EP1695766A2

EP1695766A2 - Shower device

Info

Publication number: EP1695766A2
Application number: EP06110136A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Marc Jean Jacques Sadler
Original assignee: American Standard Europe BVBA; Ideal Standard International BVBA
Current assignee: Ideal Standard International BVBA
Priority date: 2005-02-25
Filing date: 2006-02-20
Publication date: 2006-08-30
Also published as: EP1695766A3; ITMI20050301A1

Abstract

A shower device (10) comprising at least one body (2), at least one duct (3) associated with the body (2) for the supply of water and at least one opening or nozzle (4) for the supply of water coming from the duct (3). The device has at least one diverting wall (5) of the water jet supplied by the nozzle (4).

Description

The present invention relates to a shower device, and in particular to a shower blow pipe.
Showers are becoming increasingly more popular in our homes.
There is a continuous request for showers capable of providing massaging effects or, in any case, water jets having the right pressure on the user's skin.
High pressure water jets can be irritating or even harmful, it is sufficient to think of the damage caused by excessively strong water jets on the scalp.
On the contrary, even if weak water jets can have a relaxing effect, they may not provide adequate cleaning or, in any case, do not confer a deep massaging effect.
In view of the above, the need is evident for a shower device such as that of the present invention, capable of offering the right equilibrium between the quantity of water and the pressure on the user's skin.
An objective of the present invention is to overcome the above drawbacks and to provide a shower device which allows the right ratio to be obtained between the quantity of water and the pressure on the user's skin.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a shower device which is simple to manufacture and which also provides a massaging effect.
Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a shower device particularly simple, functional and at relatively reduced costs.
These and other objectives according to the present invention, are achieved by producing a shower device as described in claim 1.
Further characteristics of the shower device are the object of the dependent claims.
The characteristics and advantages of a shower device according to the present invention will appear more evident from the following illustrative but nonlimiting description, referring to the schematic drawings in which:

figure 1 is a raised side view of a first embodiment of the shower device according to the present invention;
figure 2 is a raised side view of a second embodiment of the shower device according to the present invention;
figure 3 is a raised side view of a second embodiment of the shower device according to the present invention;
figure 4 is a raised side view of the first embodiment of the shower device according to the present invention, with the head in a closed position or proximal with respect to the body;
figure 4a is a view of a detail of figure 4; and
figure 5 is a sectional raised side view of the first embodiment of the shower device according to the present invention, with the head in an open position, or distal with respect to the body.

With reference to figures 1-5, these illustrate a shower device, indicated as a whole with 10.
The device 10, according to the present invention, is equipped with at least one body 2, at least one duct 3 associated with the body 2 for the feeding of water, and at least one opening or nozzle 4 for the supply of water coming from the duct.
According to the present invention, the device 10 advantageously comprises at least one diverting wall 5 of the water jet supplied by said opening 4.
The diversion of water on the wall modifies the direction and pressure of the water supplied by the opening 4, so as to obtain a cascade effect which massages the user's body, at the same time giving a relaxing effect.
The diverting wall 5 can have different shapes and dimensions, in relation to the direction and effect required for the water jet being supplied.
As an example, figure 1 shows the diverting wall 5 as a tilted surface with respect to the axis X-X' of the water jet.
According to this first embodiment, the diverting wall 5 is envisaged directly in the shower blow pipe 19.
In particular, the diverting wall 5 is envisaged in a head 1 of the shower blow pipe 19, constrained to the body 2 through a spacer 7.
The shower blow pipe 19 also has the body 2 envisaged with the supply opening 4.
Figure 2 shows an alternative embodiment of the shower device 10 according to the present invention, completely analogous to that of figure 1, with the exception that the diverting surface 5 is a concave surface with respect to the axis X-X' of the water jet.
In other terms, in this case the diverting surface 5 is spoon-shaped.
Figure 3 shows a further embodiment of the shower device 10 according to the present invention, also in this case, completely analogous to that shown in figure 1 and 2, with the exception that the diverting surface 5 is a stepped surface.
According to another embodiment, not shown, the diverting surface 5 is envisaged directly on the ceiling of a shower box.
In this case, the supply opening 4 will be oriented so that the water jet supplied has a direction so as to hit the diverting surface 5.
Obviously, several diverting surfaces 5 can be envisaged, situated on the ceiling of the shower box.
In this latter case, there will be the same number of supply openings 4 as diverting surfaces 5.
According to another embodiment, not shown, the diverting surface 5 is provided in one or more shower blowing pipes or supply heads 19 fixed to the wall.
More shower blowing pipes or supply heads 19 can be envisaged for each shower box.
In the preferred embodiment, shown in figures 4-5, the head 1 of the shower blow pipe 10 is axially mobile with respect to the body 2, between a distal position, in which there is the water supply, and a proximal position in which the blow pipe 19 is closed and the water supply is stopped.
For this purpose, the blow pipe 19 includes driving means 24 suitable for acting on the head 1 to move it and, in particular, to axially raise it, which means, substantially, along the axis X-X', with respect to the body 2.
The driving means 24 are driven by suitable control means, described hereunder, which contemporaneously control the driving means and the supply or the closing of water.
As shown in figures 4-5, the driving means comprise a cup element 12 capable of moving inside the body 2 under the water pressure.
The cup element 12 is equipped with an upper shank 18 which forms the spacer 7.
The spacer 7 is connected in the upper part to the head 1 of the blow pipe 19.
More specifically, the spacer 7 is connected to the head 6 through releasable means, such as, for example, screws 8, but it could be fixed by other means or produced in a single piece with the head 1, still remaining within the protection scope of the present invention.
The blow pipe 19 also has at least one stop element 13 suitable for defining the run-end, in correspondence with the distal position, of the cup element 12.
The cup element 12 forms, with the inner wall of the body 2, at least one opening 15 to allow the water flow between the duct 3 and the supply opening 4.
According to an advantageous aspect of the present invention, four openings 15 are present for the water, arranged around the cup element 12.
The shower blow pipe 19 is also equipped with elastic means 23 situated between the stop 13 and the cup element 12, so as to bring the head 6 into a proximal position at the end of the water supply.
In particular, the elastic element 23 consists of a helicoidal spring placed between the stop 13 and a shoulder 14 of the cup element 12.
The shower blow pipe 19 also includes positioning elements 21 of the cup element 12 inside said body 2, suitable for defining at least one passage for the water and the position of the cup element 12 inside the body 2.
The control means, not shown, are represented in a known manner by taps for the opening and closing of water.
The supply opening 4 also comprises valve devices, not shown, suitable for allowing the water supply only when the head 1 has almost reached the distal position.
In other words, when the head 1 is translated towards the distal position for about 90-95% of its run.
The functioning of the shower device 10 according to the present invention, is evident from what has been specified above and, briefly, is as follows.
At the moment of use, one of the taps is opened, to allow the supply of water.
The water reaches the body 2 through the duct 3, inside the cup element 12.
The water pressure overcomes the action of the elastic means 23 and exerts the pressure necessary for raising the cup element 12 as far as the point in which he stop 13 causes the upper run-end.
As a consequence of the lifting of the cup element 12, the head 1, which is connected to it by the spacing element 7, is also lifted.
During the lifting, the water which enters the cup element 12 hits the inner wall 25 of the latter and rebounds, it then flows through the passages 15 and comes out from the opening 4, substantially producing a jet directed towards the axial direction of the body 2.
The water jet coming from the opening 4, hits the wall 5, changing direction and pressure.
As long as the water supply is open, the water entering the cup element 12 through the duct 3, exerts a certain pressure on the bottom wall 25 of the latter, assuring the distal position of the cup element 12, and, at the same time, of the head 1.
Once the water supply is terminated, as there in no more pressure on the inner wall 25 of the cup element 12, the elastic means 23 push the cup element 12 and consequently the head connected thereto, to the proximal position, shown in figure 4.
The shower blow pipe 19 shown in figures 4-5, is of the mobile type, i.e. assembled, in a known manner, on top of a flexible duct 3, but it can be fixed on a wall and differently shaped, still remaining within the protection scope of the present invention.
Also in this case, for any shower box, several shower blow pipes can be envisaged, even of different types.
All the above embodiments comprise at least one diverting wall 5, it is also possible, however, to envisage a shower device 10 without a diverting surface. This means a shower blow pipe 19 equipped with a head 1, axially movable with respect to the body 2, between a distal position, with water supply, and a proximal position wherein the blow pipe 19 is closed and the water supply is terminated.
The provision of this shower blow pipe is completely similar to that shown in figures 4 and 5, with the exception that it lacks the diverting wall 5 and the supply opening 4 is situated on the distal element 7, perpendicular to the X-X' axis.
Furthermore, even if in the present description reference is made to a shower blow pipe 19 equipped with a head 1, comprising the diverting wall 5, axially movable, it is also possible however to envisage a fixed head 1 and situated at a certain distance with respect to the body 2, still included within the protection scope of the present invention.
The characteristics of the shower device object of the present invention are evident from the above description, as also the relevant advantages, among which the following should be remembered:

simple and reliable use;
attainment of the right ratio between water quantity and pressure on the user's skin;
relaxing and massaging effect;
limited costs.

Finally, it is evident that the above shower device can be subject to numerous modifications and variations, all included in the invention; furthermore, all the details can be substituted by technically equivalent elements. In practice, the materials used, as also the dimensions, can vary according to technical demands.

Claims

A shower device (10) comprising at least one body (2), at least one duct (3) associated with the body (2) for the supply of water and at least one opening or nozzle (4) for the supply of water coming from said duct (3), characterized in that it comprises at least one diverting wall (5) of the water jet supplied by said nozzle (4).
The shower device (10) according to claim 1,
characterized in that the diverting wall (5) comprises a tilted surface with respect to the supply axis X-X' of the water jet from said opening (4).
The shower device (10) according to claim 1,
characterized in that said diverting wall (5) comprises at least one concave surface with respect to the supply axis X-X' of the water jet coming from said opening (4).
The shower device (10) according to claim 1,
characterized in that said diverting wall (5) comprises at least one stepped surface with respect to the supply axis X-X' of the water jet coming from said opening (4).
The shower device (10) according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that it comprises at least one shower blow pipe (19) comprising said wall (5).
The shower device (10) according to claim 5,
characterized in that said at least one shower blow pipe (19) is envisaged on the side wall of the shower box.
The shower device (10) according to any of the previous claims from 1 to 5, characterized in that said at least one wall (5) is envisaged on the ceiling of a shower box.
The shower device (10) according to any of the previous claims from 1 to 5, characterized in that said blow pipe (19) comprises at least one head (1),
comprising said wall (5), said body (2), comprising said opening (4); said head (1) being connected to said body (2) through a spacing element (7).
The shower device (10) according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that said head (1) is axially mobile with respect to said body (2) between a distal position, in which water is supplied, and a proximal position in which there is no water supply.
The shower device (10) according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that said at least one supply opening (4) comprises valve means suitable for allowing the water supply only when the head (1) is close to the distal position.
The shower device (10) according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that it comprises driving means (24) for moving said head (1) of the blow pipe (19) with respect to said body (2), and control means, for controlling said driving means (24) and contemporaneously the supply or closing of water.
The shower device (10) according to claim 11, characterized in that said driving means (24) comprise at least one cup element (12), mobile inside said body (2) under the action of the water pressure and equipped with at least one shank (13), comprising said spacer (7) constrained to said head (1).
The shower device (10) according to claim 12, characterized in that it includes a stop element (13) to define the run-end, in correspondence with the distal position, of said cup element (12) and consequently of said head (1).
The shower device (10) according to claim 13, characterized in that it comprises elastic means (23) situated between said stop element (13) and said cup element (12) to bring said head (1) back to the proximal position at the end of the water supply.
The shower device (10) according to claim 14, characterized in that it comprises at least one passage (15) for the water outside the cup element (12).
The shower device (10) according to claim 15, characterized in that it comprises positioning elements (21) of the cup element (12) inside said body (2) suitable for defining said at least one water passage (15).
A shower device (10) characterized in that it comprises at least one blow pipe (19) comprising at least one head (1), at least one body (2), at least one supply opening (4) and at least one spacer (7) for constraining said head (1) to said body (2), and in that said head (1) is axially movable with respect to said body (2) between a distal position, in which water is supplied, and a proximal position in which there is no water supply.