Shower

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10456794-B2
Application number	US-201715637919-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2017
Priority date	Sep 3, 2014
Publication date	Oct 29, 2019
Grant date	Oct 29, 2019

Abstract

A shower assembly includes an inlet port, a reservoir, a valve, a plurality of first outlets, and a plurality of second outlets. The inlet port is for receiving water from a water source at a source flow rate. The reservoir is for receiving the water from the water source through the inlet port. The valve is for controlling a flow rate of water from the inlet port to the reservoir to maintain an unpressurized reservoir. The plurality of first outlets are configured to continuously pass water from the reservoir. The plurality of first outlets have a first collective flow rate that is approximately equal to the source flow rate. The plurality of second outlets are configured to selectively pass water from the reservoir simultaneously with water being passed from the plurality of first outlets.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A shower assembly comprising:
an inlet port for receiving water from a water source at a source flow rate;
a reservoir for receiving the water from the water source through the inlet port;
a plurality of first outlets configured to continuously pass water from the reservoir; and
a plurality of second outlets configured to selectively pass water from the reservoir simultaneously with water being passed from the plurality of first outlets;
wherein a portion of the reservoir associated with the second plurality of outlets is configured to accumulate water such that when water is simultaneously released from the plurality of first outlets and the plurality of second outlets, the total collective flow rate of all water exiting the reservoir exceeds the source flow rate.

2. The shower assembly according to claim 1 , wherein each of the first outlets is configured to pass water only as discrete drops.

3. The shower assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the reservoir is not pressurized by a supply pressure of the water source.

4. The shower assembly according to claim 2 , wherein each of the second outlets is configured to pass water as a continuous stream.

5. The shower assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the shower assembly is configured to restrict the source flow rate to a maximum inlet flow rate.

6. A shower assembly comprising:
an inlet for receiving water from a water source;
a reservoir for receiving water from the inlet;
a plurality of first outlets configured to pass water from the reservoir; and
a plurality of second outlets configured to selectively pass water from the reservoir, the shower assembly configured for a user to selectively control whether water passes through the plurality of second outlets;
wherein a portion of the reservoir associated with the plurality of second outlets is configured to accumulate water such that when water is simultaneously released from the plurality of first outlets and the plurality of second outlets, the total collective flow rate of all water exiting the reservoir exceeds a flow rate from the water source.

7. The shower assembly according to claim 6 , wherein each of the first outlets is configured to pass water only as discrete drops.

8. The shower assembly according to claim 7 , wherein the reservoir is not pressurized by a supply pressure of the water source.

9. The shower assembly according to claim 7 , wherein each of the second outlets is configured to pass water as a continuous stream.

10. The shower assembly according to claim 6 , further comprising a stopper configured to be actuated by a user to selectively control whether water from the reservoir passes through the plurality of second outlets.

11. A shower assembly comprising:
an inlet port configured to receive a flow of water from a water source at a source flow rate;
a reservoir configured to receive the flow of water from the water source through the inlet port;
a plurality of first outlets configured to continuously pass the flow of water from the reservoir therethrough; and
a plurality of second outlets configured to selectively pass water from the reservoir simultaneously with water being passed from the plurality of first outlets;
wherein the shower assembly is configured such that the reservoir is only partially filled with water to maintain an unpressurized reservoir regardless of the flow rate of water received in the reservoir so that water passes through each of the first outlets only as discrete drops.

12. The shower assembly according to claim 11 , wherein each of the second outlets is configured to pass water as a continuous stream.

13. The shower assembly according to claim 11 , wherein when water is simultaneously released from the plurality of first outlets and the plurality of second outlets, the total collective flow rate of all water exiting the reservoir exceeds the source flow rate.

14. The shower assembly according to claim 13 , wherein the shower assembly is configured to restrict the source flow rate to a maximum inlet flow rate.

15. The shower assembly according to claim 11 , further comprising a stopper configured to be actuated by a user to selectively control whether water from the reservoir passes through the plurality of second outlets.

16. The shower assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the plurality of first outlets have a first collective flow rate that is approximately less than the source flow rate.

Assignees

• Kohler Co

Inventors

• Rexach Rafael Alfredo
• Szemetylo Stephanie
• Richter-O'Connell David J
• Elsesser Jeffrey James
• Giefer James S

Classifications

• Y10T137/698

  Wall · CPC title

• B05B15/60

  Arrangements for mounting, supporting or holding spraying apparatus · CPC title

• A61H2201/0126

  on a wall · CPC title

• E03C1/0408

  Water installations especially for showers (E03C1/06 takes precedence; shower heads B05B1/18) · CPC title

• B05B1/18 Primary

  Roses; Shower heads · CPC title