GB2492114A

GB2492114A - An aerated shower head having a pressurised air inlet

Info

Publication number: GB2492114A
Application number: GB1110535.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter James Honeyands; Christopher Honeyands
Original assignee: Kelda Showers Ltd
Current assignee: Kelda Showers Ltd
Priority date: 2011-06-22
Filing date: 2011-06-22
Publication date: 2012-12-26
Anticipated expiration: 2031-06-22
Also published as: GB2492112A; GB201110535D0; GB2492114B; GB201110533D0; GB2492113A; GB201110534D0; GB2492113B

Abstract

A shower head 10C has at least one mixing chamber 24a-c with an air inlet 22a suitable for connection to a supply of pressurised air, a water inlet 18a suitable for connection to a supply of pressurised water, and at least one outlet 32a-c for the water and air, the mixture leaving the shower head to form a shower of water droplets having a mean trajectory (middle arrow), wherein a substantial portion of the droplets have individual trajectories offset from but which converge (upper and lower arrows) towards the mean trajectory of the shower head. Multiple mixing chambers with separate outlets may be provided, each with its own air and water supply. Alternatively the outlet may be annular. In some embodiment, the trajectory is adjustable, while the amount of aeration and vortex mixing is controllable. Webs, baffles or deflector cones may be provided to guide the flow. An absence of the rose, i.e. a perforated plate, is observed on this invention.

Description

TITLE

Shower heads and shower apparatus

DESCRIPTION

This invention relates to shower heads and to shower apparatus having such shower heads.

It is well known that showering uses less water, and therefore less energy to heat the water, that bathing. Nevertheless, there are concerns about the amount of water and energy used when showering. For example, in an attempt to reduce water and energy usage, federal regulations were introduced in the USA in 1992 limiting shower head flow rate to 2.5 US gallons of water per minute (about 9.5 litres per minute), and some cities are already imposing tighter regulations. However, many people find that such a low flow rate does not provide them with a shower that feels sufficiently powerful. As reported in an article in the online Wall Street Journal dated 13 November 2009, consumers often remove the flow restrictor in the shower head to increase the flow rate (and indeed the packaging provided with some shower heads includes details of how to do this). Alternatively or additionally, they install more than one shower head in their shower cubicle.

It is known that the apparent power of a shower can be improved by mixing air with the water, for example by providing a turbine in the shower head, or by forcing the water through a Venturi which draws air into the water flow.

It is also known from patent document W02009/056887A1 (Rapro Emulations) that the apparent power of a shower can be further improved by pumping air at a relatively high flow rate to the shower head and mixing the air with water in a mixing chamber so that the water is broken up into droplets before exiting the mixing chamber through an outlet so as to form a shower of droplets.

A development of the type of shower head disclosed in WO2009/056887A1 is shown schematically in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings. The shower head 1OA has a tubular handle 12 at one end of which air is introduced from a compressor (not shown). A smaller diameter tube 14 extends along the handle and is connected to a supply of pressurised water (not shown). At the other end of the handle 12, the air flows past the edge of a circular plate 15 into an annular air chamber 16. The annular chamber 16 has an outlet 18 at its centre, and the thickness of the annular chamber 16 decreases towards its centre. The water flows to a thin cylindrical water chamber 20 behind the plate 15 and exits through an outlet 22 at the centre of the plate 15 and surrounded by the air outlet 18, which is therefore annular. The air and water flow from the outlets 18,22 into a mixing chamber 24 having a divergent section 26, a cylindrical section 28 and a convergent nozzle section 30 leading to an outlet 32 of the shower head 1OA. It will be appreciated that the annular chamber 16, the air outlet 18 and the divergent section 26 of the mixing chamber 24 form a convergent section, throat and divergent section, respectively, of a Venturi. At the annular air outlet 18 (throat), the air has relatively high speed and low pressure. As the air expands in the divergent section 26 of the mixing chamber 24, it breaks the water up into droplets. The cylindrical section 28 and the nozzle section 30 of the mixing chamber 24 shape the flow of water droplets and air before they exit through the shower outlet 32 as a shower 34 of droplets.

In the shower head 1OA described above, the annular air chamber 16, the water chamber 20, the air and water outlets 18,22, the divergent, cylindrical and nozzle sections 26,28,30 of the mixing chamber 24 and the shower outlet 32 are all coaxial on axis 36. Ignoring the effects of gravity, the shower 34 of droplets is therefore substantially symmetrical around the axis 36 and the mean trajectory 37 of the shower 34 of droplets is along the axis 36.

Furthermore, again ignoring the effects of gravity, at the least the majority of droplets in the shower 34 each has an individual trajectory which is either along the axis 36 or diverges from the axis 36.

In the remainder of this specification (including the claims), any references to the trajectories of the shower and of individual droplets are intended to be understood as ignoring the effects of gravity.

It has been found that, with the shower head 1OA described above, there is some non-uniformity in the distribution of water droplets across the shower pattern. Notably, nearer the axis 36, the droplets tend to be larger, whereas at the edge of the shower pattern the droplets are smaller and form a mist. It is also to be noted that, with the shower head described above, for particular water and air flow rates, there is no provision for adjustment of the shower pattern or droplet size.

An aim of the present invention, or at least of specific embodiments of it, is to enable a more uniform distribution of droplets in the shower pattern and to enable the shower pattern and droplet size to be adjusted.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a shower head having: at least one mixing chamber having an air inlet for connection to a supply of pressurised air and a water inlet for connection to a supply of pressurised water so that, in use, the air breaks the water up into droplets in the mixing chamber, the mixing chamber further S having at least one outlet so that, in use, the water droplets and air exit the shower head to form a shower of water droplets having a mean trajectory. The shower head is characterised in that the or each outlet is arranged so that, in use, at least a substantial proportion of the water droplets exit the shower head so that their individual trajectories on leaving the shower head are offset from the mean trajectory of the shower head and converge towards the mean trajectory of the shower head. This can result in a more uniform distribution of water droplets in the shower pattern.

In one embodiment, the shower head has a single such mixing chamber and a single such outlet, and the outlet is annular having an axis substantially coaxial with the mean trajectory of the shower head. The annular outlet is preferably defined between an inner lip and an outer lip, with the relative positions of the inner and outer lips being adjustable in the direction of the mean trajectory of the shower head so as to vary the shower pattern. The inner lip may be provided by a substantially conical member having its apex pointing towards the air and water inlets.

In an alternative embodiment, the shower head has a plurality of such outlets arranged around the mean trajectory of the shower head such that the mean trajectory of water droplets exiting each outlet converges towards the mean trajectory of the shower head. The number of the outlets is preferably at least three. However, the number of the outlets is preferably not excessively large, for example no more than six, so as not to produce excessive energy losses at the outlets. The angle of convergence between the mean trajectory of each outlet and the mean trajectory of the shower head is preferably adjustable so as to vary the shower pattern. In one form of this embodiment, the shower head has a single mixing chamber for supplying all of the outlets, whereas in another form, each of the outlets has a respective mixing chamber.

The mixing chamber may have at least one further inner air inlet for connection to a supply of pressurised air, the water inlet surrounding the inner air inlet(s). The additional injection of air into the water jet by the inner air inlet(s) results in increased break up of the water and smaller sized droplets.

The outlet may be arranged so that, in use, at least a substantial proportion of the water droplets exit the shower head so that their individual trajectories on leaving the shower head are offset from the mean trajectory of the shower head and converge towards the mean trajectory of the shower head. This can result in a more uniform distribution of water droplets in the shower pattern.

A deflector may be disposed in the or each mixing chamber in alignment with the water inlet so that, in use, water impinges on the deflector in the mixing chamber. The deflector results in increased break up of the water and smaller sized droplets.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a shower head according to the first aspect of the invention, a supply of pressurised water connected to the water inlet of the shower head, and an air compressor connected to the air inlet of the shower head.

A specific embodiment of the present invention will now be described, purely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic sectioned side view of a shower head 1OA which is a development of the shower head disclosed in patent document W02009/056887A1; Figure 2 is a schematic sectioned side view of a shower head lOB with multiple fixed nozzles and a common mixing chamber; Figure 3 is a schematic sectioned side view of a shower head 1OC with multiple fixed nozzles having individual mixing chambers; Figure 4 is a schematic sectioned side view of a shower head lOD with multiple adjustable nozzles having individual mixing chambers; Figures 5A & B show, on an enlarged scale, the portion of Figure 4 that is enclosed by a dash-dot circle, with the nozzle in two different positions of adjustment; Figure 6 is a schematic sectioned side view of a shower head 1OE with an annular nozzle; Figure 7 shows, on a larger scale, the portion of Figure 6 that is enclosed by a dash-dot circle; Figure 8 is a sectioned view taken on the section line 8-8 shown in Figure 7; Figures 9 & 10 are similar to Figures 7 and 8, respectively, but showing an adjustable annular nozzle; Figure 11 is a schematic sectioned side view of a shower head 1OF with a deflector adjacent the water outlet; Figure 12 shows, on a larger scale, the portion of Figure 11 that is enclosed by a dash-dot ellipse; Figure 13 is a sectioned view taken on the section line 13-13 shown in Figure 12; Figures 14 & 15 are similar to Figures 12 and 13, respectively, but showing an adjustable deflector; Figure 16 is a schematic sectioned side view of a shower head lOG with a central air inlet; Figure 17 shows, on a larger scale, the portion of Figure 16 enclosed in a dash-dot circle; Figure 18 is a sectioned view taken on the section line 18-18 shown in Figure 17; Figures 19A & B are schematic sectioned side view of a shower head 1011 which can induce a vortex in the mixing chamber, the shower head being shown in two different positions of adjustment; Figure 20 is a view of one part of the shower head 1011 as seen in the direction of the arrows 20-20 shown in Figure 19A; and Figures 2 lA-C are views of another part, in three different positions respectively, of the shower head 1011 as seen in the direction of the arrows 21-21 shown in Figure 19A.

In the following description, the shower heads lOB-il are developments of the shower head 1OA described above with reference to Figure 1 and possess similar features unless otherwise stated.

Referring to Figure 2, the mixing chamber 24 of the shower head lOB does not have a single convergent nozzle section 30, but instead has four convergent nozzle sections arranged at the corners of a square around the axis 36. Only three of the convergent nozzle sections 30a-c can be seen in Figure 2. The water droplets therefore exit the shower head lOB as four separate showers 34a-c of droplets (only three of which are shown in Figure 2). The nozzle sections 30a-c are configured and oriented so that the mean trajectories 37a-c of their individual showers 34a-c converge towards the central axis 36. The individual showers 34a-c therefore amalgamate S shortly after the leaving the four shower outlets 32a-c into a single shower 34 having a mean trajectory 37 coaxial with the central axis 36. It has been found that, some distance from the shower head, the single shower 34 has a more uniform shower pattern than with the shower head of Figure 1, in that the droplet density and droplet sizes are more uniform and there is less misting at the bounds of the shower.

Referring now to Figure 3, the shower head 1OC does not have a single mixing chamber 24, but instead has four symmetrically-arranged mixing chambers 24a-c (only three of which can be seen in Figure 3) each fed by a respective water outlet 22a-c from the water chamber 20.

Also, the air chamber 16 is arranged to provide four air outlets 18a-c into the respective mixing chambers 24a-c. The convergent nozzle sections 30a-c and outlets 32a-c of the four mixing chambers 24a-c are arranged similarly to the nozzle sections 30a-c and outlets 32a-c of the shower head lOB of Figure 2 and produce a similar effect.

Referring now to Figures 4 to SB, the shower head 1OD is similar to the shower head 1OC of Figure 3, except that the four convergent nozzle sections 30a-c are adjustable. In particular, as shown in Figures SA & B, the cylindrical section (28a being shown in the drawings) of each mixing chamber (24a being shown) is divided into two overlapping portions 38,40 having an 0-ring seal 42 therebetween. Each 0-ring 42 lies in a plane which is not at right angles to the axis of the respective divergent section 26a-c. Each convergent nozzle section 30a-c can therefore be rotated relative to its divergent section 26a-c so as to vary the inclination of the mean trajectory 37a-c of the shower exiting from each nozzle section 30a-c.

The nozzle sections 30a-c may be individually adjustable, as shown in the drawings, or they may be mechanically linked, for example by a central pinion or by a surrounding ring gear (not shown) so that the nozzle sections 30a-c are adjusted in synchronism.

Referring now to Figures 6 to 8, the shower head 1OE differs from the shower head 1OA of Figure 1 in that the shower outlet 43 is annular instead of circular. The outlet 43 is rendered annular by a conical member 44 which is supported within the shower outlet 43 by three thin radial webs 46 connected to the convergent nozzle section 30, with the apex of the conical member pointing towards the water outlet 22. The annular outlet 43 is therefore formed between an outer lip 48 provided by the smaller end of the convergent nozzle section 30 and an inner lip 50 provided by the base edge of the conical member 44.

The inner lip 50 may be offset from the outer lip 48 along the axis 36 so as to achieve a desired shower pattern so that the mean trajectory 37d of water droplets exiting from one side of the annular outlet 43 is oppositely inclined and converges towards the mean trajectory 37e of water droplets exiting from the opposite side of the annular outlet 43. An optimum amount of offset may be ascertained by trial and error during the design stage. Alternatively, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, the axial offset between the inner lip 50 and the outer lip 48 may be adjustable, for example by means of a pin 52 projecting from the apex of the conical member 44 and frictionally slidable in a boss 54 at the centre of the mounting webs 46. A manually graspable knob 56 may be provided at the base of the conical member 44 to assist adjustment.

Referring now to Figures 11 to 13, the shower head 1OF differs from the shower head 1OA of Figure 1 in that a deflector 58 is positioned adjacent the water outlet 22. As shown in particular in Figures 12 and 13, the water deflector 58 comprises a conical member 60 mounted, with its apex facing the water outlet 22, by three thin radial webs 62 connected to the divergent section 26 of the mixing chamber 24. The water deflector 58 acts to split up the jet of water exiting from the water outlet 22 50 that the water can be more readily be formed into droplets by the air flow from the air outlet 18.

The apex of the conical member 60 may be spaced a short distance from the water outlet 22 or may protrude by a short distance into the water outlet 22. An optimum position of the conical member 60 may be ascertained by trial and error during the design stage.

Alternatively, as shown in Figures 14 and 15, the axial position of the water deflector 58 may be adjustable, for example by means of the outer ends of the mounting webs or rods 62 passing through inclined slots 64 in the cylindrical section 28 of the mixing chamber 24 and being connected to an adjustment collar 66 which is rotatable around the cylindrical section 28 of the mixing chamber 24.

Referring now to Figures 16 to 18, the shower head lOG differs from the shower head 1OA of Figure 1 in that the water outlet 68 is annular and an additional air outlet 70 is provided within the water outlet 68. In order to achieve this, the water chamber 20 is annular, having a central passageway 72, so that air can flow from behind the water chamber 20 through the passageway 72 and exit from the additional air outlet 70 formed by the end of the passageway 72, surrounded by water exiting from the annular water outlet 68 which in turn is surrounded by high-speed, low-pressure air exiting from the annular air outlet 18. The air exiting from the central air outlet 70 into the cylindrical jet of water exiting from the annular water outlet 68 acts to split up the jet of water so that the water can be more readily be formed into droplets by the air flow from the air outlet 18.

An optimum relative size of the passageway 72 may be ascertained by trial and error during the design stage. Alternatively, as shown in Figures 16 and 17, the relative air flow through the passageway 72 may be adjustable, for example by means of a throttle member 74 positioned near the inlet end of the passageway and adjustable in position by a screw 76 passing through the rear wall of the shower head lOG and having a knob 78 at its outer end.

Referring now to Figures 19 to 24, the shower head 1011 differs from the shower head 1OA of Figure 1 in that the shower head 1011 has a pair of air chambers 16a,b, one of which promotes a vortex in the mixing chamber 24, and the strength of the vortex is adjustable. Unlike the shower head 1OA of Figure 1, in the shower head 1011 the air passes through a circular array of apertures 80 in the plate 15 rather than passing over the outer edge of the plate 15. The air chambers l6a,b and the mixing chamber 24 are formed by a separate part 82 which is rotatably and sealing mounted in a lip 84 at the periphery of the plate 15. The part 82 has an flat annular wall 86 formed with an outer circular array of apertures 88 and an inner circular array of apertures 90 which are angularly staggered with respect to the apertures 88. The air chamber is divided into two 16A,B by a shaped annular dividing wall 92 connected to the flat annular wall 86 between the outer apertures 88 and the inner apertures 90. At the inner edge of the dividing wall 92, a pair of air outlets l8a,b are formed. A circular array of scrolled deflector vanes 94 are termed on the plate 15 and protrude into the air chamber 16a.

In some angular positions of the part 82 relative to the remainder of the shower head 1011, as shown in Figures 19A and 21A, each of the outer apertures 88 in the wall 86 is aligned with a respective one of the apertures 80 in the plate 15 so that air can flow into the air chamber 16a and exit through the outlet 18a into the mixing chamber 24 in a similar way to the shower head 1OA of Figure 1. However, each of the inner apertures 90 in the wall 86 is blocked by the plate 15, as shown by hatching in Figure 21A, so that substantially no air flows through the air chamber 16b.

In other angular positions of the part 82 relative to the remainder of the shower head 1011, as shown in Figures 19B and 21B, each of the outer apertures 88 in the wall 86 is blocked by the plate 15, as shown by hatching in Figure 21B, so that substantially no air flows through the air chamber l6a. However, each of the inner apertures 90 in the wall 86 is aligned with a respective one of the apertures 80 in the plate 15 so that air can flow into the air chamber 16b and exit through the outlet 1 8b into the mixing chamber 24. In passing through the air chamber 16b, the scrolled deflector vanes 94 induce a vortex in the air flow, and it has been found that such a vortex causes the droplets in the shower 34 to have a smaller droplet size.

In intermediate angular positions of the part 82 relative to the remainder of the shower head 1011, as shown in Figure 21C, each of the outer and inner apertures 88,90 in the wall 86 is partly blocked by the plate 15, as shown by hatching in Figure 21C, so that a proportion of the air flow, dependent on the angular position of the part 82, passes through the chamber 16b where a vortex is induced in the air flow, while the remainder of the air flows through the air chamber 16a without a vortex being induced. When the air flows merge after the air outlets 18a,b, a vortex of reduced strength is results in the mixing chamber 24. It will therefore be appreciated that the strength of the vortex and therefore the size of the droplets in the shower 34 can be adjusted by manually rotating the part.

The shower head 1OB-E having the feature of multiple outlets or an annular outlet are embodiments of the invention which is the subject of this specification. However, it will be appreciated that the feature of multiple outlets or an annular outlet may readily be applied to the other shower heads 1OF-H described above so as to form alternative embodiments of the invention.

It should be noted that the embodiment of the invention has been described above purely by way of example and that many modifications and developments may be made thereto within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

-10 -CLAIMS1. A shower head having: at least one mixing chamber having an air inlet for connection to a supply of pressurised air and a water inlet for connection to a supply of pressurised water so that, in use, the air breaks the water up into droplets in the mixing chamber; the mixing chamber further having at least one outlet so that, in use, the water droplets and air exit the shower head to form a shower of water droplets having a mean trajectory; wherein the or each outlet is arranged so that, in use, at least a substantial proportion of the water droplets exit the shower head so that their individual trajectories on leaving the shower head are offset from the mean trajectory of the shower head and converge towards the mean trajectory of the shower head.
2. A shower head as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the shower head has a single such mixing chamber and a single such outlet; and the outlet is annular having an axis substantially coaxial with the mean trajectory of the shower head.
3. A shower head as claimed in claim 2, wherein: the annular outlet is defined between an inner lip and an outer lip; and the relative positions of the inner and outer lips are adjustable in the direction of the mean trajectory of the shower head.
4. A shower head as claimed in claim 3, wherein: the inner lip is provided by a substantially conical member having its apex pointing towards the air and water inlets.
5. A shower head as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the shower head has a plurality of such outlets arranged around the mean trajectory of the shower head; and -11 -the mean trajectory of water droplets exiting each outlet converges towards the mean trajectory of the shower head.
6. A shower head as claimed in claim 5, wherein: the number of the outlets is at least three.
7. A shower head as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein: the number of the outlets is no more than six.
8. A shower head as claimed in any of claims 5 to 7, wherein: the angle of convergence between the mean trajectory of each outlet and the mean trajectory of the shower head is adjustable.
9. A shower head as claimed in any of claims S to 8, wherein: the shower head has a single mixing chamber for supplying all of the outlets.
10. A shower head as claimed in any of claims S to 8, wherein: each of the outlets has a respective mixing chamber.
11. A shower head as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein: a mixing chamber has at least one further inner air inlet for connection to a supply of pressurised air, the water inlet surrounding the inner air inlet(s).
12. A shower head as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein: the air inlet is arranged to cause the air to form a vortex in the mixing chamber.
13. A shower head as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein: a deflector is disposed in the or each mixing chamber in alignment with the water inlet so that, in use, water impinges on the deflector in the mixing chamber.

-12 -
14. A shower head as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein: the air inlet surrounds the water inlet.
15. A shower head as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein: the air and water inlets of the or each mixing chamber are grouped together at one end of the mixing chamber; and the outlet(s) of the or each mixing chamber are disposed at an opposite end of that mixing chamber.
16. A shower head as claimed in claim 15, wherein: each mixing chamber has a divergent portion extending from the air and water inlets in a direction towards the outlet(s).
17. A shower head as claimed in claim 16, wherein: each mixing chamber has a convergent portion extending from the divergent portion towards the or each outlet.
18. A shower head as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein: the air inlet, or the outer air inlet, has a convergent inlet tract leading to the air inlet.
19. A shower head as claimed in claim 18 when dependent on claim 16 or 17, wherein: the convergent inlet tract and the divergent portion of the mixing chamber form a Venturi.
20. A shower head as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein: the mixing chamber is provided at one end of a handle of the shower head; the other end of the handle has means for connecting the shower head to a supply of pressurised water and a supply of pressurised air; and the handle has passageways for conveying water and air from the connecting means to the water inlet(s) and the air inlet(s).

-13 -
21. A shower head substantially as described with reference to Figures 2 to 10 of the drawings, or Figures 11 to 21B as modified by the description of Figures 2 to 10.
22. A shower apparatus comprising: a shower head as claimed in any preceding claim; a supply of pressurised water connected to the water inlet of the shower head; and an air compressor connected to the air inlet of the shower head.