Abstract:
A mounting structure for a handheld showerhead is provided with an integral vacuum breaker device that breaks the fluid communication between the shower pipe and the supply hose upon the occurrence of back pressure in the water supply system. The mounting structure comprises a mount body that is coupleable to a shower pipe at its inlet end and to a supply hose at its outlet end. A vacuum breaker is provided within the mount body in-line between the inlet end and the outlet end. When positive fluid pressure is applied to the vacuum breaker, water flows through the vacuum breaker to a supply hose and handheld showerhead coupled to the outlet end. When negative fluid pressure or back pressure is applied to the shower pipe, the vacuum breaker seals the channel within the mount body to break fluid communication between the inlet end and the outlet end, thus preventing the back pressure from drawing contaminated water through the supply hose and showerhead. A cradle for holding the handheld showerhead is pivotally coupled to the mount body, and the mount body is rotatable about the shower pipe. The handheld showerhead is thereby provided with a mounting structure that integrates a vacuum breaker for preventing contamination due to back pressure in the water supply system, while providing a full range of motion for mounting in a desired position.
Abstract:
A showerhead includes a valve plate that is fixed in a housing and directs water received by the housing through apertures in the valve plate. A selector disk is coupled to and rotatable with respect to the valve plate. The selector disk has respective channels for conducting water from respective apertures at its rear to respective chambers at its front where different spray effects are produced. The respective apertures at the rear of the selector disk are selectably alignable to receive water from the apertures of the valve plate through rotation of the selector disk with respect to the valve plate, thereby producing the different spray effects based on the position to which the selector disk is rotated. A face plate is fixed to the selector disk and rotatable with the selector disk. The valve plate, selector disk and face plate are preferably joined by snap structures to reduce the axial length of the showerhead. The showerhead may be implemented as a stationary showerhead or a handheld showerhead.
Abstract:
A device enables a user to selectively change the flow of water produced by a waterspout between aerated flow and non-aerated flow. The device is preferably implemented as an adapter that is threaded to or otherwise coupled to the end of a waterspout such as a kitchen or bathroom faucet waterspout or a bathtub waterspout. The device includes a closure mechanism that is operable by a user to permit or prevent aeration of water flowing through the adapter. The adapter may include a control ring that may be rotated by a user to selectively open and close bores for introducing air into the interior of the adapter. When the control ring is turned to an open position, air is introduced and an aerated water flow is produced. When the ring is turned to a closed position, air is not introduced and non-aerated or laminar flow is produced. A user is thereby enabled to select the desired type of flow.
Abstract:
An adjustable mounting arrangement for hand-held shower heads includes a frusto-conical hose coupling, secured to the shower head, and a wall-mounted bracket in which the coupling is supported. The bracket includes opposed sidewalls containing a plurality of opposed pairs of channels of tapered arcuate crosssection such that each channel pair is capable of supporting the frusto-conical hose coupling. Each channel pair is oriented at a different angle relative to the vertical whereby the shower head is supported at a different angle by each channel pair. The hose coupling is rotatable, about its own longitudinal axis, within each support channel pair to provide additional positioned adjustment of the shower head. The front end of the bracket is opened to permit the hose to fit therethrough when the shower head is being placed in or removed from the bracket.