Diverter valve assembly and shower system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9707574-B2
Application number	US-201414305498-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 16, 2014
Priority date	Jun 16, 2014
Publication date	Jul 18, 2017
Grant date	Jul 18, 2017

Abstract

A shower system and diverter valve assembly. The shower system includes two shower devices. The diverter valve assembly may include a pull diverter valve assembly coupled between a shower arm and a hand shower hose. In operation, by applying a force (e.g., a pulling force), the pull diverter valve assembly selectively directs water flow to the shower head or to the hand shower. The diverter valve assembly may include a toggle diverter valve assembly including a portion coupled to a hand shower.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A shower system comprising:
a shower device defining a device outlet and a device inlet;
a conduit fluidly connected between the device inlet and a water supply;
a hand shower including
a hand shower housing defining a hand shower outlet and a hand shower inlet, and
a hose fluidly connected to the hand shower inlet; and

a diverter valve assembly fluidly connected between the conduit and the hose, the diverter valve assembly including
a housing,
a first valve seat and a second valve seat, and
a valve member movable relative to the housing between a first position, in which the valve member engages the first valve seat to direct water to the device inlet, and a second position, in which the valve member engages the second valve seat to direct water to the hand shower inlet, the valve member being adjustable from the first position toward the second position by a force applied to the hose.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the shower device includes a shower head, and wherein the conduit includes a shower arm supporting the shower head.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the hose defines a hose inlet connected to the valve member for movement relative to the housing between the first position and the second position.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the valve member has an end defining a valve outlet in fluid communication with the hose inlet, and wherein the diverter valve assembly further includes a coupling fixed to the end of the valve member, the hose being threadedly connected to the coupling.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the housing threadedly engages the conduit.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the diverter valve assembly defines a valve inlet in fluid communication with the water supply, a first valve outlet selectively in fluid communication between the valve inlet and the device inlet, and a second valve outlet selectively in fluid communication between the valve inlet and the hand shower inlet.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the valve member defines a passage therethrough providing the second valve outlet, in the second position, the passage being in fluid communication with the valve inlet.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the diverter valve assembly defines a passage around a portion of the valve member to the first valve outlet, in the first position, the passage being in fluid communication with the valve inlet.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the diverter valve assembly further includes a biasing member operable to bias the valve member toward the first position.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the biasing member applies a biasing force to the valve member, and wherein the valve member has a surface, in the second position, water pressure acting on the surface to overcome the biasing force to maintain the valve member in the second position.

11. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a reset mechanism operable to interrupt water flow to the diverter valve assembly to reduce the water pressure acting on the surface and allow the biasing member to move the valve member toward the first position.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the biasing member includes a spring.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the valve member includes a head portion supporting a first seal selectively engageable with the first valve seat and a second seal selectively engageable with the second valve seat.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the diverter valve assembly is retrofittable with the shower device, the conduit and the hand shower.

15. A shower system comprising:
a first shower device including a shower head and defining a first device outlet and a first device inlet;
a second shower device including a hand shower and defining a second device outlet and a second device inlet; and
a diverter valve assembly fluidly connected between the first shower device and the second shower device, the diverter valve assembly including
a housing defining a valve seat,
a valve member movable relative to the housing between a first position, to direct water to the first device inlet, and a second position, to direct water to the second device inlet, and
a biasing member operable to apply a biasing force on the valve member to bias the valve member from the second position toward the first position, wherein the biasing member is configured to engage the valve member to apply the biasing force;

wherein the hand shower includes
a hand shower housing defining the second device outlet and the second device inlet, and
a hose fluidly connected to the second device inlet, the valve member being adjustable from the first position toward the second position by a pulling force applied to the hose overcoming a biasing force of the biasing member.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the housing of the diverter valve assembly is one of connected to and provided by the hand shower housing, and wherein the diverter valve assembly further includes an actuator button connected to the valve member and engageable by a user to move the valve member toward the second position, the biasing member being between the housing and one of the actuator button and the valve member.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the biasing member includes a spring.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the diverter valve assembly is separate from and retrofittable with the first shower device and the second shower device.

Assignees

• Kohler Co

Inventors

• Soetaert Michael J
• Schumacher Jeffrey A
• Bares William R

Classifications

• F16K11/0445

  Bath/shower selectors · CPC title

• Y10T29/49409

  Valve seat forming · CPC title

• B05B1/20

  Perforated pipes or troughs, e.g. spray booms; Outlet elements therefor · CPC title

• E03C1/0408

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

• B05B1/18 Primary

  Roses; Shower heads · CPC title