# US 12,003,907 B2 · Shower assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,003,907 B2 - Document ID: US12003907B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/157,192 - Filed: 2021-01-25 - Published: 2021-07-15 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2011-09-06 - Assignees: Kohler Co. - Applicants: Kohler Co. - Inventors: Kenneth Scott Hanna; Michael James Soetaert; Keith Scott Ruh; William Clement Kuru - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12003907B2 ## CPC - H04R 1/026: {Supports for loudspeaker casings} - B05B 1/18: Roses; Shower heads - B05B 1/185: {characterised by their outlet element; Mounting arrangements therefor} - H04R 2201/021: Transducers or their casings adapted for mounting in or to a wall or ceiling - H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K) - 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 shower assembly. The assembly may include a shower device including a device housing defining an inlet communicating with an inlet chamber, an outlet and a waterway communicating between the inlet chamber and the outlet, the device housing further defining a receptacle having a closed end and an open end, the inlet chamber being behind the closed end, the waterway extending along the receptacle from the closed end toward the open end; and a second device supportable in the receptacle. The outlet may define an outlet plane, and the second device may include a housing providing an outlet, the outlet being one of aligned with and positioned forwardly of the outlet plane when the speaker is supported in the receptacle. The assembly may further include a magnetic connecting structure operable to releasably connect the second device and the shower device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A shower assembly comprising: a housing defining an annular housing portion defining an annular waterway within the annular housing portion through which water flows, the annular waterway extending about an axis and from an inlet to an outlet; and a non-annular housing portion defining a passage including a non-annular portion upstream of the inlet of the annular waterway; wherein the annular housing portion defines an open area with an open first end proximate the outlet and an open second end spaced along the axis from the first end, the open second end of the open area being open to the exterior of the housing, and wherein at least the non-annular portion of the passage extends in a direction generally parallel with the axis. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein the open area provides a receptacle, and wherein the assembly further comprises a second device removably supported in the receptacle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The assembly of claim 2, wherein the housing includes a wall extending about the receptacle, and wherein the second device includes a device housing engageable with the wall. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The assembly of claim 2, wherein the second device includes one of an entertainment device, a light source, a time keeping device, and a dispenser. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The assembly of claim 4, wherein the second device includes a speaker, the speaker including a speaker housing, speaker components operable to output audio, and a power source operable to power the speaker components. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The assembly of claim 2, wherein the second device is inserted into the receptacle through the first end and extends through the second end beyond the annular waterway. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The assembly of claim 2, wherein the second device includes a device housing defining a device axis, the device housing having a first portion with a first dimension transverse to the device axis and a second portion having a second dimension transverse to the device axis, the second dimension being less than the first dimension, the second portion being inserted through the second end beyond the annular waterway. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The assembly of claim 2, further comprising a connection between the housing and the second device operable to releasably connect the second device to the housing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The assembly of claim 8, wherein the connection includes a first magnet supported by the housing a second magnet supported by the second device and interacting with the first magnet to releasably connect the second device to the housing. ### Claim 10 A shower assembly comprising: a housing through which water flows from a housing inlet to a housing outlet, the housing at least partially defining an annular waterway within the housing through which the water flows from a waterway inlet to a waterway outlet, the annular waterway being laterally enclosed by the housing along a length of the annular waterway from the waterway inlet to the waterway outlet, the waterway outlet being coincident with the housing outlet; and a receptacle with an open first end aligned with the housing outlet and an open second end spaced apart from the open first end, the open second end of the receptacle being open to the exterior of the housing; and a second device removably supported in the receptacle, wherein the housing narrows upstream of the annular waterway. ### Claim 11 A shower assembly comprising: a housing through which water flows from a housing inlet to a housing outlet, the housing at least partially defining an annular waterway within the housing through which the water flows from a waterway inlet to a waterway outlet, the annular waterway being laterally enclosed by the housing along a length of the annular waterway from the waterway inlet to the waterway outlet, the waterway outlet being coincident with the housing outlet; and a receptacle with an open first end aligned with the housing outlet and an open second end spaced apart from the open first end, the open second end of the receptacle being open to the exterior of the housing; and a second device removably supported in the receptacle, wherein the housing includes a wall extending about the receptacle, and wherein the second device includes a device housing engageable with the wall. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The assembly of claim 10, wherein the second device includes one of an entertainment device, a light source, a time keeping device, and a dispenser. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The assembly of claim 12, wherein the second device includes a speaker, the speaker including a speaker housing, speaker components operable to output audio, and a power source operable to power the speaker components. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The assembly of claim 10, wherein the second device is inserted into the receptacle through the first end and extends through the second end beyond the annular waterway. ### Claim 15 A shower assembly comprising: a housing through which water flows from a housing inlet to a housing outlet, the housing at least partially defining an annular waterway within the housing through which the water flows from a waterway inlet to a waterway outlet, the annular waterway being laterally enclosed by the housing along a length of the annular waterway from the waterway inlet to the waterway outlet, the waterway outlet being coincident with the housing outlet; and a receptacle with an open first end aligned with the housing outlet and an open second end spaced apart from the open first end, the open second end of the receptacle being open to the exterior of the housing; and a second device removably supported in the receptacle, wherein the second device includes a device housing defining a device axis, the device housing having a first portion with a first dimension transverse to the device axis and a second portion having a second dimension transverse to the device axis, the second dimension being less than the first dimension, the second portion being inserted through the second end beyond the annular waterway. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The assembly of claim 10, further comprising a connection between the housing and the second device operable to releasably connect the second device to the housing. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The assembly of claim 16, wherein the connection includes a magnet supported by one of the housing and the second device and interacting with the other of the housing and the second device to releasably connect the second device to the housing. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The assembly of claim 17, wherein the magnet is a first magnet supported by the housing, and wherein the connection includes a second magnet supported by the second device. ### Claim 19 A shower assembly comprising: a housing through which water flows from a housing inlet to a housing outlet, the housing including a wall defining a housing surface, the housing surface defining a discrete circular receptacle having an open first end and an open second end spaced apart from the open first end, and a discrete annular waterway within the housing, through which water flows from a waterway inlet to a waterway outlet, the discrete annular waterway being laterally enclosed by the housing along a length of the annular waterway from the waterway inlet to the waterway outlet, the waterway outlet being coincident with the housing outlet and aligned with the housing outlet and the open first end of the circular receptacle, and the inlet being proximate the open second end of the circular receptacle, the open second end being open to the exterior of the housing; and a second device defining an outer surface and being removably supported in the circular receptacle, the second device being insertable into the circular receptacle through the open first end and extending through the open second end beyond the annular waterway, the second device including one of an entertainment device, a light source, a time keeping device, and a dispenser, wherein the wall separates the discrete annular waterway from the discrete circular receptacle. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein the axis is a central axis of the annular waterway. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein the portion of the passage extends along a passage axis offset from the axis. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The assembly of claim 1, wherein the portion of the passage extends in a passage direction parallel with the axis. ### Claim 23 (depends on 11) The assembly of claim 11, wherein the device housing is separated from the annular waterway by the wall. ### Claim 24 (depends on 19) The assembly of claim 19, wherein when the second device is supported in the circular receptacle, the annular waterway is separated from the outer surface of the second device by the housing surface.