Shower device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017239673-A1
Application number	US-201715588194-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 5, 2017
Priority date	Nov 16, 2012
Publication date	Aug 24, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A shower device including a housing and a spray engine. The housing defines an inlet for a water supply. The spray engine includes an elastomeric layer providing a spray face and defining an outlet, a support layer having a first surface engaging the elastomeric layer and an opposite, second surface, the support layer defining a plurality of openings between the first surface and the second surface, material of the elastomeric layer extending axially through each of the plurality of openings to the second surface and radially over a portion of the second surface in a plurality of separate and individual flanges, the flanges providing an integrated seal on the second surface of the support layer. The elastomeric layer forms a continuous elastic coating covering the outer surfaces of the front and sides of the spray face and extending from the spray face through the openings to the second surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A shower device comprising:
a housing defining an inlet connectable to a water supply and a housing port in fluid communication with the inlet; and a spray engine defining an inlet port and a conduit communicating with the inlet port, the spray engine including an elastomeric layer providing a spray face and defining an outlet communicating with the conduit, the spray engine including a support layer having a first surface engaging the elastomeric layer and an opposite, second surface, the support layer defining a plurality of openings between the first surface and the second surface, material of the elastomeric layer extending from the spray face, axially through each of the plurality of openings to the second surface and radially over a portion of the second surface in a plurality of separate and individual flanges, the flanges providing an integrated seal on the second surface of the support layer, wherein the elastomeric layer forms a continuous elastic coating covering the outer surfaces of the front and sides of the spray face and extending from the spray face through the openings to the second surface.

2 . The shower device of claim 1 , wherein material of the elastomeric layer on the second surface defines a passage communicating with the conduit.

3 . The shower device of claim 2 , wherein the material defining the passage provides a radial seal against a wall of the conduit.

4 . The shower device of claim 1 , wherein the shower device includes a multi-mode shower device, wherein the spray engine is operable to change a mode of the shower device, the spray face having a second outlet, the spray engine defining a first passageway communicating between the first-mentioned inlet port and the first-mentioned outlet, the first passageway including the conduit, the spray engine defining a second inlet port and a plenum communicating between the second inlet port and the second outlet, material of the elastomeric layer on the second surface providing a face seal between the first passageway and the plenum;
in a first shower mode, the first-mentioned inlet port being aligned with the housing port to provide flow through the first passageway to the first-mentioned outlet in a first shower mode; in a second shower mode, the second inlet port being aligned with the housing port to provide flow through the plenum to the second outlet in a second shower mode.

5 . The shower device of claim 4 , wherein the spray engine is supported for pivoting movement relative to the housing to change a mode of the shower device.

6 . The shower device of claim 4 , wherein the conduit passes through the plenum and to the first-mentioned outlet, the conduit being completely surrounded by the plenum as the conduit passes through the plenum.

7 . The shower device of claim 4 , wherein the support layer defines a second opening corresponding to the second outlet, material of the elastomeric layer extending from the spray face and into the second opening to define a second passage in fluid communication with the second inlet port.

8 . A multi-mode shower device comprising:
a housing defining an inlet connectable to a water supply and a housing port in fluid communication with the inlet; and a spray engine supported by the housing and operable to change a mode of the shower device between an aerated shower mode and a non-aerated shower mode.

9 . The shower device of claim 8 , wherein the spray engine is supported for pivoting movement relative to the housing to change a mode of the shower device between the aerated shower mode and the non-aerated shower mode.

10 . The shower device of claim 9 , wherein the spray engine provides a spray face having a first outlet and a second outlet, the spray engine defining a first inlet port communicating with the first outlet, a second inlet port, a passageway communicating between the second inlet port and the second outlet and an air inlet in communication with the passageway;
in a non-aerated shower mode position of the spray face relative to the housing, the first inlet port being aligned with the housing port to provide non-aerated flow through the first outlet; in an aerated shower mode position of the spray face relative to the housing, the second inlet port being aligned with the housing port to provide aerated flow through the second outlet, water flow through the passageway causing air to be drawn through the air inlet, water and air mixing in the passageway to provide the aerated flow.

11 . The shower device of claim 10 , wherein the spray face has a plurality of second outlets, and wherein the spray engine defines a plenum in communication between the passageway and the plurality of second outlets.

12 . The shower device of claim 10 , wherein the housing defines a plurality of housing ports, wherein the spray face has a plurality of first outlets and a plurality of second outlets, and wherein the spray engine defines a plurality of first inlet ports and a plurality of second inlet ports corresponding to the plurality of housing ports, the spray engine defining a passageway communicating between each second inlet port and at least one second outlet and an air inlet in communication with each passageway.

13 . The shower device of claim 12 , wherein the spray engine defines a plenum in communication between each passageway and a plurality of second outlets.

14 . A multi-mode shower device comprising:
a housing defining an inlet connectable to a water supply and a plurality of housing ports in fluid communication with the inlet; and a spray engine supported for infinite rotation relative to the housing to change a mode of the shower device, the spray engine providing a spray face having a first outlet and a second outlet, the spray engine defining a radial outer surface and at least a portion of a rear surface of the shower device opposite the spray face, elastomeric material being provided on the spray face, the radial outer surface and the portion of the rear surface, the spray engine defining a first of set of inlet ports and a second set of inlet ports, each set of inlet ports including a plurality of inlet ports corresponding to the plurality of housing ports; in one first shower mode position of the spray face relative to the housing, each inlet port of the first set of inlet ports being alignable with one of the plurality of housing ports to provide a first shower mode through the first outlet, in another first shower mode position of the spray face relative to the housing, each inlet port of the first set of inlet ports being alignable with another one of the plurality of housing ports to provide the first shower mode through the first outlet; in one second shower mode position of the spray face relative to the housing, each inlet port of the second set of inlet ports being alignable with one of the plurality of housing ports to provide a second shower mode through the second outlet, in another second shower mode position of the spray face relative to the housing, each inlet port of the second set of inlet ports being alignable with another one of the plurality of housing ports to provide the second shower mode through the second outlet.

15 . The shower device of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of housing ports includes at least two housing ports, and wherein each of the first set of inlet ports and the second set of inlet ports includes a corresponding at least two inlet ports.

16 . The shower device of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of housing ports includes three housing ports, and wherein each of the first set of

Assignees

• Kohler Co

Inventors

• Kajuch Pete

Classifications

• B05B1/18

  Roses; Shower heads · CPC title

• B05B1/185

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

• B05B1/1645

  the outlets being rotated during selection · CPC title

• E03C1/0408

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

• B05B1/169

  having three or more selectively effective outlets · CPC title