Shower Head

Abstract

An adjustable shower head assembly including a generally cup-shaped hollow shower head having an opening in its bottom for passing liquid therethrough, a ball joint communicating with a liquid source and communicating with the opening in the head, a valve element movably associated with the head, the valve element including a seat and a stem with a liquid passageway therethrough, the valve element operably associated with the opening in the head whereby rotation of the head moves the valve element from a position restricting liquid from passing through the head to a position allowing liquid to pass therefrom, the liquid passing through the ball joint, through the opening into the head, through the passageway in the stem and thence from the head.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to shower heads. More particularly, this invention relates to a shower head assembly or the like enabling one to adjust the water flowing therefrom by simply rotating the shower head itself.

Many types of shower head assemblies are presently in existence. Many of these structures are complex in construction and very expensive because they attempt to give smoothness of operation and easy volume variation. It is very desirable to have a simple means provided for variation of the amount of water coming from the shower head. It is desirable that this means be so simple that it can be accomplished with an action which one is capable of doing with eyes closed without the possibility of mistake being made. Additionally, it is desirable that this adjustment in volume be smooth and gradual. Yet, this must be accomplished with a structure which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture. Further, if the structure is too complex, not only is the cost prohibitive but also one runs into problems of complexity in operation and the chance that complex parts will cause operational difficulties.

OBJECTS AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a unique shower head which allows the user to vary the amount of water coming from the shower head by the simplest of actions, the rotation of the shower head itself.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a shower head which is extremely simple in construction, allowing it to be relatively inexpensive and trouble-free in operation.

A further object of the invention is the provision of such a shower head which incorporates a unique valve element cooperating with the shower head in such a manner as to allow both passage of water therethrough and an adjustment of the volume of water escaping from the head.

A further object of the invention is the provision of such a shower head which, though achieving the above objects, additionally provides for a smooth and gradual increase or decrease in the amount of water passing from the shower head.

These objects are accomplished, basically by the provision of a generally cup-shaped hollow shower head having a bottom and sidewalls terminating in a lip, said bottom having an opening for passing liquid to said head, means adapted to pass liquid from a liquid source, said means communicating with said opening in said head, a valve element movably associated with said head, said valve element including a seat and a stem, said stem having a liquid passageway, said valve element operably associated with said opening in said head and said means whereby rotation of said head moves said seat from a position preventing liquid from passing from said head and by said lip to and from a position allowing maximum liquid to escape from said head and by said lip, the liquid passing from the source through said means, through said opening and into said head through said passageway in said stem.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

This invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art from a reading of the following specification and a study of the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the shower head assembly or the like of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the assembly showing the valve element in a position preventing liquid from escaping therefrom;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2 except that the valve element is in position allowing liquid to escape from the assembly; and

FIG. 4 is a side view of the valve element of the assembly.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the reference numeral 1 designates the shower head assembly or the like of this invention (FIGS. 1 and 2). The shower head assembly 1 includes the shower head 2, the ball joint 20 and the valve element 40.

The shower head 2 comprises a generally cup-shaped hollow member having a bottom 3 and side walls 4 terminating in a lip 5. An opening 6 is provided in the bottom 3 of the head 2 and a plurality of indentations 7 are provided in the lip on the interior of the head 2, the indentations 7 decreasing in size as they extend towards the bottom of the head. In the embodiment shown, a flange 8 is formed on the sidewalls 4 and an insert 9 is suitably secured against the sidewalls 4 and the flange 8. The insert 9 forms an upstanding portion extending away from the bottom and the sidewalls and includes an opening 10 threaded at 11. Finger grips 12 are formed on the exterior of the head 2 adjacent the lip 5. The head 2 may be fabricated of any suitable material, such as plastic.

The ball joint 20 includes a threaded portion 21 and a ball 22 with the liquid passageway 23 running therethrough. An opening 24 is provided in the top of the ball 22, the opening 24 formed such that it includes a slot 25, the purpose of which will be more fully understood hereinafter.

The valve element 40 (FIGS. 2, 3, and 4) includes a flat disc-shaped valve seat 41 and an elongated, generally flat valve stem 42. The valve stem 42 includes a rounded, threaded portion 43 having at least one liquid passageway 44 cut therethrough. Drainage openings 45 may be formed in the valve seat 41. The valve element 40 may be fabricated of any suitable material such as plastic.

In assembly, the ball 22 of the ball joint 20 is placed to lie within the head 2 being of a diameter slightly larger than the opening 6. The insert 9 is secured in position, allowing directional movement of the shower head 2 with respect to the ball joint 20 with the ball 22 lying between the bottom 3 of the shower head and the insert 9. The fit of the ball 22 within the shower head 2 is such that some effort is required to get directional movement of the head. The threaded portion 21 of the ball joint is secured to a liquid source, such as in a shower stall. The valve element 40 is inserted into the head 2, the free end of the valve stem 42 fitting into the slot 25 in the ball joint 20 and the threaded portion 43 meshing with the threads 11 in the opening 10 of the insert 9.

It will now be seen that rotation of the head 2 causes movement of the valve element 40 with respect to the head. This is because the slot 25 prevents rotative movement of the valve element 40 along with the head 2. Therefore, rotation of the head 2 causes the threaded portion 43 of the valve stem to move within the threads 11 in the opening 10 of the insert 9. Thus, the valve seat 41 moves longitudinally along the indentations 7 in the lip 5 of the head 2. Referring specifically to FIG. 2, the valve element 40 is shown in a position wherein the valve seat 41 abuts the sidewalls 4 of the shower head 2. Thus, although liquid can pass from the water source through the liquid passageway 23 and the opening 24 in the ball joint 20 and along the passageway 44 in the valve stem 42 of the valve element 40 into the interior of the head 2 through the opening 10, the liquid cannot escape from the head (except through the drainage openings 45). However, upon rotation of the head 2 by means of the finger grips 12, the valve element 40 begins to move longitudinally of the head 2 (FIG. 3) because the valve element is prevented from rotation by the slot 25 in the ball joint 20. As the valve seat 41 moves along the indentation 7 an increasing amount of liquid is allowed to escape from the indentation 7 along the perimeter of the valve seat 41. It will be noted that the liquid passes from its source through the passageway 23 and the opening 24 in the ball joint 20 along the liquid passageway 44 in the valve stem 42 and through the opening 10 in the insert 9 into the interior of the head 2, and then through the indentations 7 in the lip 5 of the head 2 alongside the perimeter of the valve seat 41. Thus, by simply rotating the head 2 in one direction or the other, liquid is either prevented from escaping from the assembly 1 or a maximum amount of liquid is allowed to escape therefrom, the transition between the two extremes being smooth and gradual as to the amount of liquid escaping.

It will thus be noted that this invention has provided a unique means for allowing the volume of water escaping from the shower head assembly to be varied by merely rotating the shower head itself. Through rotation of the shower head, the amount of liquid escaping either increases or decreases smoothly and a perfect adjustment can easily be made. This is accomplished through the simplest of manipulations, which can be performed with one's eyes closed. Additionally, this is accomplished with a relatively simple structure, keeping costs down and assuring positive, long lasting operation.

While a preferred embodiment of this invention has been provided in detail, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that other embodiments may be conceived and fabricated without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. Such other embodiments are to be deemed as included within the scope of the appended claims unless these claims by their language expressly state otherwise.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An adjustable shower head assembly or the like, including a generally cup-shaped hollow shower head having a bottom and sidewalls terminating in a lip; said bottom having an opening for passing liquid to said head; means adapted to pass liquid from a liquid source, said means communicating with said opening in said head; a valve element movably associated with said head, said valve element including a seat and a stem; said stem having a liquid passageway; said bottom of said head being exposed to said means and including an upstanding portion extending from said sidewalls, said opening extending through said portion and being threaded, said stem being threaded along a portion of its length, said threaded portion of said stem received into said threaded opening, and said means receiving the free end of said stem in a manner preventing rotative movement between said means and said stem; said valve element operably associated with said opening in said head and said means whereby rotation of said head moves said seat from a position preventing liquid from passing from said head and by said lip to and from a position allowing maximum liquid to escape from said head and by said lip, the liquid passing from the source through said means, through said opening and into said head through said passageway in said stem.

2. The assembly as defined in claim 1, said stem being elongated and generally flat except for said threaded portion, said passageway in said stem comprising at least one slot in said threaded portion.

3. The assembly as defined in claim 2, said means comprising a ball joint positioned in said head between said bottom and said upstanding portion, an opening passing through said joint and including a slot for receiving the free end of said stem.

4. The assembly as defined in claim 3, said seat of said valve element comprising a flat disc of a diameter cooperating with a plurality of indentations in said lip on the interior of said head, said indentations decreasing in size as they extend towards said bottom of said head.

5. The assembly as defined in claim 4 including gripping means on the exterior of said head.