Direct access spray selection engine for water delivery devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11958065-B2
Application number	US-202017013322-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 4, 2020
Priority date	Sep 10, 2019
Publication date	Apr 16, 2024
Grant date	Apr 16, 2024

Abstract

A water delivery device includes an inlet connector, a sprayface assembly, and a selection engine. The inlet connector is configured to couple the water delivery device to a water supply. The sprayface assembly includes a plurality of nozzles that are configured to produce a plurality of spray patterns. The selection engine fluidly couples the inlet connector to the sprayface assembly and controls flow to each one of the plurality of nozzles to determine the spray pattern produced at the sprayface assembly. The selection engine is configured to switch directly from any one of the plurality of spray patterns to any other one of the plurality of spray patterns in response to a single actuation of the selection engine.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A water delivery device, comprising:
an inlet connector for coupling the water delivery device to a water supply;
a sprayface assembly comprising a plurality of nozzles that are configured to produce at least three spray patterns; and
a selection engine fluidly coupling the inlet connector to the sprayface assembly and controlling flow to each one of the plurality of nozzles to determine the spray pattern produced at the sprayface assembly, the selection engine including:
a housing defining a bore, an inlet port, and at least four outlet ports; and
a plurality of disks rotatably received in the bore, the inlet port selectively fluidly coupled to a first pair of the at least four outlet ports by a first disk of the plurality of disks, and selectively fluidly coupled to a second pair of the at least four outlet ports by a second disk of the plurality of disks, the first disk arranged in parallel with the second disk, the selection engine configured to switch directly from any one of the at least three spray patterns to any other one of the at least three spray patterns in response to a single actuation of the selection engine.

2. The water delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the selection engine further includes a mounting bracket that is removably coupled to the inlet connector.

3. The water delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the inlet port is fluidly coupled to the inlet connector, the selection engine further comprising
an outlet plate coupled to an axial end of the housing and defining the at least four outlet ports.

4. The water delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the selection engine is removably coupled to the inlet connector and the sprayface assembly.

5. The water delivery device of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of disks rotates separately about a common pivot axis.

6. The water delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the first disk is stacked on top of the second disk, and wherein the first disk is axially aligned with the second disk.

7. The water delivery device of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of disks comprises:
a cylindrical base having a first side and a second side, comprising:
a shoulder extending from the first side and through an opening in the housing to an outside of the housing; and
a semi-cylindrical wall extending from the second side.

8. The water delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the inlet port and each of the at least four outlet ports extends radially through an outer wall of the housing.

9. The water delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of nozzles are configured to produce at least four spray patterns, the selection engine configured to switch directly from any one of the at least four spray patterns to any other one of the at least four spray patterns in response to the single actuation of the selection engine.

10. The water delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the selection engine is configured to selectively couple any number of the at least four outlet ports to the inlet port at the same time.

Assignees

• Kohler Co

Inventors

• Yee Evan
• Core Brian S

Classifications

• B05B1/185

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

• B05B1/169 Primary

  having three or more selectively effective outlets · CPC title

• B05B1/02

  designed to produce a jet, spray, or other discharge of particular shape or nature, e.g. in single drops, {or having an outlet of particular shape}(B05B1/26, B05B1/28, B05B1/34 take precedence) · CPC title

• B05B15/654

  using universal joints · CPC title

• B05B1/1636

  by relative rotative movement of the valve elements (B05B1/1672 takes precedence) · CPC title