# US 12,006,668 B2 · Connecting device for shower apparatus

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- Number: US 12,006,668 B2
- Document ID: US12006668B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/102,774
- Filed: 2023-01-30
- Published: 2023-09-21
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2022-03-17
- Assignees: Xiamen Rainshower Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Xiamen Rainshower Co. Ltd.
- Inventors: Hewei Liu; Weifeng Zeng; Ruiqiang Zhang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12006668B2

## CPC

- E03C 1/023: {with flow distribution, e.g. diverters}
- E03C 1/0408: {Water installations especially for showers (E03C1/06 takes precedence; shower heads B05B1/18)}
- E03C 1/0409: {Shower handles}
- F16K 11/085: with cylindrical plug
- E03C 1/06: Devices for suspending or supporting the supply pipe or supply hose of a shower-bath {(showers per se A47K3/28)}
- 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 connecting device for a shower apparatus includes a shower column and a waterway switching device. The shower column is composed of a bending segment and a straight rod segment. A projection length of the shower column along the vertical projection plane Y is L1, L1 is between 210 mm and 310 mm, and a projection length of the shower column along the horizontal projection plane X is L2, L2 is between 290 mm and 350 mm, the length of the shower column of the present application is significantly shortened, and the logistics cost for transporting the same number of products is greatly reduced.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A connecting device for a shower apparatus, the connecting device comprising:
a shower column composed of a bending segment and a straight rod segment, when the shower column is in an installed state, a projection length of the shower column along a vertical projection plane (Y) is (L1), (L1) is between 210 mm and 310 mm, and a projection length of the shower column along a horizontal projection plane (X) is (L2), (L2) is between 290 mm and 350 mm, the bending segment is substantially L-shaped, and a lower part of a free end of the bending segment is provided with a first water outlet, the first water outlet is configured to connect a top spray, and the shower column is provided with a through water outlet channel therein;
a waterway switching device comprising a valve seat, a water distributing valve core and a knob; wherein the valve seat has a hollow inner cavity, a number of partitions are provided in the inner cavity, so that a water inlet chamber and a valve core chamber, which are mutually independent in space but are in fluid communication, are respectively formed at two axial ends, and a first water holding chamber and a second water holding chamber, which are mutually independent in space and have separated waterways, are formed at two radial ends; an outer end of the water inlet chamber is provided with a water inlet; an outer end of the first water holding chamber is provided with a first connection port, and the first connection port is vertically upward, and is connected to the straight rod segment of the shower column, an outer end of the second water holding chamber is provided with a second water outlet, and the second water outlet is configured to connect an additional water apparatus; a vertical partition is formed between the valve core chamber and the first water holding chamber and the second water holding chamber, respectively, the vertical partition is correspondingly provided with at least one first water-passing opening and one second water-passing opening at positions corresponding to the first water holding chamber and the second water holding chamber, so that the valve core chamber is in fluid communication with the first water holding chamber only through the first water-passing opening, and the valve core chamber is in fluid communication with the second water holding chamber only through the second water-passing opening; the water distributing valve core is configured to have at least one radial water inlet end and one axial water outlet end, the water distributing valve core is disposed in the valve core chamber, and an outer end of the valve core chamber is arranged with a knob, and the axial water outlet end of the water distributing valve core is driven to be in fluid communication with the first water-passing opening and/or the second water-passing opening by turning the knob.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The connecting device according to claim 1, wherein the water distributing valve core comprises a valve body and a valve shaft, the valve body has a hollow inner cavity and an axially through shaft hole, and the radial water inlet end is a water inlet opened at a radial end of the valve body; the valve shaft is rotatably disposed in an inner cavity of the valve body, and a shaft part of the valve shaft extends outward through the shaft hole of the valve body and is fixedly connected to the knob, the valve shaft is provided with a water-passing channel, a water inlet of the water-passing channel is in fluid communication with the water inlet of the valve body, and an axial water outlet of the water-passing channel is exactly the axial water outlet end.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The connecting device according to claim 2, wherein the valve body is further fixedly arranged with a water distributing piece at an axial end towards the vertical partition, the water distributing piece is provided with a first water inlet and a second water inlet separated from each other, the first water inlet and the second water inlet are respectively in communication with the first water-passing opening and the second water-passing opening; a sealing ring is additionally provided between the water distributing piece and the vertical partition, and the valve shaft is driven by the knob to rotate in the inner cavity of the valve body, to allow the axial water outlet end of the water-passing channel of the valve shaft to be connected to and in fluid communication with the first water inlet and/or the second water inlet of the water distributing piece.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The connecting device according to claim 2, wherein an inner cavity wall of the valve body is provided with a first limit fitting part, and the valve shaft is provided with a second limit fitting part corresponding to the first limit fitting part, the rotation range of the valve shaft in the inner cavity of the valve body is limited by the cooperation of the first limit fitting part and the second limit fitting part, the rotation range comprises all the range where the axial water outlet end of the water-passing channel of the valve shaft rotates from the first water inlet to the second water inlet of the water distributing piece to be connected to and in fluid communication with the second water inlet.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The connecting device according to claim 4, wherein the first limit fitting part is an arc-shaped limit notch in the inner cavity wall of the valve body, and the second limit fitting part is a convex stop provided at a corresponding position on the valve shaft, and when the valve shaft rotates in the inner cavity of the valve body, the convex stop rotates within the range of the arc-shaped limit notch.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The connecting device according to claim 2, wherein a positioning flat surface is provided on a side wall of the shaft part of the valve shaft, and a matching flat surface is provided at a corresponding position of the knob, and when the shaft part of the valve shaft is fixedly connected to the knob, the positioning flat surface of the shaft part is closely fitted with the matching flat surface of the knob, so that turning the knob is capable of synchronously driving the valve shaft to rotate.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The connecting device according to claim 6, wherein the knob is provided with an abutting nut arranged radially through the knob, the abutting nut passes through a side wall of the knob, and abuts against the shaft part of the valve shaft in an interference manner, to realize the fixed connection between the shaft part of the valve shaft and the knob.

### Claim 8 (depends on 2)

The connecting device according to claim 2, further comprising a valve core pressing block, wherein the valve core pressing block is provided with a through hole in a central portion thereof, and the valve core pressing block is provided with an external threaded connection segment on an outer side wall thereof, an outlet end of the valve core chamber is provided with an internal threaded connection segment, the valve body is provided with an axial extension segment in the direction of the shaft hole, a step surface (T) is formed between the axial extension segment and an end face of the valve body, the valve body is disposed into the valve core chamber, the external threaded connection segment of the valve core pressing block and the internal threaded connection segment provided at the outlet end of the valve core chamber are threadedly connected to each other, the axial extension segment of the valve body passes through the through hole of the valve core pressing block, and the valve core pressing block and the step surface (T) of the valve body abut against each other, so that the valve body is fixed in the valve core chamber.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The connecting device according to claim 8, wherein a positioning snap fastener is provided between the valve core pressing block and the knob, the valve core pressing block is provided with three positioning counterbores arranged circumferentially in an end face on a side facing towards the knob, and the positioning snap fastener is capable of switching between the three positioning counterbores and generating a positioning sound when the knob drives the valve shaft to rotate and stay at different positions where different waterways are in fluid communication.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The connecting device according to claim 1, wherein the second water outlet is vertically downward, a handle indicating rod is provided at an outer side wall of the knob, and the handle indicating rod rotates synchronously with the knob, the handle indicating rod is configured such that: when the handle indicating rod is pointed to the direction of the first connection port, the axial water outlet end is only connected to and in communication with the first water-passing opening; when the handle indicating rod is pointed to the direction of the second water outlet, the axial water outlet end is only connected to and in communication with the second water passing opening; and when the handle indicating rod is pointed to the direction of right middle between the first connection port and the second water outlet, the axial water outlet end is connected to and in communication with both the first water-passing opening and the second water-passing opening, which is convenient for the user to directly judge the water outlet direction of the waterway connecting device according to the direction indicated by the handle indicating rod.