Adjustable Shower Head Assembly With Diverter Valve

Abstract

A shower head assembly having an upper and lower portion, wherein the upper portion has a diverter valve mechanism slidably mounted therein, and the lower portion of the assembly is in threaded contact with the upper portion and moveable with respect thereto, thereby altering the exit apertures of the shower head assembly and adjusting water flow therefrom.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are several varieties of adjustable shower heads currently being manufactured, some of which are equipped with diverter mechanisms providing the shower head with an additional outlet for use with a spray hose or the like. However, the great majority of such shower heads provide inadequate shower adjustment and incorporate rotary control mechanisms for the diverter valves. Such mechanisms are expensive to manufacture and lack durability.

It is therefore the principal object of the invention to provide an improved adjustable shower head with a durable diverter mechanism.

It is another object of this invention to provide an adjustable shower head with a diverter mechanism which is economical to manufacture.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a shower head with superior shower control adjustment.

It is another object of this invention to provide a shower head with a control adjustment which is of simple construction and easy to manufacture .

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

IN THE DRAWINGS

Briefly, the shower head assembly contains an upper portion and a lower portion, with the lower portion being moveable with respect to the upper portion thereby allowing the exit apertures to be altered and the flow of water from the shower head assembly to be adjusted. A diverter valve mechanism is slidably mounted in the upper portion of the shower head assembly. Upon linear movement of the diverter valve mechanism, the flow of water from the shower head can be diverted and directed through an alternate outlet in the assembly for use with a spray hose or the like.

FIG. 1 is a partially sectioned elevation of the shower head assembly.

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view of a portion of the shower head assembly taken along line 2--2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partially sectioned elevation of a portion of the shower head assembly showing the nozzle in the lowered position.

FIG. 4 is a sectional plan view taken along line 4--4 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a cut-away isometric elevation of a portion of the adjustable nozzle.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the shower head assembly 10 has a ball nut 12 for securing the shower head assembly to a water source (not shown). The ball nut 12 has a funnel-shaped passageway 14 extending therethrough, forming a narrow outlet opening 16 and a wide inlet opening 18. Opening 18 is provided with threads 20 for securing ball nut 12 to the water source. The shower head assembly also has a ball retainer 22 which fits about the rounded portion of ball nut 12 and holds the ball nut in the shower head assembly 10. Adjacent the underside of ball retainer 22 is the housing 24 of the assembly 10. The shower head housing 24 contains two vertical walls 26 and 27, (wall 27 being shown in FIG. 2), and two horizontal walls 28 and 29. Vertical wall 26 is circular in shape and extends upwardly from horizontal wall 28 forming a chamber 30 in which ball nut 12 is free to pivot. The ball nut is held within chamber 30 by retainer 22. The uppermost portion of vertical wall 26, adjacent retainer 22, is disposed radially outward from the remainder of the wall providing a recessed area 32 which holds a swivel gasket 34 creating a water-tight seal between the rounded portion of ball nut 12 and retainer 22. An outer shell 36 is placed over the housing 24 and retainer 22 to hold the retainer securely against the housing and to provide an attractive appearance for the exterior of the upper portion of the shower head assembly.

Horizontal wall 28 has an aperture 38 therein which is positioned within the vertical circular wall 26 thereby providing an outlet for chamber 30. The shower head housing 24 has a curved vertical wall 27 shown in FIG. 2. The curved wall 27 cooperates with curved recesses 40 in horizontal walls 28 and 29 as shown in FIG. 2, to form a partial circular walled area adapted to support a slidable diverter valve, generally designated 42.

The diverter valve mechanism shown in FIG. 2 consists of a circular male plug 44 with a fastening bolt 46 extending therefrom and a circular female plug 48 which is adapted to receive bolt 46 thereby fastening the female plug to the male plug, the combination being free to move linearly within the housing of walls 28, 29 and 27 of the housing 24. Male plug 44 has a section 50 which is of a somewhat reduced diameter creating an area 52 in which is positioned an O ring 54 to prevent any possible water leakage between the valve 42 and wall 28. A second O ring 55 is provided in the female plug as additional protection against leakage. Male plug 44 has a second reduced diameter section 56, a third portion 58 whose diameter is slightly larger than section 56 and a fourth section 60 of a diameter equal to section 56. A pair of collar button seals 62 and 63 are positioned about the exterior of reduced diameter sections 56 and 60 with sides 64 and 65 of seals 62 and 63 angled away from section 58, as shown in FIG. 1. Seal 62 then abuts the male plug, section 56 and section 58 with a portion of said seal paralleling horizontal walls 28 and 29. Collar button seal 63 abuts female plug 48, section 60 and section 58, with a portion thereof paralleling horizontal walls 28 and 29. Horizontal wall 28 has stops 70 and 72 adjacent aperture 38. Horizontal wall 29 has a raised portion 74 forming stops 76 and 78 at the ends therefrom. Stops 70 and 72 and raised portion 74 which in construction are continuous about walls 27, 28 and 29, form a valve seat 75. Diverter valve 42, is now limited in its linear movement to the points between which valve seat 75 abuts seals 62 and 63, or from a point where collar button seal 62 abuts stops 70 and 76 to a second point where collar button seal, seal 63 abuts stops 72 and 78.

About reduced diameter section 58 is a second chamber 80, shown in FIG. 1. Adjacent diverter valve mechanism 42 and forming the outer wall of chamber 80 is positioned a water shield 82, as shown in FIG. 2. Shield 82 has an aperture 84 therein which communicates chamber 80 with a third chamber 86. Chamber 86 is open at its outer end and is adapted to receive a coupling 88 for a spray hose (not shown). Aperture 38 in horizontal wall 28 communicates chamber 80 with chamber 32. Horizontal wall 29 also has an aperture 90 therein communicating chamber 86 with the lower shower head portion, generally designated 92. When the male plug 44 of diverter valve 42 is depressed linearally inwardly of the shower head assembly 10, the angled face 64 of collar button seal 62 abuts stops 70 and 76, and seals off aperture 90 from chamber 86, causing the water entering the shower head assembly 10 through ball nut 12 to flow into chamber 32 through aperture 38, into chamber 80, through aperture 84 into chamber 86 and out of the spray hose fastened to coupling 88. When the diverter valve is moved linearly in the opposite direction to the point where collar button 63 abuts stops 72 and 78, aperture 84 is sealed off by the diverter valve mechanism, aperture 90 is opened and the water entering chamber 80 flows through aperture 90 into the lower shower head portion 92, with no water entering chamber 86, thereby shutting off the flow of water into the spray hose.

It should be further noted, that while the diverter valve mechanism 42 is in a given position, a water pressure differential is created upon the opposite angled faces of the collar button seals 62 and 63, thereby tending to maintain the diverter valve in said given position. This is caused by stops 70 and 76 or 72 and 78 blocking off approximately half of the surface area of the angled faces 64 or 65 from the flowing water, thus reducing the water pressure against that face compared to the opposite angled face on the opposite collar button, where the entire area of the angled face is in contact with the flowing water. The water pressure is then greater against the face whose entire area is so exposed. This increased pressure then tends to hold the diverter valve mechanism in either position in which it is set.

The lower portion of the shower head assembly, generally designated 92, is comprised of bonnet 94 positioned adjacent the underside of horizontal wall 29. The bonnet 94 is circular in shape and is provided with threads 96 on inwardly facing sides. Inwardly adjacent bonnet 94 and in threaded contact therewith is a nozzle adapter 98. The nozzle adapter surrounds an inner lower chamber 100 which communicates with chamber 80 through aperture 90. A nozzle 101 is secured to the nozzle adapter 98 by a fastening screw 102 and a bottom cover plate 104. Nozzle 101 has teeth members 106 positioned about its circumference, as shown in FIG. 5, the sides of said teeth members being angled slightly outwardly from top to bottom. A control plate 108 also surrounds nozzle 101 and the bonnet 94. The control 108 also contains teeth members 110, which are engaged with teeth members 106 of nozzle 101, as shown in FIG. 5. With the teeth members so engaged, the nozzle's movement, independent of the control plate, is restricted to linear movement in the vertical direction. Upon turning the control plate, the engaged teeth cause the nozzle and nozzle adapter, which is secured thereto, to correspondingly turn. The control plate 108, nozzle 101 and nozzle adapter 98 are then turning with respect to bonnet 94 which is stationary and in threaded contact with the nozzle adapter. This threaded contact causes the control plate, nozzle and nozzle adapter to move vertically with respect to the bonnet and upper portion of the shower head assembly upon such turning. Then as the control plate is turned, the control plate, nozzle and nozzle adapter are raised or lowered depending on the direction of rotation. A stop screw 112 is provided which extends through the control plate and into a groove 114 cut in the bonnet, as shown in FIG. 4. As the control plate is then turned with respect to the bonnet, the screw moves in the groove until abutting stop member 116. The placement of the stop limits the amount of rotation of the control plate and correspondingly the degree to which the control plate, nozzle and nozzle adapter can be lowered, thereby preventing over turning and possible disengagement of the control plate, nozzle and nozzle adapter from the bonnet and remainder of the shower head assembly.

As the nozzle moves downward, its teeth members 106, move linearly downward between teeth members 110 of the control plate 108. Due to the sloping of the sides of teeth 106, the size of the exit apertures 118, formed by the space between the two sets of teeth, expands as the nozzle is lowered with respect to the control plate and the bonnet. This changing of the area of the exit apertures 118, which corresponds to the turning of control plate 108, causes the nature of the water flow exiting the shower head assembly to correspondingly change. This exiting shower water changes from a fine spray, occurring when the nozzle is in a raised position to a coarse slower flow. When the nozzle is at its lowered position, the exit apertures 118 are at their openmost position. While operating the shower head assembly in this latter position, an actual flush is created whereby the shower head assembly actually cleanses itself of any foreign particles trapped in the assembly. To facilitate the turning of control plate 108, a knurled nozzle ring 120 is provided adjacent the control plate.

Various changes and modifications may be made in carrying out the present invention without departing from the scope and spirit thereof. Insofar as these changes and modifications are within the purview of the appended claims, they are to be considered as part of the invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A showerhead assembly comprising: a housing; a diverter valve mechanism slidably mounted and carried by said housing; a bonnet carried by said housing; a nozzle assembly in threaded contact with said bonnet; a first plurality of tooth members carried by said nozzle assembly and positioned in spaced relation to one another about the outer edge of said nozzle assembly; a second plurality of tooth members carried by said portion of said housing and adapted to mesh with said first plurality of tooth members thereby forming exit apertures between said first and second tooth members and means for varying the space relation of said meshing tooth members thereby varying said exit apertures.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein each of said first tooth members has a pair of side walls, said walls being angled downwardly and outwardly from the uppermost portion of each of said tooth members whereby said exit apertures are varied upon vertically raising or lowering said first plurality of tooth members with respect to said second plurality of tooth members.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said varying means comprises means for vertically raising and lowering said nozzle assembly with respect to said portion of said housing thereby raising and lowering said first plurality of tooth members with respect to said second plurality of tooth members whereby said exit apertures are varied.

4. A showerhead assembly comprising:

a. a housing;

b. a diverter valve mechanism slidably mounted and carried by said housing;

c. a bonnet carried by said housing;

d. an outer control band;

e. a nozzle assembly in threaded contact with said bonnet;

f. a first plurality of tooth members carried by said nozzle assembly, each of said tooth members having a pair of side walls, said side walls being angled downwardly and outwardly from the uppermost portion of each of said tooth members;

g. a second plurality of tooth members carried by said control band and adapted to mesh with said first plurality of tooth members thereby forming exit apertures between said first and second tooth members;

h. means for mounting said control band so that upon turning said control band, said second plurality of tooth members, meshed with said first plurality of tooth members, cause said nozzle assembly to correspondingly turn, said nozzle assembly being in threaded contact with said bonnet and thereby rotatably and linearly moveable with respect to said bonnet, moving vertically upwardly or downwardly with respect to said bonnet and said control band, thereby vertically raising or lowering said first plurality of tooth members and thereby varying said exit apertures.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein means are provided for restricting the degree of turning of said control band.