Shower assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12035089-B2
Application number	US-202117157192-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 25, 2021
Priority date	Sep 6, 2011
Publication date	Jul 9, 2024
Grant date	Jul 9, 2024

Abstract

A shower assembly. The assembly may include a shower device including a device housing defining an inlet communicating with an inlet chamber, an outlet and a waterway communicating between the inlet chamber and the outlet, the device housing further defining a receptacle having a closed end and an open end, the inlet chamber being behind the closed end, the waterway extending along the receptacle from the closed end toward the open end; and a second device supportable in the receptacle. The outlet may define an outlet plane, and the second device may include a housing providing an outlet, the outlet being one of aligned with and positioned forwardly of the outlet plane when the speaker is supported in the receptacle. The assembly may further include a magnetic connecting structure operable to releasably connect the second device and the shower device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A shower assembly comprising:
a housing defining
an annular housing portion defining an annular waterway within the annular housing portion through which water flows, the annular waterway extending about an axis and from an inlet to an outlet; and
a non-annular housing portion defining a passage including a non-annular portion upstream of the inlet of the annular waterway;

wherein the annular housing portion defines an open area with an open first end proximate the outlet and an open second end spaced along the axis from the first end, the open second end of the open area being open to the exterior of the housing, and
wherein at least the non-annular portion of the passage extends in a direction generally parallel with the axis.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the open area provides a receptacle, and wherein the assembly further comprises a second device removably supported in the receptacle.

3. The assembly of claim 2 , wherein the housing includes a wall extending about the receptacle, and wherein the second device includes a device housing engageable with the wall.

4. The assembly of claim 2 , wherein the second device includes one of an entertainment device, a light source, a time keeping device, and a dispenser.

5. The assembly of claim 4 , wherein the second device includes a speaker, the speaker including
a speaker housing,
speaker components operable to output audio, and
a power source operable to power the speaker components.

6. The assembly of claim 2 , wherein the second device is inserted into the receptacle through the first end and extends through the second end beyond the annular waterway.

7. The assembly of claim 2 , wherein the second device includes a device housing defining a device axis, the device housing having a first portion with a first dimension transverse to the device axis and a second portion having a second dimension transverse to the device axis, the second dimension being less than the first dimension, the second portion being inserted through the second end beyond the annular waterway.

8. The assembly of claim 2 , further comprising a connection between the housing and the second device operable to releasably connect the second device to the housing.

9. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the connection includes a first magnet supported by the housing a second magnet supported by the second device and interacting with the first magnet to releasably connect the second device to the housing.

10. A shower assembly comprising:
a housing through which water flows from a housing inlet to a housing outlet, the housing at least partially defining
an annular waterway within the housing through which the water flows from a waterway inlet to a waterway outlet, the annular waterway being laterally enclosed by the housing along a length of the annular waterway from the waterway inlet to the waterway outlet, the waterway outlet being coincident with the housing outlet; and
a receptacle with an open first end aligned with the housing outlet and an open second end spaced apart from the open first end, the open second end of the receptacle being open to the exterior of the housing; and

a second device removably supported in the receptacle,
wherein the housing narrows upstream of the annular waterway.

11. A shower assembly comprising:
a housing through which water flows from a housing inlet to a housing outlet, the housing at least partially defining
an annular waterway within the housing through which the water flows from a waterway inlet to a waterway outlet, the annular waterway being laterally enclosed by the housing along a length of the annular waterway from the waterway inlet to the waterway outlet, the waterway outlet being coincident with the housing outlet; and
a receptacle with an open first end aligned with the housing outlet and an open second end spaced apart from the open first end, the open second end of the receptacle being open to the exterior of the housing; and

a second device removably supported in the receptacle,
wherein the housing includes a wall extending about the receptacle, and wherein the second device includes a device housing engageable with the wall.

12. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the second device includes one of an entertainment device, a light source, a time keeping device, and a dispenser.

13. The assembly of claim 12 , wherein the second device includes a speaker, the speaker including
a speaker housing,
speaker components operable to output audio, and
a power source operable to power the speaker components.

14. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the second device is inserted into the receptacle through the first end and extends through the second end beyond the annular waterway.

15. A shower assembly comprising:
a housing through which water flows from a housing inlet to a housing outlet, the housing at least partially defining
an annular waterway within the housing through which the water flows from a waterway inlet to a waterway outlet, the annular waterway being laterally enclosed by the housing along a length of the annular waterway from the waterway inlet to the waterway outlet, the waterway outlet being coincident with the housing outlet; and
a receptacle with an open first end aligned with the housing outlet and an open second end spaced apart from the open first end, the open second end of the receptacle being open to the exterior of the housing; and

a second device removably supported in the receptacle,
wherein the second device includes a device housing defining a device axis, the device housing having a first portion with a first dimension transverse to the device axis and a second portion having a second dimension transverse to the device axis, the second dimension being less than the first dimension, the second portion being inserted through the second end beyond the annular waterway.

16. The assembly of claim 10 , further comprising a connection between the housing and the second device operable to releasably connect the second device to the housing.

17. The assembly of claim 16 , wherein the connection includes a magnet supported by one of the housing and the second device and interacting with the other of the housing and the second device to releasably connect the second device to the housing.

18. The assembly of claim 17 , wherein the magnet is a first magnet supported by the housing, and wherein the connection includes a second magnet supported by the second device.

19. A shower assembly comprising:
a housing through which water flows from a housing inlet to a housing outlet, the housing including
a wall defining a housing surface, the housing surface defining a discrete circular receptacle having an open first end and an open second end spaced apart from the open first end, and
a discrete annular waterway within the housing, through which water flows from a waterway inlet to a waterway outlet, the discrete annular waterway being laterally enclosed by the housing along a length of the annular waterway from the waterway inlet to the waterway outlet, the waterway outlet being coincident with the housing outlet and aligned with the housing outlet and the open first end of the circular receptacle, and the inlet being proximate the open second end of the circular receptacle, the open second end being open to the exterior of the housing; and

a second device defining an outer surface and being removably supported in the circular receptacle, the second device being insertable into th

Assignees

• Kohler Co

Inventors

• Hanna Kenneth Scott
• Soetaert Michael James
• Ruh Keith Scott
• Kuru William Clement

Classifications

• B05B1/182

  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

• B05B1/18

  Roses; Shower heads · CPC title

• H04R2201/021

  Transducers or their casings adapted for mounting in or to a wall or ceiling · CPC title

• H04R1/026 Primary

  Supports for loudspeaker casings · CPC title