RETRACTING SHOWER HOSE APPARATUS AND METHOD

Abstract

A retractable shower hose apparatus (11) has a housing enveloping a reel (21) mounted for rotation around an irrotatably axle (18). The axle (18) has a lumen (20) communicable with a shower valve supply of water whereby water can reach an axle port (19) disposed in a chamber (22) formed around the axle within the reel. The chamber (22) communicates with a shower hose reel coupling on the periphery of the reel to deliver water to the bore of the shower hose (24, 26). The reel has a depth equal to the diameter of the hose and is confined between closely fitting front and rear panels (12, 13) of the housing so that the hose can only coil radially out from the axis to a lead through (10). A coil spring (21.9) is disposed in the chamber (22) to act between the axle and reel and forcibly urge the hose to coil around the reel and retract into the housing.

Claims

1. A retractable shower hose apparatus characterized in that: an axle is mounted irrotatably to span between front and rear members of a housing structure, said axle containing an axial lumen to convey water from a shower valve coupling outside the housing to an axle port inside the housing; a reel, mounted for rotation around the axle, said reel including a chamber arranged to receive water from the axle port at all angles of rotation and communicating with a hose reel coupling mounted on the rim of the reel capable of coupling with a shower hose; a spring arranged to act between the reel and one of the axle or housing to urge the reel to rotate in order to coil the hose onto the reel and retract the shower hose into the housing.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the axle provides a pair of valve ports, one at each of the front and rear of the apparatus whereby communication with a water supply can be achieved at either one of the valve ports.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the housing has an upper part and a lead through is asymmetrically mounted on the upper part adjacent one edge.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the spring is mounted in the chamber.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the spring acts between the axle and the reel.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein an axle clamp acts between the axle and the housing structure to prevent rotation of the axle.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the housing structure envelopes the reel and hose to trap any water entrained in the housing.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein seals are mounted to act between the axle and the reel to seal the chamber.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the seals are mounted between front and rear panels which provide the front and rear housing members.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a drain port is provided in a bottom part of the housing to drain entrained water to a waste pipe, said drain having a bore with a diameter similar to the shower hose.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the depth of the reel and corresponding distance between the front and rear members of the housing is just sufficient to receive the outside diameter of a shower hose whereby the shower hose coils exclusively radially around the reel.

12. An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the shower hose is capable of being assembled from a short length of shower hose capable of extending from the hose reel coupling to the lead through and a second long hose part coupled between the first shower hose part and a shower head.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12 having a clip to retain the end of the short hose remote from the hose reel coupling during installation, whereby after assembling the shower hose, substantially the whole the shower hose can be reeled back into the housing by the action of the reel and spring.

14. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a shower hose is coupled to the hose reel coupling and coiled onto the reel, said reel having a peripheral surface shaped to prevent the coiled shower hose kinking or choking.

15. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the hose reel coupling is secured to the reel with its axis substantially tangential with respect to the axis of rotation.

16. An apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the peripheral surface begins adjacent the hose reel coupling and progresses radially and tangentially from the hose reel coupling to an arcuate surface following a spiral path such that the surface has a radius substantially one hose diameter greater after circling the axis.

17. An apparatus according to claim 1 having height adjustable feet to support the housing by engagement with a floor.

18. A method of installing a retracting shower hose apparatus according to claim 12 comprising the steps of: coupling a feed through of the shower hose apparatus to a hole prepared in the rim of a bath; adjusting feet of the apparatus to engage the floor underlying the bath; coupling a shower valve coupling to a shower valve water supply; coupling the short length of hose clipped to the feed through to a long length of hose to be coupled to a shower head; releasing the hose clip at the feed through to allow the long length of hose and the short length of hose to retract onto the reel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0034] Embodiments of a retractable shower hose apparatus according to the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying illustrative figures; in which,

[0035] FIG. 1 is an isometric SE view of a typical bath installation with retractable shower hose;

[0036] FIG. 2 is an isometric SW view of the bath installation with the walls removed to show the apparatus installed;

[0037] FIG. 3 is an enlarged isometric SW view of the apparatus;

[0038] FIG. 4 is an enlarged SW isometric view of the apparatus in FIG. 3 with a front panel removed to show interior details;

[0039] FIG. 5 is an enlarged isometric SW view of a reel from FIG. 4 showing hidden details;

[0040] FIG. 5.1 is a front elevation of the reel of FIG. 5 cut along a median plane perpendicular to the rotational axis of the reel;

[0041] FIG. 5.2 is a sectional side elevation on a section plane passing through the rotary axis;

[0042] FIG. 6 is a SW isometric view of the apparatus showing hidden features of the reel and hose;

[0043] FIG. 6.1 is a sectional front elevation sectioned on a plane bisecting the apparatus of FIG. 6 on a median plane;

[0044] FIG. 6.2 is a left side sectional elevation on a plane bisecting the apparatus through the rotary axis;

[0045] FIG. 7.1 is an isometric SE view of a first variant of the apparatus;

[0046] FIG. 7.2 is an isometric NE view of the first variant.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] FIG. 1 shows a typical bath installation having a floor on which a bath 1 is located. The bath 1 has a tub 2 surrounded by an integral substantially horizontal rim 3. The bath is installed against a side wall 4 and an end wall 5. A cosmetic end panel 6 and side panel 7 is fitted. Taps 8 are fitted to an end part of the rim in this case located to the right. A shower head 9 is mounted into a lead through 10 secured into a hole cut into the left side of the end rim of the bath.

[0048] A retractable shower hose apparatus 11 is installed beneath the end rim of the bath 1 to retract and conceal the shower hose when it is not in use. The apparatus 11 has a housing formed from a rectangular front panel 12 and a rear panel 13. Side walls 14, a top wall 15 and bottom wall 16 form a hydraulically sealed chamber in the housing. In this case the housing is rectangular as is the chamber but this is not essential.

[0049] The housing is supported by height adjustable ground engaging feet 17 which allows the height of the lead through 10, mounted on the top wall 15 to be inserted into a prepared hole formed in the rim by the installer.

[0050] An axle 18 is mounted to extend through each of the front and rear walls and is substantially centrally located. The axle 18 is engaged by anchors 18.1 which secure it irrotatably to the front and rear walls. The axle 18 is tubular having a lumen 20 extending from each side to an axle port 19. In the embodiment the axle is fabricated from a length of brass tube with an inside diameter of 10 mm and outside diameter of 13 mm to minimise friction at the seals. However a 15 mm outside diameter pipe could be used to cooperate with conventional pipe fittings. Either end of the axle may be fitted with an elbow fitting to be connected to a shower valve to receive water into the lumen. The other of the end will be capped to prevent leakage. This allows the water supply from the shower valve to be delivered to the front or back of the apparatus as is most convenient to the fitter.

[0051] In use water runs into the lumen 20 and out through the axle port 19. A reel 21 is mounted for rotation around the axle between the front and rear panels 12, 13. The reel is formed from mirror image left hand and right hand parts bonded together around an annular chamber 22. The annular chamber is formed in the reel 21 between the axle 18 and a shoulder 21.1 and the internal surface of a side wall 21.2. The axle 18 is received into the chamber via coaxial hole 21.3 formed in the side wall 21.2. An “O” ring seal 21.4 is mounted into an annular rebate formed around the hole 21.3 to hydraulically seal the chamber around the axle. The O ring seal 21.4 may be retained by cooperation with the respective front or rear panels where the axle passes through corresponding holes in the panels. Water running into the axle 18 from the shower valve (not shown) is communicated into the chamber 22. A radial passage 23 is formed in the reel to convey water from the chamber to a reel hose coupling 21.5. The reel hose coupling is a conventional threaded hose coupling screwed into a port 21.6 formed in the reel. The port 21.6 is formed tangential to the rotary axis. The periphery of the reel 21.7 presents a non-circular surface to a hose 24 so that the radius of curvature of the hose as it is wound onto the reel does not cause the hose to collapse and choke or kink. The peripheral surface begins adjacent the hose reel coupling and progresses radially and tangentially from the hose reel coupling 21.5 to an arcuate surface following a spiral path such that the surface has a radius substantially one hose diameter greater after circling the axis.

[0052] The reel 21 is formed with a plurality of voids 21.8 to minimise material wastage.

[0053] A spring is provided by a coil spring 21.9 acting between the axle 18 and the reel 21. The spring 21.9 has a tongue formation 21.10 which engages in the axle port 19. The spring spirals out from the axle port to an outer tongue formation 21.11 which engages in a retaining feature 21.12 formed in the shoulder of the reel.

[0054] Before installation a first short length of shower hose 24 runs to the lead through 10 where it terminates in a hose coupling 25 and is captured by a clip 10.1 at the lead through 10 so that it cannot accidently be drawn back into the housing. During installation the lead through is attached to the rim 3 of the bath from beneath and above, the side panel 7 being removed to provide the required access. The height of the feet 17 is adjusted to securely mount the apparatus. A second length of shower hose 26 is then attached to the hose coupling 25 together with the shower head 9. The clip 10.1 is then removed or otherwise disabled so that the second length of shower hose 26 can be drawn into the housing as shown in FIGS. 6 to 6.2.

[0055] As can be seen in FIG. 6 the depth of the reel 21 is effectively the same as the space separating the front wall 12 and rear wall 13 so the hose is constrained to coil in a single radial layer by engagement with the front and rear walls. The depth of the chamber is substantially the diameter of the hose keeping the chamber dimensions minimal and facilitating fitting into the confined space beneath the bath rim. The internal chamber depth may be dimensioned to provide a loose running fit between the walls.

[0056] The axle 18 passes through an anchor passage in each of a pair of similar axle anchors 27. Each axle anchor 27 is irrotatably coupled to the axle 18 at the passage and is separably attached to the respective one of the front and rear panels by means of machine screw 28. Coupling to the axle may be achieved by adhesive bonding, soldering, welding or cooperable eccentric formations on the axle and anchor passage. The axle anchors 27 may be separated from the front and rear panels 12, 13 by undoing the machine screws. The anchors are formed with spokes to facilitate rotation of the axle against the spring force and allow the reel to be rotated with the spring to reel in the assembled hose and to pretension the spring. Each anchor 27 is then secured in place by means of the machine screws.

[0057] The feed through is located to one side of the housing, ie asymmetrically and substantially tangential to the coil, which facilitates smooth running of the hose. If the apparatus needs to be fitted with a right hand located shower it is a simple matter to rotate the apparatus housing about the vertical central axis during fitting because the shower valve coupling can be from either side of the axle.

[0058] Although the feed through is fitted with a seal to discourage water entering the chamber, water ingress is inevitable. The housing is provided with a drain port 29 with a bore similar to the diameter of the hose. The drain port can be communicated with a drain pipe or hose of similar diameter which will be communicated with the bath overflow or waste drain. The drain port may be fitted with a one way valve or trap to prevent waste water from backing up into the chamber.

[0059] The first variant illustrated in FIGS. 7.1 and 7.2 is generally the same as the previously described embodiment but differs in that one axle port 19 is permanently closed by a cap 30. The opposite axle port is coupled to an elbow fitting 31 which can be rotated around the axis of the axle 18. The elbow fitting 31 has an inlet port 32 internally threaded to receive a ⅜ inch BSP hose connector. Thus a supply hose 33 can be screwed into the inlet port 32 and connected to the shower valve (not shown) at the opposite end.