Flush-Mount Bodyspray Assembly With Front-Access Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional bodyspray shower nozzle assemblies are difficult to install and maintain due to their design, which requires access to the rear of the enclosure walls, and there is a need to simplify the construction and reduce costs while maintaining the ability to aim the nozzle effectively.
Innovation Solution
The design includes a spray assembly with a rearward housing and a waterway assembly that can be rotated using a tool to secure the connection to the water source from the front, allowing for easy installation and maintenance, and a pivot ball mechanism that enables universal tilting of the spray face assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If the bodyspray nozzle is positioned to appear flush with the enclosure wall for aesthetic purposes, then the visual appearance is improved, but the ability to aim the nozzle to optimize spray direction is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The spray face assembly is made dynamically adjustable through a pivot mechanism that allows the nozzle to be tilted and aimed in different directions. The pivot ball and socket connection enables the spray face to rotate and adjust its orientation while maintaining a flush appearance when not in use.
Solution Approach 2:
The bodyspray assembly is divided into separate functional components: a rearward housing that mounts to the wall, a waterway assembly that handles water flow, and a spray face assembly that can be independently adjusted. This segmentation allows the spray face to be positioned for optimal aiming while the rearward housing remains flush with the wall.
2Ease of manufacture
If the internal parts construction is simplified to reduce cost, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but the ability to maintain adjustable spray direction and reliable connection may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The waterway assembly includes self-aligning features such as the pivot ball and socket mechanism that automatically position components correctly during assembly. The tool engagement features with radial undulations allow the connection to self-tighten and secure itself, reducing the need for complex adjustment mechanisms and specialized installation tools.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection interface between the waterway assembly and the source is designed with radial undulations and corresponding tool engagement features that distribute mechanical stress evenly around the connection perimeter. This equipotential design ensures reliable connection without requiring excessive tightening force or complex fastening mechanisms.
3Ease of repair
If access is required to the area behind the enclosure walls for installation and maintenance, then proper connection and maintenance can be achieved, but installation complexity and maintenance difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of requiring access from behind the wall, the invention inverts the installation approach by providing tool engagement features on the front-facing waterway housing. This allows installation and maintenance to be performed from the front of the enclosure wall, eliminating the need to access the rear mounting area.
Solution Approach 2:
A specialized tool acts as an intermediary between the installer and the waterway assembly. The tool engages with the radial undulations on the waterway housing to provide rotational force for tightening connections and adjustment, enabling front-access installation without requiring direct manual access to the connection points behind the wall.
Data Source
AI summary
A bodyspray assembly is disclosed that provides a pivotable spray head mounted essentially flush with the surrounding enclosure wall. In one embodiment, a special tool is provided to rotate a waterway housing, to selectively couple the waterway housing to a source from the front of the assembly. In another embodiment, rotation of a spray face assembly rotates a waterway housing, to selectively couple the waterway housing to a source from the front of the assembly. The bodyspray assembly provides ball and socket type articulation.