ES2292869T3 - SHOWER HEAD. - Google Patents

Abstract

The shower (1) has a head (3) mounted on a vertical pole (2). Water may flow through the pole into a first space (4). An insert (5) has a second chamber (8) into which water flows through an inlet (11), which may be blocked by a valve disk (13). The disk is connected to a handle (14) which extends through a hole (15) in the wall of the first chamber. Water flows from the first chamber into an annular space (20) surrounding a central fastening body (21). Water flows through a hole (25) in the tilted bowl (24) and spreads out onto the bowl through passages (28) in the fastening body. The valve may let water through an inlet (12) into a third chamber (9) leading to a spray head (18).

Description

Shower head.

The invention concerns a shower head according to the preamble of claim 1.

There are shower heads of the class cited at principle in very different executions that differ especially also in the class and the number of jets of shower that such heads generate. They are usual, for example, called "hard jets", which come out of the nozzle openings of the shower head with a relatively high speed and a small cross section and that, eventually acting in shape Pulsating, can also be used for massage purposes. The called "soft jets" are enriched with air, have a rather large cross section and leave the openings of corresponding nozzle with lower speed; they leave behind on user skin feeling especially harmonious, soft and nice. Since the requirements imposed on the equipment of bathrooms are continuously growing in recent times, there is also a continuous demand for shower heads that can generate shower jets of another kind and that in their aspect, in and out of operation, provide the impression of luxury.

Document DE 196 49 005 A1 shows a head of shower of the class mentioned at the beginning, in which they are arranged in a wall bar several shower heads of the that the superior acts as a flood shower. They are planned also a hand shower and a scrollable massage shower in the Sweep the wall. The supply of the different heads of shower is carried out by means of a flexible shower tube that can be discretionally joined with a desired shower by means of a quick coupling This shower head does not provide the Luxury impression enough.

A spout of a bathtub, which has been disclosed by document US 4 513 458 and which has as aim to provide a low noise entry of bath water, You can generate a special class jet. To this end, the water hot and cold provided is mixed in an elongated housing and delivery through a narrow and long groove. Water strikes then from above on an elongated plate curved in shape concave upwards, where it runs along its surface and, finally, it circulates freely like an elongated waterfall Towards the bathtub Even if this spout could be used in principle also inside a shower cabin, does not provide No way in its appearance the luxury impression.

The purpose of the present invention is to create a shower head of the class mentioned at the beginning, which can aesthetically generate a new kind of A shower jet.

This problem is solved according to the invention with the characteristics indicated in claim 1.

The water outlet tray which is generally to be provided according to the invention on the upper side of the housing confers first of all to the complete shower head an unusual aesthetic imprint that attracts attention, but which is accompanied by a technical function: This consists in which the water exiting the water outlet opening of the housing is initially distributed over a relatively large surface and then released in free fall so as to result in a substantially closed water curtain. Therefore, this shower head does not possess, as is known by conventional showers, a large number of individual shower jets, but rather simulates a small waterfall. This produces in many people a feeling of special
wellness.

Also, apart from an aesthetic effect, the fact that the output tray has an opening in which the water outlet opening of the housing opens, it also has A technical advantage: Thus, it is possible quite simply mechanically hold the output tray; the exit opening of housing water assumes at the same time a function of support.

In this respect, it is itself and in itself known in sanitary fixed fittings by document DE 39 15 357 A1 or either by document DE 41 33 639 C1 the resource of conducting water to through large surface guide bodies so that this water it is discharged into the corresponding stack in the form of a flood flat water. However, in both cases it is not about heads Shower and water jets generated by fixed faucets known have an extension too small for they are suitable as shower jets.

To give the output tray the position desired inclined with respect to the horizontal, the axis of the housing, in the state ready for operation, can look obliquely upwards from the housing fixing site, the water outlet opening being coaxial to the housing. This makes possible a relatively simple configuration of the housing and simple fixing of the output tray on the housing and, in addition, it is aesthetically interesting.

An alternative may be that the axis of the housing runs horizontally in the vicinity of the site for fixing said housing and, in a state ready for operation, the axis of the water outlet opening runs under an angle with the shaft of the housing in the vicinity of the fixing site of is. This variant can be used especially where output tray should be arranged at a greater distance from the fixing site

Preferably, the shower head according to the invention is configured as a multifunction shower head and presents for it:

a) at least one water outlet opening additional that, in the state ready for operation, looks towards down or obliquely down and that serves to generate a shower jet, and

b) a switching device with which the water flowing through the inlet opening of the housing can be conducted discretionally to the first opening of water outlet or at least one water outlet opening additional.

In this embodiment of the invention, takes into account the fact that the water curtain formed by the output tray certainly leaves behind a sensation comfortable very nice, but alone does not satisfy frequently all the wishes of the user. For this reason, in this embodiment can be switched to another class of jets of shower, for example to the previously mentioned beam of jets hard or soft, which can then be used for purposes massage or soaping and washing.

Especially preferred in this regard is the embodiment of the invention in which the housing presents:

a) a fixing piece through which extends a water inlet channel that ends at an opening of mouth on a front side of the fixing piece,

b) a functional part that is applied with one side front to the front side of the fixing piece, it is swivel with with respect to it around an axis and has two water channels that start from mouth openings on the front side of the functional piece and that are combined, respectively, with the first water outlet opening and with the at least one outlet opening of additional water, and

c) the mouth opening of the water inlet channel in the fixing part and the mouth openings of the water channels of the functional part are located outside the axis of rotation so that the mouth opening of the inlet channel of water is communicated discretionally in different turning positions of the functional part with the opening of the mouth of a water channel or the other water channel of the piece
functional.

In this embodiment of the invention, performs switching between operating classes by turning the functional part around the axis of rotation. Are not needed here Special slides as switching device.

Examples of embodiment are explained below. of the invention in more detail with reference to the drawing; show:

Figure 1, an axial section through a shower head attached to a shower bar;

Figure 2, an axial section through a shower head fixed to a wall; Y

Figure 3, an axial section through a second embodiment of a shower head fixed to a shower bar, in two possible operating positions.

Reference is made first to the figure 1. This shows a shower head provided as a whole reference symbol 1 and that, in a way in and of itself known, is movably fixed to a shower bar 2. The exact kind of fixing and immobilization of the shower head 1 on shower bar 2 is not shown in the drawing. May be here a pure friction guide that is of movement so heavy that shower head 1 cannot move under its own weight on shower bar 2. However, it can be treated also of a clamping device or other device immobilization that has to be released to move the head of shower 1 on the shower bar 2.

The shower head 1 comprises a housing substantially cylindrical 3 whose axis forms approximately a right angle with the axis of the shower bar 2 and whose housing is traversed in its left zone in figure 1 by the bar shower 2. Inside the housing 3 is a water inlet compartment 4 to which water can be fed from a flexible shower tube through a connection no represented, whose water comes from a faucet that has not been represented. With the help of this faucet, the quantity as the temperature of the water introduced into the Water inlet compartment 4.

Coaxially to the input compartment 4 of water is inserted into the housing 3 also a cylindrical insert 5 which is applied to a step 6 of the inner wrap surface of the housing 3. The interior space of the insert 5 is subdivided by an axial partition 7 in an upper chamber 8 and a chamber bottom 9. The front side 10 of the insert 5 adjacent to the water inlet compartment 4 has two passage openings 11 and 12 that lead, respectively, to one of the two chambers 8, 9.

On the outer side of the front wall 10 goes guided in a way not shown in detail a slide 13 linearly movable that is joined with an angled organ 14 of manual actuation leaving the housing 3 through a hole 15 of this housing 3. Pulling the drive member 14 manually or by pushing it the slide can be carried discretionary 13 to the position represented in figure 1, in which it is the opening 11 blocked to the upper chamber 8 is blocked and is open the lower passage opening 12 to the lower chamber 9, or either to the position in which the passage opening 11 is released to the upper chamber 8 and the passage opening 12 is blocked to the lower chamber 9.

Insert 5 is closed on its front side right 16 in the lower chamber area 9, but presents in its Surrounding surface, in the area of the lower chamber 9, a large number of narrow nozzle openings 17 directed under angles different. Each of these nozzle openings 17 is aligned with a corresponding nozzle opening 18 of the surface housing envelope 3.

In the upper chamber area 8 it is closed the insert 5 on its enveloping surface, but has a port 19 on its right front side 16. The interior space of the upper chamber 8 of insert 5 communicates through the port 19 with a flow compartment 20 annularly shaped which is configured in the outer area of the housing 3, located at the right in figure 1, between said housing 3 and the body of fixing 21. The fixing body 21 is applied to the insert 5 with its left front surface in figure 1 and again makes this remains applied to shoulder 6 of the housing 3.

The outer end of the housing 3, located at right in figure 1, it presents a section 3a that runs obliquely up and ending in an exit opening circular 22. The axis of this opening 22 is obliquely directed upwards.

In the area of the opening 22 it is seated on the housing 3 of the shower head 2 an output tray 24 which, Seen from above, it is concavely curved. Tray outlet 24 also has a circular opening 25 whose axis it is coaxial to the axis of the opening 22 of the housing 3. The body of fixing 21 crosses the opening 22 of the housing 3 and the opening 25 of the output tray 24. It results from in this way a flow compartment 26 annularly between the opening 25 of the output tray 24 and the enveloping surface of the fixing body 21.

The fixing body 21 has at its end exterior an enlarged diameter head 27 resting on the outer surface of the output tray 24. Head 27 is provided, on its lower side, with a flow channel 28.

The shower head 1 described above It can be used as follows in two kinds of functioning:

In the first operating class the slide 13 is in the position shown in the figure 1, in which it blocks the opening 11 of passage to the upper chamber 8 of the insert 5. Therefore, the water flowing through the water inlet compartment 4 circulates through the passage opening 12 towards the lower chamber 9 of the insert 5 and flows from there outwardly through the nozzle openings 17 of the insert 5 and the nozzle openings 18 of the housing 3. They are formed below from shower head 1 relatively hard water jets with small cross section.

To use shower head 1 on the second operating class, the slide 13 is pulled towards below with the help of the manual actuator 14, with which said slide blocks the opening 12 of passage to the lower chamber 9 of insert 5. Water now circulates from compartment 4 of water inlet through the passage opening 11 of the insert 5 towards the upper chamber 8 of this one, from there it passes through the port 19 from insert 5 to flow compartment 20 and from there follow through the flow compartment 26 and the flow channel 28 to the output tray 24. The water, distributed flat, circulates there towards the bottom edge of the output tray 24, from the which is headed down in the manner of a water curtain endowed with large surface and broadly consistent.

The second embodiment of a head of shower, represented in figure 2, corresponds to a large extent to the one described above with the help of figure 1. By therefore, the corresponding pieces are identified with the same reference symbol adding 100.

Unlike shower head 1 in the figure 1, the shower head 101 of Figure 2 is not fixed to a shower bar, but to a wall 102 of a building. The pipe of water supply may be laid on the wall 102 of the building; this pipe communicates with compartment 104 of casing water inlet 103 in a manner that has not represented here in detail. The axis of the cylindrical housing 103 it does not run horizontally, but it runs obliquely towards up from wall 102 of the building. Therefore, you can remove in the housing 103 the angled end zone 3a. The axis of the opening 122 of the housing 103 and the axis of the opening 126 of the output tray 124 are coaxial to the axis of the housing itself 103. Fixing part 101 does not need to be angled in the exemplary embodiment of figure 2.

The configuration of the insert 105, the slide 113 and the manual actuator 114 matches identically with the exemplary embodiment of figure 1. Due to the position oblique of the housing 103, in the exemplary embodiment of the figure 2 needle jets come out of nozzle openings 118 of the housing 103 with a preferred direction running obliquely down.

Figure 3 shows another head of shower that corresponds in its basic functions to those of the figures 1 and 2. Therefore, the corresponding parts are identified with the same reference symbols as in figure 1 adding 200.

The shower head 201 of Figure 3, like that in Figure 1, is fixed to a shower bar 202 and is linearly movable along it. The housing 203 of this shower head 201 is composed of two pieces, namely one fixing piece 203a and a functional part 203b.

The fixing piece 203a is crossed by the shower bar 202; its axis runs perpendicular to the axis of the shower bar 202. Parallel to the axis of the fixing piece 203a, but outside it, it runs through the piece of fixing 203a to a water supply channel 204 in which it can water is introduced through a suitable connection fitting that does not It is represented in the drawing, whose water is fed from a faucet not shown through a flexible shower tube.

The functional part 203b of the housing 203 is also of substantially cylindrical configuration; but nevertheless, is seated with its front surface on the front surface outside of the fixing piece 203a so that its axis runs upward under an oblique angle.

In a way that has not been shown in detail in the drawing, the functional part 203b is held in the fixing part 203a with the possibility of rotating about the axis of said fixing part 203a. In figure 3 two of these turning positions of the functional part 203b are shown, whose angular positions differ in
180º.

Through functional part 203b of the housing 203 extends, parallel to its axis, two channels of water 240, 241 that are angled in the vicinity of the piece of fixing 203a so that they flow into the front surface there located from functional part 203b. In a turning position of the functional part 203b in which the axis of the latter looks obliquely upwards, the opening of the water channel 240 is aligned with the mouth opening of channel 204 of water supply of fixing piece 203a, while in this position of rotation the opening of the mouth of the water channel 241 is closed by the outer front surface of the workpiece 203a fixing.

On the contrary, if the functional part is rotated 203b around the axis of the fixing part 203a in such a way that its axis looks obliquely down, the opening of mouth of the water channel 241 of the functional part 203b is then aligned with the mouth opening of channel 204 of water supply of fixing piece 203a, while the mouth opening of the water channel 240 in the part functional 203b is closed by the outer front surface of the fixing piece 203a.

In the upper area of the functional part 203b from the housing 203 a cylindrical insert 205 is installed. The side front 210 of the latter looking in the direction of the piece of fixing 203a is provided with two passage openings 211, 212 which are aligned with two water channels 240 and 241. By the opposite, the front side of the insert 205 that is remote from the fixing piece 203a is open.

In the interior space of the insert 205 is installed a flow body 221 that assumes at the same time the function of the fixing body 21 of figure 1. The flow body 221 has a cylindrical zone 221a and a distribution section 221b that joins it and widens in the shape of a head of mushroom.

The cylindrical section 221a of the flow body 221 is coaxially arranged to insert 205, but has a smaller diameter than this one, so that between the surface outer envelope of the cylindrical section 221a and the surface inner envelope of the insert 205 a compartment of cylindrical flow 226.

At the far end of the fixing piece 203a functional part 203b has an opening 222. In this end is fixed an output tray 224 which, seen from Outside, it is concavely shaped. The output tray 224 it also has an opening 225 that is coaxial to the opening 222 of the housing 203. Between the opening 222 of the functional part 203b and the outer enveloping surface of the widened distributor section 221b of the flow body 221 originates in this way a flow compartment 226 annularly.

The 221b widened section of the body of flow 221 has an enlarged diameter head that rests on the outer surface of the output tray 224 and in whose bottom side 228 flow slots are formed. The head 227 of the flow piece 221 presses the output tray 224 against the front surface of the functional part 203b, while that the free front surface of the cylindrical section 221a of the flow piece 221 presses insert 205 against a step 206 of the enclosure surface of the housing 203.

The cylindrical section 221a of the flow body 221 it is crossed by a water channel 242 that is inclined towards the axis of this cylindrical zone 221a. The opening of the mouth of this water channel 242 is aligned with the passage opening 212 of the front wall 210 of the insert 205. On the opposite end they split from the water channel 242 narrow divergent water channels 217 leading to the upper front surface of the section distributor 221b and form nozzle openings 217.

This embodiment of a head of Shower 201 is used as follows:

In a working class, the part is rotated functional 203b with respect to the fixing part 203a so that the axis of the functional part 203b looks obliquely upwards and the water channel 240 of the functional part 203b is connected to the water inlet channel 204 of fixing piece 203a. By therefore, the water flowing through the water inlet channel 204 enters the water channel 240, then crosses the hole 211 of the front wall 210 of insert 205, penetrates the compartment of flow 226 located inside insert 205 and flows from there to through the annular slit 226 and through the flow slots 228 of the flow body 221. The water thus reaches the tray exit 224 and leaves it in the form of a water curtain Widely fan-shaped, as already described more above for the embodiment example of figure 1.

The second water channel 241 of the piece Functional 203b remains dry in this position of rotation of the piece Functional 203b, since it does not communicate with the input channel 204 of water of fixing piece 203a. Therefore, they don't come out shower jets through the nozzle openings 217.

On the contrary, when the user wants a operation of hard jets or needle jets, scales then the functional part 203b of the shower head 201 at 180 ° down such that the axis of the functional part 203b look obliquely down. Water channel 240 is now closed, with which water can no longer flow through the compartment cancel 226. Instead, a connection is established between the channel 204 water inlet of fixing piece 203a and the channel water 241 of functional part 203b.

Water circulates through water channel 241 and then through the water channel 242 of the flow body 221 and, finally, goes outside through the nozzle openings 217 in the form of hard jets or needle jets.

Claims (5)

1. Shower head with a housing (3; 103; 203) having a water inlet opening and at least one water outlet opening (22; 122; 222) to generate a shower jet, characterized in that the housing (3; 103; 203) carries a tray of exit (24; 124; 224) which, seen from above, is concave and is inclined with respect to the horizontal, the output tray (24; 124; 224) has a circular opening (25; 125; 225) which is coaxially arranged above the at least one water outlet opening (22; 122; 222) of the housing (3; 103; 203) and communicating with it, and the water that has passed from the housing (3; 103; 203) to the output tray (24; 124; 224) is distributed flat over the lower area of the output tray (24; 124; 224) during the flow thereof in said tray and, passing through a bottom edge of the output tray (24; 124; 224), is directed down in the form of a curtain of water substantially closed. 2. Shower head according to claim 1, characterized in that in the state ready for operation, the axis of the housing (103) looks obliquely upwards from the fixing site of said housing (103) and because the water outlet opening (122) is coaxial to the housing (103). 3. Shower head according to claim 1, characterized in that the axis of the housing (3; 203) runs horizontally in the vicinity of the fixing site of said housing (3; 203) and because, in the state ready for operation, the axis of the water outlet opening (22; 222) runs under an angle with the axis of the housing (3; 203) in the vicinity of the latter's fixing site. 4. Shower head according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it is constructed as a multifunction shower head and has: a) at least one additional water opening (18; 118; 218) which, in the state ready for operation, looks towards down or obliquely down and that is intended to generate a shower jet, and b) a switching device (13; 113; 203a, 203b) with which the water flowing through the opening of casing inlet (3; 103; 203) can be driven discretionally at the first water outlet opening (22; 122; 222) or at least one additional water outlet opening (18; 118; 218). 5. Shower head according to claim 4, characterized in that the housing (203) has: a) a fixing piece (203a) through the which extends a water inlet channel (204) that ends in a mouth opening disposed on a front side of the fixing piece (203a), b) a functional part (203b) that is applied with a front side to the front side of the fixing piece (203a), is rotating with respect to it around an axis and presents two water channels (240, 241) that start from openings of mouth arranged on the front side of the functional part (203b) and that communicate, respectively, with the first opening water outlet (222) and with the at least one outlet opening of additional water (218), and c) the opening of the mouth of the canal water inlet (204) in the fixing part (203a) and openings  of mouth of the water channels (240, 241) of the piece Functional (203b) are located outside the axis of rotation so that the opening of the mouth of the water inlet channel (204), in different turning positions of the functional part (203b), communicates discretely with the opening of the mouth of a water channel (240) or other water channel (241) of the part functional (203b).