Dual-head shower assemblies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025153202-A1
Application number	US-202519028203-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 17, 2025
Priority date	Dec 13, 2019
Publication date	May 15, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A shower assembly including an inlet assembly is described herein. The inlet assembly includes an inlet end configured to receive a water supply and a pivot configured to rotate about the inlet end. The inlet assembly includes first arm extending radially from the pivot, a second arm extending radially from the pivot, opposite the first arm, and diverter valve configured to rotate within the inlet assembly and direct water between a first path and a second path. The first path is defined by the first arm and is fluidly connected between a first outlet of the diverter valve and an inlet of a showerhead, and the second path is defined by a flexible hose and is fluidly connected between a second outlet of the diverter valve and an inlet of a removable hand shower.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An inlet assembly comprising:
an inlet end configured to receive a water supply; a pivot configured to rotate about the inlet end; a first arm extending radially from the pivot; a second arm extending radially from the pivot, opposite the first arm; a diverter valve configured to rotate within the inlet assembly and direct water between a first path and a second path, wherein the first path is defined by the first arm and is fluidly connected between a first outlet of the diverter valve and an inlet of a showerhead, and the second path is defined by a flexible hose and is fluidly connected between a second outlet of the diverter valve and an inlet of a removable hand shower; and a docking member disposed on an end of the second arm, the docking member configured to magnetically couple to the removable hand shower.

2 . The inlet assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a first ball joint disposed between the showerhead and an end of the first arm.

3 . The inlet assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a second ball joint disposed between the docking member and the end of the second arm.

4 . The inlet assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a third ball joint disposed between the inlet end and a wall or a support pipe.

5 . The inlet assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a magnet disposed within the docking member.

6 . The inlet assembly of claim 5 , further comprising a ferromagnetic element coupled to the removable hand shower and configured to magnetically couple to the magnet of the docking member.

7 . The inlet assembly of claim 1 , wherein the diverter valve is configured to direct between 0% and 100% of the water to the first path and proportionally to the second path.

8 . The inlet assembly of claim 7 , further comprising a user operable diverter controller coupled to the diverter valve such that when the user operable diverter controller is rotated, the diverter valve rotates.

9 . The inlet assembly of claim 8 , wherein the user operable diverter controller includes a notch oriented with the first arm and the second arm, the notch configured to indicate whether the water is diverted to the first path or the second path.

10 . A shower assembly comprising:
a stationary base; an inlet assembly comprising:
a pivot rotatably coupled to the stationary base;
a first arm extending outwardly from the pivot; and
a second arm extending outwardly from the pivot, opposite the first arm;
a showerhead disposed on an end of the first arm, wherein a first ball joint is disposed between the showerhead and the end of the first arm: a docking member disposed on an end of the second arm, wherein a second ball joint is disposed between the docking member and the end of the second arm, the docking member comprising a magnet disposed therein; a removable hand shower comprising a ferromagnetic element configured to magnetically couple to the magnet of the docking member; and a diverter valve configured to rotate within the inlet assembly and direct water between a first path and a second path, wherein the first path is defined by the first arm and is fluidly connected between a first outlet of the diverter valve and an inlet of the showerhead, and the second path is defined by a flexible hose and is fluidly connected between a second outlet of the diverter valve to an inlet of the removable hand shower.

11 . The shower assembly of claim 10 , wherein the diverter valve is configured to direct between 0% and 100% of the water to the first path and proportionally to the second path.

12 . The shower assembly of claim 10 , further comprising a third ball joint disposed between an inlet end of the inlet assembly and a wall or a support pipe, the inlet end configured to receive a water supply.

13 . The shower assembly of claim 10 , wherein an inlet end of the inlet assembly comprises a threaded portion for securing the inlet end to the stationary base.

14 . The shower assembly of claim 10 , further comprising a user operable diverter controller coupled to the diverter valve such that when the user operable diverter controller is rotated, the diverter valve rotates.

15 . The shower assembly of claim 14 , wherein the user operable diverter controller includes a notch oriented with the first arm and the second arm, the notch configured to indicate whether the water is diverted to the first path or the second path.

16 . An inlet assembly comprising:
an inlet end configured to receive a water supply; a pivot rotatably coupled to the inlet end and configured to rotate around a first axis of the pivot relative to the inlet end; a hose connection positioned on the inlet assembly upstream of the pivot; a first arm extending radially from the pivot along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis and configured to rotate around the first axis of the pivot relative to the inlet end; a showerhead disposed on an end of the first arm; and a removable hand shower comprising a hose coupled to the hose connection.

17 . The inlet assembly of claim 16 , further comprising a first ball joint disposed between the showerhead and the end of the first arm.

18 . The inlet assembly of claim 16 , further comprising a second arm extending radially from the pivot in a second direction along the second axis, wherein the first arm and the second arm are configured to rotate around the first axis of the pivot relative to the inlet end.

19 . The inlet assembly of claim 18 , further comprising a docking member disposed on an end of the second arm, wherein a second ball joint is disposed between the docking member and the end of the second arm, the docking member comprising a magnet disposed therein.

20 . The inlet assembly of claim 19 , the removable hand shower further comprising a ferromagnetic element configured to magnetically couple to the magnet of the docking member.

Assignees

• Kohler Co

Inventors

• Davies Jack E
• Miller Brandon H

Classifications

• B05B15/652

  whereby the jet can be oriented · CPC title

• B05B1/1636

  by relative rotative movement of the valve elements (B05B1/1672 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B05B15/654

  using universal joints · CPC title

• E03C1/0408

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

• B05B1/185 Primary

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