Shower head vibrator

Abstract

A vibrator is mounted to flexible tubing disposed between a water pipe and a shower head. The vibrator employs one or more weights eccentrically mounted to a shaft which is driven by a power source such as a battery-operated electric motor or a water turbine. The shower head is provided with an arrangement for adjusting the water flow from the ports.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to shower heads, and more specifically to a vibrator for use with a shower head to provide a vibrating spray of water from the shower head which has a massaging effect.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventional shower heads emit a constant spray of water, which is usually satisfactory for most purposes. In addition, many shower heads presently on the market include adjustable mechanisms, whereby a user may vary the size of the outlet ports to increase or decrease the size of the spray according to his individual preferences. However, neither the conventional simple head nor the conventional adjustable port type of shower head includes means for providing a massaging effect.

A shower spray having a massaging effect provides a pleasant sensation to the user, and is particularly desirable as hydrotherapy for the treatment of muscular aches and pains or other bodily discomforts resulting from tense muscles. Thus, it is advantageous to provide a shower spray having a massaging effect which stimulates blood circulation and relaxes the muscles.

With this purose in mind, some shower heads have been designed to provide an intermittent or pulsating flow of water, employing mechanical interrupters such as wheels having blade sectors, or employing fluidic oscillators. However, intermittent or pulsating shower heads have not met with complete acceptance because they often cause an unpleasant sensation of pounding or stinging rather than a soothing sensation. In addition, such prior shower heads have not been adaptable to economical production methods and require extensive maintenance and replacement of parts to keep them in a satisfactory operating condition.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide means to vibrate a shower head to provide a massaging effect that is effective to soothe tense muscles and stimulate blood circulation in the body of the user.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means for vibrating a shower head which may be economically manufactured, and which is susceptible of limited maintenance without the necessity of replacing any parts over an extended period of time.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide means for vibrating a shower head which may be readily assembled and disassembled by an unskilled person.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with these ends and other objects of the invention, there is provided a resilient coupling between the water outlet pipe and the shower head, and a vibrator which is attached to the resillient coupling. The vibrator employs one or more circular weights eccentrically mounted to a shaft. The shaft may be driven by an electric motor, a water turbine or the like.

When the shaft is rotated, the eccentric weight or weights induce oscillations in the resilient coupling which are transmitted to the shower head, causing it to move rapidly at the same frequency as the shaft revolution rate. Various types of oscillatory motion are produced, depending on the direction of the shaft with respect to the resilient coupling, and depending on the number and arrangement of the weights used.

Means is provided to adjust the water flow from the outlet ports of the shower head to provide the most pleasing effect to the user. The oscillatory motion of the stream of water over the body of the user produces a massaging effect which is soothing rather than unpleasant, and which stimulates blood circulation and relaxes the muscles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other objects and features of the present invention can be more readily understood with reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like structural elements and in which

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the invention attached between a shower head and water outlet pipe;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the arrangement shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a lateral sectional view of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines 4--4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a different embodiment of the vibrator of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 5, taken transversely thereto; and

FIG. 7 is a view of the shower head shown in FIG. 1, illustrating means for adjusting the water flow from the outlet ports.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring more specifically to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 show an exemplary embodiment of a vibrator 10 constructed in accordance with the present invention, and coupled between a water outlet pipe 11 and a shower head 12. The vibrator 10 is clamped to a section of flexible tubing 13, which may be made of polyethylene, for example, and which may be on the order of 6 inches long, 1/2 inch in diameter, and one-eighth inch wall thickness. The flexible tubing 13 is threaded at each end for coupling to the water outlet pipe 11 and the shower head 12.

The vibrator 10 comprises a housing 14 and a bottom cover plate 15, which may be fastened together by screws 16, and which clamp the vibrator 10 to the flexible tubing 13. The vibrator 10 is clamped closer to the water outlet pipe 11 than to the shower head 12 for efficient coupling of vibration to the shower head 12. An electrical switch 17 is disposed at the top of the housing 14 for energizing the vibrator 10.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, the housing 14 comprises upper and lower sections 20 and 21 held together by screws 22. The housing 14 and cover plate 15 are provided with recesses for a pair of batteries 23, which may be size D alkaline dry cells, for example. The batteries 23 are clamped within the vibrator 10 by the bottom cover plate 15.

The upper and lower sections 20 and 21 and the bottom cover plate 15 may all be made of molded plastic, for example. Also, if desired, the flexible tubing 13 may be molded as an integral part of the housing 14, in which case the bottom cover plate 15 serves only to clamp the batteries 23 within the vibrator 10.

The housing 14 is also provided with recesses for an electric motor 24 and one or two circular weights 25. Each weight 25 is eccentrically connected to the shaft of the motor 24. The motor 24 is clamped between the upper and lower sections 20 and 21 of the housing 14. The weights 25 are made of a heavy material such as brass or lead and have a relatively large diameter to provide a large unbalanced force.

In operation, the switch 17 is turned on, which connects the motor 24 to the batteries 23. The motor 24 may spin the weights 25 at about 20 revolutions per second, for example. The spinning weights 25 create unbalanced forces in one plane. If two weights 25 are used rather than one, the tendency for the vibrator 10 to twist is reduced or eliminated completely, although operation with a single weight 25 is completely satisfactory.

Two weights 25 create up-and-down forces or oscillations which cause the flexible tubing 13 and shower head 12 to move up and down at the same frequency as the rotation rate of the motor 24 when the shaft of the motor 24 is perpendicular to the flexible tubing 13. When it is at any other angle, revolving lateral motion is obtained. With a single weight 25, revolving or rotational or orbital lateral motion occurs for all angles of the shaft of the motor 24 with respect to the flexible tubing 13.

The vibrator 10 may employ an A.C. motor rather than a D.C. motor, if desired, and may be powered by electrical sources other than batteries. Furthermore, a solenoid-driven vibrator may be used in place of an electric motor. However, when a battery-operated electric motor is used, the vibrator 10 is completely self-contained and there is no danger of electrical shock. If alkaline dry cells are employed, long battery life will be achieved for the intermittent use experienced in the average home. With two people each using the vibrator 10 for a daily shower, it has been found that the batteries will last about ten months.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, there is shown an embodiment of a vibrator 30 in accordance with the present invention which is not electrically powered. This embodiment of a vibrator 30 is water-driven and employs a turbine wheel 31 mounted in a housing 32 by a shaft 33 which projects outside the housing 32. The housing 32 directs the water passing from the pipe 11 to the shower head 12 against vanes 34 on the turbine wheel 31, causing it to rotate. The shaft 33 has one or more circular weights 35 eccentrically mounted thereon to cause vibration of the vibrator 30 which is transmitted to the flexible tubing 13 and shower head 12.

Referring now to FIG. 7, there is shown the outlet side of the shower head 12 illustrating an arrangement for controlling the flow of water. A circular inner plate 40 has a series of small ports 41 arranged in a circle near the periphery thereof, and several large ports 42 near the center. A circular outer plate 43 has a serrated outer edge so that it may alternately cover or uncover the small ports 41 as it is rotated with respect to the inner plate 40. The outer plate 43 also has large ports 44 for covering and uncovering the large ports 42 in the inner plate 40. As shown in FIG. 1, the outer plate 43 may be rotated with respect to the inner plate 40 by turning a knob 45 on the shower head 12. By adjusting the knob 45, only a fine spray from the small ports 41 may be obtained, or only a heavy stream of water from the large ports 42, or any combination of the two.

Thus, there has been shown and described a vibrator for use with a shower head to provide a vibrating spray of water which has a massaging effect that is effective to soothe tense muscles and stimulate blood circulation in the body of the user. The vibrator is economically manufactured and requires little maintenance or replacement of parts, and is simple and readily assembled and disassembled by an unskilled person.

It is to be understood that the above-described embodiments of the invention are merely illustrative of the many possible specific embodiments which represent applications of the principles of the present invention. Numerous and varied other arrangements can be readily devised in accordance with these principles by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A shower head vibrator for vibrating the spray of water from a shower head to provide a massaging effect, said vibrator comprising:

a. a section of flexible tubing for connection between a water pipe and a shower head,

b. a housing mounted to the exterior of said flexible tubing,

c. an electric motor disposed within said housing and having a shaft,

d. two circular weights disposed within said housing and eccentrically mounted to said shaft, and

e. battery means disposed within said housing for energizing said motor, thereby causing said shaft to rotate, whereby said eccentrically mounted weights cause said flexible tubing to vibrate.

2. A shower head vibrator for vibrating the spray of water from a shower head to provide a massaging effect, said vibrator comprising:

a. rotary drive means;

b. unbalance means coupled to said rotary drive means for generating vibrations therein;

c. a nonmetallic flexible tube adapted to be rigidly fixed to a water pipe at one end and to flexibly support a shower head at the other end; and

d. coupling means for transmitting said vibrations from said rotary drive means to said flexible tube near the fixed end thereof for inducing a cyclical flexing motion in said tube to vibrate the shower head.

3. A shower head vibrator for vibrating the spray of water from a shower head to provide a massaging effect, said vibrator comprising:

a. an electric motor;

b. battery means electrically connected to said motor for energization thereof;

c. an unbalance weight coupled to said motor for generating vibrations therein;

d. a nonmetallic flexible tube adapted to be rigidly fixed to a water pipe at one end and to flexibly support a shower head at the other end; and

e. coupling means for transmitting said vibrations from said motor to said flexible tube near the fixed end thereof for inducing a cyclical flexing motion in said tube to vibrate the shower head.

4. A shower head vibrator for vibrating the spray of water from a shower head to provide a massaging effect, said vibrator comprising;

a. a housing;

b. an electric motor disposed within said housing and having a shaft;

c. battery means disposed within said housing and electrically connected to said motor for energization thereof;

d. at least one circular weight disposed within said housing and eccentrically mounted to said shaft for generating vibrations in said housing;

e. a nonmetallic flexible tube adapted to be rigidly fixed to a water pipe at one end and to flexibly support a shower head at the other end; and

f. coupling means for transmitting said vibrations from said housing to said flexible tube near the fixed end thereof for inducing a cyclical flexing motion in said tube to vibrate the shower head.

5. A shower head vibrator for vibrating the spray of water from a shower head to provide a massaging effect, said vibrator comprising:

a. a housing;

b. a water-driven turbine wheel disposed within said housing;

c. an unbalance weight coupled to said turbine wheel for generating vibrations in said housing;

d. a nonmetallic flexible tube adapted to be rigidly fixed to a water pipe at one end and to flexibly support a shower head at the other end; and

e. coupling means for coupling water from said tube to drive said turbine wheel and for transmitting said vibrations from said housing to said flexible tube near the fixed end thereof for inducing a cyclical flexing motion in said tube to vibrate the shower head.