SHOWER SYSTEM
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- MX · MX
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- AS AMERICA INC
- Filing Date
- 2019-07-04
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-19
Smart Images
Figure MX434535B0
Abstract
Description
SHOWER SYSTEM REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 62 / 443995 filed on January 9, 2017, entitled "SHOWER SYSTEM", which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. FIELD OF DESCRIPTION The description refers, in general terms, to shower systems. BACKGROUND OF THE DESCRIPTION Shower assemblies are commonly known as those that provide water flow to a user in a shower, bathtub, or similar fixture. Some assemblies include multiple water supply devices, such as a showerhead and a separate hand shower that the user can move freely. It is also common to find hand showers that are removable and mounted on the shower assembly (or elsewhere in the shower area). However, providing additional shower assembly options is desirable. SUMMARY OF THE DESCRIPTION In general, one objective of this description is to describe embodiments of a new shower system comprising modular components that can be removably joined and replaced or interchanged with corresponding components of a different design or form factor. Specifically, the shower system includes a shower head, a diverter unit, and a hand shower. The shower head can be either seamlessly attached or removably connected to the diverter unit. The shower head includes a defined spray face with an opening sized to receive a correspondingly shaped front portion of the diverter unit when the shower head is attached to the diverter unit.The hand shower also attaches smoothly to the diverter unit and is removably connected to the front of the diverter unit, so that the hand shower is not level with the diverter unit and the spray face of the shower head when attached. In some embodiments, the diverter unit includes a paddle lever for selectively directing the water flow to the shower head and the hand shower. The paddle lever can be positioned near the shower head for easy access by the user. Still other objects and advantages of the present invention will be partly obvious and partly evident from the description.In some embodiments, a shower assembly includes: a diverter unit fluidly coupled to a fluid source and configured to selectively direct fluid flow from the fluid source to one of a shower head and a hand shower or both; the shower head includes a first plurality of nozzles configured to dispense fluid, the shower head is configured to be fluidly and removably coupled to the diverter unit; and the hand shower includes a second plurality of nozzles configured to dispense fluid and fluidly coupled by a flexible tube to the diverter unit, the hand shower being configured to be removably attached to the diverter unit by means of a connector. In some models, a portion of the hand shower's spray head protrudes from the shower head and diverter unit when the hand shower is attached to the diverter unit. In some models, the shower assembly includes a release mechanism that removably connects the shower head to the diverter unit. This release mechanism is configured to allow the shower head to be detached from the diverter unit. In some models, the release mechanism includes a button. In some models, the shower head is configured to seamlessly connect to the diverter unit by connecting one or more of the shower head's conduits to one or more corresponding channels of the diverter unit. In some models, the shower head is configured to seamlessly connect to the diverter unit by connecting two conduits of the shower head to two corresponding channels of the diverter unit. In some models, the shower head includes an opening shaped to allow a correspondingly shaped front portion of the diverter unit to extend through the opening when the shower head is smoothly attached to the diverter unit, and the opening makes it possible for a front surface of the diverter unit to be exposed for removable attachment to the hand shower. In some models, the shower assembly includes a paddle lever configured to be actuated between multiple positions to cause the diverter unit to selectively direct fluid flow from the fluid supply to either the shower head and / or hand shower. In some models, the diverter unit is configured to selectively direct fluid flow from the fluid source to the hand shower and shower head when the paddle lever is actuated to the first of the multiple positions. In some models, the diverter unit is configured to selectively direct fluid flow from the fluid source to the hand shower, but not to the shower head, when the paddle lever is actuated to the second of the multiple positions. In some models, the paddle lever is attached to the diverter device and configured to extend beneath the shower head. In some models, the hand shower includes a button that can be configured to control a spray mode from the second set of nozzles. In some models, the diverter unit includes the connector. In some models, the hand shower includes the connector. In some models, the connector includes pins. In some models, the pins include a pair of arms that extend outward from the diverter unit. In some models, the connector includes magnetically attachable material. In some models, this magnetically attachable material removably connects the shower head to the front of the diverter unit. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The present description is discussed in more detail below with reference to examples of modalities illustrated in the accompanying figures, in which: Figures 1A-1B illustrate perspective views of a shower system, according to some modalities. IVIA / a / ¿U¿Ó / UU 14Ó0 Figures 1C-1D illustrate side views of the shower system, according to some modalities. Figures 2A-2B illustrate a hand shower removably attached to a diverter unit in the shower system, according to some embodiments. Figures 3-6 illustrate various views of the shower system, according to some modalities. Figure 7 illustrates components of the shower system that are removably joined, according to some modalities. Figure 8 illustrates another view of the shower system of Figure 7, according to some modalities. Figures 9A-9B illustrate a shower head and its associated components, according to some modalities. Figures 10A-10B illustrate a shower head and its associated components, according to some embodiments. Figures 11A-11B illustrate a diverter unit and its associated components, according to some embodiments. Figures 12A-12B illustrate cross-sectional views of the shower system, according to some embodiments. Figure 13A illustrates a shower system with a paddle lever in a first position, according to some embodiments. Figures 13B-13C illustrate the water flow in the shower system when the paddle lever is in the first position, according to some modalities. Figure 14A illustrates a shower system with a paddle lever in a second position, according to some embodiments. Figures 14B-14C illustrate the water flow in the shower system when the paddle lever is in the second position, according to some embodiments, and Figures 15A-15B illustrate cross-sectional views of the diverter unit in the shower system, according to some embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Figures 1A-1D illustrate various views of a shower system 100 according to some modalities of the present description. In particular, Figures 1A-1B illustrate perspective views of shower system 100, and Figures 1C-1D illustrate side views of shower system 100. Shower system 100 may include a shower head 110, a diverter unit 130, and a hand shower 120. Figures 1A-1D show a configuration of shower system 100 where each shower head 110 and hand shower 120 is removably attached to the diverter unit 130. As will be further described below, the modular design of shower system 100 improves upon standard shower assemblies by providing the user with removably attached components that can be flexibly interchanged to suit user preferences, according to certain modalities. In some embodiments, the diverter unit 130 includes a ball joint 133 positioned at a rear inlet of the diverter unit 130 to smoothly couple the diverter unit 130 to a water outlet pipe 90 for receiving fluid (e.g., water, ozonated water, filtered water, etc.) from a fluid source (e.g., a water source). Although the present description outlines embodiments with respect to water, it is understood that other types of fluid can be applied to shower assemblies. For example, the fluid may be a cleaning solution used to clean a bathtub or shower enclosure. As will be further described later with reference to Figures 12A-15B, the diverter unit 130 includes one or more valves to control the flow of water from the water outlet pipe 90 to the shower head 110 and hand shower 120.In some configurations, the diverter unit 130 can be configured to selectively direct water flow to either the hand shower 120 and the shower head 110, or to both components when they are removably attached. In some configurations, the diverter unit 130 can be configured to direct water flow based on whether the hand shower 120 is removably attached to the diverter unit 130. For example, in a coupled configuration where the hand shower 120 is removably attached to the diverter unit 130, the diverter unit 130 can be configured to selectively direct water flow from the water outlet pipe 90 through either the hand shower 120 or the shower head 110. In some embodiments, the diverter unit 130 can be operated via a paddle lever 135 to selectively direct the water flow through the hand shower 120, the shower head 110, or both the hand shower 120 and the shower head 110. In some embodiments, the paddle lever 135 can be configured to extend below the shower head 110 for easier user access. The user can mechanically actuate the paddle lever 135 by removably attaching the hand shower 120 to the diverter unit 130 or a combination thereof. For example, the user can actuate the paddle lever 135 by pressing or lifting it. In another example, removably attaching the hand shower 120 to the diverter unit 130 can operate the paddle lever 135.In some embodiments, the paddle lever 135 can be physically connected to a rotating shaft that rotates clockwise or counterclockwise depending on whether a force is applied that pushes or lifts the paddle lever 135. The direction (e.g., clockwise or counterclockwise) of the rotating shaft can direct the diverter unit 130 to selectively direct the water flow. In some embodiments, the paddle lever 135 may include a spring whose state (e.g., compressed or expanded) can direct the diverter unit 130 to selectively direct the water flow. In some embodiments, the shower head 110 may have a substantially flat, wide spray face 112f that includes nozzles 112n for supplying water received through the diverter unit 130, as described above. The shower head 110, which can be selected from a set of interchangeable shower heads with different footprint and / or nozzle configurations, is removably attached to the diverter unit 130. As shown in Figure 1A and as described below, the shower head 110, by being removably attached to the diverter unit 130, also seamlessly couples the shower head 110 to the diverter unit 130. Providing removable, interchangeable shower heads (such as the 110 shower head) offers the user greater flexibility in functionality and design, which is not possible with shower-mount designs that have an integrated shower head and diverter unit. For example, the user can select the 110 shower head with a specific design (or form factor) that best suits the surrounding décor. Additionally, the user can select the 110 shower head with 112n nozzles in a specific configuration (such as a specific number of nozzles or nozzles of a specific diameter) to control the water flow pressure of a shower head within the 100 shower system. The shower head 110 can be removably attached to the diverter unit 130 via one or more mechanisms IVIA / a / ¿U¿Ó / UU 14Ó0 coupling. In some embodiments, the shower head 110 can be removably attached to the diverter unit 130 via a release mechanism 132 (e.g., a button or pair of buttons, as shown in Figures 1C-1D). In some embodiments, the shower head 110 can be removably attached to the diverter unit 130 by physically coupling one or more conduits of the hand shower 120 with one or more corresponding channels of the diverter unit 130, as will be further described with regard to Figures 7 and 8. In some embodiments, the shower head 110 can be removably attached to the diverter unit 130 via a magnetic connection. For example, a rear side of the shower head 110 (as shown in Figure 7) and the front side 136 (as shown in Figure 7) may include one or more complementary magnets or material that can be magnetically attracted with complementary magnetic polarities. When the rear side of the shower head 110 is brought into contact with the front surface 136, the shower head 110 is removably attached to the diverter unit 130 by the magnetic attraction force. The magnetic forces should be sufficient to allow the shower head 110 to be removably and securely attached (e.g., coupled and detached) to the diverter unit 130. Preferably, this is in accordance with government and industry regulations and standards. As shown in Figures 1A-1D, the hand shower 120 may include a spray head portion 122 for supplying water, a handle 124 to enable the user to operate the spray head portion 122, and a flexible hose 170 for receiving water from the diverter unit 130. The flexible hose 170 may securely and smoothly connect the hand shower 120 to the diverter unit 130. In some embodiments, the flexible hose 170 may be at least 59 inches (i.e., approximately 1.5 meters) long to provide the user with a wide range of mobility in operating the hand shower 120. In some embodiments, the spray head portion 122 may include a nozzle unit 126 with nozzles 126n that smoothly connects the hand shower 120 to the flexible hose 170. In some models, in addition to being permanently attached to the diverter unit 130 via the flexible hose 170, the hand shower 120 can be detachably attached to the diverter unit 130 using a connector. In some models, the diverter unit 130 includes the connector. In some models, the hand shower 120 includes the connector. For example, Figures 1A-1D illustrate views of a shower system configuration 100 where the hand shower 120 is removably attached (e.g., mounted or magnetically attached) to the diverter unit 130. In some embodiments, the hand shower 120 can be removably attached to the diverter unit 130 to protrude (i.e., extend from the surface) of the flat front surface 136f of the diverter unit 130 and the shower head 110. This configuration may provide the user with other means by which to detach the hand shower 120 from the diverter unit 130.For example, because the spray head portion is not level with the flat front surface 136f or the flat spray face 112f, the user can easily grasp the spray head portion 122 itself to uncouple the hand shower 120 from the diverter unit 130. In some embodiments, the hand shower 120 can be removably attached to the diverter unit 130 by mating the removable spray head portion 122 with the flat front surface 136f of the diverter unit 130. In some embodiments, the connector may be magnets or magnetically attractable material. For example, the spray head portion 122 can be mated to the flat front surface 136f of the diverter unit 130 via a magnetic connection. For example, a rear side (e.g., the rear side 122r in Figure 7) of the spray head portion 122 and the flat front surface 136f may include one or more complementary magnets or magnetically attractable material with complementary magnetic polarities.When the rear side of the spray head portion 122 makes contact with the flat front surface 136f, the rear side is held in place by magnetic attraction, so that the hand shower 120 protrudes from the diverter unit 130 and the spray face 112f of the shower head 110. The magnetic forces should be sufficient to securely and removably attach the hand shower 120 to the diverter unit 130 without requiring excessive pulling force to detach the hand shower 120. Preferably, this is in accordance with government and industry regulations and standards. In some embodiments, the connector for removably attaching the hand shower 120 to the diverter unit 130 may be spigots. For example, the hand shower 120 may be removably attached to the diverter unit 130 by means of a pair of arms 131a extending outwards from the underside of the diverter unit 130. In some embodiments, the arms 131a can be configured to secure the hand shower 120, particularly where the handle 124 of the hand shower 120 is tapered to fit the spray head portion 122, to the diverter unit 130. In some embodiments, the hand shower 120 may be removably attached to the diverter unit 130 by means of a magnetic coupling, as described above, in addition to the arms 131a. In these configurations, the 131a arms can prevent the magnetically attached hand shower from rotating left or right or sliding down. Figures 2A-2B illustrate the hand shower 120 removably attached to the diverter unit 130 in the shower system 100, according to several embodiments. In particular, Figures 2A-2B show a shower system 100 configuration where the hand shower 120 is detachable from the diverter unit 130. Note that while the spray head portion 122 of the hand shower 120 is shown detached from the diverter unit 130, the hand shower 120 can remain permanently attached and smoothly coupled to the diverter unit 130 via the flexible hose 170 (as shown in Figure 1B). As described with respect to Figures 1A-1D, the diverter unit 130 can be configured to control the water flow to the shower head 110 and hand shower 120 based on whether the hand shower 120 is removably attached to the diverter unit 130.For example, when the spray head portion 122 of the hand shower 120 is detached from the diverter unit 130, it is possible to configure the diverter unit 130 to simultaneously block the flow of water to the shower head 110 and selectively direct the flow of water to the hand shower 120. In some embodiments, the spray head portion 122 of the hand shower 120 can be detachably attached to the flat front surface 136f of the diverter unit 130. As shown in Figure 2A, the shower head 110 can have a defined opening 112c in it, which has a shape that can receive a correspondingly shaped front portion 136 of the diverter unit 130 when the shower head 110 is attached to the diverter unit 130. IVIA / a / ¿U¿Ó / UU 14Ó0 As described with respect to Figures 1A-1D, the user can detach the hand shower 120 from the diverter unit 130 by grasping and pulling the spray head portion 122 or by pulling the hand shower 120 through the handle 124. The hand shower 120 can remain smoothly coupled to the diverter unit 130 through the flexible tube 170 that physically connects the hand shower 120 to the diverter unit 130. In some embodiments, where the hand shower 120 is removably attached to the diverter unit 130 via a magnetic connection, taking the handle 124 or the spray head portion 122 and exerting a pulling force overcomes the magnetic force when removably attaching the spray head portion 122 to the flat front surface 136f of the diverter unit 130. In some embodiments, the pair of arms 131a at the bottom of the diverter unit 130 can be used to hold the hand shower 120 in place and removably attached to the flat front surface 136f of the diverter unit 130. In some embodiments, the pair of arms 131a can be angled upwards so that the user can detach the hand shower 120 (e.g., spray head portion 122) from the diverter unit 130 by grasping, lifting, and pulling the spray head portion 122 or handle 124 past the diverter unit 130. In some embodiments, the pair of arms 131a can be made of an elastic material (e.g., plastic) that holds the hand shower 120 in place through a compressive force.In these modes, the user may be allowed to detach the hand shower 120 from the diverter unit 130 by pulling directly on the hand shower 120 through the handle 124 or part of the spray head 122. In some models, the hand shower 120 includes a button 141 that the user can toggle to change the spray mode of the spray head 122. The spray mode may include, but is not limited to, a water spray force, a mist spray, a jet spray, a swirl massage spray, and other spray patterns. In some models, to provide multiple spray modes, button 141 can be toggled to control the water flow rate through the flexible hose 170 to the nozzles (e.g., nozzles 112n) of the spray head 122. In some models, to provide multiple spray modes, button 141 can be toggled to control which nozzles of the spray head 122 are permitted to operate.In the embodiments described above with respect to Figures 1A-1D, the diverter unit 130 includes a paddle lever 135 that can be actuated between multiple positions to selectively direct fluid (e.g., water) to the shower head 110, the hand shower 120, or both components when removably attached. In some embodiments, the paddle lever 135 may include a spring that can be compressed or expanded to allow the paddle lever 135 to remain in a raised or lowered configuration, respectively. In some embodiments, the user can actuate the paddle lever 135 by lowering or raising it. In some embodiments, the paddle lever 135 can be configured to operate based on the state of the arms 131a.For example, the paddle lever 135 can be lowered when the force exerted on the arm pair 131a (e.g., when the hand shower 120 is removably attached to the diverter unit 130) and released when the force decreases (e.g., when the hand shower 120 is detached from the diverter unit 130). Therefore, the paddle lever 135 can be operated based on whether the hand shower 120 is... IVIA / a / ¿U¿Ó / UU 14Ó0 is removably attached to the diverter unit 130, according to some modalities. Figures 3-6 illustrate various views of shower system 100, as described with respect to Figures 1A-1D and 2A-2B, according to some modalities. Figures 3-6 illustrate the shower system 100 in a coupled configuration where both detachably attached components of the hand shower 120 and shower head 110 are detachably attached to the diverter unit 130. As shown in Figures 3-4, the spray head portion 122 of the hand shower 120 protrudes from the shower head 110 and the diverter unit 130 when the hand shower 120 is attached to the diverter unit 130. In some embodiments, a portion of the spray head portion 122 of the hand shower 120 may protrude from the shower head 110 to provide an additional surface for the user to pull the hand shower 120 off the diverter unit 130. Figure 6 further illustrates a hand shower 120 that includes a button 141 for controlling a hand shower 120 spray mode as described with respect to Figures 2A-2B. For example, by pressing button 141, the user can control one or more types of nozzles (for example, type 143 nozzles or type 145 nozzles) for the water outlet to allow different spray modes. Figure 7 illustrates components of the shower system 100 removably connected, according to some embodiments. The shower system 100 can be flexibly adapted to the user's needs by including modular components: a hand shower 120 and a shower head 110, each of which can be removably attached to the diverter unit 130. As illustrated in Figure 7, a ball joint 133 located at the rear inlet of the diverter unit 130 can smoothly connect the diverter unit 130 to a water outlet pipe 90. The water outlet pipe 90 can also be smoothly connected to a water source.As will be further described below with regard to Figures 12A-15B, the diverter unit 130 includes a paddle lever 135 that can be operated to selectively control whether water (or other fluids) can be allowed to flow from the water outlet tube 90 to the shower head 110, hand shower 120, or both the shower head 110 and hand shower 120. In some embodiments, the shower head 110 can be seamlessly coupled to the diverter unit 130 via one or more conduits 114 operating with one or more corresponding channels 134 of the diverter unit 130. In some embodiments, the shower head 110 can be removably attached to the diverter unit 130 via one or more conduits 114 with one or more corresponding channels 134 of the diverter unit 130. In these embodiments, the action of coupling the conduit(s) 114 also seamlessly couples the shower head 110 to the diverter unit 130. In some embodiments, the shower head 110 can be removably attached to the diverter unit 130 via one or more release mechanisms 132. For example, the release mechanisms 132 may be one or more buttons (e.g., a pair of buttons) that mechanically and physically connect the shower head 110 to the diverter unit 130. When one or more of the buttons are pressed, the shower head 110 can be detached from the diverter unit 130. In some embodiments, providing a detachable shower head 110 in the shower system 100 may allow the user to select a shower head 110 from among multiple shower heads to choose a shower head design that best suits their needs. In some embodiments, each of the shower heads (including shower head 110) from the multiple shower heads may have an opening 112c shaped to receive a correspondingly shaped front portion 136 of the diverter unit 130 when shower head 110 is attached to the diverter unit 130. In some embodiments, the opening 112c of the shower head 110 may be shaped to receive a rear side 122r of the spray head portion 122 for mating with a flat front surface 136f of the front portion 136 to allow a secure but detachable connection between the shower head 120 and the diverter unit 130. In fact, the opening 112c allows exposure of the flat front surface 136f of the front portion 136 when the shower head 110 is attached to the diverter unit 130. As described above with regard to Figures 1A-1D, the detachable connection between the hand shower 120 and the diverter unit 130 may be made possible by the inclusion of complementary fittings on the spray head portion 122 (of the hand shower 120) and the front surface 136 (of the diverter unit). detour 130).In some embodiments, a pair of arms 131a of the diverter unit 130 extending outwards from the diverter unit 130 may enable removable attachment. In such embodiments, the pair of arms 131a may secure the hand shower 120, particularly the portion of the hand shower 120 where the handle 124 tapers to engage with the spray head portion 122. Figure 8 illustrates another view of the shower system 100 of Figure 7, according to some modalities. As illustrated in Figure 8, the shower head 110 may include two conduits 114 that receive water supplied by the water outlet pipe 90 and selectively directed by the diverter unit 130 to the shower head 110. In some embodiments where the shower head 110 can be removably attached to the diverter unit 130 via conduits 114, the implementation of two conduits 114 in the shower head 110 may facilitate a more secure coupling between the shower head 110 and the diverter unit 130. In some embodiments, one or more conduits 114 of the shower head 110 may removably attach and smoothly couple the shower head 110 to the diverter unit 130. Figure 9A illustrates a shower head 110 of the shower system 100, as described above. Figure 9B illustrates the various components that make up the shower head 110, according to some embodiments. As shown in the exploded view of the shower head 110 in Figure 9B, the shower head 110 may include a faceplate 112 with openings through which the nozzles 112n of the nozzle units 112m are at least partially disposed. The shower head 110 may also include a retainer plate 116 that arranges the nozzle units 112m in layers with faceplates 112, a conduit plate 118 that includes one or more conduits 114, and a back cover 119. The back cover 119 may include holes through which one or more conduits 114 extend to allow the shower head 110 to receive water from the diverter unit 130, as described above. Figure 10A illustrates a hand shower 120 of the shower system 100, as described above. Figure 10B illustrates the various components that make up the hand shower 120, according to some embodiments. As shown in the exploded view of the hand shower 120 in Figure 10B, the hand shower 120 may include a nozzle unit 126 with nozzles 126n and a front plate 125 through which the nozzles 126n are arranged. The hand shower 120 may also include a nozzle plate 128 which arranges the nozzle unit 126 in layers with the face plate 125. Additionally, the hand shower 120 may include a nozzle plate 128, a diverter ring 121r, a massage or soft spray nozzle 123, a diverter cover plate 121c, a diverter base plate 121b, a duct unit 127 with a duct 127w, and a back cover 129. In some configurations, the user can control the massage or soft spray nozzle 123 and the nozzles 126n to access a multi-spray mode of the hand shower. For example, as described with respect to Figures 2A-2B and 6, the hand shower 120 may include a button 141 to control the spray mode. As illustrated in Figure 10B, the button 141 may be an integral part of the diverter ring 121r, according to some configurations. Figures 11A-11B illustrate a 130 deflection unit and its associated components, according to some modalities. In particular, as shown in the exploded view of the diverter unit 130 in Figure 11A, the front portion 136 of the diverter unit 130 includes a flat front surface 136f, a pair of arms 131a, and multiple channels 134. In addition to the front portion 136, the diverter unit 130 may include a rear coupling cover which, together with the front portion 136, contains a body 137 that houses, among other things, a manifold 139 for controlling the flow of water to the shower head 110 and the hand shower 120. A ball joint 133 may be disposed at the rear inlet 130a of the rear coupling cover to smoothly couple the diverter unit 130 to the water outlet pipe 90, as described with reference to Figures 1A, 7, and 8.A lower outlet 130b in the rear coupling cover can be smoothly coupled to the hand shower 120 via the flexible tube 170, as described with reference to Figure 1B. In some embodiments, the diverter unit 130 can be operated via a paddle lever 135 to selectively direct the water flow through the hand shower 120 and, additionally, the shower head 110. The paddle lever 135 can be configured to operate with a sealed shaft 135s (as shown in more detail in Figure 11B) to communicate a water flow selection to the diverter unit body 137. Although the shaft 135s is shown as the mechanism used to control the water flow selection in Figure 11A, other types of fluid control mechanisms can be implemented. For example, the paddle lever 135 can be configured to communicate the water flow selection to a solenoid valve, an electronic valve, or other types of diverter elements to control the water flow. In some embodiments, the user can select a water flow by actuating paddle lever 135. For example, the user can push or lift paddle lever 135, as described above with reference to Figures 1A-1D. In some embodiments, the action of detaching or disengaging the hand shower 120 from the diverter unit 130, respectively, triggers paddle lever 135 to select a water flow. For example, paddle lever 135 can be coupled to arms 131a so that the weight of an attached hand shower 120 can actuate paddle lever 135. IVIA / a / ¿U¿Ó / UU 14Ó0 Figures 12A-12B illustrate cross-sectional views of shower system 100, according to some modalities. In particular, Figure 12A illustrates a cross-sectional view of the shower system 100 when the hand shower 120 is attached to the diverter unit 130. As illustrated in Figure 12A, the spray head portion 122 of the hand shower 120 protrudes from the shower head 110 and the diverter unit 130. As described with respect to Figure 11A and shown in Figure 12A, the diverter unit 130 includes a ball joint 133 disposed in a rear inlet 130a of the diverter unit 130. In some embodiments, the diverter unit 130 may include the shaft 135s to control whether the flow of water received through the rear inlet 130a to the shower head 110 is permitted.In some embodiments, such as the one shown in Figure 12A, the shaft 135s does not impede the flow of water from the rear inlet 130a through the lower outlet 130b. A flexible hose (e.g., flexible hose 170) from the hand shower 120 can be connected to the lower outlet 130b to allow water to flow from the diverter unit 130 to the hand shower 120 and out of the spray head portion 122, effectively coupling the hand shower 120 to the diverter unit 130. For example, the hand shower 120 may include a conduit 127w in the flexible hose to facilitate water flow into the hand shower 120. Figure 12B illustrates a cross-sectional view of the diverter unit 130, which includes a paddle lever 135 connected to shaft 135s, according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, a force pushing or pressing the paddle lever 135 can be translated into a rotary motion of shaft 135s. For example, pressing the paddle lever 135 can rotate it 135s counterclockwise. Similarly, lifting the paddle lever 135 can rotate it 135s clockwise. As will be further described later, it is possible to rotate shaft 135s to selectively direct the water flow to shower head 110. Therefore, the diverter unit 130 can be configured to selectively direct the water flow to the shower head 110 and the hand shower 120 based on a certain amount of shaft rotation 135s. In some configurations, the paddle lever 135 can be configured to operate between two positions: a first position in which the water flow is selectively directed only through the hand shower 120, and a second position in which the water flow is directed through both the hand shower 120 and the shower head 110. In some configurations, the paddle lever 135 can be configured to operate between three positions: the first and second positions described above, and a third position in which the water flow is directed only through the shower head 110. In some models, it is possible to control the rotation of shaft 135s via paddle lever 135. For example, a paddle movement can cause shaft 135s to rotate, sealing or opening one or more water flow paths to allow water to flow through, for example, shower head 110. Consequently, actuating paddle lever 135 to a specific position can cause shaft 135s to rotate a specific amount to control the water flow in one of the ways described above. In some models, it is possible to control the rotation of the 135s shaft using a remote device (e.g., a remote control or a smartphone). For example, an electronic chip can be connected to the 120 hand shower to wirelessly receive a command from the remote device and electronically control the amount of rotation. ML / a / ZUZÓ / UU 14Ó0 Figure 13A illustrates the shower system 100 with the paddle lever 135 of the diverter unit 130 set to a first position, according to some embodiments. For example, the first position can be when the paddle lever 135 is lifted upwards, reducing the gap between the paddle lever 135 and the lower part of the shower head 110. Figure 13A shows the paddle lever 135 being set to the first position when the shower head 120 is engaged with the diverter unit 130. However, in some embodiments, it is possible to set the paddle lever 135 to the first position in an unengaged configuration where the hand shower 120 is disengaged from the diverter unit 130 (for example, as shown in Figures 2A and 2B). Figures 13B-13C illustrate the water flow in the shower system 100 when the paddle lever 135 is set to the first position illustrated in Figure 13A, according to some modalities. In some embodiments, setting the paddle lever 135 to the first position can configure the shaft 135s to open an additional water flow path to the shower head 110. Consequently, water entering the diverter unit 130, indicated by the arrow labeled W, can flow through conduit 130h to the hand shower 120 in the direction indicated by the arrows labeled H. Water can also flow through conduit 130s to the shower head 110 in the direction indicated by the arrows labeled S, particularly around a portion of the shaft 135s, through a gap in a sealing ring 130t and into an inlet 130i (as illustrated in Figure 13B). Figure 14A illustrates the shower system 100 with the paddle lever 135 of the diverter unit 130 set to a second position, according to some embodiments. For example, the second position can be when the paddle lever 135 is pushed down, increasing the gap between the paddle lever 135 and the lower part of the shower head 110. Figure 14A shows the second position of the paddle lever 135 being actuated when the shower head 120 is engaged with the diverter unit 130. However, in some embodiments, it is possible to actuate the second position of the paddle lever 135 in an unengaged configuration where the hand shower 120 is disengaged from the diverter unit 130 (for example, as shown in Figures 2A and 2B). Figures 14B-14C illustrate the water flow in the shower system 100 when the paddle lever 135 is set to the second position illustrated in Figure 14A, according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, setting the paddle lever 135 to the second position can configure the shaft 135s to seal off an additional water flow path to the shower head 110. Consequently, the water entering the diverter unit 130, indicated by the arrow labeled W, can flow through the conduit 130h to the hand shower 120 in the direction indicated by the arrows labeled H.However, in contrast to the water flows illustrated in Figures 13B-13C, shaft 135s closes the gap in the sealing ring 130t, preventing water flow in the direction indicated by the arrows labeled S from entering inlet 1301 (as illustrated in Figure 14B) into conduit 130s and into shower head 110. Figures 15A-15B illustrate cross-sectional views of the diverter unit 130 in the shower system 100, according to some embodiments. Figure 15A illustrates the paddle lever 135 in the second position, as described with respect to Figure 14A. When an upward force is exerted on the paddle lever 135, the shaft 135s can be rotated counterclockwise to open one or more water flow paths. IVIA / a / ZUZÓ / UU 14Ó0 close one or more water flow paths or a combination thereof. Similarly, a downward force exerted on the paddle lever 135 can cause the shaft 135s to rotate clockwise to open one or more water flow paths, close one or more water flow paths, or a combination thereof. Figure 15B illustrates a cross-sectional view of the diverter unit 130 when the paddle lever 135 has been changed from the first position illustrated in Figure 15A to the second position, as further described with respect to Figure 13A. Figure 15B may correspond to Figure 13B, where the water entering the diverter unit 130 can flow through conduit 130h to the hand shower 120. Additionally, shaft 135s can be associated with a specific amount of rotation to allow water to flow through conduit 130s around a portion of the shaft 135s and through a gap in the sealing ring 130t to the inlet 1301 of conduit 130s. Conduit 130s can be connected to a shower head 110 to allow water to exit the shower head 110. Accordingly, the present description describes a modular shower system comprising a shower head (e.g., shower head 110) removably and interchangeably attached to a diverter unit (e.g., diverter unit 130) and a hand shower (e.g., hand shower 120) that is also removably attached (e.g., magnetically) to the diverter unit. In some embodiments, selective water flow through the hand shower and the shower head can be controlled by means of a paddle lever (e.g., paddle lever 135) conveniently located near the shower head when the shower head is removably attached to the diverter unit. Therefore, it will be observed that the aspects, features, and advantages evident from the above description are achieved effectively, and since it is possible to make certain changes without departing from the spirit and scope of the description, it is intended that all the content of this document be interpreted as illustrative and not as a definitive statement.
Claims
1. A hand shower comprising: a spray head portion comprising a plurality of nozzles configured to distribute fluid, and a rear surface; and a handle connected to the spray head portion, wherein the hand shower is configured to be fluidly coupled by means of a flexible tube to a diverter unit of a shower assembly, such that the rear surface of the spray head portion is in full contact with a more front surface of the diverter unit, the hand shower is configured to be removably attached to the diverter unit by means of a connector, and the spray head portion is configured to protrude from a shower head and the diverter unit.
2. The hand shower of claim 1, comprising a button configured to control a spray mode of the plurality of nozzles.
3. The hand shower of claim 2, wherein the button is integrated into a diverter ring.
4. The hand shower of claim 1, wherein the hand shower comprises the connector.
5. The hand shower of claim 1, wherein the diverter unit comprises the connector.
6. The hand shower of claim 1, wherein the hand shower is configured to be magnetically attached to the frontmost part of the diverter unit.
7. The hand shower of claim 1, wherein the hand shower is configured to detach from the diverter unit when a pulling force is exerted on the handle.
8. The hand shower of claim 1, wherein the hand shower is configured to be attached to the diverter unit via a pair of arms over the connector, the arms comprising an elastic material.
9. The hand shower of claim 1, wherein the spray head portion comprises a nozzle unit, wherein the plurality of nozzles is arranged across a front plate of the nozzle unit.
10. The hand shower of claim 9, wherein the spray head portion comprises a nozzle plate configured to sandwich the nozzle unit with the face plate.
11. The hand shower of claim 1, wherein the plurality of nozzles comprises a massage nozzle.
12. The hand shower of claim 1, wherein the plurality of nozzles comprises a soft spray nozzle.
13. The hand shower of claim 1, wherein the hand shower is connected to an electronic chip that is configured to wirelessly receive a command from a remote device to electronically control the fluid flow to the hand shower.