SHOWER HEAD ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A shower head is disclosed that includes means for accessing its interior. A method for accessing the interior of the shower head is also disclosed. The shower head includes a main body with an interior, a proximal water receiving end for connecting to a water source and a distal water dispensing end. A face plate is movably affixed to the water dispensing end. The face plate has openings for water to pass therethrough to reach a user. The face plate is movable between a closed position where the face plate closes the distal water dispensing end of the main body and an open position where the face plate is displaced away from the distal water dispensing end of the main body to access the interior of the main body. The interior of the shower head is therefore easily accessible without the need for tools or plumbing expertise. The shower head may include a regulating device, also easily accessible, for controlling the flow or for treating the water passing therethrough.

Claims

1. A shower head comprising a main body having an interior, a proximal water receiving end adapted to be connected to a source of water and a distal water dispensing end, a face plate movably affixed to the distal water dispensing end, the face plate having at least one opening to allow water to pass therethrough, the face plate being movable between a closed position wherein the face plate is in full engagement with said water dispensing end and prevents ingress to the main body, and an open position wherein the face plate is partially disengaged from the water dispensing end of the main body and provides access to said interior.

2. The shower head of claim 1 wherein the face plate is tethered to the main body.

3. The shower head of claim 1 wherein the face plate has a marginal edge, with a first portion thereof movably affixed to the water dispensing end of the main body and a second portion thereof comprising the free end of the face plate, said second portion adapted for releaseable fluid tight engagement with said main body.

4. The shower head of claim 3, wherein said second portion includes a latching system to connect and disconnect the free end to the main body.

5. The shower head of claim 3 wherein the face plate is rotatable about a pivot pin located at said marginal edge.

6. The shower head of claim 3, wherein said face plate is rotatable about its central axis, and said shower head includes means for releasable engagement of said face plate and the interior of said main body.

7. The shower head of claim 6 wherein said face plate has a rotatable face plate component having means for releasable engagement with said main body.

8. The shower head of claim 7 wherein said means for releasable engagement comprises a threaded projection that engages and disengages with a corresponding threaded portion of the main body to prevent the movement and allow the movement of the face plate about the main body.

9. The shower head of claim 7 wherein said means for releasable engagement comprises at least one bayonet fitting extending away from said face plate, and a bayonet receiving formation on the main body where the face plate is secured to and released from the main body by the engagement and disengagement of the at least one bayonet fitting with the bayonet receiving formation, to prevent the movement or to allow the movement of the face plate about the main body.

10. The shower head of claim 6 wherein the rotatable face plate includes a projection located on the outer surface thereof to facilitate a user gripping and rotating the rotatable face plate to engage and disengage said face plate from said main body.

11. The shower head of claim 3 wherein the free end of the face plate is releasably engageable with the open end of the main body by means of a quick release latch.

12. The shower head of claim 3 wherein the free end of the face plate is connectable and disconnectible to the open end of the main body by means of a threaded connection.

13. The shower head of claim 3 wherein the distal water dispensing end has a frame and the face plate is adapted to slide within the frame in a plane parallel to the plane of the distal water dispensing end, between an open and a closed position.

14. The shower head of claim 1 wherein the face plate has a plurality of openings for the passage therethrough of water.

15. A shower head assembly, the shower head assembly comprising a main body with a proximal water receiving end adapted to be connected to a source of water, and a distal water dispensing end, a face plate affixed to the distal water dispensing end, the face plate having a plurality of openings to allow water to pass through the face plate, the face plate being movable between a closed position wherein the face plate closes the water dispensing end of the main body, and an open position wherein the face plate is at least partially displaced away from the water dispensing end of the main body to provide access to the interior of the main body, and a water regulating device within the main body adapted to control the movement and/or composition of the water passing through the main body.

16. The shower head assembly as defined in claim 15 wherein the water regulating device is removably affixed to the main body.

17. The shower head assembly as defined in claim 15 wherein the water regulating device is threadedly affixed to the main body.

18. The shower head assembly as defined in claim 15 wherein the water regulating device has at least one bayonet fitting extending outwardly therefrom, and the main body has a bayonet receiving formation where the water regulating device is attachable and detachable from the main body by the engagement and disengagement of the at least one bayonet fitting with the bayonet receiving formation.

19. The shower head assembly as defined in claim 17 wherein the water regulating device includes means for releasable engagement with the interior of said main body, wherein said means for releasable engagement comprises a threaded projection on said water regulating device that engages and disengages with a corresponding threaded portion of the main body to enable the securement and removal of said water regulating device from the said interior of said main body.

20. The shower head assembly as defined in claim 15 wherein the water regulating device introduces a substance into the water passing through the main body.

21. The shower head assembly as defined in claim 20 wherein the substance is a perfume, a disinfectant, medicament or emollient.

22. A method of accessing the interior of a shower head, the method comprising the steps of: providing a shower head having a main body having an interior, a proximal water receiving end adapted to be connected to a source of water and a distal water dispensing end, a face plate affixed to the distal water dispensing end, the face plate having at least one opening to allow water to pass through the face plate, moving the face plate to a position at least partially away from the distal water dispensing end while maintaining the face plate affixed to the distal water dispensing end; and accessing the interior of the main body.

23. The method of claim 22 further including the step of moving the face plate to a position covering the distal water dispensing end.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of moving the face plate comprises moving the face plate to fully open the distal water dispensing end.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of moving the face plate comprises rotating the face plate about a pivot point to open the distal water dispensing end.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the step of providing a shower head comprises providing a shower head having a face plate with a rotatable, threaded center portion, and a correspondingly threaded main body and further includes the step of rotating the threaded center portion to engage and disengage the face plate and the main body.

27. The method of claim 22 wherein the interior of the main body is accessed to clean the interior of the said main body.

28. The method of claim 22 wherein the interior of the main body contains a water regulating device and the main body is accessed to access the said water regulating device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] FIG. 1 is perspective view of the shower head of the present invention;

[0021] FIG. 2 is an end view of an alternate embodiment of the shower head of FIG. 1;

[0022] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the shower head of FIG. 1;

[0023] FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the present shower head and illustrating a regulating device that is usable with the present invention;

[0024] FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the present shower head and illustrating an alternative regulating device of the present invention;

[0025] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the shower head of the present invention; and

[0026] FIG. 7 is a side, cross sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] Referring now to FIG. 1 there is shown, a perspective view of a shower head 10 constructed in accordance with the present invention. Thus, the shower head 10 connects to a water pipe 12 that normally is concealed within a wall of the shower to supply water to the shower head 10. As shown, the shower head 10 can threadedly engage the water pipe 12; however, often there is also a swivel joint, such as a ball and socket in the connection that allows the user to move the shower head 10 directionally to change the direction of water flow and to accommodate the desires of the user. Such a joint construction is considered to be a part of the present invention.

[0028] The shower head 10 itself is comprised of a main body 14 that has a proximal water receiving end 16 that connects to the water pipe 12 and a distal water dispensing end 18. Within the main body 14 is an interior 20 such that water passes through the interior 20 of the main body 14 in providing water to the user.

[0029] A face plate 22 is affixed to the distal water dispensing end 18 and has at least one opening 24 provided therein, and, in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, there are a plurality of such openings 24 that form a spray to exit the shower head 10 and impinge upon the user.

[0030] Referring further to FIG. 1, face plate 22 as illustrated is movably mounted on distal water dispensing end 18, and can be moved between a closed position where the face plate 22 fully blocks access to interior 20 through distal water dispensing end 18 of the shower head 10 so that the shower head 10 can be used in its normal function of spraying the water from the water pipe 12 outwardly through the face plate 22 to impinge on the user, and an open position (as shown in FIG. 1) where the face plate 22 is at least partially displaced away from the distal water dispensing end 18 of the shower head 10, thereby making the interior 20 of shower head 10 accessible to the user.

[0031] Thus, as shown in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, face plate 22 may be affixed to the main body 14 by means of a hinge 26 that forms a pivot point to allow the face plate 22 to be moved in the manner of a door movable toward and away from full engagement with the distal water dispensing end 18 of the shower head 10. At the free end 28 of the pivotable face plate 22, an illustrative disengageable engagement means such as latch 30 is shown, that may be connected as illustrated, to a hasp 32 on the distal water dispensing end 18 of the shower head 10. As can therefore be seen, the face plate 22 can be unlatched and then pivoted to its open position as depicted in FIG. 1, so that the user can gain full access to the interior 20 of the shower head 10. At this point, the user can access the interior 20 for various purposes, one of which is to carry out the cleaning of interior 20 as described herein. Other uses for the easy access to the interior 20 will be later explained.

[0032] It should be understood that alternative engagement means are contemplated and included within the scope of the present invention, so that the particular engagement means shown and described herein are by way of illustration and not limitation. For example, the latch may comprise a reciprocating sliding pin or bolt, not shown herein, that may be mounted against the interior surface of the face plate, and when urged forward, will engage a corresponding slot or depression that may be positioned within the interior wall of the body 14 proximal to face plate 22, to secure and engage the said face plate against the adjacent surface of the body in use. Alternately, one or more spring loaded catches may be disposed along the peripheral edge of the face plate that would be adapted to make releaseable engagement with corresponding detents or channels in the adjacent peripheral edge of the body. In operation, the user would depress the catch or catches to free the face plate to pivot into the open position. Correspondingly, the face plate could be resecured to the body simply by pushing it against the adjacent edge of the body until the catch(es) snap into engagement with the detents therein.

[0033] As such, it can be seen that the face plate 22 can be moved between its open and closed positions easily and simply and without the need for tools or expertise in plumbing. Thus, interior 20 can therefore be accessed by persons such as the elderly or by any person having a minimum of manual dexterity.

[0034] The latch 30 and hasp 32 elements described above, may be conventional latching elements, including a quick release type of latch such as that useful, for example, in systems for providing quick access to the gas tanks of a racing automobile. Also, and as described earlier, an alternate latching element may comprise a slide bolt-like assembly, or the like, adapted for manual pivoting between a open position where the face plate may move away from the body, and a closed position in which the bolt engages a corresponding mating slot or depression in the body, to lock the face against the body in use.

[0035] Further, with all of the constructions described above, a sealing means such as a flexible gasket or the like, (not shown), may be disposed on the peripheral edges of either face plate 22 or dispensing end 18, that make contact each with the other when the shower head is in the closed, operational position, and the interior 20 is thereby inaccessible.

[0036] Turning now to FIG. 2, there is shown, an end view of an alternate embodiment of a shower head 34 constructed in accordance with the present invention. In FIG. 2, the distal water dispensing end 36 of the main body 38 is illustrated as well as the face plate 40 having the openings 42 to guide the water that emanates therefrom. In this embodiment, the face plate 40 may rotate as indicated by the directional arrow appearing below latch 46, about a single pivot point established by pin 44 or a like pivoting device that thereby rotatably affixes the face plate 40 to the main body 38. As can be seen, interlocking latches 46, 48 are also provided on the face plate 40 and main body 38, respectively, to secure the face plate 40 to the main body 38 when the face plate 40 is in its closed position. Likewise, and as described above, various alternate mechanisms to illustrated latches 46, 48 may be employed in their stead. The face plate 40 is thus rotated to its open position (as shown in FIG. 2) by moving in a plane that is parallel to the plane of the distal water dispensing end 36 of the shower head 34.

[0037] Again, as with the FIG. 1 embodiment, it can be seen that a user having minimal skills and no tools can simply and easily gain access to the interior 50 of the shower head 34, without concern that the face plate will disengage from the body of the shower head and either fall and break, or fall and possibly strike and injure the user.

[0038] Turning then to FIG. 3, there is shown a still further alternative embodiment of a shower head 52 constructed in accordance with the present invention. Thus as shown, the shower head 52 is comprised of a main body 54 that has a proximal water receiving end 56 and a distal water dispensing end 58. In this embodiment, the distal water dispensing end 58 is rectangular. The main body 54 has an interior 60 such that water passes through the interior 60 of the main body 54 in delivering the water to the user.

[0039] The face plate 62 in the FIG. 3 embodiment has openings 64 and slides with respect to the distal water dispensing end 58 of the main body 54 and is set in a frame 66 having an outer flange 68 that allows the face plate 62 to slide while still maintaining its affixation with the main body 54. As such, it can be seen that the face plate 62 in this embodiment can be moved between a closed position where the face plate 62 is completely contained within frame 66 and fully engages the distal water dispensing end 58 of the shower head 52 so that the shower head 52 can be used in its normal function of spraying the water outwardly through the face plate 62 to impinge on the user, and an open position (as shown in FIG. 3) where the face plate 62 is at least partially withdrawn from frame 66 and is displaced away from the distal water dispensing end 58 of the shower head 52, thereby making the interior 60 of shower head 52 accessible to the user.

[0040] It can likewise be seen that the face plate 62 of FIG. 3, as with the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2, can be moved between its open and closed positions easily and simply and without the need for tools or particular expertise in plumbing.

[0041] Turning now to FIG. 4, there is shown an exploded, cross sectional view of a shower head assembly 70 that includes a shower head 74 and a regulating device 76. As can be seen, the regulating device 76 interfits into the shower head 74 to be positioned within the interior 78 thereof. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 4, the proximal water receiving end 80 of the regulating device 76 can include releasable engagement means comprising threads 82 that can be rotatably inserted within corresponding threads 84 provided in the interior 78 of the shower head 74, and tightened down therein, thus affixing the regulating device 76 within the shower head 74 in a liquid tight coupling. Alternatively, and as discussed and illustrated herein, the engagement means can comprise one or more pins or projections that are adapted to lock into corresponding channels or tracks in interior 78, in the manner of a bayonet-like mechanism.

[0042] From the above, it can be seen that the accessibility to the interior of the shower head that is provided by the use of a movable face plate such as face plate 86, enables regulating device 76 to be readily and easily removable from the main body 88. As previously explained with respect to FIGS. 1-3, access to the interior 78 is readily accomplished such that the regulating device 76 therefore can also be readily accessed for removal, replacement or other purpose. The regulating device 76 may be one of a variety of devices applicable to the shower head 74.

[0043] For example, since the regulating device 76 is so easily available for removal, replacement and the like, by a person with minimum plumbing skills, the regulating device may contain perfume or an aromatherapy liquid to be inducted into the stream of water passing through the interior 78 of the shower head 74. With the ease of access, the particular aroma liquid material can be changed, replenished and the like.

[0044] Alternatively, the regulating device 76 may be a water conservation device that saves water by reducing the flow of the water emanating from the shower head 74, or may include filtering means to remove particulate matter. The ease of access to the regulating device 76 allows the regulating device to serve a variety of purposes since the user can easily and readily change, alter, or even remove the regulating device 76 by simply accessing the regulating device 76 through the movable face plate 86.

[0045] Turning to FIG. 5, there is shown an exploded, cross sectional view of a shower head assembly 90 that includes a shower head 92 and a regulating device 94. Again, as with the FIG. 4 embodiment, the regulating device 94 interfits into the shower head 92 to be positioned within the interior 96 thereof and enclosed in that interior 96 by the removable face plate 98.

[0046] In the FIG. 5 embodiment, however, there is at least one, preferably two projections or bayonets 100 located at the proximal water receiving end 102 of the regulating device 94, whereby the locking engagement of regulating device 94 within the shower head 92 is achieved by passing the bayonets 100 through openings (not shown) in an inner flange 104 and, once past the inner flange 104, rotating the regulating device 94 to, in some manner, wedge or locate the bayonets 100 within a bayonet receiving formation, such as at least one corresponding annular recess or slot 106.

[0047] Accordingly, the regulating device 94 can be affixed to and just as easily removed from affixation within the shower head 92 by a simple rotation by the user of the regulating device 94 with respect to the shower head 92.

[0048] Turning then to FIGS. 6 and 7, there are shown a perspective view and a side cross sectional view, respectively, illustrating a further exemplary embodiment of the present shower head 108. Again, the shower head 108 is comprised of a main body 110 that has a proximal end 112 that connects to the water pipe 114 and a distal end 116 from which a water spray is emitted. Within the main body 110 is an interior 118 such that water passes through the interior 118 of the main body 110 in providing water to the user.

[0049] With this embodiment, the face plate 120 is affixed to the main body 110 by means of a hinge 122 that forms a pivot point to allow the face plate 120 to be moved in the manner of a door movable toward and away from the distal end 116 of the shower head 108. Again, there is a latching system that is provided to allow the face plate 120 to be freely pivoted about the hinge 122 or retained in its closed position closing of the distal end 116 of the shower head 108.

[0050] In this further exemplary embodiment, the face plate 120 comprises an outer annular frame 123 that receives rotatable face plate component 124 that can rotate freely with respect to frame 123. Face plate component 124 is adapted to rotate freely, either clockwise or counterclockwise, with respect to frame 123 in the direction of the double arrow R of FIG. 7. As also can be seen, face plate component 124 has a threaded projection 126 that is threadedly engageable with a corresponding threaded inner wall portion 128 of the main body 110. Accordingly, face plate component 124 can be rotatably received and retained within frame 123. A bearing 130 is shown and may be included, that allows face plate component 124 to rotate while providing a seal to isolate the interior of 118 from the external ambient environment. A projection 132 which may be in the shape of a dial, may be provided on the exterior of the rotatable face plate component 124 to facilitate the user getting a positive grip to carry out the process of rotating the face plate component, to either engage or disengage the face plate from the body.

[0051] As therefore can be seen, in the use of the shower head 108 of the FIGS. 6 and 7 embodiment, the face plate 120 can be unlatched by rotating face plate component 124, e.g. in the counterclockwise direction, so that the threaded projection 126 disengages from the corresponding threaded inner wall portion 128 of the main body 110. At that point, the face plate 120 can be pivoted about the hinge 122 to access the interior 118 of the main body 110.

[0052] To re-secure the face plate 120 to the main body 110, the reverse is carried out; that is, the face plate component 124 is rotated in the clockwise direction while reengaging the threaded projection 126 to the threaded portion 128 of the main body 110 to again secure the face plate 120 to the main body 110 in a sealed relationship. In an alternative construction within the scope of the invention, the threads disposed on projection 126 and inner wall portion 128, may be replaced with a pin, bolt or other projection, and a channel or slot, respectively, so that the engagement between the face plate component and the body may proceed with a bayonet-type mechanism, such as that described earlier with respect to regulating device 94 in the embodiment of FIG. 5. Accordingly, the invention is intended to include these and other variations within its scope.

[0053] Those skilled in the art will readily recognize numerous adaptations and modifications which can be made to the shower head and method of accessing the interior of a shower head of the present invention which will result in an improved shower head and method, yet all of which will fall within the scope and spirit of the present invention as defined in the following claims Accordingly, the invention is to be limited only by the following claims and their equivalents.