Rain shower

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11325139-B2
Application number	US-201514843680-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 2, 2015
Priority date	Sep 3, 2014
Publication date	May 10, 2022
Grant date	May 10, 2022

Abstract

A shower assembly includes an inlet port, a reservoir, and a plurality of drop outlets. The inlet is for receiving water from a water source. The reservoir receives water from the inlet port and is not pressurized by a line pressure of the water source. Each of the drop outlet ports is configured, such that water passes from the reservoir, through the plurality of drop outlet ports, forms a drop at each drop outlet port, and falls from each drop outlet port only as discrete drops of water.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A shower assembly comprising:
an inlet port for receiving a flow of water from a water source;
a plurality of drop outlet ports, each drop outlet port including an inlet, an outlet, and a bore extending between the inlet and the outlet, wherein the outlets of the plurality of drop outlet ports comprise a first plurality of outlets having a first geometry and a second plurality of outlets having a second geometry that is different from the first geometry, wherein the bores of the plurality of drop outlet ports each have the same diameter; and
a reservoir for receiving the flow of water from the inlet port, wherein the reservoir is configured to prevent the flow of water from the inlet port from completely filling the reservoir and thus from pressuring the reservoir even when the flow of water enters at an inlet flow rate of 2.5 gallons per minute;
wherein, when even when the reservoir receives the flow of water at the inlet flow rate of 2.5 gallons per minute, the first plurality of outlets are configured to produce only discrete water drops having a first size and the second plurality of outlets are configured to produce only discrete water drops having sizes that are greater than the first size.

2. The shower assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the reservoir includes a bottom wall, and each of the drop outlet ports extends through the bottom wall.

3. The shower assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the diameter of each bore is between 0.01 inches and 0.04 inches.

4. The shower assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the reservoir includes a bottom wall, and each of the drop outlet ports extends through the bottom wall; and
wherein each inlet tapers inwardly moving downward to the bore.

5. The shower assembly according to claim 4 , wherein each inlet is frusto-conical and defines a cistern.

6. The shower assembly according to claim 4 , wherein each outlet tapers outwardly moving downward from the bore.

7. The shower assembly according to claim 1 , wherein a ratio of a number of the first plurality of drop outlet ports having the first geometry to a number of the second plurality of drop outlet ports having the second geometry is between 2:1 and 3:1.

8. The shower assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of drop outlet ports comprise drop outlet ports having at least two different geometries to form the discrete drops having at least two different drop rates.

9. The shower assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of stream outlet ports, each stream outlet port having a sufficiently large diameter such that water from the reservoir may pass sufficiently freely through the stream outlet port so as to form a stream of water.

10. The shower assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the shower assembly includes a stopper configured to allow selective passing of water through the plurality of stream outlet ports.

11. The shower assembly according to claim 10 , wherein the stopper is configured to allow selective passing of water through the plurality of stream outlet ports simultaneous with water passing from the plurality of drop outlet ports.

12. The shower assembly according to claim 1 , wherein each of the drop outlet ports is formed of silicone; and
wherein the bottom wall comprises a substrate having a plurality of holes therethrough, each of the drop outlet ports being formed by the silicone within one of the holes.

13. The shower assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the inlet tapers inwardly moving downward to the bore, and the outlet tapers outwardly moving downward from the bore.

14. The shower assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the silicone is further coupled to a bottom surface of the substrate to form a bottom surface of the bottom wall.

15. The shower assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the silicone of each drop outlet port forms a protrusion extending downward from a bottom surface of the bottom wall.

16. The shower assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the outlet has a hemispherical shape.

17. The shower assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the flow of water received from the water source is at a maximum inlet flow rate defined by a fluid control valve that is in an on state.

18. The shower assembly according to claim 17 , wherein the plurality of drop outlet ports have a collective outlet flow rate that is greater than the maximum inlet flow rate such that the reservoir is not pressurized by the supply pressure of the flow of water.

19. A shower assembly comprising:
a reservoir for receiving a flow of water from a water source, wherein the reservoir is not pressurized by a supply pressure of the flow of water even when the flow of water is received by the reservoir at an inlet flow rate of 2.5 gallons per minute when an associated fluid control valve is in a full open condition;
a first plurality of drop outlet ports having a first geometry for passing water from the reservoir; and
a second plurality of drop outlet ports having one or more additional geometries that are different from the first geometry for passing water from the reservoir;
wherein the first plurality of drop outlet ports and the second plurality of drop outlet ports each include an inlet, an outlet, and a bore extending between the inlet and the outlet, wherein the diameter of each bore is the same from the inlet to the outlet; and
wherein the first geometry is configured to produce only discrete water drops having a first size, and the one or more additional geometries are configured to produce only discrete water drops having sizes that are larger than the first size; and
wherein the first plurality of drop outlet ports and the second plurality of drop outlet ports are configured such that only discrete droplets are produced even when the associated fluid control valve is in the full open condition.

20. The shower assembly according to claim 19 , wherein a ratio of a number of the first plurality of drop outlets ports to a number of the second plurality of outlet ports is between 2:1 and 3:1.

21. The shower assembly according to claim 20 , wherein each inlet is frusto-conical.

22. The shower assembly according to claim 20 , wherein each outlet is frusto-conical.

23. The shower assembly according to claim 19 , wherein each inlet tapers inwardly moving downward to the bore and forming a cistern, and each outlet tapers outwardly moving downward from the bore.

24. The shower assembly according to claim 19 , wherein the diameter of each bore is constant from the inlet to the outlet.

25. A shower assembly comprising:
a reservoir for receiving a flow of water from a water source by a fluid control valve, wherein the reservoir is not pressurized by a supply pressure of the flow of water even when the flow of water is introduced to the reservoir at a flow rate of 2.5 gallons per minute of an associated fluid control valve; and
a plurality of drop outlet ports, wherein the plurality of drop outlet ports each include an inlet, an outlet, and a bore extending between the inlet and the outlet, wherein the diameter of each bore is the same and is constant from the inlet to the outlet, and wherein the plurality of drop outlet ports comprises outlets having at least two different geometries to provide water drops of at least two different sizes;
wherein the diameter of the bore of each of the drop outlet ports is configured for passing water from the reservoir only

Assignees

• Kohler Co

Inventors

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

Classifications

• B05B1/188

  with user-actuated controlling members · CPC title

• B05B1/182 Primary

  characterised by their outlet openings or elements; Mounting arrangements therefor · CPC title

• B05B1/185 Primary

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

• A61H2201/0126

  on a wall · CPC title

• E03C1/042 Primary

  Arrangements on taps for wash-basins or baths for connecting to the wall · CPC title