EP0348359B1 - Shower with a rotating selector for producing different jets - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a shower with a rotating watering can and structured to deliver water jets having different shapes.

In terms of showers, whether hand, telephone, mobile or fixed to the wall, we already know several different embodiments and also of the adjustable type to obtain several forms of water jet, rain, very soft and airy by air bubbles and very powerful and pulsed for a massage of the body. For each form of the jet there is a various passage in the body of the watering can and in particular the pulsed jet is obtained by means of a rotor with fins incorporated in the shower which serves as a rotary valve.

Showers of this type are described, for example, by documents US-A-4,629,125 e DE-A-37 06,320. They are composed of a body delimiting a pipe, one end of which is connected to a pipe of , while its other end has an opening, a head for the selective flow of at least three different forms of water jets through as many concentric rows of holes located at the end respectively of a first annular passage, a second annular passage and a third annular passage provided in the head and intended to receive the water supplied by the opening of the body.

In any case, showers of the known type are all relatively complex, laborious and expensive, since they are composed of many component parts.

On the other hand, the object of the invention is to provide an improved shower, capable of delivering three different forms of water jets, which is formed from a limited number of parts that are easy to produce, quickly assembled and of high reliability.

The shower according to the invention conforms to the characterizing part of claim 1.

• la Figure 1 montre une vue en section partielle de la douche assemblée;
• les Figuree 2 et 2a montrent une vue de dessus du distributeur tournant et du déviateur intermédiaire;
• la Figure 3 montre, en section, la tête de la douche en position de débit d'un jet d'eau à pluie;
• la Figure 4 montre une vue de dessus du distributeur dans la position dont à la Fig. 3, c'est à dire selon les flêches IV-IV en Fig.3;
• la Figure 5 montre, en section, la tête de la douche en condition de débiter un jet d'eau aéré;
• la Figure 6 montre, en plan, selon les flêches VI-VI en Fig. 5, la position du distributeur dont à la Fig. 5;
• la Figure 7 montre, en section, la tête de la douche en condition de débiter un jet d'eau pulsé;
• la Figure 8 montre, en plan, selon les flêches VIII-VIII en Fig. 8, la position du distributeur dont à la Fig. 7;
• la Figure 9 montre, en section, la tête de la douche en condition de débiter simultanément un jet à pluie et un jet aéré; et
• la Figure 10 montre, en plan, selon les flêches X-X en Fig. 9, la position du distributeur dont à la Fig. 9.

A particular embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the appended drawing, in which:

• Figure 1 shows a partial sectional view of the assembled shower;
• Figures 2 and 2a show a top view of the rotary distributor and the intermediate deflector;
• Figure 3 shows, in section, the shower head in the flow position of a rainwater jet;
• FIG. 4 shows a top view of the dispenser in the position of which in FIG. 3, ie according to arrows IV-IV in Fig.3;
• Figure 5 shows, in section, the shower head in condition to deliver an aerated water jet;
• FIG. 6 shows, in plan, according to the arrows VI-VI in FIG. 5, the position of the distributor of which in FIG. 5;
• Figure 7 shows, in section, the shower head in condition of delivering a pulsed water jet;
• Figure 8 shows, in plan, along arrows VIII-VIII in Fig. 8, the position of the distributor of which in FIG. 7;
• Figure 9 shows, in section, the shower head in condition to simultaneously deliver a rain jet and an aerated jet; and
• FIG. 10 shows, in plan, along the arrows XX in FIG. 9, the position of the distributor of which in FIG. 9.

The shower comprises a tubular body 10 defining a longitudinal pipe 11 which on one side is connected to a water supply pipe 12, while on the other side it has an opening 13 communicating with a head 14 for the flow controlled by several water jets according to arrows A, B and C respectively.

The shower head 14 is substantially composed of three concentric parts, that is to say: a distributor 15, a front diffuser 16 and an intermediate diverter 17.

The dispenser 15 is presented as an inverted glass with a peripheral notch 18 mating, by rotation, with the edge 13 ′ of the opening of the body 10 with the interposition of a gasket 19. In addition, the distributor 15 has a transverse wall or bottom 20 provided with a central hole 20 ′ which receives, with the interposition of a gasket 21 ′, a guide pin 10 ′ secured to the body 10, at the center of the opening 13. The transverse wall of the distributor 15 closes the opening 13, but it is provided with an eccentric hole 22 for the passage of water from the pipe 11 inside the head 14. On the underside of the transverse wall 20 a plug 23 can be moved by turning the distributor 15.

The front diffuser 16, which in turn has the shape of a cup, mates, without being attached to it, with the side wall of the distributor 15 by means of its edge 16 ′ and with the interposition of a lining 24. A hub 25 is placed in a central position on the bottom of the diffuser, which is crossed, on three concentric circles, by a first row of holes 26 for the formation of a first jet of water A, of a second row of holes 27 for the second water jet B and a third row of holes 28 for a third water jet C.

The central hub 25 is coaxial with the stud 10 ′ of the body 10 and a clamping screw 29 to be screwed in the stud is used to block the diffuser 16 and also leaving the intermediate deflector 17. The transverse wall of this dermier is parallel to the bottom of the distributor 15 and its central part 17 ′ is fixed to the hub 25 by means of a conical coupling 30 and inserted into the distributor 15. Starting from the three parts 15, 16 and 17 are coupled to the package and connected to the body 10 by means of the single screw 29.

On the transverse wall of the intermediate deflector 17, around its central relief 17 ′ which supports the rotary distributor 15, part of the surface is lowered and forms a space 31 with the rear wall 20 of the distributor. The above-mentioned lowered surface is at the level of the plug 23 of the distributor 15 and also has an eccentric projection 32 which interrupts the space 31 and which has a surface which touches the inner face of the wall of the bottom 20 of the distributor (see FIG. 7).

The intermediate deflector 17 has two outer and inner concentric walls 33, 34 which mate with one another and in a sealed manner to the base wall of the front diffuser and which are parallel, on one side, to the peripheral wall of the distributor. turning 15 and on the other side, to the central hub 25. The outer wall 33 defines, with the distributor, a first annular passage 36 communicating, above, directly with the space 31 of distribution and below with the first row of holes 26 of the diffuser. Between the two walls 33, 34 there is a second annular passage 37 communicating, superiorly, with the distribution space 31 by a hole 37 ′ drilled in the transverse wall of the intermediate diffuser 17 and, below, with the second row of holes 27 of the diffuser. The hole 37 ′ is provided with a sealing ring 37˝. Finally, the inner wall 34 defines, with the central hub 25, a communicating chamber 38, superiorly, with a hole 38 ′ drilled in the transverse wall of the deflector in correspondence with the projection 32 and, inferiorly, with the third row of holes 28 of the diffuser. The inlet of the hole 38 ′ is provided with a sealing ring 38˝ and in the chamber 38 a finned rotor or turbine 39 - known as such - acts as a rotary valve.

In practice, by turning the distributor 15, it is possible to choose and modify the jets of water delivered. That is, with the distributor 15 in the position shown in Figures 3 e 4, we obtain a normal rain spray A exiting through the holes 26 of the front diffuser 16. In fact, in this position the plug 23 of the rotary distributor 15 presses on the lining 37˝ in the closed position of the hole 37 ′ of the second passage 37 of the deflector intermediate 17; the inlet hole 38 which carries to the rotor or turbine 39 in the chamber 38 is also closed, its lining 38˝ pressing on the interior face of the distributor 15 and the water which arrives through the hole 22 is forced to pass into space 31 and after that at the first passage 36 and starting at the holes 26 for the formation of a rain jet A.

If, on the other hand, the distributor 15 is turned to the position of which in FIGS. 5 and 6, while the hole 38 ′ for entering the chamber 38 with rotor or turbine 39 is still closed, the distribution hole 22 of the distributor 15 is aligned with the hole 37 ′ at the entrance to the second passage 37. Consequently, the water passes through the second row of holes 27 of the diffuser 16 with an aerated or foaming jet B, because the flow of water tends to suck l through the holes 26 and the first passage 36 (arrow D) and to mix with this air.

On the other hand, with the distributor turned in the position of which in Figures 7 and 8, the hole 22 distribution is online and communicating only with the hole 38 ′ for supplying water to the chamber 38 with rotor or turbine 39, while the other passages are closed. Then the rotor or the turbine will deliver a pulsating or massaging jet C through the third row of holes 28 of the diffuser 16.

Finally, with the rotary distributor 15 in a fourth position, of which in Figures 9 and 10, the hole 38 ′ for supplying water to the chamber 38 with rotor or turbine 39 being closed, the distribution hole 22 will simultaneously supply the first passage 36 through the space 31 and the second passage 37 through the hole 37 ′, part of which is left open by the plug 23.

In this case, the simultaneous flow of a normal rain jet A and an aerated jet B is obtained through the first and second rows of holes 26, 27 respectively.

Claims (4)

1. A shower comprised of a body (10) delimiting a pipe (11), one end of which is connected to a water pipe, whereas the other has an opening (13) and a head (14) for selective delivery of at least three different types of water sprays (A, B, C) through concentric lines of holes (26, 27, 28) situated at the ends of the first, second and third annular passagees (36, 37, 38), respectively, on the head (14) and destined to receive water from the opening (13) of the body; characterized by the fact that the head (14) comprises a nozzle (15) which rotates in the opening (13) of the body (10) and comes with a shutoff valve (20) that virtually closes the opening (13), and which has a first hole (22) for selective delivery of water from said pipe (11) to said passagees (36, 37, 38), with a plug-shaped projection (23), a front fixed diffusor (16) fitted to the body and externally coupled to the delivery nozzle (15) with three rows of holes (26, 27, 28), which are arranged between the nozzle (15) and the deviator (17) with a slot (31) receiving water through the first hole (22) of the nozzle. The first of said passages (36) is constantly in communication with the slot (31), the second passage (37) with the slot (31) through a second hole (37′) opened and closed by means of a plug (23) in the nozzle (15), and the third passage (38) has a third hole (38′) to position in line with the first delivery hole (22). The third inlet is closed by the internal surface of the nozzle when the first delivery hole (22) is moved away from the third inlet (38′) of the third passage (38).
2. Shower as per claim 1), characterized by the fact that the nozzle (15) rotates hermetically round a pin (10′) joined to the body of the shower, with the diffusor (16) and deviator (17) coaxial to the nozzle (15), with sealed coupling to the pin (10) by means of a central screw (29), with a part of the nozzle (15) resting on the intermediate deviator (17) and coupling peripherally with the front diffusor (16).
3. Shower as per claims 1) and 2), in which the third passage (38) has a rotating valve (39) for the flow of water jets through the row of holes (28) corresponding to the third passage (38).
4. Shower as per any of the above claims, in which the first delivery hole (22) of the nozzle (15) can be positioned in such a way that it supplies the first and second row of holes (26, 27) simultaneously.

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