FR2724550A1 - Curved arc forming jets of water for shower - Google Patents

Abstract

The shower has a hollow curved arc (1) with an opening (16) that is wide enough to allow access to its centre. The arch has aligned holes (5) which are regularly spaced and shaped to form jets of water that meet at one point with a pressure less than two bars. The arc is held on a vertical bar (2) by a support (4) which slides vertically on the bar. The arc can be turned vertically or held obliquely. Water is supplied to the arc through a flexible pipe (7) connected to a hole (3) in it.

Description

 A shower device generally consists of a hand shower, often bulky because it requires a grip, projecting water unidirectionally over a small area, with a flow that is difficult to control, which systematically causes splashes. Attaching the hand shower to a shower-support bar generates other drawbacks: unidirectional spray, high position obligatory, therefore compulsory spraying of the whole body, etc.

 The equipment for massaging with water jets is bulky and difficult for individuals to access.

 All of this equipment is difficult to use by people with reduced mobility, the elderly or the disabled, for whom the only suitable equipment is complex and expensive.

The device according to the invention makes it possible to compensate for these shortcomings, by providing very significant comfort due to the simultaneous arrival of converging water jets at the center of said device where the user has taken place.

With this system, showering is faster, more economical in water since it allows the entire body of the user to be watered simultaneously, while limiting splashing due to the improper orientation of a hand shower; more economical in energy because the user is permanently underwater at the desired temperature, and more practical because the user can, by positioning the device differently, choose the parts of the body to be showered (the device notably makes it possible not to wet hair if desired). Finally, the device according to the invention can be made compatible with existing bathroom accessories, shower rods, hoses, connections, so as to constitute for individuals a purchase complementary to their own sanitary equipment.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention:
Figure 1 shows in perspective a non-limiting version of the device according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows in perspective a non-limiting version of the device according to the invention adapted on a wall shower bar existing commercially.

Figure 3 shows the device of Figure 2 in the storage position, illustrating the possible orientation of the hoop.

Figure 4 shows in perspective a non-limiting version of the device according to the invention, separated from its wall support.

FIG. 5 represents the device of FIG. 4 in operation, illustrating the converging jets at the same point.

FIG. 6 represents a plan view of FIG. 5.

Figure 7 shows the view of Figure 6, with a hoop of different shape.

Figure 8 shows the cross section of a non-limiting version of the arch.

Figure 9 shows a cross section of a non-limiting version of the roll bar equipped with nozzles
Figure 10 shows a cross section of a non-limiting version of the hoop split over its entire length
Figures 11 and 12 show a cross section of a non-limiting version
of the hoop split partially according to a particular drawing.

 Figures 13 and 14 show the cross section of a non-limiting version of multifunction nozzle.

FIG. 15 represents an exploded view of a nonlimiting version of the device according to
the invention, illustrating the possibilities of dismantling said device.

Figure 16 shows in perspective a non-limiting version of the device according to
motorized invention.

 FIG. 17 shows in perspective a nonlimiting version of the device according to the invention equipped with several independent arches.

 FIG. 18 shows in perspective a nonlimiting version of the device according to the invention intended more particularly for the elderly.

 FIG. 19 shows in perspective a nonlimiting version of the device according to the invention intended more particularly for disabled people.

Figures 20 and 21 show in perspective a non-limiting version of the device according to the invention intended more particularly for massage.

FIG. 22 shows in perspective a nonlimiting version of the device according to the invention installed in a shower cabin.

FIG. 23 represents a plan view of the device of FIG. 22.

FIG. 24 shows in perspective a nonlimiting version of the device according to the invention suspended from a console.

FIG. 25 represents a cross section of a nonlimiting version of the arch of complex section.

Figure 26 shows in perspective a non-limiting version of the device according to the invention installed on a sink.

FIG. 27 represents the cross section of a nonlimiting version of the hoop equipped with a mobile system for selective cover of the nozzles crimped on said hoop.

 With reference to these drawings, the device comprises a hollow element (1), in particular an open hoop, supplied with water through an orifice (3) regulated by a tap (8) which can be located inside or outside the device, and of sufficient diameter to embrace all or part of the user.

This hollow element may, in a nonlimiting manner, be a plastic, metallic profile or any other composition, manufactured by molding or extrusion, of round profile (see illustrations 8 to 12 for a nonlimiting example of round cross section of the arch), square, oval or any other shape (see illustration 25 for a non-limiting example of a complex section of the arch).

The arch (1) is shaped so that the section of the water contained does not exceed 500 square millimeters. This section implies a low water capacity of the arch (1); water is therefore frequently renewed during use, which in particular makes it possible to avoid waiting for the temperature of the water in the jets to change when working on a thermostatic mixer tap (8). response of the device to a request for a temperature change is therefore less, the adjustment of the temperature of the jets is faster and more precise, the use of the device, when using a manual mixer tap is thus more comfortable and more secure (this avoids thermal shock due to a sudden arrival of too hot or too cold water during adjustment). The low water content of the arch also results in a low weight of the said arch in operation, which provides it with better stability on the upright (2), particularly when this upright is a simple hand shower support (9), as illustrated in figure 2. This lightness makes the device compatible with equipment designed for simple shower bar hand showers), which makes it universal.

FIG. 25 represents a nonlimiting example of cross section of the arch (1) which makes it possible to have a bulky device (for example and in a nonlimiting manner for aesthetic reasons) without implying an excessive water capacity of the said arch .

The opening (16) in the hoop (1) is sufficient to allow easy access to the center of the device, and to be able to get out quickly, for example in the event of incorrect adjustment of the temperature of the water which could burn. the user. It also allows access to the device without getting the hair wet while it is in operation, since with the front opening (16) of the arch, the user is not obliged to pass under said arch in operation and therefore under the water jets, to access the watered space.

 According to particular embodiments, the element which can be round, square or of any other shape adapted to the furniture (shower tray (6), sink ...), is dimensioned so as to receive a person seated, standing, lying down or in a wheelchair, in whole or in part (hands, feet ...).

The hole (3) of the hoop (1) can be simply connected to a conventional tap (8) by a power cord (7). The power cord (7) can be connected to the arch (1) by a conical nut (10) compatible with a shower bar (9) so that the arch is removable from its upright (2) . This nut (10) can be screwed or snapped onto the hoop (1) and / or on the power cord (7), as illustrated in Figure 15.

For reasons of space requirement of the packaging of the device according to the invention, the hoop can be separable into several screwable or snap-on elements, as illustrated in FIG. 15.

 According to particular embodiments, the device can consist of several hoops, identical or not, installed on one or more uprights common to all the hoops, for example and without limitation in a version intended for public use in a room or swimming pool, as shown in Figure 17.

 The arch (1) is pierced over its entire length with a plurality of aligned orifices (5), regularly spaced, perfectly convergent, therefore ending in a single point.

The user will gradually increase the water inlet pressure so that the jets end up at this central point and not beyond. The exact convergence of the jets is the index which will indicate to the user that the ideal flow is reached. This ideal flow is low and the pressure required to obtain convergence is less than 2 bars.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate the ideal point of convergence of the jets, in a non-limiting version of the device according to the invention.

 The user placed in the center of this arch (1) will thus permanently receive jets coming simultaneously from all sides. The user will feel the heat of the water on a larger surface of his body with a consumption of water and energy lower than that which would be necessary to obtain the same effect by a traditional hand shower, hand shower which would have to be constantly moved around the body.

This covering effect is caused by the device according to the invention without manual intervention by the user, whereas in the case of a conventional hand shower, the user must use one hand to hold it and orient it towards the body of the sweet.

Therefore, showering will be faster and more efficient thanks to the device according to the invention.

The orifices (5) are shaped so that the arch (1) generate converging jets with a total water flow equivalent to the flow used by a hand shower or an ordinary shower head. By way of example, in a non-limiting version of the device according to the invention generating the same number of jets as an ordinary shower, the arch (1), composed of a hollow tube with a length of 120 centimeters, with an inside diameter of 23 millimeters and curved with a diameter of 65 centimeters so that the jets all meet at one point in the center of the arch (converging jets), will be pierced with around thirty orifices with a diameter of the order of 1.5 millimeters, spaced regularly by 4 centimeters.

 The projections may be adjustable in power, direction and shape of the jet (direct jet or spraying) thanks to the insert of specific or multifunction nozzles (11) on the orifices (see FIGS. 13 and 14 for a non-limiting example of a nozzle, the shape of the jet varies according to the pressure of the water, for example by being composed of a fixed part (19) crimped on the arch (1) and of a mobile part (20) under the pressure of the water and causing the shape of the jet to change).

Specific nozzles with different effects can be placed on the same arch and can be obscured by the user, for example and in a nonlimiting manner thanks to a system of movable covers (12) integrated into the arch (1), as illustrated in figure 27.

 These orifices (5) may be one or more slots that are sufficiently fine, straight, curved or of any other shape, spaced regularly over the entire length of the arch, horizontally or in any pattern, so as to form at the outlet of the arch one or more water curtain or one or more jets of various shapes, as illustrated in Figures 10, 11 and 12.

The orifices (5) are shaped so as to generate convergent jets with a pressure of less than 2 bars. This feature allows all individuals to use the device according to the invention without being obliged to supplement it with a booster, as is the case for certain massaging devices available on the market.

 The arch (1) is held on at least one upright (2) fixed to the wall, the floor or the ceiling. This amount can be a simple wall support (27) on which the arch will be permanently maintained at a given height or an amount on which the arch will be able to move thanks to one or more sliding supports (4), which allows the user to position the arch at a given part of the body (kidneys, neck, ...) according to his own size, particularly for massage, and / or to limit the parts of the body to water (to avoid getting your hair wet, a plastered arm, etc.), especially for washing or showering.

 The upright (2), keeping the arch (1) fixed, allows the user to keep both hands free during the operation of said device, once the arch (1) positioned at the desired height.

 The sliding supports (4) are such that the arch can be stabilized at a given position, without user intervention (for example by simply rubbing the support (4) on the upright (2)) or by intervention of the 'user (screwing, pressure on an order, etc ...) but while keeping the possibility of sliding along the uprights when the user wishes.

The upright (2) may consist of a shower bar (9) commercially available for supporting the showers, which the user can have before the acquisition of said device or obtain it later. Such a version of the device can be complementary to a conventional hand shower (24), thanks to the addition of a second supply cord by a double connection (25) making it possible to alternately select the use of the hand shower or the roll bar. The wall bar (9) as well as the hand shower can also be part of the purchase kit for the device according to the invention.

 According to particular embodiments, the uprights (2) can be vertical (as illustrated in FIG. 18), oblique (as illustrated in FIG. 20) or horizontal (as illustrated in FIG. 21), fixed to the ceiling (as illustrated in FIG. 24 ), fixed to a wall (as illustrated in figure 2) or fixed at the same time to the ground and to a wall (as illustrated in figure 1).

The supports (4) can be articulated so that the arch is oriented during use, or takes up less space at rest (see FIG. 3, for a non-limiting example). In the case where this support is a shower bar (9), such as those which can be purchased commercially, this comprises a shower support which will serve as support (4) for the arch (1) . Such sliding supports generally have a hinge and allow the spray to be held at a given height.

According to particular embodiments, the arch (1) can be suspended from a ceiling or a wall console (26) using elastic lines (14), telescopic or connected to a reel, allowing the arch to 'be movable vertically, and limiting the footprint of the device, as illustrated in Figure 24.

 According to particular embodiments, the movement of the roll bar can be motorized, (as illustrated in FIG. 16, 18, 19, 20 or 21) and obey a memorized movement program, varying the position of the roll bar ( 1) along the uprights (2) as well as the power and the orientation of the jets. In this case, the device will be attached to a built-in or independent control keyboard (17) connected by cable or remote control.

 According to particular embodiments, the device can be completed with a vertical, horizontal or oblique bench (22) for a version where the uprights would be vertical, horizontal or oblique, in a variant intended particularly for massage illustrated in FIGS. 20 and 21 , of a folding seat (13) or of a specific seat (21) for a version intended more particularly for the elderly, as illustrated in FIG. 18 or for the disabled as illustrated in FIG. 19.

According to particular embodiments illustrated in Figure 26, the arch can be installed in a sink, the converging jets allowing hand washing. The sink itself in this case constitutes the amount (2) on which is fixed the arch (1). In this application, the sink may have on its front part a recess (15) corresponding to the opening of the hoop (16) and facilitating the access of the hands to the center of said hoop, point of convergence of the water jets.

 By way of nonlimiting example, for the variant illustrated in FIG. 2 limiting itself to the use of the device in the form of a shower in the "standing" position, the open arch (1) will have a diameter of the order of 70 centimeters, the opening (16) of 1. arch (1) being of the order of 60 centimeters, and will be composed of a tube of approximately 25 millimeters in outside diameter, for a tube thickness of the order of 1, 5 millimeters. The amount will in this case be a standard shower bar (9) with a length of the order of 60 centimeters.

 In this version, the arch (1) will be produced by bending an aluminum tube previously pierced with 30 orifices (5) with a diameter of the order of 1 millimeter aligned and spaced about 40 millimeters apart. The holes (5) and the bending of the arch (1) will be carried out with a precision such that the water jets coming from this arch are perfectly convergent.

 By way of nonlimiting example, for the variant illustrated in FIG. 26, which is limited to the use of the device in the form of a "hand basin", the open arch (1) of oval shape situated around the periphery of a sink will an average diameter of about 40 centimeters and will be composed of a cylindrical profile of about 1 centimeter in diameter. The tap (8) may be located on the ground, accessible by foot, so that the user can keep his hands free at all times.

 The device according to the invention can be intended for individual or collective use, in the form of a complete assembly to be installed or of a kit complementary to existing equipment, in particular a shower bar (9), a shower cabin (18) or a shower column (23).

The dimensions of the various components of the device according to the invention will vary depending on the intended user (elderly people using the device in a seated position, sports clubs favoring the massage function by lying users, disabled people showering with a wheelchair, etc ...), the chosen use (aimed at washing or massaging the whole body or a simple part, hands, feet, ...), and the location of the device (in the center of a room, in a bathtub, a washbasin, or even so as to correspond perfectly for aesthetic reasons etc. or practical to the shape of the shower tray (6).

Claims (9)

 1) Ergonomic device for spraying water in the form of jets, intended for showering, washing or being massaged all or part of the body, characterized in that it comprises the element (1), round, square arch or any another open form, comprising a plurality of orifices (5) aligned, regularly spaced, shaped to allow the formation of jets arriving at a single point with a water pressure less than 2 bars and a water flow comparable to that which is necessary to operate an ordinary shower, this or these open arches (1) being held on at least one fixed upright (2) on which the arch (1) can be maintained at a given height (27) or slide so vertical, oblique or horizontal, the opening (16) of the arch (s) (1) being dimensioned so as to allow access to its center by all or part of the user's body.  2) Device according to any one of claims characterized in that the open hoop (1) is designed so as to be compatible with existing sanitary equipment, such as hoses (7) or hand shower support bars (9) .  3) Device according to any one of claims characterized in that the orifices (5) are completed with nozzles (11) varying the shape of the jets (diffusing, direct or multi-function) while being oriented so as to generate converging jets.  4) Device according to any one of claims characterized in that the orifices (5) are one or more narrow slots, straight, curved or in any pattern spaced regularly over the entire length of the arch.  5) Device according to any one of claims characterized in that the support (s) (4) are articulated to allow to orient the arch (1) relative to the uprights (2), in particular to limit its size outside periods of use.  6) Device according to any one of claims characterized in that the movement of the arch (s) along the upright (s) is motorized and obeys a memorized movement program, so that said arch automatically scans the portion of the body of the user to shower, wash or massage, without intervention and without effort on his part.  7) Device according to any one of claims characterized in that it can be intended for washing hands, in a version embedded in a sink having here the function of upright (2), the said sink may include in its part frontal a recess (15) corresponding to the opening (16) of the hoop (1) and intended for the passage of the hands under the point of convergence of the jets of said hoop.  8) Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the arch (1) can be suspended from a ceiling or from a console by means of elastic, telescopic hangers (13) or fitted with a reel, allowing the vertical mobility of the arch and its positioning at a given height, these lines having here the amount of function (2).  9) Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that several independent arches can be installed on a single upright.