Quick connect shower head

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12042808-B2
Application number	US-202217698195-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 18, 2022
Priority date	Mar 19, 2021
Publication date	Jul 23, 2024
Grant date	Jul 23, 2024

Abstract

A shower head including first and second coupling elements. One of the coupling elements is a male coupling element and the other coupling element is a female coupling element. The male coupling element is inserted into the female coupling element, and when attached, the male coupling element is overlapped by the female coupling element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A shower head assembly comprising:
a male adapter having a first end and a second end, the first end having an interior threading for connection to a supply pipe and at least one lug on an exterior surface, the second end having a fluid aperture at a chamfered edge, at least one outer circumferential seal, and an outer circumferential shoulder positioned towards the first end from the at least one outer circumferential seal; and
a showerhead having a female adapter releasably engageable to the male adapter, the female adapter including:
a longitudinal channel sized to receive at least a portion of the second end of the male adapter and form a fluid seal against the at least one outer circumferential seal;
a retention clip movable between a release position and a retention position, the retention clip being spring-biased toward the retention position and having a retention edge positioned at least partially within the longitudinal channel when in the retention position, the retention edge engaging with the outer circumferential shoulder of the male adapter to maintain a relative axial positioning of the male adapter and the female adapter; and
a sleeve positioned over the first end and at least a portion of the second end of the male adapter when engaged to the male adapter, the sleeve having at least one interior axial channel engaging with the at least one lug on the exterior surface of the first end of the male adapter to limit rotational movement of the female adapter relative to the male adapter.

2. The shower head assembly of claim 1 , wherein the female adapter has a first end including the sleeve and an opposite second end, the second end of the female adapter having a ball shape such that a ball joint connection is formed between the female adapter and the showerhead.

3. The shower head assembly of claim 1 , wherein the retention edge of the retention clip is fully disposed within the female adapter in both the release position and the retention position.

4. The shower head assembly of claim 1 , wherein the retention clip defines an opening configured to receive the second end of the male adapter, the retention edge at least partially defining the opening.

5. The shower head assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a flow regulator disposed within the female adapter.

6. The shower head assembly of claim 1 , wherein the retention clip has a first end and an opposite second end, the first end of the retention clip includes a stop pin extending therefrom and the second end of the retention clip includes the retention edge, the stop pin captured at least partially by the sleeve to retain the retention clip within the sleeve.

7. The shower head assembly of claim 6 , wherein the stop pin is configured to prevent removal of the retention clip from the female adapter when the male adapter is not attached.

8. The shower head assembly of claim 1 , wherein the female adapter includes a pair of biasing springs disposed on both sides of the retention clip proximate the retention edge.

9. The shower head assembly of claim 8 , wherein the sleeve defines a pair of spring pockets to at least partially receive a first end of the pair of biasing springs.

10. The shower head assembly of claim 9 , wherein a pair of spring seats are defined on both sides of the retention clip proximate the retention edge, the pair of spring seats at least partially receive a second end of the pair of biasing springs.

11. The shower head assembly of claim 8 , wherein the pair of biasing springs are disposed on the same plane with the retention clip.

12. The shower head assembly of claim 1 , wherein the retention clip includes a button extending from the retention clip opposite the retention edge.

13. The shower head assembly of claim 12 , wherein the female adapter includes a biasing spring extending between the button and the sleeve.

14. The shower head assembly of claim 13 , wherein at least one notch is defined on opposing sides of the retention clip and configured to engage the sleeve to retain the retention clip within the sleeve.

15. The shower head assembly of claim 1 , wherein the retention clip is configured to be manually depressed to move the retention clip towards the release position.

16. The shower head assembly of claim 1 , wherein the outer circumferential shoulder has a larger diameter than a diameter of the second end of the male adapter.

17. The shower head assembly of claim 1 , wherein the outer circumferential shoulder includes a first surface facing the first end of the male adapter and a second surface facing the second end of the male adapter, and wherein the first surface is orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the male adapter and the second surface is tapered.

18. The shower head assembly of claim 4 , wherein the retention edge includes a ramped surface at least partially defining the opening of the retention clip.

19. The shower head assembly of claim 12 , wherein the female adapter defines a slot that slidably receives the retention clip, wherein the slot includes a recess that at least partially receives the button.

20. The shower head assembly of claim 19 , wherein the recess extends in an axial direction and is U-shaped.

Assignees

• Assa Abloy Americas Residential Inc

Inventors

• Brown Spencer Brislin
• Tracy Adam William
• Romero Oscar
• Downey David
• Callahan Bradley Warren
• Zheng Jianfei
• Doan Minh
• Gorkovenko Elena
• Van Leyen Jan Christopher

Classifications

• F16L37/086 Primary

  by means of latching members pushed radially by spring-like elements {(radially moved latching members forming a ring F16L37/0841)} · CPC title

• B05B15/654 Primary

  using universal joints · CPC title

• B05B1/18

  Roses; Shower heads · CPC title