Kinetic water delivery devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11213837-B2
Application number	US-201916409005-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 10, 2019
Priority date	May 17, 2018
Publication date	Jan 4, 2022
Grant date	Jan 4, 2022

Abstract

A spray head comprises a body, a rotatable member, and a first bearing. The rotatable member is rotatably coupled to the body and includes a plurality of vanes and a plurality of spray nozzles. The first bearing is coupled to the body and is configured to define a rotational axis of the rotatable member. The first bearing includes a longitudinal channel and a plurality of distribution channels extending radially outwardly from the longitudinal channel through the first bearing. The first bearing is configured to direct a flow of water through the longitudinal channel and the plurality of distribution channels toward the plurality of vanes to rotate the rotatable member about the first bearing, so as to direct the flow of water through the plurality of spray nozzles.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A spray head, comprising:
a body;
a rotatable member rotatably coupled to the body, the rotatable member including a plurality of vanes and a plurality of spray nozzles; and
a first bearing coupled to the body and configured to define a rotational axis of the rotatable member, the first bearing including a longitudinal channel and a plurality of distribution channels extending radially outwardly from the longitudinal channel through the first bearing; and
wherein the first bearing is configured to direct a flow of water through the longitudinal channel and the plurality of distribution channels toward the plurality of vanes to rotate the rotatable member about the first bearing, so as to direct the flow of water through the plurality of spray nozzles, and wherein the first bearing includes a cutout at each of the plurality of distribution channels to define an exterior surface of the first bearing that is oriented substantially perpendicular to a respective axis of the plurality of distribution channels.

2. The spray head of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of spray nozzles includes a first plurality of spray nozzles and a second plurality of spray nozzles, wherein the first plurality of spray nozzles are each oriented to define a spray axis that is different than the orientation of each spray axis of the second plurality of spray nozzles such that water flowing through the first plurality of spray nozzles and through the second plurality of spray nozzles creates a moment about the rotational axis.

3. The spray head of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of vanes are configured such that water directed from each of the plurality of distribution channels impinges on a respective vane of the plurality of vanes at a different linear distance from the rotational axis.

4. The spray head of claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal channel has a length and a diameter, and wherein a ratio of the length to the diameter is greater than one.

5. The spray head of claim 1 , further comprising a second bearing for rotatably coupling the rotatable member to the first bearing, wherein the second bearing includes a bottom wall for coupling to the rotatable member and a center wall extending in a longitudinal direction from the bottom wall, and wherein the center wall defines an inner bearing surface configured to rotatably engage the first bearing.

6. The spray head of claim 5 , wherein the first bearing includes a first cylindrical portion for coupling to the body and a second cylindrical portion for rotatably engaging with the second bearing, and wherein the second cylindrical portion has a diameter that is greater than a diameter of the first portion to define a ledge.

7. The spray head of claim 6 , wherein the center wall of the second bearing includes a flange extending radially inward toward the rotational axis, and wherein the flange and the ledge of the first bearing cooperatively define a labyrinth seal.

8. The spray head of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of distribution channels each define the respective axis of one of the plurality of distribution channels.

9. The spray head of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of distribution channels are oriented substantially tangential to a periphery of the longitudinal channel.

10. The spray head of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of distribution channels has a diameter that is less than a diameter of the longitudinal channel, such that water provided by the plurality of distribution channels impinges on the plurality of vanes to create a reaction moment for a plurality of flow rates.

11. The spray head of claim 1 , wherein the rotatable member is configured to rotate at an angular velocity that is maintained constant to continuously rotate the rotatable member, and wherein the angular velocity may be adjusted by repositioning the plurality of distribution channels relative to the plurality of vanes.

12. The spray head of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of spray nozzles includes a first plurality of spray nozzles and a second plurality of spray nozzles, and wherein the first plurality of spray nozzles are oriented to define a first spray axis and the second plurality of spray nozzles are oriented to define a second spray axis.

13. The spray head of claim 12 , wherein the first plurality of spray nozzles and the second plurality of spray nozzles are arranged in alternating fashion around a circumference of the rotatable member.

14. The spray head of claim 13 , wherein the second plurality of spray nozzles produces an outer spray and the first plurality of spray nozzles produces an inner spray, with the inner spray located within the outer spray.

15. The spray head of claim 14 , wherein the combination of the outer spray and the inner spray define a quadric spray pattern.

16. The spray head of claim 1 , wherein the rotatable member further includes a body, wherein the body has a cylindrical shape where the plurality of vanes are disposed thereon.

17. The spray head of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of vanes define an arcuate shape that is angled toward the rotational axis.

Assignees

• Kohler Co

Inventors

• Kajuch Pete
• Walter Joshua

Classifications

• B05B3/0444

  the movement of the outlet elements being a combination of two movements, one being rotational · CPC title

• B05B1/185

  characterised by their outlet element; Mounting arrangements therefor · CPC title

• B05B3/0426 Primary

  the liquid driven rotor being a deflecting rotating element · CPC title

• B05B3/0429 Primary

  the rotating outlet elements being directly attached to the rotor or being an integral part thereof · CPC title

• G06N20/00

  Machine learning · CPC title