# US 2014/0197344 A1 · Manually Operated Valve for a Shower Installation System > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0197344 A1 - Document ID: US20140197344A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/236,617 - Filed: 2012-07-31 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2011-08-02 - Inventors: Michel Pelletier - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140197344A1 ## CPC - E03C 1/025: {Water supply lines as such, e.g. shower hoses} - F16K 21/04: Self-closing valves, i.e. closing automatically after operation {(pneumatic tools B25B9/00)} - 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 Embodiments of a manually operated valve for a shower installation system are described herein that include: an inlet and an outlet configured for installation of the valve along piping and a valve debit control mechanism including a valve chamber that defines a passage between the inlet and outlet, and a valve actuator that biases the valve debit control mechanism towards a closed position wherein the passage is obstructed and which is movable towards an opened position wherein the passage is opened when a triggering force is applied onto the valve actuator. The valve limits the consumption of water in a shower by automatically preventing the flow of water therethrough unless a user voluntarily triggers and maintains the opening of the valve. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A manually operated valve for a shower installation system, the valve comprising: an inlet and an outlet configured for installation of the valve along piping of the shower installation system; and a valve debit control mechanism including: a valve chamber that defines a passage between the inlet and outlet, and a valve actuator that biases the valve debit control mechanism towards a closed position wherein the passage is obstructed; the valve actuator is movable towards an opened position wherein the passage is opened when a triggering force is applied onto the valve actuator. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A manually operated valve as recited in claim 1, comprising a main body wherein the inlet and outlet are defined by respective first and second bores in the main body and the valve chamber is defined by a recess in the main body. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A manually operated valve as recited in claim 2, wherein the recess is defined by a hole in the main body. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A manually operated valve as recited in claim 3, wherein the valve actuator comprises a piston mounted to the body for reciprocal movement in the hole. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A manually operated valve as recited in claim 4, wherein the valve debit control mechanism further includes a spring mounted in the hole to both the piston and the main body therebetween; the spring applying a biasing force onto the piston that causes the piston to move in a position wherein the passage is obstructed by the piston; whereby, in operation, applying the triggering force onto the piston, which is greater than the biasing force and opposite thereto, causes the piston to free the passage. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A manually operated valve as recited in claim 5, wherein the valve debit control mechanism further includes a plug secured to the main body in the hole at a first opened end thereof to close the first opened end; the spring being mounted in the hole to both the piston and the plug. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) A manually operated valve as recited in claim 5, wherein the piston has a trigger portion on a longitudinal side thereof opposite the spring for applying the triggering force onto the piston. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A manually operated valve as recited in claim 7, wherein the valve debit control mechanism further includes a trigger button mounted to the trigger portion of the piston. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A manually operated valve as recited in claim 8, wherein the body includes an oval-shaped outer contour portion; the trigger button including a C-shaped member that is configured and sized to generally complement the oval-shaped outer contour portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A manually operated valve as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the inlet and outlet includes a first section and a second section between the first section and the valve chamber; the second section being narrower than the first section. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A manually operated valve as recited in claim 1, wherein the inlet and outlet are unaligned. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A manually operated valve as recited in claim 11, wherein the valve chamber includes a first section registered with the inlet and a second section that is in fluid communication with the first section of the valve chamber and that is registered with the outlet; the valve actuator including a piston snugly mounted in the valve chamber; the piston being forced by a biasing element towards the closed position, wherein the piston prevents the fluid communication between the first and second sections of the valve chamber; the piston being movable within the valve chamber towards the opened position when the triggering force is applied onto the piston wherein the fluid communication between the first and second sections of the valve chamber is allowed. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A manually operated valve as recited in claim 1, wherein the valve actuator includes a piston mounted in the valve chamber for reciprocal movement therein; wherein the piston obstructs the passage when the valve debit control mechanism is in the closed position and frees the passage when the valve debit control mechanism is in the opened position. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A manually operated valve as recited in claim 13, wherein the piston includes a peripheral recess thereabout that is registered with both the inlet and outlet when the piston is in the opened position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) A manually operated valve as recited in claim 13, wherein the valve debit control mechanism further includes a spring that biases the piston towards a position in the valve chamber wherein the passage is obstructed. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) A manually operated valve as recited in claim 14, wherein the spring is a compression spring mounted to the piston and the valve chamber therebetween. ### Claim 17 A shower installation system comprising: a shower head; piping for connecting the shower head to a water distribution system; and a manually operated valve mounted to the piping; the valve including: an inlet and an outlet configured for installation of the valve along the piping; and a valve debit control mechanism including: a valve chamber that defines a passage between the inlet and outlet, and a valve actuator that biases the valve debit control mechanism towards a closed position wherein the passage is obstructed; the valve actuator is movable towards an opened position wherein the passage is opened when a triggering force is applied onto the valve actuator. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A shower installation system as recited in claim 17, wherein the piping includes hoses and the shower head is removably mounted to a wall. ### Claim 19 (canceled) ### Claim 20 A manually operated valve for a shower installation system including piping between a shower head and a water distribution system, the valve comprising: a body; a first bore in the body defining and inlet and being connectable to the piping; a second bore in the body defining an outlet and being connectable to the piping; a hole in the body defining first and second openings in the body and yielding a fluid passage between the first and second bores; a plug secured to the body in the hole at the first opening for closing the first opening; a compression spring mounted to the plug and extending within the hole towards the second opening; a piston reciprocally mounted in the hole to the compression spring and being biased by the spring towards a first position wherein the piston obstructs the fluid passage; and a trigger mounted to the piston to allow a person manually applying a triggering force onto the piston which is sufficient to compress the compression spring and to move the piston towards a second position wherein the piston frees the fluid passage.