Spray assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12090495-B2
Application number	US-202117377006-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 15, 2021
Priority date	Aug 10, 2020
Publication date	Sep 17, 2024
Grant date	Sep 17, 2024

Abstract

A spray assembly includes an inner chamber, an outer chamber, a spray face, a plurality of shafts, a lever, a moving fulcrum, and a plurality of sleeves. The inner chamber provides a fluid in a first spray mode of a plurality of spray modes. The spray face is fluidly coupled to the outer chamber and includes one or more nozzles that are movable between a plurality of nozzle positions such that the spray face provides the fluid in a second spray mode and a third spray mode. The plurality of shafts are movable for directing the fluid within the spray assembly. The lever operates the plurality of shafts. The moving fulcrum changes a location of a fulcrum of the lever such that the fulcrum changes as the lever is operated. A first sleeve is configured to move the one or more nozzles of the spray face.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A spray assembly comprising:
an inner chamber defining a first fluid outlet for providing a fluid in a first spray mode of a plurality of spray modes; and
an outer chamber disposed radially outward from the inner chamber;
a spray face fluidly coupled to the outer chamber and comprising one or more nozzles, the one or more nozzles configured to be moved between a plurality of nozzle positions such that the spray face selectively provides the fluid in at least a second spray mode and a third spray mode;
a plurality of shafts configured to be selectively movable between a plurality of shaft positions such that the spray assembly selectively provides the fluid in the plurality of spray modes;
a lever configured to be selectively operable in a plurality of lever positions such that the lever operates the plurality of shafts in the plurality of shaft positions;
a moving fulcrum structured to change a location of a fulcrum of the lever such that the fulcrum changes as the lever is operated through the plurality of lever positions; and
a plurality of sleeves, a first sleeve of the plurality of sleeves configured to move the one or more nozzles of the spray face.

2. The spray assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an inner body, the inner body comprising:
an inlet portion structured to receive the fluid from a fluid source, the inlet portion comprising:
an annular wall extending radially outwards from the inner body; and
at least one thread structured to threadably couple to the fluid source;

a first channel fluidly coupled to the inlet portion and the inner chamber; and
a second channel disposed at least partially radially outward from the first channel and fluidly coupled to the inlet portion and the outer chamber.

3. The spray assembly of claim 2 , wherein a second sleeve of the plurality of sleeves is coupled to the inner body at the annular wall, the second sleeve defining a lever opening such that the lever extends at least partially through the lever opening.

4. The spray assembly of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of shafts comprises:
a first shaft operable between a first shaft first position and a first shaft second position and disposed at a first flange of the lever;
a second shaft operable between a second shaft first position and a second shaft second position and pivotably coupled to a second flange of the lever; and
a third shaft operable between a third shaft first position and a third shaft second position and comprising a valve pin, the valve pin at least partially retained within a track portion of the lever.

5. The spray assembly of claim 4 , further comprising:
a first spring disposed at the first shaft and having a first spring constant;
a second spring disposed at the second shaft and having a second spring constant; and
a third spring disposed at the third shaft and having a third spring constant;
wherein the first spring constant is less than the second spring constant; and
wherein the first spring constant is greater than the third spring constant.

6. The spray assembly of claim 5 , wherein, when the lever is in a first lever position of the plurality of lever positions the first shaft is biased to the first shaft first position by the first spring, the second shaft is biased to the second shaft first position by the second spring, the third shaft is biased to the third shaft first position by the third spring; and
wherein the third shaft is configured to form a first fluid tight seal between the inlet portion and the second channel when the third shaft is in the third shaft first position such that the fluid is directed to flow from the inlet portion, through the first channel, and out the first fluid outlet in the first spray mode of the plurality of spray modes.

7. The spray assembly of claim 6 , wherein, as the lever is operated from the first lever position to a second lever position of the plurality of lever positions, the lever pivots around the second shaft, and the track portion operates the third shaft from the third shaft first position to the third shaft second position by retaining the valve pin; and
wherein, the third shaft is configured to form a second fluid tight seal between the inlet portion and the first channel when the third shaft is in the third shaft second position such that the fluid is directed to flow form the inlet portion, through the second channel, and out the one or more nozzles in the second spray mode of the plurality of spray modes.

8. The spray assembly of claim 7 , wherein, as the lever is operated from the second lever position to a third lever position of the plurality of lever positions, the lever pivots around the valve pin, the first shaft is operated from the first shaft first position to the first shaft second position, and the second shaft is operated from the second shaft first position to the second shaft second position;
wherein, the first shaft is configured operate the first sleeve from a first sleeve first position to a first sleeve second position as the first shaft moves from the first shaft first position to the first shaft second position;
wherein, as the first sleeve moves from the first sleeve first position to the first sleeve second position, the first sleeve operates the one or more nozzles from a nozzle first position to a nozzle second position of the plurality of nozzle positions; and
wherein, when the one or more nozzles are in the nozzle second position, the one or more nozzles provide the fluid in the third spray mode of the plurality of spray modes.

9. The spray assembly of claim 8 , wherein, as the one or more nozzles are operated from the nozzle first position to the nozzle second position, the one or more nozzles are configured to provide at least one of the plurality of spray modes in the plurality of nozzle positions between the nozzle first position and the nozzle second position.

10. The spray assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first spray mode is an aerate spray mode, the second spray mode is a sweep spray mode, and the third spray mode is a concentrated spray mode.

11. A spray assembly comprising:
a first channel coupled to a first fluid outlet, the first fluid outlet configured to provide a first spray mode of a plurality of spray modes;
a second channel coupled to a second fluid outlet;
a spray face coupled to the second fluid outlet, the spray face including at least one nozzle operable between a plurality of nozzle positions and configured to provide at least a second spray mode and a third spray mode;
a first shaft operable between a first shaft first position and a first shaft second position;
a lever structured to be operable between a plurality of lever positions such that the lever operates the first shaft between the first shaft first position and the first shaft second position as the lever is operated between the plurality of lever positions; and
a first sleeve disposed at the spray face and coupled to the first shaft, the first sleeve operable by the first shaft between a first sleeve first position and a first sleeve second position;
wherein the first sleeve is configured to operate the at least one nozzle between a nozzle first position of the plurality of nozzle positions to a nozzle second position of the plurality of nozzle positions such that the at least one nozzle is deflected inwards towards a central axis of the spray assembly; and
wherein the at least one nozzle is configured to provide the second spray mode in the nozzle first position and the third spray mode in the nozzle second position.

12. The spray assembly of claim 11 , wherein the first shaft is disposed at a first flange of the lever;

Assignees

• Kohler Co

Inventors

• Erickson Perry D

Classifications

• B05B12/002

  Manually-actuated controlling means, e.g. push buttons, levers or triggers (for single units B05B11/00) · CPC title

• B05B15/652

  whereby the jet can be oriented · CPC title

• B05B1/26

  with means for mechanically breaking-up or deflecting the jet after discharge, e.g. with fixed deflectors; Breaking-up the discharged liquid or other fluent material by impinging jets · CPC title

• B05B1/3013

  Lift valves (B05B1/3033 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B05B1/207

  the elongated body being a closed loop · CPC title