Shower head having a jet disc holding device

Abstract

A shower head including a base body, a jet disc held on a shower jet discharge side of the base body and including at least one jet discharge opening, and a jet disc holding device for fixing the jet disc on a jet disc holding region of the base body. Illustratively, the jet disk holding device includes a plurality of plug connector pins and associated pin through-passage openings, across which a respective one of the plug connector pins is passed through, wherein the respective pin through-passage opening is provided on the jet disk holding region of the base body or on the jet disk, and wherein the plug connector pins and the pin through-passage openings are configured for latched retaining of the plug connector pins within the pin through-passage openings.

Claims

1. A shower head comprising: a base body, a jet disk held on a shower jet discharge side of the base body and including at least one jet discharge opening, and a jet disk holding device for holding the jet disk on a jet disk holding region of the base body, wherein the jet disk holding device comprises a plurality of plug connector pins and associated pin through-passage openings, through which a respective one of the plug connector pins is passed, wherein the respective pin through-passage opening is provided on the jet disk holding region of the base body or on the jet disk, and wherein the plug connector pins and the pin through-passage openings are configured for latched retaining of the plug connector pins in the pin through-passage openings, wherein at least one of the plug connector pins comprises a mushroom-shaped latching head which is positioned behind a latching edge of the associated pin through-passage opening thus establishing latching engagement, and wherein at least one of the pin through-passage openings is provided by a holding dome-shaped section of the jet disk holding region or the jet disk, wherein the holding dome-shaped section comprises a dome bottom region, from where the associated plug connector pin, with its latching head in front, is insertable axially into the holding dome-shaped section, and a dome head region which includes a through-passage hole, with the hole edge thereof providing the latching edge of the pin through-passage opening.

2. The shower head according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the pin through-passage openings comprises a radially elastically resilient opening edge.

3. The shower head according to claim 1, wherein an outer diameter of the holding dome-shaped section is greater in the dome bottom region than in the dome head region.

4. The shower head according to claim 1, wherein the holding dome-shaped section has a slotted design formed by one or more axial slots.

5. The shower head according to claim 1, wherein the at least one plug connector pin, with the mushroom-shaped latching head on an end region facing away from the latching head, comprises a radially projecting holding shoulder.

6. The shower head according to claim 1, wherein the respective plug connector pin is formed integrally with the jet disk or integrally with the jet disk holding region.

7. The shower head according to claim 1, wherein the plug connector pins and the associated pin through-passage openings are located in relation to a central longitudinal axis of the jet disk on at least two different radii and/or on at least two different circumferential angles.

8. The shower head according to claim 1, wherein the jet disk holding region and/or the jet disk and/or the plug connector pins are/is made of a plastic material.

9. The shower head according to claim 1, wherein: the jet disk comprises a plurality of the at least one jet discharge opening which are in fluid communication with a common fluid supply chamber for synchronized fluid supply, and the jet disk, at least in a region between two of said jet discharge openings, abuts in a fluid-tight manner against the jet disk holding region of the base body, and the base body comprises a plurality of fluid feed ducts leading out of the common fluid supply chamber, among said fluid feed ducts a first one leads to one of the two said jet discharge openings and a second one, separate from the first one, leads to a second one of the two said jet discharge openings.

10. The shower head according to claim 1, wherein the jet disk includes a bending resistant, perforated jet disk plate and a bending flexible jet mat on a rear side of the disk plate facing towards the jet disk holding region, discharge nipples are provided on the jet mat, which form the jet discharge openings and extend across nipple through-passage openings in the disk plate, and the plug connector pins interact with the disk plate retentively and/or the jet disk with its jet mat abuts flatly in a fluid-tight manner against the jet disk holding region of the base body and delimit the jet discharge openings individually against all other jet discharge openings in a fluid-tight manner.

11. The shower head according to claim 1, wherein the respective plug connector pin is formed as a component separate from the jet disk and the jet disk holding region.

12. A shower head comprising: a base body, a jet disk held on a shower jet discharge side of the base body and including a plurality of jet discharge openings, and a jet disk holding device for holding the jet disk on a jet disk holding region of the base body, wherein the jet disk holding device comprises a plurality of plug connector pins and associated pin through-passage openings, through which a respective one of the plug connector pins is passed, wherein the respective pin through-passage opening is provided on the jet disk holding region of the base body or on the jet disk, and wherein the plug connector pins and the pin through-passage openings are configured for latched retaining of the plug connector pins in the pin through-passage openings, wherein the jet disk includes a bending resistant, perforated jet disk plate and a bending flexible jet mat on a rear side of the disk plate facing towards the jet disk holding region, wherein discharge nipples are provided on the jet mat, which form the plurality of jet discharge openings and extend across nipple through-passage openings in the disk plate, and wherein: a) the plug connector pins interact with the disk plate retentively; and/or b) the jet disk with its jet mat abuts flatly in a fluid-tight manner against the jet disk holding region of the base body with the jet mat delimiting each of the plurality of jet discharge openings individually with respect to each other jet discharge opening in a fluid-tight manner.

13. The shower head according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the pin through-passage openings comprises a radially elastically resilient opening edge.

14. The shower head according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the plug connector pins comprises a mushroom-shaped latching head which is positioned behind a latching edge of the associated pin through-passage opening thus establishing latching engagement.

15. The shower head according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the pin through-passage openings is provided by a holding dome-shaped section of the jet disk holding region or the jet disk, wherein the holding dome-shaped section comprises a dome button region, from where the associated plug connector pin, with its latching head in front, is insertable axially into the holding dome-shaped section, and a dome head region which includes a through-passage hole, with the hold edge thereof providing the latching edge of the pin through-passage opening.

16. The shower head according to claim 15, wherein an outer diameter of the holding dome-shaped section is greater in the dome bottom region than in the dome head region.

17. The shower head according to claim 14, wherein the holding dome-shaped section has a slotted design formed by one or more axial slots.

18. The shower head according to claim 14, wherein the at least one plug connector pin, with the mushroom-shaped latching head on an end region facing away from the latching head, comprises a radially projecting holding shoulder.

19. The shower head according to claim 12, wherein the respective plug connector pin is formed integrally with the jet disk or the jet disk holding region.

20. The shower head according to claim 12, wherein the plug connector pins and the associated pin through-passage openings are located in relation to a central longitudinal axis of the jet disk on at least two different radii and/or on at least two different circumferential angles.

21. The shower head according to claim 12, wherein the jet disk holding region and/or the jet disk and/or the plug connector pins are/is made of a plastic material.

22. The shower head according to claim 12, wherein: the plurality of jet discharge openings are in fluid communication with a common fluid supply chamber for synchronized fluid supply, and the jet disk, at least in a region between two of said jet discharge openings, abuts in a fluid-tight manner against the jet disk holding region of the base body, and the base body comprises a plurality of fluid feed ducts leading out of the common fluid supply chamber, among said fluid feed ducts a first one leads to one of two corresponding jet discharge openings and a second one, separate from the first one, leads to the second one of the two corresponding jet discharge openings.

23. The shower head according to claim 12, wherein the respective plug connector pin is formed as a component separate from the jet disk and the jet disk holding region.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Advantageous embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings. These and further embodiments of the invention are described in greater detail below. In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a plan view from below of a sanitary hand-held shower having a shower head;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a sectional view along a line II-II in FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a plan view from below, that is to say counter to a shower jet discharge direction, of part of a shower head having a base body and a jet disc, said shower head being capable of being used in the hand-held shower of FIGS. 1 and 2, for example;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a sectional view along the line IV-IV in FIG. 3;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a view of a detail of a region V in FIG. 4;

(7) FIG. 6 shows a perspective view from below of the shower head part of FIGS. 3 to 5;

(8) FIG. 7 shows a plan view from above of a jet disc plate of the jet disc of the shower head part of FIGS. 3 to 6;

(9) FIG. 8 shows a plan view from above of a jet mat of the jet disc for the shower head according to FIGS. 3 to 6; and

(10) FIG. 9 shows a plan view from above of a base body of a shower head base body of FIGS. 3 to 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(11) The embodiments of the invention described herein are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to precise forms disclosed. Rather, the embodiments selected for description have been chosen to enable one skilled in the art to practice the invention.

(12) The sanitary hand-held shower shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a hand-held shower housing 20 of a shape usual per se, having a hollow grip part 21 and a housing head part 22. The supply of a shower fluid is performed in the usual manner by way of the hollow grip part 21, for example by connecting to a shower hose. The housing head part 22, conjointly with further shower head components accommodated therein, forms a shower head 23. The hand-held shower in the embodiment shown is configured in a manner known per se for providing a plurality of jet types, to which end the shower head 23 is correspondingly conceived having multiple ducts, that is to say possesses a plurality of fluidically parallel fluid feeds 26, a distributor valve 24 which is activatable by the user by way of an operating element, in this case by way of a pushbutton 25, for example, being disposed upstream of said fluid feeds 26.

(13) FIGS. 3 to 9 visualize the presently interesting component parts of a shower head such as can be used in the hand-held shower of FIGS. 1 and 2, alternatively for any other shower, for example for sanitary side showers and head showers as well as for non-sanitary showers by way of which water or another fluid can be provided as a shower jet.

(14) The shower head visualized in FIGS. 3 to 9, and visualized in the use in the hand-held shower of FIGS. 1 and 2, includes a base body 1, a jet disc 2, and a jet disc holding device 3. The jet disc 2 is held on a shower jet discharge side 4 of the base body 1 and has at least one jet discharge opening 7. In the example shown, a plurality of jet discharge openings 7 are provided, wherein the number of jet discharge openings 7 depends on the specific application. For example, only a single jet discharge opening 7 is in most instances present for providing a cascade jet, while often more than 100 or else more than 150 jet discharge openings, typically at a mutual spacing of at most 1 mm to 5 mm are present for large-area jet discs 2 and/or for shower heads of the fine jet/needle jet type. The jet disc holding device 3 serves for holding the jet disc 2 on a jet disc holding region 8 of the base body 1.

(15) The jet disc holding device 3 comprises a plurality of plug connector pins 5 and a corresponding plurality of assigned pin through-passage openings 6 through which one of the plug connector pins 5 is in each case push-fitted. The respective pin through-passage opening 6 in the case of the embodiment of the shower head shown in FIGS. 3 to 9 is configured on the jet disc holding region 8 of the base body 1. In alternative embodiments, the respective pin through-passage opening 6 is configured on the jet disc 2. The plug connector pins 5 and the pin through-passage openings 6 are configured for firmly holding the pin connector pins 5 in a latching manner in the pin through-passage openings 6.

(16) In corresponding embodiments of the shower head, at least one of the pin through-passage openings 6 has a radially elastically resilient opening edge 9. In the example shown, all pin through-passage openings 6 have the radially elastically resilient opening edge 9. In alternative embodiments, none of the pin through-passage openings 6, or only part of the pin through-passage openings 6, have the radially elastically resilient opening edge 9, and instead have a non-radially elastically resilient opening edge with which an elastically resilient region of the respective plug connector pin 5 can in this instance interact, for example.

(17) In corresponding embodiments, at least one of the connector pins 5, as in the example shown, has a mushroom-shaped latching head 5a which is configured for the latching engagement behind by a latching edge 9a of the assigned pin through-passage opening 9. In the example shown, all plug fastening pins 5 have the mushroom-shaped latching head 5a; in alternative embodiments none of the plug fastening pins 5, or only part of the plug fastening pins 5, have the mushroom-shaped latching head 5a. In this case, the respective plug fastening pin is firmly held in a latching manner in the associated pin through-passage opening by means of another latching connection known per se.

(18) In advantageous embodiments as in the exemplary embodiment shown, at least one of the pin through-passage openings 6 is formed by a holding dome-shaped section 10 of the jet disc holding region 8 or of the jet disc 2, wherein the holding dome-shaped section 10 has a dome bottom region 10a from where the assigned plug connector pin 5 by way of its latching head 5a leading is insertable axially into the holding dome-shaped section 10, and a dome head region 10b which includes a through-passage hole 11, the hole edge thereof forming the latching edge 9a of the pin through-passage opening 9. In the example shown, each pin through-passage opening 6 is in each case formed by one such holding dome-shaped section 10 of the jet disc holding region 8 of the base body 1; in alternative embodiments none of the pin through-passage openings 6, or only part of the pin through-passage openings 6, are formed by such a holding dome-shaped section and instead, for example, by a simple hole in a plate-shaped section of the jet disc holding region, or at least one of the pin through-passage openings 6 is formed by a holding dome-shaped section 10 of the jet disc 2 instead of the jet disc holding region 8.

(19) In corresponding embodiments an outer diameter of the holding dome-shaped section 10 on the dome bottom region 10a is larger than on the dome head region 10b, as in the exemplary embodiment shown; in alternative embodiments said diameters can also be of identical size, for example. In corresponding embodiments the respective holding dome-shaped section 10 is configured so as to be slotted by one or a plurality of axial slots in a manner so as to be actually closed on one side or both sides, or so as to be continuously slotted, or alternatively so as to be completely closed on the shell side.

(20) In corresponding embodiments the at least one plug connector pin 5, as in the example shown, on the end region thereof that faces away from the mushroom-shaped latching head 5a has a radially projecting holding shoulder 5b. In the example shown, all plug connector pins 5 have said holding shoulder 5b; in alternative embodiments, none of the plug connector pins 5, or only part of the plug connector pins 5, have said holding shoulder 5b.

(21) The respective plug connector pin 5 instead of the holding portion 5b can have another conventional holding means, for example latching cams or a force-fitting holding means, by way of which said plug connector pin 5 in a holding manner interacts with the jet disc 2, or in alternative embodiments with the jet disc holding region 8 of the base body 1, respectively.

(22) In corresponding embodiments the jet disc 2, as in the example shown, has a plurality of the jet discharge openings 7 which are collectively in a fluidic connection with an assigned fluid supply chamber 12, wherein the jet disc 2 at least in a region 2a between two 7a, 7b of said jet discharge openings 7 abuts in a fluid-tight manner against the jet disc holding region 8 of the base body 1, and the base body 1 has a plurality of fluid feed ducts 13 leading out of the common fluid supply chamber 12, of which a first fluid feed duct 13a leads to one 7a of the two respective jet discharge openings 7a, 7b, and a second fluid feed duct 13b, separate from the first fluid feed duct 13a, leads to the other 7b of the two respective jet discharge openings 7a, 7b.

(23) In an advantageous embodiment the jet disc 2 in a circumferentially closed fluid-tight manner abuts against the jet disc holding region 8 of the base body 1 about each jet discharge opening 7, and the base body 1 for each jet discharge opening 7 has a dedicated fluid feed duct 13 leading out of the associated fluid supply chamber 12. In this case, the jet discharge openings 7 at the level of the boundary region of the jet disc 2 and the base body 1 are consequently completely sealed in relation to one another such that no cavity is present there and accordingly no fluid positive pressure can build up there. Such a fluid positive pressure can if at all build up in the upstream fluid supply chamber 12 where said fluid positive pressure can be readily absorbed by the base body 1 on account of the comparatively stable construction of the latter.

(24) In alternative embodiments the jet disc 2 abuts against the jet disc holding region 8 of the base body 1 in such a manner that not each jet discharge opening 7 is separated individually in a fluid-tight manner in relation to the other jet discharge openings 7, but the jet discharge openings 7 are fluidically separated in groups. In this case, the jet discharge openings 7 are subdivided into groups, wherein at least one group comprises two or more jet discharge openings 7, and said jet discharge openings 7 of the same group at the level of the boundary region between the jet disc 2 and the base body 1 are not fluidically separated among one another but are fluidically separated from all other jet discharge openings 7. In the case of at least two such groups of the jet discharge openings 7 herein these are groups of which the jet discharge openings 7 are associated with an identical shower jet type of the shower head, that is to say that all shower jet types are supplied, or not supplied, respectively, in synch with the shower fluid from an identical one of in this case typically a plurality of fluid supply chambers 12.

(25) In corresponding embodiments the respective plug connector pin 5, as in the example shown, is configured as a component that is separate from the jet disc 2 and the jet disc holding region 8 of the base body 1. In alternative embodiments the respective plug connector pin 5 is configured integrally with the jet disc 2 or integrally with the jet disc holding region 8 of the base body 1.

(26) In corresponding embodiments the plug connector pins 5 and the assigned pin through-passage openings 6 in relation to a longitudinal central axis L of the jet disc are situated on at least two different radii and/or at at least two different circumferential angles. In other words, the plug connector pins 5 and the associated pin through-passage openings 6 in this case are situated at fastening points which have dissimilar spacings from the jet disc longitudinal central axis L and/or are mutually offset in the rotation direction about the jet disc longitudinal central axis L. Said fastening points are preferably disposed so as to be distributed in a substantially uniform manner across the planar extent of the jet disc 2. This typically facilitates a uniform absorption of the fluid pressure forces by the jet disc holding device 3. In alternative embodiments, all of the fastening points are disposed on a common radius in terms of the jet disc longitudinal central axis L, or all of the fastening points are disposed at the same circumferential angle.

(27) In advantageous embodiments the jet disc holding region 8 of the base body 1, the jet disc 2, and the plug connector pins 5 all are formed from a common plastic material or alternatively from different plastic materials. In further alternative embodiments the plug connector pins 5 are formed from a metallic material. In even further alternative embodiments the jet disc 2 and/or the jet disc holding region 8 are/is formed from a metallic material.

(28) In an advantageous embodiment the jet disc 2, as in the example shown, comprises a bending-resistant perforated disc plate 14 and a bending-flexible jet mat 15, wherein the jet mat 15 is disposed on a rear side of the disc plate 14 that faces the jet disc holding region 8 of the base body 1. FIG. 7 shows the disc plate 14 in a plan view from above, that is to say in a plan view onto the rear side that in the shower fluid flow direction is upstream. Discharge nipples 16 which form the jet discharge openings 7 and extend through nipple discharge openings 17 in the disc plate 14 are configured on the front side on the jet mat 15. FIG. 8 likewise shows the jet mat 15 in a plan view from above. Said jet mat 15 in this positioning can be placed onto the disc plate 14 of FIG. 7, wherein the discharge nipples 16 of said jet mat 15 are push-fitted through the nipple discharge openings 17 in the disc plate 14.

(29) The plug connector pins 5 preferably interact in a holding manner with the disc plate 14. In the example shown this is implemented in that the disc plate 14 has pin receptacle depressions 14a on which the plug connector pins 5 by way of the holding shoulder 5b thereof are brought to abut. In alternative embodiments, the plug connector pins 5 interact in a holding manner with the disc plate 14 in another way, for example in that said plug connector pins 5 are configured integrally with the disc plate 14, or are held by being press-fitted into the disc plate 14, or by way of the mushroom-shaped latching head 5a of said plug connector pins 5 interact with the holding dome-shaped sections 10, wherein the latter in this instance are configured on the disc plate 14.

(30) The jet mat 15 is preferably composed of an elastomer material and is provided with pin passage-through holes 19 through which the plug connector pins 5 are guided. The jet mat 15 preferably functions as a sealing means by way of which the fluid-tight bearing of the jet disc 2 on the jet disc holding region 8 of the base body 1 can be affected in the region or regions 2a between the jet discharge openings 7 or discharge nipples 16.

(31) In advantageous embodiments the base body 1 and the jet disc 2, as in the exemplary embodiment shown, form a cartridge body 18 as an independent component, as is illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 6. The cartridge body 18 forms in particular a component that can be pre-assembled separately from an external housing of the shower head or from the housing head part 22 and can then be inserted into the shower head external housing.

(32) The base body 1 in the exemplary embodiment shown includes two plate-shaped components which are connected to one another while forming the fluid supply chambers 12 lying therebetween, said plate-shaped components specifically being a jet disc holding plate 1a providing on the lower side the jet disc holding region 8, and a cover plate 1b. The jet disc holding plate 1a at the same time functions as a distributor plate for distributing the infed shower fluid into the optionally a plurality of fluidically parallel fluid feeds 26, or individual chambers, that is to say into the plurality of fluid supply chambers 12, and from there into the fluid feed ducts 13 leading to the jet discharge openings 7. To this end, the jet disc holding plate 1a or the distributor plate on the upstream side thereof that faces the jet disc holding side comprises a suitable distributor structure profile, as can be seen from FIG. 9 which shows a plan view onto this side of the jet disc holding plate 1a or the distributor plate.

(33) As becomes evident from the description above, the invention makes available an advantageous shower head which can be constructed with relatively little complexity so as to be compact and highly resistant to a fluid pressure. Even when a fluid positive pressure in the shower head is created on account of limescale deposition effects, for example, this does not lead to the shower head parts being compromised or damaged. The jet disc having the jet discharge openings thereof can remain unstressed by such fluid positive pressures. The shower head according to the invention can readily withstand fluid positive pressures of up to 5 bar or else up to 10 bar, for example. The jet disc fastening by means of the plug connector pins in comparison to the use of screw fastenings is less complex, less prone to damage, significantly more space-saving, and more reliable in terms of any unintentional release of the fastening. The shower head according to the invention can be implemented using relatively few components, and when using the cartridge construction mode mentioned, it is possible for the cartridge body to be produced exclusively from plastics material, if required. No screw-fitting procedures are required for assembling the shower head and the cartridge body, for example. The plug connector pins can be conceived such that said plug connector pins are stressed only in terms of tension, whereas the surrounding components such as, for example, the holding dome-shaped sections, are stressed in terms of compression. The compressive stress on the holding dome-shaped sections can additionally be a safeguard in relation to the plug connector pins unintentionally sliding out of the pin through-passage openings thereof.

(34) As has already been mentioned, the shower head according to the invention can be used in diverse ways for sanitary and non-sanitary showers.

(35) Although the invention has been described in detailed with reference to preferred embodiments, variations and modifications exist within the spirit and scope of the invention as described and defined in the following claims.