Shower bar system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9273452-B2
Application number	US-201113328832-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2011
Priority date	Dec 17, 2010
Publication date	Mar 1, 2016
Grant date	Mar 1, 2016

Abstract

A shower system and a handshower system. The system may include an adjustable supply assembly fluidly connectable to the water supply pipe, the supply assembly including an adapter defining an axis and having an inlet coupleable to the pipe outlet, a supply member having a supply outlet and coupled in fluid communication with the adapter, the supply member being coupled to the adapter for movement along the axis to adjust a distance between the pipe outlet and the supply outlet, and a seal positioned and operable to provide a sealed connection between the adapter and the supply member in adjusted positions the supply member relative to the adapter. The handshower system may include an angled connector between a shower bar assembly and a handshower hose.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A shower system connectable to a water supply, the water supply including supply pipe having a pipe outlet, the system comprising:
an adjustable supply assembly fluidly connectable to the supply pipe, the supply assembly including
an adapter defining an axis and having an inlet coupleable to the pipe outlet,
a supply member having a supply outlet and coupled in fluid communication with the adapter, the supply member being coupled to the adapter for movement along the axis to adjust a distance between the pipe outlet and the supply outlet, and
a seal positioned and operable to provide a sealed connection between the adapter and the supply member in adjusted positions of the supply member relative to the adapter;

a shower bar fluidly connectable to the supply assembly, the shower bar including a shower pipe having a shower pipe inlet coupleable to the supply outlet and a shower pipe outlet, the shower pipe inlet being coupleable to the supply outlet in a position a first distance from the pipe outlet, the supply member being movable relative to the pipe outlet to position the supply outlet at the first distance; and
a shower member fluidly connectable to the shower bar to dispense water from the water supply.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the shower system is mounted in an enclosure having a wall, wherein the supply pipe is located on one side of the wall, and wherein the shower bar is located on an other side of the wall.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the supply assembly further includes a mounting collar engageable with the other side of the wall, the supply member being coupled to the mounting collar to support shower bar.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the supply member is slidably coupled to the adapter.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the seal includes an o-ring between the adapter and the supply member.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the adapter is threadedly coupled to the supply pipe.

7. A shower system connectable to a water supply, the water supply including supply pipe having a pipe outlet, the system comprising:
a first shower member fluidly connectable to and operable to dispense water from the water supply, the first shower member having a first shower member inlet;
a second shower member fluidly connectable to and operable to dispense water from the water supply, the second shower member having a second shower member inlet;
a shower bar assembly fluidly connectable to the water supply, the shower bar assembly including
a main supply pipe having a supply inlet fluidly connectable to the pipe outlet and a supply outlet,
a return pipe having a return inlet and a return outlet fluidly connected to the first shower member inlet, and
an outer pipe surrounding the main supply pipe and the return pipe, a gap being provided between the outer supply pipe, the main supply pipe and the return pipe; and

a transfer valve assembly coupleable to the shower bar assembly and operable to direct water to the first shower member and to the second shower member, the transfer valve assembly including
a valve body defining a valve inlet fluidly connectable to the supply outlet, a first valve outlet fluidly connectable to the return inlet, and a second valve outlet fluidly connected to the second shower member inlet,
a valve member positioned in the valve body for adjustment between a first condition, in which the valve inlet is in fluid communication with the first valve outlet and is not in fluid communication with the second valve outlet, and a second condition, in which the valve inlet is in fluid communication with the second valve outlet and is not in fluid communication with the first valve outlet, and
an actuator operable to adjust the valve member between the first condition and the second condition.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the first shower member is a showerhead.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the second shower member is a handshower.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the handshower includes a hose having an inlet coupled to the second valve outlet.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the valve member is pivotable between the first condition and the second condition.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein the actuator includes a handle engageable by a user.

13. A handshower system connectable to a water supply, the water supply including a supply pipe having a pipe outlet, the handshower system comprising:
a shower supply pipe having a supply inlet fluidly connectable to the pipe outlet and a supply outlet, the shower supply pipe extending along an axis and being positioned with the axis being oriented generally vertically;
a connector having a connector inlet fluidly connected to the supply outlet and a connector outlet, the connector outlet defining an outlet axis, the outlet axis being angled relative to the axis of the shower supply pipe;
a hose having a hose inlet fluidly connected to the connector outlet and a hose outlet, the hose having a first portion proximate the hose inlet, the first portion generally extending along the outlet axis and being angled relative to the axis of the shower supply pipe; and
a handshower member coupled to the hose outlet, water from the water supply being dispensed through the handshower member.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the outlet axis is angled about 45 degrees from the axis of the shower supply pipe.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the connector is pivotally coupled to the shower supply pipe for pivoting movement about the axis of the shower supply pipe.

16. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a handshower support member operable to support the handshower along the shower supply pipe.

17. The system of claim 16 , further comprising an outer pipe surrounding the shower supply pipe, the support member being slidable along the outer pipe.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the support member is coupled to the outer pipe for pivoting movement about the axis of the shower supply pipe.

Assignees

• Wilson John M
• Kohler Co

Inventors

• Wilson John M

Classifications

• F16K11/085 Primary

  with cylindrical plug · CPC title

• E03C1/021

  Devices for positioning or connecting of water supply lines (connection to the tap body E03C1/0403) · CPC title

• E03C2201/30

  Diverter valves in faucets or taps · CPC title

• E03C1/066 Primary

  allowing height adjustment of shower head · CPC title

• F16K11/087

  with spherical plug · CPC title