# US 10,480,164 B2 · Touch to open/close mechanism for a showerhead

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- Number: US 10,480,164 B2
- Document ID: US10480164B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/864,693
- Filed: 2018-01-08
- Published: 2018-07-12
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2017-01-11
- Assignees: Runner (Xiamen) Corp.
- Applicants: Runner (Xiamen) Corp.
- Inventors: Xin-Zhan Hu; Chun-Hui Lin
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10480164B2

## CPC

- E03C 1/0409: {Shower handles}
- B05B 1/1627: {with a selecting mechanism comprising a gate valve, a sliding valve or a cock (B05B1/1681 takes precedence)}
- B05B 1/182: {characterised by their outlet openings or elements; Mounting arrangements therefor}
- B05B 1/185: {characterised by their outlet element; Mounting arrangements therefor}
- B05B 15/654: using universal joints
- E03C 1/0408: {Water installations especially for showers (E03C1/06 takes precedence; shower heads B05B1/18)}
- B05B 1/1824: {the outlet openings traversing a concavo-convex outlet wall}
- E03C: DOMESTIC PLUMBING INSTALLATIONS FOR FRESH WATER OR WASTE WATER (not connected to either water-supply main or to waste pipe A47K; devices of the kind used in the ground E03B, E03F); SINKS
- B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D)

## Abstract

A touch to open/close mechanism for a showerhead includes a driving rod movably and reciprocally positioned between a first position and a second position to selectively block communication between the inlet and the outlet; a first ratchet device adapted to be formed inside the showerhead to selectively position the driving rod at the first position and the second position; and a second ratchet device adapted to be formed inside the showerhead to force the driving rod to rotate for a previously determined degree whenever the driving rod is moved such that a block formed on an outer periphery of the driving rod is able to selectively block communication between the inlet and the outlet.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A touch to open/close mechanism adapted for a showerhead having an inlet and at least one outlet in communication with the inlet to allow water from water source to flow out of the showerhead, the touch to open/close mechanism comprising:
a driving rod movably and reciprocally positioned between a first position and a second position to selectively block communication between the inlet and the outlet;
a first ratchet device adapted to be formed inside the showerhead to selectively position the driving rod at the first position and the second position;
a second ratchet device adapted to be formed inside the showerhead to force the driving rod to rotate for a previously determined degree whenever the driving rod is moved such that a block formed on an outer periphery of the driving rod is able to selectively block communication between the inlet and the outlet;
a passage body adapted to be mounted inside the showerhead; and
a mounting body adapted to be mounted inside the showerhead and securely connected to the passage body to define therebetween a first chamber to receive therein the driving rod; wherein the first ratchet device is formed between the passage body and the mounting body and the second ratchet device is formed between a distributor and a sealing cover, and the first ratchet device consists essentially of a first set of ratchet formed on a side face of the passage body and a second set of ratchet formed on an outer periphery of the driving rod to selectively abutted against the first set of ratchet so as to selectively block communication between the inlet and outlet of the showerhead.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The mechanism as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:
a pivot pad adapted to be pivotally connected to the showerhead; and
a rocking arm connected to the pivot pad to be driven to move by pivotal movement of the pivot pad and having a limiting path defined in a side face thereof to receive therein a first distal free end of the driving rod such that the driving rod is moved resulting from the movement of the rocking arm.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The mechanism as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a recoil force device compressed by the movement of the driving rod to selectively release a recoil force to the driving rod to return the driving rod.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The mechanism as claimed in claim 3 further comprising:
a pivot pad adapted to be pivotally connected to the showerhead; and
a rocking arm connected to the pivot pad to be driven to move by pivotal movement of the pivot pad and having a limiting path defined in a side face thereof to receive therein a first distal free end of the driving rod such that the driving rod is moved resulting from the movement of the rocking arm;
wherein the distributor is securely attached to a side face of the mounting body and firmly connected to a second free end of the driving rod and having at least one first passage adapted to communicate with the outlet of the showerhead; wherein a free end of the recoil force device is abutted against a side face of the distributor to provide the recoil force to return the driving rod.

### Claim 5

A touch to open/close mechanism adapted for a showerhead having an inlet and at least one outlet in communication with the inlet to allow water from water source to flow out of the showerhead, the touch to open/close mechanism comprising:
a driving rod movably and reciprocally positioned between a first position and a second position to selectively block communication between the inlet and the outlet;
a first ratchet device adapted to be formed inside the showerhead to selectively position the driving rod at the first position and the second position;
a second ratchet device adapted to be formed inside the showerhead to force the driving rod to rotate for a previously determined degree whenever the driving rod is moved such that a block formed on an outer periphery of the driving rod is able to selectively block communication between the inlet and the outlet;
a pivot pad adapted to be pivotally connected to the showerhead;
a rocking arm connected to the pivot pad to be driven to move by pivotal movement of the pivot pad and having a limiting path defined in a side face thereof to receive therein a first distal free end of the driving rod such that the driving rod is moved resulting from the movement of the rocking arm;
a passage body adapted to be mounted inside the showerhead;
a mounting body adapted to be mounted inside the showerhead and securely connected to the passage body to define therebetween a first chamber to receive therein the driving rod;
a distributor securely attached to a side face of the mounting body and firmly connected to a second free end of the driving rod and having at least one first passage adapted to communicate with the outlet of the showerhead; wherein a free end of the recoil force device is abutted against a side face of the distributor to provide the recoil force to return the driving rod; and
a sealing cover provided to enclose therein the distributor and the recoil force device; wherein the first ratchet device is formed between the passage body and the mounting body and the second ratchet device is formed between the distributor and the sealing cover.

### Claim 6

A touch to open/close mechanism adapted for a showerhead having an inlet and at least one outlet in communication with the inlet to allow water from water source to flow out of the showerhead, the touch to open/close mechanism comprising:
a driving rod movably and reciprocally positioned between a first position and a second position to selectively block communication between the inlet and the outlet;
a first ratchet device adapted to be formed inside the showerhead to selectively position the driving rod at the first position and the second position;
a second ratchet device adapted to be formed inside the showerhead to force the driving rod to rotate for a previously determined degree whenever the driving rod is moved such that a block formed on an outer periphery of the driving rod is able to selectively block communication between the inlet and the outlet;
a pivot pad adapted to be pivotally connected to the showerhead; and
a rocking arm connected to the pivot pad to be driven to move by pivotal movement of the pivot pad and having a limiting path defined in a side face thereof to receive therein a first distal free end of the driving rod such that the driving rod is moved resulting from the movement of the rocking arm;
a passage body adapted to be mounted inside the showerhead;
a mounting body adapted to be mounted inside the showerhead and securely connected to the passage body to define therebetween a first chamber to receive therein the driving rod;
a distributor securely attached to a side face of the mounting body and firmly connected to a second free end of the driving rod and having at least one first passage adapted to communicate with the outlet of the showerhead; wherein a free end of the recoil force device is abutted against a side face of the distributor to provide the recoil force to return the driving rod;
a sealing cover provided to enclose therein the distributor and the recoil force device; and
a recoil force device sandwiched between the distributor and the sealing cover to be compressed by the movement of the driving rod to selectively release a recoil force to return the driving rod,
wherein the first ratchet device is formed between the passage body and the mounting body and the second ratchet device is formed between the distributor and the sealing cover, the first ratchet device consists essentially of a first set of ratchets formed on a side face of the passage body and a second set of ratchets formed on an outer periphery of the driving rod to selectively abutted against the first set of ratchets so as to selectively block communication between the inlet and outlet of the showerhead, the second ratchet device consists essentially of a third set of ratchets formed on a side face of the distributor and a fourth set of ratchets formed on a side face of the sealing cover to correspond to the third set of ratchets of the distributor to force the distributor as well as the driving rod to rotate for a previously determined degree.