# US 11,998,935 B2 · Shower system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,998,935 B2 - Document ID: US11998935B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/693,858 - Filed: 2022-03-14 - Published: 2022-06-23 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2018-08-14 - Assignees: Kohler Co. - Applicants: Kohler Co. - Inventors: Matthew Joseph Ball - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11998935B2 ## CPC - B05B 1/3026: {Gate valves; Sliding valves; Cocks (B05B1/326 takes precedence)} - A47K 3/28: Showers {or bathing douches} (combined with baths A47K3/20) - E03B 1/04: for domestic or like local supply - E03C 1/0408: {Water installations especially for showers (E03C1/06 takes precedence; shower heads B05B1/18)} - E03C 1/106: {using two or more check valves} - F16K 11/07: with cylindrical slides - 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) - A47K: SANITARY EQUIPMENT; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR, e.g. TOILET ACCESSORIES - E03B: INSTALLATIONS OR METHODS FOR OBTAINING, COLLECTING, OR DISTRIBUTING WATER (drilling wells, obtaining fluids in general from wells E21B; pipe-line systems in general F17D) - 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 - F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)} ## Abstract A shower system includes a water supply conduit, a reservoir, and a valve actuator. The reservoir is fixedly coupled to the water supply conduit such that the reservoir and the water supply conduit are fluidly coupled. The valve actuator is configured for actuation between a first position in which water is supplied from the water supply conduit and a second position in which water is supplied from the reservoir. In some implementations, the shower system further includes a showerhead that is fluidly coupled to the water supply conduit and the reservoir such that water may be supplied from either the water supply conduit to the showerhead or from the reservoir to the showerhead. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A shower system, comprising: a first conduit; a second conduit fluidly coupled to the first conduit at a first end of the second conduit; a water delivery device; a valve actuator fluidly coupled to both the first conduit and the second conduit, the valve actuator configured to selectively fluidly couple one of the first conduit or the second conduit to the water delivery device; and a reservoir disposed along the second conduit between the first end of the second conduit and the valve actuator. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The shower system of claim 1, wherein the water delivery device comprises a showerhead, further comprising a flow regulator upstream from the first conduit and the second conduit, the flow regulator configured to limit a flow rate of water entering the first conduit and the second conduit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The shower system of claim 1, further comprising: a first flow regulator configured to receive water from the first conduit; and a second flow regulator configured to receive water from the second conduit, and wherein the first flow regulator has a lower flow rating than the second flow regulator. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The shower system of claim 3, wherein each of the first flow regulator and the second flow regulator are flow regulating check valves. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The shower system of claim 1, further comprising: a first water delivery device configured to receive water from the first conduit; and a second water delivery device configured to receive water from the second conduit, wherein the valve actuator is configured to actuate between a first position in which water is supplied from the first conduit to the first water delivery device and a second position in which water is supplied from the to the second conduit to the second water delivery device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The shower system of claim 5, further comprising a third water delivery device and a diverter valve, wherein both the second water delivery device and the third water delivery device are fluidly coupled to the second conduit by the diverter valve, and wherein the diverter valve is configured to actuate between a first diverter position in which water is supplied from the reservoir to the second water delivery device and a second diverter position in which water is supplied from the reservoir to the third water delivery device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The shower system of claim 1, further comprising a first check valve upstream of the reservoir between the reservoir and the first conduit, and a second check valve downstream of the reservoir between the reservoir and the valve actuator. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The shower system of claim 1, wherein the valve actuator is configured as a mechanical switch such that when a supply of water through the second conduit drops below a threshold value, the valve actuator automatically switches to supply water from the first conduit independently from the second conduit. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The shower system of claim 1, wherein the reservoir is a pressurized water tank configured to hold a volume of water. ### Claim 10 A shower system, comprising: a water supply conduit; a reservoir fluidly coupled to the water supply conduit; a water delivery device fluidly coupled to the water supply conduit and the reservoir; and a valve actuator configured to actuate between a first position in which water is supplied directly from the water supply conduit to the water delivery device and a second position in which water is supplied to the water delivery device from both the water supply conduit and the reservoir. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The shower system of claim 10, further comprising: a first flow regulator between the valve actuator and the water delivery device and configured to receive water from the water supply conduit; and a second flow regulator between the valve actuator and the water delivery device and configured to receive water from the both the reservoir and the water supply conduit, and wherein the first flow regulator has a lower flow rating than the second flow regulator. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The shower system of claim 11, wherein each of the first flow regulator and the second flow regulator are flow regulating check valves. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The shower system of claim 10, further comprising a first check valve upstream of the reservoir between the reservoir and the water supply conduit, and a second check valve downstream of the reservoir. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The shower system of claim 10, wherein the reservoir is fluidly coupled to the water supply conduit upstream of the valve actuator without any intervening flow valves that would prevent water from flowing into the reservoir from the water supply conduit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The shower system of claim 10, wherein the valve actuator is configured as a mechanical switch such that when a supply of water from the reservoir drops below a threshold value, the valve actuator automatically switches to supply water to the water delivery device directly from the water supply conduit. ### Claim 16 A valve actuator, comprising: a valve body defining a first inlet, a second inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet, the valve body further comprising a central channel extending between the first inlet and the first outlet and also between the second inlet and the second outlet; a diverter disposed in the central channel, the diverter movable between an open position in which the first inlet is fluidly coupled to the first outlet and a closed position in which the second inlet is fluidly coupled to the second outlet; and a biasing member disposed in the central channel between the diverter and the valve body, the biasing member configured to automatically bias the diverter toward the open position when a flow rate of water between the second inlet and the second outlet drops below a threshold value. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The valve actuator of claim 16, wherein the diverter further comprises a button disposed on an end of the diverter, and wherein the button is configured to be accessible for a user to actuate the diverter. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The valve actuator of claim 16, wherein the diverter comprises a first passageway and a second passageway that both extend in a transverse direction through the diverter, and wherein a distance between the first passageway and the second passageway is greater than a spacing between the first inlet and the second inlet. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The valve actuator of claim 16, wherein the biasing member is a spring, wherein a first end of the spring is engaged with the diverter, and a second end of the spring is engaged with the valve body. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The valve actuator of claim 16, further comprising an opening disposed in the valve body proximate to where the biasing member is located, wherein the opening fluidly couples the biasing member to an environment surrounding the valve body.