Shower

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9808811-B2
Application number	US-201514843721-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 2, 2015
Priority date	Sep 3, 2014
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

A shower assembly includes an inlet, a first tank, and a second tank. The inlet is configured to receive water from a water source. The first tank is associated with a plurality of first outlets configured to pass water from the first tank. The second tank is associated with a plurality of second outlets configured to pass water from the second tank. The second tank is configured to receive and collect water from the inlet and also to distribute water to the first tank.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A shower assembly, comprising:
an inlet configured to receive water from a water source;
a first tank associated with a plurality of first outlets configured to pass water from the first tank; and
a second tank associated with a plurality of second outlets configured to pass water from the second tank;
wherein the second tank is configured to receive and collect water from the inlet and also to distribute water to the first tank;
wherein the first tank and the second tank are defined by a reservoir, the reservoir having a wall that divides the first tank from the second tank and limits water flow therebetween; and
wherein the reservoir includes a bottom panel, the wall is an inner wall coupled to and extending upward from the bottom panel, and the reservoir further includes an outer wall extending upward from the bottom panel.

2. The shower assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the wall includes one or more first holes at a first height, and when the inlet fills the second tank to the first height, water enters the first tank through the one or more first holes.

3. The shower assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the one or more first holes are sized to provide a first collective flow rate of the one or more first holes that is less than a maximum flow rate from the inlet to the second tank.

4. The shower assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the wall further includes one or more second holes at a second height, and when the inlet fills the second tank to the second height, waters enters the first tank through the one or more second holes.

5. The shower assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the one or more second holes are sized to provide a second collective flow rate of the one or more second holes that together with the first collective flow rate is greater than or equal to the maximum flow rate from the inlet to the second tank.

6. The shower assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the wall further includes one or more second holes at a second height, and when the inlet fills the second tank to the second height, water enters the first tank through the one or more second holes.

7. The shower assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first tank entirely surrounds the second tank, the first tank being defined by the bottom panel and between the inner wall and the outer wall, and the second tank being defined by the bottom panel and within the inner wall.

8. The shower assembly according to claim 1 , wherein bottom panel includes the plurality of first outlets and the plurality of second outlets, the plurality of first outlets being in a first region that is between the inner wall and the outer wall, and the plurality of second outlets being in a second region that is within the inner wall.

9. The shower assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first tank and the second tank are not pressurized by the water source, each of the first outlets is configured to pass water only as discrete drops, and each of the second outlets is configured to pass water as a continuous stream.

10. The shower assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a valve configured to selectively release water from the second tank through the plurality of second outlets.

11. The shower assembly according to claim 10 , wherein the first tank includes a snorkel in non-selective fluidic communication with the plurality of second outlets.

12. The shower assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first tank does not receive water directly from the inlet.

13. A shower assembly comprising:
a bottom panel having a plurality of first outlets in a first region and a plurality of second outlets in a second region;
an outer wall extending upward from the bottom panel; and
an inner wall extending upward from the bottom panel, such that a first tank and a second tank are cooperatively defined by the bottom panel, the outer wall, and the inner wall;
wherein the first tank is positioned directly above the first region and is in fluid communication with the plurality of first outlets;
wherein the second tank is positioned directly above the second region and is in fluid communication with the plurality of second outlets;
wherein the first and second tanks are not pressurized by a supply pressure of a flow of water entering the first and second tanks; and
wherein each of the first outlets includes a bore having a diameter sufficient to release water from the first tank only as discrete drops when the height of the water in the first tank is above each of the first outlets and below a maximum height of the first tank.

14. The shower assembly according to claim 13 , wherein the first tank is in constant fluid communication with the first outlets, and the second tank is in selective fluid communication with the plurality of second outlets.

15. The shower assembly according to claim 13 , wherein each of the second outlets release water from the second tank as continuous streams.

16. The shower assembly according to claim 13 , wherein the first tank and the second tank are unpressurized by a line pressure of the water source.

17. The shower assembly according to claim 13 , wherein the first tank is in fluid communication with the plurality of second outlets.

Assignees

• Kohler Co

Inventors

• Rexach Rafael Alfredo
• Szemetylo Stephanie
• Richter-O'Connell David J
• Elsesser Jeffrey James
• Giefer James S

Classifications

• A61H2201/0126

  on a wall · CPC title

• B05B15/60

  Arrangements for mounting, supporting or holding spraying apparatus · CPC title

• Y10T137/698

  Wall · CPC title

• A47K3/281

  Accessories for showers or bathing douches, e.g. cleaning devices for walls or floors of showers (A47K3/30, A47K3/38, A47K3/40 take precedence) · CPC title

• B05B1/18 Primary

  Roses; Shower heads · CPC title