Diverter valve assembly and shower system
AssigneeKohler Co.
InventorsMichael J. Soetaert, Jeffrey A. Schumacher, William R. Bares
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A shower system and diverter valve assembly. The shower system includes two shower devices. The diverter valve assembly may include a pull diverter valve assembly coupled between a shower arm and a hand shower hose. In operation, by applying a force (e.g., a pulling force), the pull diverter valve assembly selectively directs water flow to the shower head or to the hand shower. The diverter valve assembly may include a toggle diverter valve assembly including a portion coupled to a hand shower.
Claims29
A shower system comprising:
- a shower device defining a device outlet and a device inlet;
- a conduit fluidly connected between the device inlet and a water supply;
- a hand shower including
- a hand shower housing defining a hand shower outlet and a hand shower inlet, and
- a hose fluidly connected to the hand shower inlet;
- and
- a diverter valve assembly fluidly connected between the conduit and the hose, the diverter valve assembly including
- a housing,
- a first valve seat and a second valve seat, and
- a valve member movable relative to the housing between a first position, in which the valve member engages the first valve seat to direct water to the device inlet, and a second position, in which the valve member engages the second valve seat to direct water to the hand shower inlet, the valve member being adjustable from the first position toward the second position by a force applied to the hose.
A shower system comprising:
- a first shower device defining a first device outlet and a first device inlet;
- a second shower device defining a second device outlet and a second device inlet;
- and
- a diverter valve assembly fluidly connected between the first shower device and the second shower device, the diverter valve assembly including
- a housing defining a valve seat,
- a valve member movable relative to the housing between a first position, to direct water to the first device inlet, and a second position, to direct water to the second device inlet, and
- a biasing member operable to bias the valve member from the second position toward the first position.
A hand shower assembly comprising:
- a housing defining a hand shower inlet connectable to a water supply and a hand shower outlet through which water is dispensed;
- and
- a diverter valve assembly including
- a valve housing defining a valve seat, the valve housing being one of connectable to and provided by the housing, and
- a valve member movable between a first position, in which the valve member engages the valve seat to substantially prevent water flow through the hand shower outlet, and a second position, in which the valve member is disengaged from the valve seat to allow water flow through the hand shower outlet, the valve member defining an axis and being supported on the valve housing for sliding movement along the axis between the first position and the second position.
A method of retrofitting a diverter valve assembly into an existing shower system, the shower system including a shower device defining a device outlet and a device inlet, a conduit fluidly connected between the device inlet and a water supply, and a hand shower including a hand shower housing defining a hand shower outlet and a hand shower inlet, and a hose fluidly connected between the conduit and the hand shower inlet, the diverter valve assembly including a valve housing defining a valve seat, and a valve member movable relative to the valve housing, the method comprising:
- disconnecting the hose from one of the conduit and the hand shower inlet to provide fluidly disconnected components of the shower system;
- and
- connecting the diverter valve assembly in fluid communication between the disconnected components to provide a fluidly connected shower system such that, in a first position of the valve member, water being directed to the device inlet, and, in a second position of the valve member, water being directed to the hand shower inlet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.