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US 12,478,989 B2Granted
Showerhead
AssigneeBrasstech, Inc.
InventorsJoseph Manga, George Jesse Bazan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A showerhead including a faceplate with openings supporting outer nozzles. The outer nozzles cooperate with a membrane having inner nozzle protrusions. A backer support secures the membrane in place relative to the outer nozzles and creates water flowpaths to the inner nozzle protrusions.
Claims18
A showerhead comprising:
- a faceplate including a faceplate front surface, a faceplate rear surface, and a plurality of nozzle openings extending from the faceplate front surface to the faceplate rear surface;
- a shell coupled to the faceplate;
- a plurality of outer nozzles supported within the nozzle openings of the faceplate, the plurality of outer nozzles extending outwardly relative to the faceplate front surface from an inlet to an outlet;
- a membrane including:
- a membrane front surface and a membrane rear surface,
- a plurality of inner nozzle protrusions extending outwardly from the membrane front surface, and each inner nozzle protrusion having a nozzle tip, and
- each inner nozzle protrusion including an inlet opening defined proximate the membrane rear surface and an outlet opening defined proximate the nozzle tip;
- a water passage extending from the inlet opening to the outlet opening of each inner nozzle protrusion,
- wherein the plurality of inner nozzle protrusions are supported within the plurality of outer nozzles, and the nozzle tips protrude outwardly beyond the outlet of the outer nozzles;
- and
- a backer support including:
- a plurality of standoffs, and
- a plurality of water passageways defined between the standoffs;
- wherein the plurality of standoffs secure the membrane between the outer nozzles and the backer support.
11 more elements
A showerhead comprising:
- a faceplate including a faceplate front surface, a faceplate rear surface, and a plurality of nozzle openings extending from the faceplate front surface to the faceplate rear surface;
- a shell coupled to the faceplate;
- a plurality of outer nozzles supported within the nozzle openings of the faceplate, the plurality of outer nozzles extending outwardly relative to the faceplate front surface from an inlet to an outlet;
- a membrane including:
- a membrane front surface and a membrane rear surface,
- a plurality of inner nozzle protrusions extending outwardly from the membrane front surface, and each inner nozzle protrusion having a nozzle tip, and
- each inner nozzle protrusion including an inlet opening defined proximate the membrane rear surface and an outlet opening defined proximate the nozzle tip;
- a water passage extending from the inlet opening to the outlet opening of each inner nozzle protrusion,
- wherein the plurality of inner nozzle protrusions are supported within the plurality of outer nozzles;
- a waterway extending within the shell between an inlet and an outlet;
- a backer support operably coupled to the shell, the waterway cooperating with the backer support to provide a clamping force against the membrane;
- wherein the backer support and the membrane define a chamber for water flow from the outlet of the waterway through the inner nozzle protrusions;
- and
- wherein the backer support includes a plurality of standoffs, and a plurality of water passageways between the standoffs, the water passageways in fluid communication with the water passages of the inner nozzle protrusions.
11 more elements
A showerhead comprising:
- a faceplate including a faceplate front surface, a faceplate rear surface, and a plurality of nozzle openings extending from the faceplate front surface to the faceplate rear surface;
- a shell coupled to the faceplate;
- a plurality of outer nozzles supported within the nozzle openings of the faceplate, the plurality of outer nozzles extending outwardly relative to the faceplate front surface from an inlet to an outlet;
- a membrane including:
- a membrane front surface and a membrane rear surface,
- a plurality of inner nozzle protrusions extending outwardly from the membrane front surface, and each inner nozzle protrusion having a nozzle tip, and
- each inner nozzle protrusion including an inlet opening defined proximate the membrane rear surface and an outlet opening defined proximate the nozzle tip;
- a water passage extending from the inlet opening to the outlet opening of each inner nozzle protrusion,
- wherein the plurality of inner nozzle protrusions are supported within the plurality of outer nozzles;
- a waterway extending within the shell between an inlet and an outlet;
- a backer support operably coupled to the shell, the waterway cooperating with the backer support to provide a clamping force against the membrane;
- wherein the backer support and the membrane define a chamber for water flow from the outlet of the waterway through the inner nozzle protrusions;
- and
- wherein the nozzle openings include planar edges to cooperate with planar surfaces on the outer nozzles and prevent relative rotation of the outer nozzles.
11 more elements
A showerhead comprising:
- a faceplate including a faceplate front surface, a faceplate rear surface, and a plurality of nozzle openings extending from the faceplate front surface to the faceplate rear surface;
- a shell coupled to the faceplate;
- a plurality of outer nozzles supported within the nozzle openings of the faceplate, the plurality of outer nozzles extending outwardly relative to the faceplate front surface from an inlet to an outlet;
- a membrane including:
- a membrane front surface and a membrane rear surface,
- a plurality of inner nozzle protrusions extending outwardly from the membrane front surface, and each inner nozzle protrusion having a nozzle tip, and
- each inner nozzle protrusion including an inlet opening defined proximate the membrane rear surface and an outlet opening defined proximate the nozzle tip;
- a water passage extending from the inlet opening to the outlet opening of each inner nozzle protrusion,
- wherein the plurality of inner nozzle protrusions are supported within the plurality of outer nozzles;
- a waterway extending within the shell between an inlet and an outlet;
- a backer support operably coupled to the shell, the waterway cooperating with the backer support to provide a clamping force against the membrane;
- wherein the backer support and the membrane define a chamber for water flow from the outlet of the waterway through the inner nozzle protrusions;
- and
- wherein the waterway includes an upper member and a lower member supported for axial adjustment relative to the upper member.
11 more elements
A showerhead comprising:
- a faceplate including a faceplate front surface, a faceplate rear surface, and a plurality of nozzle openings extending from the faceplate front surface to the faceplate rear surface;
- a shell coupled to the faceplate;
- a plurality of outer nozzles formed of a rigid material and supported within the nozzle openings of the faceplate, the plurality of outer nozzles extending outwardly from the faceplate front surface from an inlet to an outlet;
- a membrane formed of a flexible material and including:
- a membrane front surface and a membrane rear surface,
- a plurality of inner nozzle protrusions extending outwardly from the membrane front surface, and each inner nozzle protrusion having a nozzle tip,
- each inner nozzle protrusion including an inlet opening defined proximate the membrane rear surface and an outlet opening defined proximate the nozzle tip, and
- a water passage extending from the inlet opening to the outlet opening of each inner nozzle protrusion,
- wherein the plurality of inner nozzle protrusions are supported within the plurality of outer nozzles, and the nozzle tips protrude outwardly beyond the outlet of the outer nozzles;
- a backer support including:
- a plurality of standoffs, and
- a plurality of water passageways defined between the standoffs, the water passageways in fluid communication with the water passages of the inner nozzle protrusions;
- wherein the plurality of standoffs secure the membrane between the outer nozzles and the backer support;
- a waterway extending within the shell between an inlet and an outlet, the waterway cooperating with the backer support to provide a clamping force against the membrane;
- and
- wherein the backer support and the membrane define a chamber for water flow from the outlet of the waterway through the inner nozzle protrusions.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.