WO2013131617A1

WO2013131617A1 - Shower attachment

Info

Publication number: WO2013131617A1
Application number: PCT/EP2013/000515
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jan Philipp TÜSHAUS
Original assignee: Grohe Ag
Priority date: 2012-03-08
Filing date: 2013-02-22
Publication date: 2013-09-12
Also published as: DE102012004424A1; DE102012004424B4

Abstract

In the case of a shower attachment (1) having a water inlet (15), one or more water outlet openings (13, 14) and a chamber (2) for receiving solid and/or liquid additives which are arranged between the water inlet (15) and at least one water outlet opening (14), wherein the additives are washed around by water flowing through and are mixed therewith and flow out of the shower attachment (1) together with the water, provision is made for the chamber (2) for receiving the additives to be provided with a feeding device (3a, 3b) which has a pass-through direction and a blocking direction.

Description

shower

The invention relates to a shower according to the preamble of claim 1. In shower heads various systems for the addition of liquid or solid additives to the exiting shower water are known.

In DE 39 02 1 16 C 1, a device is disclosed, which is connected outside of the shower head or the shower head on the one hand to a water faucet and on the other hand, a hose leading to the shower head goes off. In this lying outside the actual shower head housing, the admixture of a liquid additive such as liquid soap or deodorant is carried out with the water.

From DE 71 46 938 U1 an attachment is known, which admits bathing water from a shower of bathing water in the outflowing water. In this case, the accessory is connected by means of a shower head adapted either inside or outside attachable cylindrical body with the shower head. The mixing of the water from the shower head and the bath additive contained in the accessory takes place in the attachment.

Against this background, the object of the invention is to improve a shower with a device for admixing additives to the shower water.

The object is achieved by a shower with the features of claim 1. Advantageous developments are the subject of dependent claims.

The invention provides a shower head with a water inlet, one or more jet outlet openings and a device for adding additives to the shower water. In this case, the device comprises a chamber for Receiving solid and / or liquid additives, which is arranged between the water inlet and at least one jet outlet of the shower, the additives are washed by the flowing water and mixed with this and flow out in conjunction with the water from the shower. In this case, the chamber for receiving the additives is provided with a feed device which has a passage direction and a blocking direction. This means that although additive can be introduced into the chamber from outside to inside through the feeding device, but that additive or the water-mixed additive or the water flowing through the chamber can not escape through the feeding device.

The admixture of additives also in showers in the water steel is becoming increasingly popular considering the "wellness" trend. The consumer desires for different purposes different additives, which should be used easily and finely dosed. Here, flavoring agents, herbal concentrates, vitamin C for the reduction of the chlorine content and skin-care substance, salt for producing a brine effect, additives for soothing or refreshing, and essential oils, e.g. Eucalyptus oil for colds to mention. An admixture of additives is also conceivable in Spülbrausen in the kitchen. Here the substances are used for cleaning, disinfection or gentle vegetable and fruit cleaning.

A further development of the invention provides that the delivery device has a closure which opens only on one side or only inwardly. Depending on the construction of the delivery device, the closure can be adapted accordingly.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the delivery device may comprise a flexible membrane with an opening. Here, the membrane can be arranged funnel-shaped or tubular, wherein the membrane has sealing lips at the end of the funnel or the hose. Accordingly, the chamber for receiving the additive and mixing the shower water with the additive to a bottom with an opening. The flexible membrane is connected to the floor. Furthermore, the membrane is arranged turned inside out. The end of the Funnel or tube thus protrudes through the opening into the chamber, so that the outlet opening, the end of the funnel or the end of the tube are positioned inside the chamber.

The additive is introduced through the opening of the membrane and further through the opening of the bottom from the outside into the chamber. Once the additive is inside the chamber, the sealing lips of the membrane close the opening in the bottom again.

Alternatively, it may be provided as a closure spring-mounted valve element for the opening in the bottom of the chamber. Upon pressure from the outside or when introducing the additive, the sealing valve element is moved away from the valve seat against the force of a return spring, so that the opening in the bottom of the chamber is released. As soon as no pressure is exerted on the valve element, this is again moved by the force of the return spring to its original position. Thus, the opening in the bottom of the chamber is closed again.

Advantageously, the chamber for receiving the additive or for mixing of additive and shower water is rotationally symmetrical. Furthermore, it is advantageous if the chamber has an inflow opening, through which the water flowing through the shower is introduced tangentially into the interior of the chamber. This results in the inflow of water into the chamber, a hollow vortex effect, which additionally relieves the opening of the chamber in the ground or the feeder. The hollow vortex effect ensures that a lower water pressure is present in the interior of the chamber in the region of the opening of the feed device or the membrane.

A further development of the shower also provides that the chamber has one or more outlet openings or outlet channels, which are simultaneously provided as injector or venturi for sucking air. This means that the outlet channels, which connect the chamber for the additives with the jet outlet or outlets of the spray, each have at least one air intake. For example, it is possible Luftansaugkanäle radially to the feeder to arrange in the shower, which in turn are connected to the outlet channels from the chamber. Advantageously, a further mixing chamber in the shower is provided after the suction opening following the outlet channels or to the chamber, which is connected to the jet outlet openings, which are provided in the flow direction of the water after the mixing chamber. This further mixing chamber is provided for mixing the mixture of water and additive with air, so that a homogeneous distribution of additive and air is possible. For additives with surfactants foam is formed in the further mixing chamber, which then also exits through the jet outlet openings.

A development of the invention provides that the chamber is arranged as a water distribution chamber, the supply device and the jet outlet openings in a separate and / or detachable Strahlbildnerelement.

With the invention, a feed device which can be opened on one side only into the interior of the shower head is provided, which allows easy introduction and addition of additives into a shower head but can also serve as a jet forming element for producing aerated water jets, so-called champagne jets. In the case of non-inclusion of additives, a soft aerated water jet is generated by means of the air intake ducts and the further mixing chamber.

Two embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and will be described in more detail below. It shows in the drawing the

Figure 1 is a section through a shower;

FIG. 2 a perspective view of a first jet-forming element from below;

Figure 3 shows a first Strahlbildnerelement for a shower in section;

FIG. 4 shows the jet-forming element from FIG. 3 with the supply device open in section; FIG. 5 shows the jet-forming element from FIGS. 3 and 4 in section, showing the direction of flow of the water, of the mixture of water and additive and of the air;

FIG. 6 shows a second jet-forming element with an alternative supply device for

Additives on average when closed;

FIG. 7 shows the jet-forming element from FIG. 6 with the feeder open in section.

In the drawing, the same or corresponding elements are each provided with the same reference numerals. The arrows in the drawings represent the direction of flow of the water or fluid.

FIG. 1 shows a section through a showerhead 1. The showerhead 1 comprises a shower enclosure 11 and a shower base 12. The shower enclosure 11 has a water inlet 15 and water outlet openings 13, 14, wherein the water outlet openings 13, 14 are arranged in the shower base 12 , Furthermore, the showerhead 1 has a chamber 2, which serves to receive additives. The chamber 2 also has an inflow opening 21 and one or more outflow openings 22, so that the water flowing through flows around the additive. In this case, the additive is mixed with the water flowing through the chamber 2 and flows together with the water from the water outlet 14 of the shower 1.

Figure 2 shows a first separate Strahlbildnerelement 4a in perspective from below. The jet-forming element 4a has a housing 41a, which is provided with an external thread 42, so that the jet-forming element 4a can be inserted or screwed into a shower housing 11 or a shower base 12. After insertion into a showerhead 1, the jet-forming element 4 a is connected to the water supply of the showerhead 1. The jet-forming element 4a also has water outlet openings 14 and air suction openings 43, which are arranged in a circle around a feed device 3a, by means of which additives can be introduced from the outside into the jet-forming element 4a. The shown feeding device 3a comprises a membrane 31 with an opening 32 which is closed by elastic sealing lips 33 (not visible).

Figure 3 shows a first separate Strahlbildnerelement 4a in section. The jet-forming element 4a has a housing 41a, which is provided with an external thread 42, so that the jet-forming element 4a can be inserted or screwed into a shower housing 11 or a shower base 12. Furthermore, a cavity is arranged in the housing 41 a of the jet-forming element 4 a, which serves as a mixing chamber 2. In this section, the feeding device 3a according to the invention is shown. The feed device 3a comprises a flexible membrane 31 with an opening 32. The opening 32 is arranged in the interior of the chamber 2 and closed by sealing lips 33, which are also part of the membrane 31.

In this case, the membrane 31 may be part of a flexible, elastic component, the so-called jet former, which comprises the water outlet openings 14. Alternatively, the shower base 12 and the flexible, elastic member, the jet former, may be manufactured as a 2-component component. The elastic member includes the membrane 31, the water outlet openings 14 and a sealing area for separating the chambers 2 and 5.

The inwardly directed in the direction of the mixing chamber 2 movable part of the membrane 31 projects into the mixing chamber 2 and forms a kind of beak valve. The sealing lips 33, which surround the opening 32 of the membrane 31, touch each other flush. Thus, the sealing of the mixing chamber 2 is effected to the outside.

FIG. 4 shows the jet-forming element from FIG. 3 with the feeding device 3a open in section during the filling process. To fill the chamber 2, the additives present in solid or liquid form, in this example an aroma ball, are forced through the opening 32 of the feed device 3 a into the mixing chamber 2 of the jet former 4 a or the shower head 1. There, the additives are washed by tangentially inflowing water. An inflow opening 21, which is shaped so that the inflowing water in a tangential direction to the chamber 2 directs, is arranged at the top of the chamber 2. FIG. 5 shows the jet-forming element 4a from FIGS. 3 and 4 in section, showing the flow direction of the water, the mixture of water and additive and the air. The flow directions are symbolized by arrows. The water flowing tangentially through the inlet opening 21 into the chamber 2 flows around the additive and dissolves it continuously. The swirling effect created by the flow relieves the membrane 31 and supports the function of the sealing lips 33. The arranged in the chamber 2 additive and also flowing through the chamber 2 water can not pass through the opening 32 to the outside. Thus, the feeding device 3a has an outside-to-inside passage direction and a reverse direction-namely, inside-out direction.

The water or the mixture of additive and water leaves the chamber 2 through one or more outflow openings 22 in the lower region of the chamber 2. From there it passes into the annular mixing chamber 5, which is arranged around the chamber 2. In the mixing chamber 5, the additive-water mixture flowing out of the chamber 2 mixes with the air-water mixture flowing out of the nozzles 46. The nozzles 46 are pronounced as an injector - in them air is sucked through the air supply openings 43 in accordance with the principle of a water jet pump. These are also arranged in a ring around the chamber 2. After mixing in the mixing chamber 5, the air-water mixture or the air-additive-water mixture flows through the water outlet openings 14 from the jet former 4a.

The use of additives with surfactants forms a foam by mixing the additive-water mixture with the air. If no additive is added to the chamber 2, a soft air-jet of water is generated in the nozzles 46 by the air intake and mixing.

FIG. 6 shows a second jet-forming element 4b with alternative feed device 3b for additives in the closed state. The housing 41b of the jet-forming element 4b can be embodied identically to that of the first jet-forming element 4a. The supply device 3b comprises a valve closure body 34 with a sealing body. This valve closure member 34 is acted upon by a restoring spring 35 and seals in the closed state of the supply device 3b from an opening 45 in the housing bottom 44 of the Strahlbildnerelements 4b or the associated shower.

FIG. 7, on the other hand, shows the jet-forming element 4b from FIG. 6 with the delivery device 3b open in section. When pressure is applied from the outside, the valve closure member 34 is pressed against the force of the return spring 35 upwards into the interior of the chamber 2. In this case, the valve closure body 34 releases the opening 45, can be introduced through the additive into the interior of the chamber 2. As soon as no pressure is exerted from the outside, the valve closure body 34 returns to its original position again by the force of the return spring 35 and seals the opening 45 again.

In both variants of the feeders 3a, 3b, the advantage is that a shower additive can be easily and directly inserted into the shower head without having to mechanically loosen and remove a cover or a closure. Furthermore, both solid additives e.g. in the form of one or more balls, tablets, tabs or fluid additives by means of the feeders 3a, 3b are introduced into the shower 1. In the case of fluid additives, it is advisable to remove them from a container with a rod-shaped insertion device, such as e.g. to introduce a pipette or the like.

By means of the invention thus an uncomplicated, simple supply of various additives is possible. Furthermore, when no supply of additives, the shower head or the Strahlbildnerelement can be used without restriction and it is generated by the air supply and air admixture a pleasant soft shower spray. LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 shower

1 1 shower enclosure

12 shower floor

13 water outlet openings, jet outlet openings

14 water outlet openings, jet outlet openings

15 water intake

2 chamber, mixing chamber, water distribution chamber

21 inlet opening

22 outflow opening

3a, 3b feeding device

31 membrane

32 opening

33 sealing lip

34 Valve body with sealing element

35 return spring

4a, 4b jet forming element

41 a, 41 b housing of the Strahlbildnerelements

42 external thread

43 Air intake opening

44 housing bottom of the Strahlbildnerelements

45 opening in the bottom of the Strahlbildnerelements

46 nozzle

5 mixing chamber

Claims

claims

1. Shower (1) with

a water inlet (15),

- One or more water outlet openings (13, 14) and

- a chamber (2) for holding solid and / or liquid additives,

- - between the water inlet (15) and at least one water outlet (14) is arranged, wherein the additives are washed by the flowing water and mixed with this and in conjunction with the water from the shower (1) flow,

characterized in that

- The chamber (2) for receiving the additives with a supply device (3a, 3b) is provided, which has a passage direction and a locking direction.

2. Shower (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the supply device (3a, 3b) has an inwardly opening only closure.

3. Shower (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a flexible membrane (31) is provided as a feeding device (3a).

4. Shower (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the membrane (31) has an opening (32).

5. Shower (1) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that as a closure for the opening (32) of the membrane (31) sealing lips (33) are provided.

6. Shower (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that a spring-mounted valve element (34) is provided as a closure.

7. Shower (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the chamber (2) is rotationally symmetrical.

8. Shower () according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the chamber (2) has an inflow opening (21) through which the water flowing through is introduced tangentially into the interior of the chamber (2).

9. shower (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the chamber (2) has one or more outflow openings (22) which is connected to injector or venturi for sucking air or are.

10. Shower (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a nozzle or further mixing chamber (5) is provided for mixing of the mixture of water and additive with air.

1 1. Shower (1) according to claim 10, characterized in that the water outlet openings (14) in the flow direction of the water to the chamber or mixing chamber (2, 5) are provided.

12. shower (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the chamber (2) as a water distribution chamber, the supply device (3a, 3b) and the water outlet openings (14) in a separate and / or detachable Strahlbildnerelement (4a, 4b) are arranged.