to handle slippery bars of soap and soap containers, and have difficulty recovering such slippery objects from a shower floor. A greater quantity and variety of toiletries are being used today than were in use when most of todays bathroom facilities were constructed. Consequently, storage facilities in bathrooms are limited.

There exists a long standing need for a device which can meet these various needs.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a device for selectively dispensing toiletries into the shower water or directly into the hand.

It is another object of this invention to provide such a device which provides convenient and attractive storage for a plurality of commonly used toiletries.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide greater safety in the storage and dispensing of these commonly used toiletries.

Still another object of this invention is to provide such a device which will be of rugged construction and simple of operation.

Other, further and more specific objects and advantages of the invention disclosed will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of the invention taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view of this invention as it would appear installed in place;

FIG. 2 is a view of the invention of FIG. 1, in section, along the line 2--2;

FIG. 3 is an offset section of the invention of FIG. 1, along the line 3--3;

FIG. 4 is a view of the invention of FIG. 1, in section, along the line 4--4;

FIG. 5 is a view of the invention of FIG. 1, in section, along the line 5--5;

FIG. 6 is a view of an enlarged portion of the view of FIG. 4, illustrating one of the push buttons in its normally extended position;

FIG. 7 is a view of FIG. 6 showing the push button in the first depressed shower dispensing position;

FIG. 8 is a view of FIG. 6 showing the push button in the alternate depressed hand dispensing position.

Briefly, I provide a combination shower bathing and toiletries dispensing device which has several elements including an elongate base. The base has: a top; a bottom; a front; a rear; two ends; a closed manifold disposed laterally along the length of the base; a plurality of spaced apertures in the top of the base; a plurality of annular bosses concentrically formed around the plurality of apertures in the top of the base; a plurality of spaced ports on the bottom of the base; and a plurality of spaced bores in the front of the base, these bores communicating with the manifold, apertures and ports. Also included are a removable cover, a shower head having a mixing chamber, a conduit communicating between the mixing chamber and the manifold and means for connecting the shower head to a source of water under pressure. A plurality of aerosol cans containing shower bathing fluids are supportably, sealingly engaged by the annular bosses. These cans have normally closed spring-loaded discharge valves. Another element of this invention is the means for selectively actuating the discharge valves of the aerosol cans. The means comprise a plurality of elongate push buttons sealingly disposed for reciprocation and rotation within the plurality of bores from a normally extended position out of contact with their associated aerosol can discharge valves to: (a) a first depressed shower dispensing position for selectively dispensing the contents of one of the aerosol cans through the duct in the piston to the manifold, thence to the mixing chamber for mixing and discharge through the shower head, and to (b) an alternate depressed hand dispensing position for discharging the contents of said aerosol can through a port. There are a plurality of pistons sealingly disposed within the bores, each piston formed at one end of each of the elongate push buttons. Each of the pistons has a duct which has an intake end and a discharge end. The intake end communicates with the aperture associated with that particular intake end. The discharge end is adapted to communicate alternately between the manifold and an associated port when the push button is in the shower dispensing position and the hand dispensing position respectively. Each of the pistons also has a tapered end adapted to engage the end of an associated discharge valve and push in the discharge valve by forcing the discharge valve to move along the surface of the inclined plane presented by the tapered end of the piston thus releasing the contents of the associated aerosol can. Another element of the invention is a spring means for urging the pushbutton to the normally extended position.

The means for sealably supporting the aerosol cans on the annular bosses comprises a plurality of rubber grommets disposed within the spaced apertures in the top of the base and adapted to receive the discharge valve and provide a seal between the can and the aperture. Also provided is a vise having: vertical metal standards with an upper and lower end, the upper end being threaded and the lower end being attached to the base of the device; a bridge provided with spaced holes adapted to receive the upper ends of the standards and adapted to engage the bottoms of the aerosol cans; and wing nuts adapted to fit the upper ends of the standards such that by tightening the wing nuts the bridge is caused to exert pressure against the bottoms of the aerosol cans.

Turning now to the drawings, in which a presently preferred embodiment of this invention is depicted, referring to FIG. 1, the outward appearance of this invention presents a standard shower head 3, a cover 2 and six push buttons 4. The shower head 3 is a standard item presently on the market. The push buttons 4 and cover 2 are made of aluminum. As seen in FIG. 4 the cover 4 is secured to the base 12 by means of a steel hinge 5 and a standard magnetic catch 7. The hinge 5 is at the bottom 8 of the cover 2 where it joins with the base 12. The cover opens from the top to make it easier to install and remove the aerosol cans 19. The cover 2 has sides 10 which extend around to meet the back 11. Thus, a close fit of the cover 2 is obtained with respect to the base 12 and the back 11, and the entry of moisture inside the cover 2 is minimized. In the sectional view of FIG. 2, the relationship of the interior parts is illustrated. In the base 12 are a plurality of spaced apertures 13 which conduct to the manifold 14. The manifold is constructed by boring a lateral hole in the base 12 and closing the ends with plugs 16. Annular bosses 15 and 17 surround the aperture 13. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the annular bosses 15 and 17 are formed to receive the top portion 18 of the standard aerosol cans 19. Returning to FIG. 2, the aerosol cans 19 are held in place on the annular bosses 15 and 17 by means of metal standards 21 embedded in the base 12. The metal standards 21 are threaded at the upper end 22 for the reception of wing nuts 23 which are employed to tighten a bridge 24 against the bottom ends 25 of the aerosol cans 19. The contents of the aerosol cans 19 are discharged through the spaced apertures 13 into the manifold 14, or in the alternative, through a plurality of spaced ports 27. Spaced bores 28 are provided in the front 29 of the base 12 for the reception of push buttons 4. The push buttons 4 are reciprocated in the spaced bores 28 to open and close the spring-loaded discharge valves 31 associated with the aerosol cans 19. In the normally extended position shown in FIG. 6, the discharge valves 31 of the aerosol cans 19 are closed. To actuate the valve, the push button 4 is turned either counterclockwise or clockwise depending upon whether it is desired to discharge the contents of the aerosol cans 19 into the manifold 14 or through the spaced ports 27. In the base 12, the ends 33 of a plurality of small screws 32 are positioned to register with a groove 34 in the exterior of the push button 4. The groove 34 has longitudinal legs 35 in opposed relationship on the exterior surface of the round push button 4 with a connecting channel 36. When fully rotated counterclockwise, the end 33 of the screw 32 registers with the longitudinal leg 35 of the groove 34. The button can then be depressed and the end 37 of the valve 31 is forced to ride up the inclined plane 39 presented to the end 37 of the valve 31 by the end 41 of the pistons 42, which in this case is an extension of the push button 4. The contents of the aerosol cans 19 pours into the spaced apertures 13 which a apertures have rubber grommets 30 concentrically disposed about them, thence into ducts 44 in the pistons 42 and thence into the manifold 14. The contents are conducted through the manifold 14 to a conduit 45 communicating between the manifold 14 and a mixing chamber 46 associated with the shower head 3. By returning the push button 4 to its fully extended position as illustrated in FIG. 6, and rotating the push button 180.degree. clockwise, the position illustrated in FIG. 8 can be accomplished. In this instance, the depression of the push button 4 causes the discharge ends 47 of the ducts 44 to register with the spaced ports 27 instead of with the manifold 14. Thus, at the option of the user of the dispenser 1, the contents of the aerosol cans 19 can be dispensed either into the mixing chamber 46 for use with the shower spray or into the hand through the spaced ports 27. The spaced bores 28 are sized to closely fit the exterior surfaces of the push buttons 4 and pistons 42 to prevent leaking. Rubber O-rings 49 are placed in circumferential grooves the exterior of the pistons 42 provided for that purpose. Coil springs 51 are disposed within the spaced bores 28 to urge the push buttons 4 to the normally closed fully extended position.

Referring to FIG. 5, the shower head 3 is connected to a source of water under pressure (not shown) by means of standard plumbing fixtures. A mixing chamber 46 is created in the base 12. The shower head 3 is connected to a pipe 43 which enters an aperture 48 in the base 12. The aperture 48 is sealed around the pipe 43. A second aperture 50 is created in the top 53 of the base 12. A bushing 54 provides the seal between the mixing chamber 46 and the copper pipe extension 55. The pipe 43 and pipe extension 55, bushing 54 and apertures 48 and 50 and interconnected and joined by appropriately threaded male and female members. A similar arrangement is employed for the joining of copper pipe extension 55 to a water pipe 56 which delivers water under pressure to the invention. The pipe 56 is externally threaded to receive a support nut 57. The back 11 has a suitably sized aperture 58 through which the water pipe 56 enters. The support nut 57 secures the back to the water pipe 56 pressing the back against the wall of the shower (not shown). In this particular case, the water pipe supports the entire dispenser 1. In case the water pipe 56 is not securely fastened in the wall, it may be necessary to provide wall mountings by means of screws 59. A plurality of conveniently located holes 60 are provided for this purpose.

Claims

Having now fully described my invention and the presently preferred embodiment thereof, I claim:

1. A combination shower bathing and toiletries dispensing device comprising:

a. an elongate base having

a top,

a bottom,

a front,

a rear,

two ends,

a closed manifold disposed laterally along the length of said base,

a plurality of spaced apertures in the top of said base,

a plurality of annular bosses concentrically formed in the top of said base around said plurality of apertures,

a plurality of spaced ports on the bottom of said base,

a plurality of spaced bores in the front of said base, said bores communicating with said manifold, said apertures and said ports;

b. a removable cover;

c. a shower head having a mixing chamber;

d. a conduit communicating between said mixing chamber and said manifold;

e. means for connecting said shower head to a source of water under pressure;

f. a plurality of aerosol cans containing shower bathing fluids, said cans having

bottoms,

tops having normally closed spring-loaded discharge valves;

g. means for sealably supporting said aerosol cans on said bosses;

h. means for selectively actuating the discharge valves of said aerosol cans, said means comprising:

a plurality of elongate push buttons sealingly disposed for reciprocation and rotation within said plurality of bores from a normally extended position out of contact with their associated aerosol can discharge valves to

a first depressed shower dispensing position for selectively dispensing the contents of one of said aerosol cans through said manifold, thence to said mixing chamber for mixing and discharge through said shower head, and to an alternate depressed hand dispensing position for discharging the contents of said aerosol can through said port,

a plurality of pistons sealingly disposed within said bores, each piston attached to one end of each of said elongate push buttons, each of said pistons having a duct having an intake end and a discharge end, the intake end communicating with said aperture associated therewith, said discharge end being adapted to communicate alternately between said manifold and an associated port when said push button is in said shower dispensing position and said hand dispensing position, respectively, a tapered end adapted to engage the end of an associated discharge valve and push in said discharge valve by forcing said discharge valve to move along the surface of the inclined plane presented by said tapered end of said piston, thus releasing the contents of said associated aerosol can;

i. spring means for urging said push buttons to said normally extended position.

2. The invention of Claim 1 wherein the means for sealably supporting said aerosol cans on said annular bosses comprises:

a. a plurality of rubber grommets disposed within said spaced apertures in the top of said base, said grommets being adapted to receive said discharge valve and provide a seal between said can and said aperture;

b. a vise having

vertical metal standards having an upper and lower end, said upper end being threaded and said lower end being attached to said base of said device,

a bridge provided with spaced holes adapted to receive the upper ends of said standards, said bridge adapted to engage the bottoms of said aerosol cans,

wing nuts adapted to fit the upper ends of said standards such that by tightening said wing nuts the said bridge is caused to exert pressure against the bottoms of said aerosol cans.