GB2199771A - Shower head - Google Patents

Abstract

A shower head comprises four concentric spray rings (27, 40, 50, 61) disposed one within another, the outermost spray ring (61) being engaged with a casing of the shower head and the remaining spray rings (27, 40, 50) being connected together to form a single composite inner ring, which is engageable in the outermost spray ring in two alternative orientations, one of which is inverted relative to the other (see the two sides of figure 5). The outermost spray ring (61) provides a water discharge outlet by means of flow grooves in its outer surface in both orientations of the composite ring, whilst the composite ring provides three discharge outlets by means of three sets of flow grooves in one orientation, and by means of one set of flow grooves (35) in its other orientation. The shower head can thus be changed between a winter and a summer setting by inversion of the inner ring. The "rings" may be other than circular, e.g. square or triangular. <IMAGE>

Description

SHOWER HEAD This invention relates to a shower head of the kind having a plurality of spray members, usually circular rings.

An object of the invention is to provide such a shower head in a form which is convenient in use and improved over prior art shower heads of this kind.

According to the invention a shower head comprises at least two spray rings disposed one within another, at least one of said rings being positionable in the shower head in either of two orientations, said one ring in one orientation being inverted relative to its other orientation, and a number of discharge outlets being defined in said one orientation, the number being reduced in said other orientation, but being at least one.

As used herein, the expression 'spray ring' includes a ring of any suitable shape, such as triangular or square, and is not limited to a circular ring.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1A to 1C are a top, a part-sectional side view and an underneath view respectively of first part of a first member of a spray producing assembly of a shower head of the invention, Figures 2A to 2C, 3A to 3C and 4A to 4C show views equivalent to Figures 1A to lC, of second and third parts of the first member and of a second member of the spray producing assembly respectively, and Figure 5 is a schematic, fragmentary, longitudinal cross-sectional view of a shower head of the invention with the view being split to show one position of the members of the spray producing assembly on the left hand side and a different position of the members of the spray ring on the right hand side.

The shower head of the invention comprises a stem 10 (Fig. 5) in the form of an elongate, hollow pipe 11 which has one end (not shown) externally threaded for connection to a water feed pipe. At its other end the pipe 11 is integrally formed with a generally cylindrical inner casing defining a chamber 12, which is hollow and is also open top and bottom. The pipe feeds into the chamber.

Just below its open top, the internal wall of the chamber is screw-threaded at 13 so that said open top can be closed by a cap 14. Any other suitable means of releasably engaging the cap with the casing, such as a bayonet fitting, can alternatively be employed. The cap has a circular domed outer surface 15 from the periphery of which an annular flange 16 depends. At the free extremity of the flange its external surface is screw threaded at 17 to match the thread 13. Just above the threaded portion the external flange surface has an annular groove 18 to receive an O-ring seal 19 so that when the cap 14 is screwed onto the top of the chamber 12 a watertight seal is formed.The surface 15 has a central rectangular, elongate outwardly projected portion 19 which is so shaped as to provide ease of turning the cap, particularly when it is wished to release the cap after it may have been screwed tightly onto the top of the chamber 12. Inside the cap 14, is a depending, central, cylindrical flange 20 and a further depending, cylindrical flange 21. The flange 21 is concentric with the flange 20 and spaced outwardly of it.

The bottom of the chamber 12 has a cylindrical opening formed by an internal wall 22. Above this wall 22 is a frustoconical wall 23 sloping upwards and outwards.

The remainder of the chamber wall below the thread 13 is directed axially and is continuous except for an opening 24 whereby the pipe 11 feeds the chamber, and for three radially directed rectangular projections 25 (only one shown) which are equi-angularly spaced around the interior of the chamber. Each projection extends upwards from the wall 23 a short way along the main chamber wall above it. The p-ipe is received in a handset outer casing lia, in use.

As will be explained a spray producing assembly is received, in use, in the chamber to close the bottom opening thereof and to produce an outlet spray pattern when water is fed to the chamber from the pipe 11. The projections 25 engage with the outermost member of the spray producing assembly to hold it in position. One end of a compression spring 26 seats on the inside surface of the cap 14 between the flanges 20, 21, whilst its other end engages in an annular cavity in the centre of the spray producing assembly, as will be described.

The spray producing assembly is made up of a first composite spraying member, which comprises three concentric circular spray rings interengaged together, and a second member in the form of a fourth circular spray ring into which the first member is received as a sliding fit in either of two alternative orientations.

As mentioned the fourth spray ring is fitted into the chamber 12 by means of the projections 25. Each ring is of plastics material, for example acetal.

The central spray ring 27 is shown in Figures 1A to 1C and will be described in the orientation shown therein and in the left hand side of Figure 5. Although the ring 27 shown in Figures 1A to 1C has a somewhat different internal structure, Figure 5 shows its preferred form.

The ring 27 is formed with a generally solid cylindrical body portion 28. Both the upper and lower surfaces of the ring have identically provided annular cavities 29, 30 respectively therein, to receive an end of the spring 26 previously mentioned. From the top of the ring an annular flange 31 extends radially outwardly, terminating in a downwardly and axially directed cylindrical flange 32, whose inwardly facing surface is thus spaced from the outer surface of the body portion 28. The flange 32 extends downwardly by an amount somewhat less than half the length of the ring.

The junction on the outside of the ring between the flanges 31 and 32 is formed with a frustoconical surface 33 and an outward flat annular surface 34 which terminates at the outer cylindrical surface of the flange 32. In this surface, immediately adjacent the surface 34 are a multiplicity of regularly spaced, axially directed flow grooves 35, terminating short of the lower end of the flange 32. The bottom of the body portion 28 is formed at its periphery with a frustoconical surface 36 extending upwardly and outwardly to a flat radially directed annular surface 37 which extends to join the main outer cylindrical surface of the body portion. Adjacent said junction the main outer cylindrical surface is formed with a multiplicity of regularly spaced, axially directed flow grooves 38.

Below the grooves 35, at the bottom of the flange 32, eight equi-angularly spaced square projections 39 are formed around the outer surface of the flange 32.

Extending upwardly in the inside surface of the flange 32, from the bottom thereof, are three equi-angularly spaced slots 32a. These are provided, as will be explained hereinafter, for the interengagement of the three inner rings.

The second spray ring 40 is a generally hollow cylindrical member having three equi-angularly spaced integral lugs 41 extending radially outwardly from the top of its cylindrical body. Nearly at its bottom, the outer surface of the cylindrical body is provided with a multiplicity of regularly spaced, axially directed flow grooves 42. Immediately below the grooves, the external body surface is stepped inwardly by a radial annular surface 43 and an inwardly, downwardly sloping surface 44 which extends to a flat annular bottom surface of the ring.

The interior of the cylindrical body has an upwardly, inward sloping surface 45 extending from the bottom of the ring and this leads to an axially directed cylindrical surface 46 which is joined by a frustoconical step surface 47 to a larger diameter cylindrical portion 48 extending to the top of the ring. Aligned with the centre of each lug is an axially directed narrow rib 49 extending from the surface 47 to the top of the lug.

The ring is sized to be able to receive the body portion 28 of ring 27 as a sliding fit in its own cylindrical body, as shown in the left hand side of Figure 5, with the bottom of the flange 32 engaging on the tops of the three lugs 41 respectively and part of the length of the flow grooves 38 being radially closed by the surface 46 of ring 40. Moreover the bottom of the ring 27 lies flush with the bottom of the ring 40.

The third spray ring 50 is of similar form to the ring 40 having three lugs 51 of the same form as the lugs 41, but which have shorter radial extent. Moreover at their respective extremities they have downwardly directed, axial flanges 52 extending for approximately half the length of the ring body. The remainder of the outer ring surface is the same as the ring 50, namely with flow grooves 53, a radial annular surface 54 and a sloping surface 55 to the bottom of the ring.

Similarly the interior surface has a sloping surface 56, a cylindrical surface 57, a frustoconical step surface 58 and a larger diameter cylindrical surface 59. The ring 50, like the ring 40, has three axially directed ribs 60 aligned with the lugs 51. However the ribs 60 are almost as wide as the lugs 51 and extend upwardly beyond the lugs 51 to form location fingers to snap fit into the slots 32a. The outwardly facing top part of each finger is chamfered to facilitate engagement into a slot 32a.

The third ring 50 is sized to receive the ring 40 as a sliding fit therein, with the ring 40 having the ring 27 therein as described above. The relative angular orientations of the rings 40 and 50 is such that the lugs 41 are arranged around the ring 50 between the ribs 60 and resting on the top surface of the cylindrical body. The fingers of the ribs 60 extend upwardly beyond the lugs 41 on ring 40 and snap fit into the slots 32a of ring 27, with which they can be aligned by suitable angular orientation of the rings.

Thus the three rings 27, 40 and 50 can thus be interengaged together to form a releasable single ring assembly as schematically shown in the left hand side of Figure 5. The flow grooves 42 are radially closed along part of their length by the surface 57 and all three rings have their respective bottom surfaces flush. Moreover the respective sets of grooves 35 and 53 are at equal radial distances from the central axis of the single assembly.

The final ring 61 is shown in Figures 4A to 4C, and is of hollow generally cylindrical form having. an upper part 62 and a reduced diameter lower part 63. At its top the ring has an outwardly, radially directed annular flange 64. Below the flange the outer surface has three equi-angularly spaced ribs 65. Below the ribs the outer surface has a frustoconical surface 66 forming a step between the parts 62 and 63. The surface 66 leads to a hollow cylindrical portion 67 having a multiplicity of regularly spaced, axially directed flow grooves 68 at its lower end. Extending through the surface 66 and also through the lower portion of the part 62 are three equi-angularly spaced generally semi-circular slots 69. These are to engage with the projections 25 in chamber 12 to secure the ring 61 in position as will be described. The projections do not fully close the slots 69.

Connected to the top of the portion 67 but spaced inwardly thereof is a further hollow cylindrical portion 70, which extends downwardly beyond the end of the portion 67. The portion 70 has a lowermost interior surface 71 of cylindrical form leading to a short outwardly directed frustoconical surface 72, above which is a flat annular surface 73. Six ribs 74 are provided on the surface 72 up to the level of surface 73.

Above and outwardly of the surface 73, substantially at the bottom of the upper part 62 is a further flat annular surface 75. Formed on this surface are three equi-angularly spaced ribs 76, each extending axially upwards on the interior cylindrical wall of the part 62. The ring 50, as part of the assembly of rings 27, 40 and 50, is a slidable fit in ring 61, as shown in the left hand side of Figure 5, with the three flanges 52 engaging on the surface 73.

In use the outer ring 61 is firstly fixed in the chamber 12 by means of the projections 25 and slots 69. The assembly of rings 27, 40, 50 can then be engaged with the ring 61 as described so that the flow grooves 53 are radially closed along part of their length by the surface 71 and the flow grooves 68 are radially closed along part of their length by the chamber wall 22. The bottom surfaces of all the rings and the chamber are flush.

The spring 26 is then arranged with one end in the cavity 29 in ring 27 and its other end between the flanges 20, 21 as the cap 14 is lowered and tightly engaged with the chamber 12 with the O-ring seal 19 in place, as the cap is screwed down.

This represents a summer setting of the shower head with maximum flow of water from the four sets of flow grooves 38, 42, 53 and 68. Water flows from the pipe 11 into the chamber 12 via slots 69 and then to the flow grooves which are in flow communication with the chamber. Thereafter the water is discharged as individual annular sprays. The required spray angle is achieved by the appropriate frustoconical surfaces at the respective lowermost ends of the rings, below the flow grooves, which direct the individual annular spray arrangements downwardly and outwardly of the common central axis of the rings.

If it is desired to reduce the flow to a winter setting of the shower head the cap 14 is unscrewed and the spring removed to allow removal of the assembly of rings 27, 40 and 50. This assembly is then inverted and replaced, in this inverted form, in the ring 61, as shown in the right hand side of Figure 5. The projections 39 now engage on the surface 73. Only flow grooves 68 now remain from the four sets of grooves previously employed. However the inversion of the ring assembly brings previously unused flow grooves 35 on ring 27 into use, these being radially closed along part of their length by the surface 71 of the ring 61. The bottom surfaces of the rings and chamber are again flush in this alternative orientation of the ring assembly.

Water thus now flows from the pipe 11 to only the grooves 35 and 68, providing a reduced spray pattern.

Accordingly a change between winter and summer shower head flow can easily be made by unscrewing the cap, removing the spring, inverting the ring assembly, replacing the spring, with its lower end either in cavity 29 or 30 as appropriate, and screwing down the cap. Additionally the assembly of rings 27, 40 and 50 could be provided with projection means which restrict the slots 69 when the assembly is in the winter setting, so that the flow of water through the slots in the chamber 12 is reduced compared to flow in the summer setting. The bottom surfaces of the rings need not be flush, but could each be above or below the bottom of the chamber to vary the flow from the grooves.

The shower head construction provides two other advantageous features. Firstly it can be arranged that by pressing inwardly on at least the ring 27, the rings are released from each other to the extent that the flow grooves open out for easy cleaning to remove scale and the like. The spring 26 returns the rings to their normal operational position thereafter. The rings can be constructed so that depression of the inner ring sequentially separates all the ring grooves for cleaning. Stops can be provided at the top of the chamber to engage rings 40 and 50 automatically to separate the 3-part ring assembly. Alternately depression of the ring 27 may only open grooves 53, so that grooves 38 and 42 can only be cleaned by manually removing the 3-part ring from the chamber and separating the parts.

Secondly by unscrewing and removing the cap, the ring assembly can be easily removed from the shower head, without the need for any special tool. The three rings of the assembly can be separated and cleaned individually. Additionally the ring 61 can also be removed from the chamber 12. This cleaning can be more thorough than by means of the scale removal feature just described. The provision of an elongate portion 19 allows even a very tightly screwed on cap to be removed both for ring assembly inversion and for removal for cleaning.

It will be appreciated that the rings of the ring assembly need not be interconnected and that a greater or fewer number of rings could be used, it merely being required that at least one ring can be inverted to close a previously open discharge outlet. Moreover the reversible ring set could easily be adapted for use with a conventional shower head set, so that there is a central releasable fixing between the ring set and the shower head containing it, the rings having frustoconical side surfaces.

As no rotation takes place between the spray rings, they need not be circular and could, for example, be square, whilst still interfitting one within another.

Claims (17)

1. A shower head comprising at least two spray rings disposed one within another, at least one of said rings being positionable in the shower head in either of two orientations, said one ring in one orientation being inverted relative to its other orientation, and a number of discharge outlets being defined in said one orientation, the number being reduced in said other orientation, but being at least one.

2. A shower head as claimed in claim 1, wherein each discharge outlet is formed by a set of flow grooves around an inner or an outer surface of a spray ring.

3. A shower head as claimed in claim 2, wherein there is provided an outer ring and an inner ring, the inner ring, in one orientation providing, at an outlet of a casing of the shower head, a first set of flow grooves adjacent the outer ring and at least a further set of flow grooves radially inwardly of said first set, inversion of said inner ring removing from said casing outlet at least one of said set of flow grooves provided by the inner ring.

4. A shower head as claimed in claim 3, wherein the inner ring has respective sets of flow grooves at equal radial spacings at opposite ends of its outer surface, the sets being disposed adjacent said outer ring respectively in the two orientations of the inner ring, so that a discharge outlet is provided adjacent the outer ring in both orientations of the inner ring.

5. A shower head as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4, wherein said inner ring is of composite form comprising a first, innermost ring, a second ring engaged on the first ring, and a third ring engaged on the second ring.

6. A shower head as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first ring is generally cylindrical, having opposite end surfaces which are closed against flow therebetween, the first ring having at one end an annular radial flange terminating in an annular axial flange which is spaced outwardly of the cylindrical body of the ring and terminates short of its other end, one set of flow grooves being provided in an outer surface of said axial flange at said one end of the ring, and another set of flow grooves being provided in the outer cylindrical surface of the ring at its other end.

7. A shower head as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second ring is of hollow generally cylindrical form, having radial lugs extending outwardly from one end thereof and being angularly spaced around the second ring, a set of flow grooves being provided in the outer surface of the second ring at its other end, the cylindrical body of the first ring fitting in said second ring, with said axial flange engaging said radial lugs so that a discharge outlet is formed by said another set of flow grooves in the surface of the first ring which engages an inner surface of the second ring.

8. A shower head as claimed in claim 7, wherein the third ring is of hollow, generally cylindrical form, having a set of flow grooves in its outer surface at one of its ends, and at its other end having radial lugs with extremities which are directed axially towards said one end, spaced outwardly of the body of the third ring and terminate short of said one end, the third ring having at said other end axial projections therearound, which engage in respective slots in said axial flange of the first ring, releasably to engage said first, second and third rings together, with said second ring fitting in said third ring, with its radial lugs engaging the other end of the third ring between the radial lugs of the third ring, and a discharge outlet being formed by said set of flow grooves in the surface of the second ring which engages an inner surface of the third ring.

9. A shower head as claimed in claim 8, wherein the outer ring has an inner, annular axially facing surface against which different parts of the inner ring engage in said two orientations thereof, in one orientation said engagement being by the ends of the axial extremities of the flanges of the third ring, with a discharge outlet being formed between an inner surface of the outer ring and the set of flow grooves in the outer surface of the third ring, as well as by said discharge openings formed by the sets of flow grooves at the other ends of the outer surfaces of the first and second rings respectively, and in the other orientation said engagement being by means of projections on the first ring, with only a single discharge opening being provided by the inner ring, by the set of flow grooves at said one end of the first ring which are disposed adjacent said inner surface of said outer ring.

10. A shower head as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 9, wherein said outer ring has a set of flow grooves in an outer surface thereof disposed adjacent an inner surface of the casing to provide a discharge outlet.

11. A shower head as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 10, wherein the outer ring is engaged with said casing by one or more projection and slot combinations.

12. A shower head as claimed in claim 11, wherein projections on the casing engage in slots in the outer ring, the slots being larger than the projections to allow flow of water, in use, to the casing to pass through said slots to the inner ring.

13. A shower head as claimed in any of claims 6 to 9, wherein each of the end surfaces of the first ring has a location therein for one end of compression spring, so that in either orientation of the inner ring the spring urges it towards said casing outlet.

14. A shower head as claimed in claim 13, wherein the casing thereof is in the form of a generally cylindrical chamber having at one end said casing outlet, in which said inner and outer rings are fitted, and at its other end a closure cap which is releasably engaged with the casing, the other end of the compression spring bearing against an inner surface of the closure cap.

15. A shower head as claimed in claim 14, wherein the closure cap is screw-threadedly engaged with the casing and has sealing means therebetween.

16. A shower head as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the rings are of plastics material and the projections of the third ring snap-fittingly engage in the slots of the first ring releasably to connect the first, second and third rings together.

17. A shower head substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.