Showerhead assembly with primary showerhead and orbiting showerhead

#The present invention relates to showerheads. More particularly, the present invention relates to handheld showerheads producing a plurality of spray patterns and control mechanisms for the control of such spray patterns.

#Spray heads are commercially available in numerous designs and configurations for use in showers, faucets, spas, sprinklers and other personal and industrial systems. The vast majority of spray heads may be categorized as being either stationary or oscillating and have either fixed or adjustable openings. Stationary spray heads with fixed jets are the simplest constructions consisting essentially of a central conduit connected to one or more spray jets directed to produce a constant pattern. The stationary spray showerheads cause water to flow through the construction to contact essentially the same points on a user's body in a repetitive fashion.

#Multifunction showerheads are able to deliver water in many different spray patterns such as a fine spray, a coarse spray, a pulsating spray, or even a flood pattern providing high fluid flow but decreased velocity. Of course, many other spray patterns may also be provided.

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the showerhead assembly of the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a side view of the showerhead assembly of the present invention wherein the orbiting showerhead sprays directly forward;

#FIG. 3 is a side view of the showerhead assembly of the present invention wherein the orbiting showerhead sprays outwardly;

#While the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, as shown in the drawings, hereinafter will be described the presently preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the invention, and the present disclosure is not intended to limit the invention to specific embodiments illustrated.

#Two preferred embodiments of the showerhead assembly 1 of the present invention are illustrated in FIGS. 1-18. As illustrated in the figures, the showerhead assembly 1 includes both a primary showerhead 3 and an orbiting showerhead 21. The primary showerhead 3 may incorporate various constructions known to those skilled in the art. For example, as illustrated in the figures, the primary showerhead may have a relatively simple and traditional showerhead design including a plurality of nozzles for providing a simple spray pattern. However, the primary showerhead may incorporate more complex constructions for providing selectable and controllable spray patterns such as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 8,177,147 issued on May 15, 2012 which is incorporated in its entirety herein. As illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 and 11-14, the simple primary showerhead 3 includes a showerhead housing 5. The housing 5 has a front 7 and a back 9. Projecting from the front of the showerhead are nozzles 11 for ejecting water.

#As illustrated in FIGS. 2-4 and 12-14, the showerhead assembly 1 includes a neck portion 41 for connecting the showerhead assembly to a water source such as a threaded male pipe 39. To connect the showerhead assembly 1 to a male threaded pipe, the neck portion includes a female threaded inlet 45 and a central conduit 43 for allowing water to pass through into the cavity within the primary showerhead housing 5.