Translucent shower head

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12134103-B2
Application number	US-202017025015-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 18, 2020
Priority date	Sep 19, 2019
Publication date	Nov 5, 2024
Grant date	Nov 5, 2024

Abstract

A cap that is attachable to a shower head that includes a face portion and an opposite rear portion. The cap includes a plurality of holes extending from the face portion to the rear portion. Each hole is configured to receive a nozzle. The cap includes ornamental indicia positioned at the rear portion. The cap is at least semi-translucent, thereby allowing the ornamental indicia to be visible from the face portion of the cap.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cap attachable to a nozzle plate of a shower head, a front of the nozzle plate including a plurality of nozzles formed out of a flexible material, the plurality of nozzles including one or more central nozzles, one central nozzle of the one or more central nozzles centered on the nozzle plate, and a plurality of radially outer nozzles having at least one rectangular shaped nozzle and at least one circular shaped nozzle, the cap comprising:
a face portion and an opposite rear portion, wherein an outer perimeter of the cap defines the transition between the face portion and the rear portion, and wherein the outer perimeter of the cap includes a plurality of slots configured to receive corresponding tabs projecting from the nozzle plate;
a plurality of holes extending from the face portion to the rear portion, wherein each hole is configured to receive a nozzle of the plurality of nozzles; and
ornamental indicia positioned at the rear portion, wherein the ornamental indicia includes a central nozzle portion incorporating the one or more central nozzles and a pattern representative of flow channels radially extending from the central nozzle portion incorporating the plurality of radially outer nozzles, wherein the central nozzle portion indicia is different than the pattern representative of flow channel indicia and the pattern representative of flow channels starts at the at least one rectangular shaped nozzle, and wherein the ornamental indicia is formed within the rear portion of the cap and includes an opaque coating, and
wherein the cap is at least semi-translucent, thereby allowing the ornamental indicia to be visible from the face portion of the cap, and
wherein the cap is fastened directly to the nozzle plate with the rear portion directly facing the front of the nozzle plate to form a water tight seal such that water is prevented from entering a space between the rear portion of the cap and the front of the nozzle plate, the water tight seal formed between each hole of the plurality of holes and the respective nozzle of the plurality of nozzles and the outer perimeter of the cap and the nozzle plate.

2. The cap of claim 1 , wherein the pattern is formed through one of a molding, machining, and painting operation.

3. A shower head comprising:
an inlet for receiving water from a supply line;
a nozzle plate having a front that includes a plurality of nozzles formed out of a flexible material, the plurality of nozzles including a plurality of rectangular shaped nozzles and a plurality of circular shaped nozzles, one of the plurality of circular shaped nozzles centered on the nozzle plate, the nozzle plate also including a plurality of tabs spaced around an outer perimeter of the nozzle plate;
a cap having a face portion and an opposite rear portion, the cap including a plurality of holes extending from the face portion to the rear portion, wherein each hole corresponds to a nozzle of the plurality of nozzles such that each nozzle is inserted into a respective hole forming a first water tight seal between the rear portion of the cap and the front of the nozzle plate, the cap also including an outer perimeter that includes a plurality of corresponding slots that fasten to the plurality of tabs of the nozzle plate, the outer perimeter of the cap forming a second water tight seal between the rear portion of the cap and the front of the nozzle plate, the cap fastened directly to the nozzle plate with the rear portion directly facing the front of the nozzle plate such that water is prevented from entering a space between the rear portion of the cap and the front of the nozzle plate via the first and second watertight seals; and
a trim ring in contact with the outer perimeter of the cap and configured to secure the cap to the nozzle plate, wherein the trim ring seals a perimeter of the shower head at a joint between the nozzle plate and the cap,
wherein the cap includes ornamental indicia at the rear portion, wherein the ornamental indicia includes a formed pattern representative of flow channels within the rear portion at the radially outer portion of the cap and starting proximate the plurality of rectangular shaped nozzles, and a second formed pattern encompassing the circular nozzle centered on the nozzle plate, and
wherein the cap is at least semi-translucent, thereby allowing the ornamental indicia to be visible from the face portion of the cap.

4. The shower head according to claim 3 , further comprising a base forming a hollow collection chamber in fluidic communication with the inlet configured to collect the water from the supply line.

5. The shower head according to claim 3 , wherein the plurality of nozzles form individual outlets.

6. The shower head according to claim 5 , wherein the ornamental indicia is formed opposite the face portion of the cap such that the ornamental indicia is enclosed between the face portion of the cap and the front of the nozzle plate when the cap and the nozzle plate are attached to one another.

7. The shower head according to claim 3 , wherein the ornamental indicia further includes an opaque coating.

8. The shower head according to claim 3 , wherein the pattern is formed through one of a molding, machining, and painting operation.

9. The shower head to claim 3 , wherein the plurality of nozzles extend past the face portion of the cap.

10. A shower head comprising:
an inlet for receiving water from a supply line, the inlet includes a ball joint with a port;
a base forming a hollow collection chamber in fluidic communication with the port of the inlet configured to collect the water from the supply line, the base pivotable about the ball joint;
a nozzle plate sealed to the base opposite the inlet and enclosing the collection chamber, the nozzle plate including a plurality of nozzles formed out of a flexible material, wherein the plurality of nozzles extend from a front of the nozzle plate and form individual outlets for the collected water within the collection chamber, wherein the nozzle plate includes a center point axially aligned with the inlet, and wherein the plurality of nozzles include a center nozzle disposed at the center point and a plurality of radially outward nozzles relative to the center nozzle, the plurality of radially outward nozzles including at least a circular shape and a square shape, and wherein the nozzle plate also includes a plurality of tabs spaced around an outer perimeter of the nozzle plate;
a translucent cap attached to the nozzle plate, the cap having a face portion and an opposite rear portion, the cap including a plurality of holes extending from the face portion to the rear portion, wherein each hole corresponds to a nozzle of the plurality of nozzles such that each nozzle is inserted into a respective hole forming a first water tight seal between the rear portion of the cap and the front of the nozzle plate, the cap also including an outer perimeter that includes a plurality of corresponding slots that fasten to the plurality of tabs of the nozzle plate, the outer perimeter of the cap forming a second water tight seal between the rear portion of the cap and the front of the nozzle plate, wherein the cap is fastened directly to the nozzle plate with the rear portion directly facing the front of the nozzle plate such that water is prevented from entering a space between the rear portion of the cap and the front of the nozzle plate via the first and second watertight seals; and
a trim ring in contact with the outer perimeter of the cap and configured to secure the cap to the nozzle plate, wherein the trim ring seals a perimeter of the shower head at a joint between the nozzle plate and the cap,
wherein the cap includes ornam

Assignees

• Assa Abloy Americas Residential Inc

Inventors

• Downey David

Classifications

• B44F99/00

  Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass · CPC title

• E03C1/0408

  Water installations especially for showers (E03C1/06 takes precedence; shower heads B05B1/18) · CPC title

• A47K3/28

  Showers {or bathing douches} (combined with baths A47K3/20) · CPC title

• B05B1/18 Primary

  Roses; Shower heads · CPC title

• B05B1/185 Primary

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