EP2301670B1 - Shower head for a sanitary shower - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a shower head for a sanitary shower.

There are a variety of sanitary showers, be they hand showers, overhead showers or side showers with which a massage effect is to be achieved. For this purpose, mechanically moving elements are used, which can lead to an interruption of the individual water jets. Also known are oscillators that change the direction of the exiting water jets. Another way to make a type of massage can be aerated water jets.

In another known massage shower ( DE 3018917 ) a partially rotating water flow is generated in a cylindrical chamber within the shower head. For this purpose, a part of the water flowing into the shower is directed axially into the chamber, while the remaining part of the water is introduced at several points obliquely to the axis of the cylindrical chamber. One end of the chamber is provided with the jet disk.

In another known hand shower ( DE 3300469 ) is arranged in the shower head, a hemispherical vortex chamber in which a water vortex is generated about an axis parallel to the jet disk axis. From the flat boundary surface of this chamber pulsating jets emerge from a few holes. The massage effect can be enhanced by mechanical means.

In yet another single drop producing shower ( DE 29710111 ), the water is introduced tangentially in a shower housing at the point with the smallest diameter. The showerhead then widens in a funnel shape, and at the end with the largest diameter, the jet outlet openings are arranged.

Furthermore, a fitting for connection to conventional pressurized water lines is known, which has a pear-shaped housing into which the water flows axially, a turbine is rotated and then passed through radially extending channels to the outside against the expanding wall of a chamber ( DE 3828111 A1 ).

Also known is a shower head with a cylindrical chamber and a tangential water inlet into the chamber. This is intended to set a discharge nozzle in vibration ( WO 95/23029 ).

The invention is based on the object to provide a shower head for a sanitary shower that can produce without moving parts effervescent spray with a massage effect with special effects.

To solve this problem, the invention proposes a shower head with the features mentioned in claim 1. Further developments of the invention are the subject of dependent claims.

In the arranged in the showerhead housing chamber so the water passes tangentially, and that at a point where the chamber has a large diameter. The water flow forms a vortex, which is then further accelerated because of the tapered cross section of the chamber. When the shower is started, an airbag is formed inside the incipient vortex, which revolves with the vortex but is not constantly arranged in the middle, but moves eccentrically around. As a result, water jets emerge at the outlet of the jet openings of the jet disk whose volume changes periodically. This results in a massage effect, without mechanically moving parts must be used. It is also no division of the entering into the shower jet of water required. The function is retained even if the airbag disappears after a long period of operation.

The chamber formed in the showerhead housing, which could also be called a vortex chamber, has in a cross-section parallel to the jet disk a rounded circumference in order to support the vortex generated by the tangentially entering water. It has surprisingly been found that the circumference or the cross section through the vortex chamber does not have to be circular. Also, an oval shape, which leads to an elongated shape of the jet exit disc can be provided in this way with a massage effect. As a result, there are greater possibilities for the shaping of a shower.

According to the invention, it is provided that the water guide for the water entering the chamber also opens tangentially in the axial direction in the inlet region of the chamber. The axial direction is to be understood as the direction which is perpendicular to the jet exit disc.

The tapering region adjoining the inlet region of the chamber preferably begins in a development such that its wall begins almost parallel to a cross-sectional plane. In other words, at the beginning of the tapering area, a large reduction in the cross-section of the chamber takes place. In the further course of the tapering region, the wall of this region then approaches along a curved transition a direction which runs perpendicular to the jet disk, so that therefore the end of the tapering region has a wall which runs tangentially to the axial direction.

The transition between the beginning and the end of the tapering region thus runs along a more or less curved contour, so that the vortex generated in the chamber undergoes no disturbance along this harmonic transition.

The rejuvenation range can be configured in a development of the invention so that the diameter of the chamber is significantly reduced during its course, for example in the ratio of about 2: 1 to about 6: 1.

By contrast, the axial extent of the tapering region, that is to say the dimensions perpendicular to the cross section running parallel to the jet disk, can be significantly smaller than the maximum diameter of the chamber. The axial extent may be, for example, in a range from 1: 2 to about 1: 5 in relation to the maximum diameter of the vortex chamber.

Since the shower head, which the invention proposes, should not necessarily differ in its external design from conventional forms, can be provided according to the invention in development that the water inlet is arranged radially in the housing. If it is the shower head is a hand shower, so can still be arranged the handle of the hand shower radially to the shower head.

If, on the other hand, it is intended to be an overhead shower or a side shower, it can also be provided according to the invention that the water inlet into the housing can take place in the axial direction, that is to say perpendicularly to the jet disk. In an axially extending water inlet into the housing can be provided that this inlet is not located in the middle of the housing of the shower head, but laterally offset.

In order to produce a tangential flow in the vortex chamber despite the axial and / or radial course of the water inlet into the housing, it can be provided according to the invention that the water guide is formed from the water inlet to the chamber as a channel outside at least the chamber as far as the circumference of the chamber along, that it reaches at least approximately tangentially into the chamber, for example over an arc length of 20 °, preferably over an arc length of at least about 45 °.

In the chamber, this channel then opens as an outlet.

The outlet opening preferably also extends along the circumference, again along an arc length sufficient to ensure its entry into the chamber in a vortex-generating direction. These may be, for example, at least about 15 °.

In a further development of the invention it can be provided that the outlet opening of the channel lies in a plane which runs parallel to the jet disk.

According to the invention, it can be provided in a development that the outlet opening of the channel is opposite the wall of the beginning of the tapering area that is approximately located in a radial plane. The incoming water is therefore already passed directly into the rejuvenation area.

According to the invention it can be provided that the channel of the water guide already has a gradually decreasing cross section. This achieves a uniform and defined input beam into the vortex chamber.

It may also be provided in front of the channel means for flow regulation. This influences the flow rate and consequently the massage frequency.

Since the tapering region has a decreasing cross-section, it ends at a point of the smallest cross-section, ie a bottleneck. According to the invention can now be provided that adjoins a jet outlet chamber, which is bounded by the jet disk at this point. It is thus between the end of the tapering area, so the bottleneck, and the jet disc a certain distance available. This distance forms the thickness of the jet outlet chamber.

The diameter of the jet outlet chamber can be identical to the diameter of the constriction, depending on the requirements of the individual case.

However, it is also possible and preferred by the invention that the diameter of the jet outlet chamber is greater than the minimum diameter of the tapering region, in particular significantly larger. In particular, it can be provided that the diameter of the Jet outlet chamber is about the same size or even slightly larger than the maximum diameter of the vortex chamber in its inlet area.

It has surprisingly been found that such an enlargement of the diameter of the jet outlet chamber with respect to the end of the tapering region nevertheless leads to a massaging effect also on the outer regions of the jet outlet disc, wherein this massage effect is a particularly pleasant massage action.

According to the invention it can be provided that the jet outlet chamber is closed on its side facing away from the jet disc around a ring around the end of the tapering region. This floor can be particularly flat.

The jet exit chamber formed between the jet exit disc and the bottom is preferably designed as a flat chamber whose thickness is significantly smaller than the diameter of the exit opening of the tapering region.

The water inlet into the vortex chamber occurs at the point where the vortex chamber has its largest diameter. According to the invention, provision can now be made for the chamber formed in the shower head to continue on its side of the inlet area facing away from the jet disk, as far as a rear wall of the shower head housing.

According to the invention may be provided in a development that the jet disk has multiple areas that can be supplied separately by means of a switching device with water. Preferably, the areas may have different sized jet outlet openings to produce in this way differently acting massage jets. For example, one can be harder in the middle Generating massage jets, while at the edge of the jet disk, the particular advantage of the shower according to the invention can be exploited for the production of soft massage jets.

Figur 1

eine Ansicht einer Handbrause;

Figur 2

einen Querschnitt durch den Brausekopf der Handbrause der Figur 1;

Figur 3

einen Längsschnitt durch eine Handbrause;

Figur 4

einen abgewinkelten Querschnitt durch die Handbrause der Figur 3;

Figur 5

einen gebogenen Teilschnitt durch den Brausekopf der Figur 3;

Figur 6

einen der Figur 3 entsprechenden Schnitt bei einer anderen Ausführungsform;

Figur 7

einen Querschnitt durch den Brausekopf der Figur 6;

Figur 8

einen nochmaligen Längsschnitt durch einen Brausekopf;

Figur 9

einen Querschnitt durch den Brausekopf der Figur 8;

Figur 10

einen gebogenen Schnitt durch den Brausekopf der Figur 8 und 9;

Figur 11

einen Schnitt durch eine Kopfbrause;

Figur 12

einen Querschnitt durch die Kopfbrause der Figur 11;

Figur 13

einen gebogenen Schnitt durch die Kopfbrause;

Figur 14

eine Ansicht einer Handbrause mit der Strahlscheibe;

Figur 15

einen Längsschnitt durch die Handbrause der Figur 14;

Figur 16

einen Teilschnitt durch ein Führungselement;

Figur 17

einen Längsschnitt durch die Handbrause der Figur 14 in einer unterschiedlichen Position.

Further features, details and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the claims and the abstract, the wording of which is incorporated by reference into the content of the description, the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention and with reference to the drawing. Hereby show:

FIG. 1

a view of a hand shower;

FIG. 2

a cross section through the shower head of the hand shower of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3

a longitudinal section through a hand shower;

FIG. 4

an angled cross section through the hand shower of FIG. 3 ;

FIG. 5

a curved partial section through the shower head of FIG. 3 ;

FIG. 6

one of the FIG. 3 corresponding section in another embodiment;

FIG. 7

a cross section through the shower head of FIG. 6 ;

FIG. 8

a second longitudinal section through a shower head;

FIG. 9

a cross section through the shower head of FIG. 8 ;

FIG. 10

a curved cut through the shower head of the FIGS. 8 and 9 ;

FIG. 11

a section through an overhead shower;

FIG. 12

a cross section through the overhead shower of FIG. 11 ;

FIG. 13

a curved section through the overhead shower;

FIG. 14

a view of a hand shower with the jet disk;

FIG. 15

a longitudinal section through the hand shower of FIG. 14 ;

FIG. 16

a partial section through a guide element;

FIG. 17

a longitudinal section through the hand shower of FIG. 14 in a different position.

First to FIG. 1 , There is a hand shower shown from the back. The hand shower has a circular in plan ground shower head 1 with a handle 2, wherein the handle 2 is slightly angled from the plane of the shower head 1, but extends radially to the housing of the shower head. At its free end there is a connection for a shower hose.

FIG. 2 shows a cross section through this shower head along a diameter. The shower head or its housing has a rear wall 3 and an outer wall 4. On the side facing away from the rear wall 3 of the shower head includes a jet disk 5, which has a plurality of jet openings through which the shower water emerges in individual jets. Within the housing of the shower head, a chamber 6 is formed, which has a first directly to the rear wall. 3 has adjacent region, which then adjoins a narrow but enlarged diameter inlet region 7. Starting from the largest diameter formed in the inlet portion 7, the walls of the chamber 6 in the direction of the jet disk 5 inwardly from and thereby form a tapering region 8, which can also be referred to as a funnel with curved side walls. This tapering region 8 opens into a constriction 9, which is arranged opposite the jet disk 5. In the area outside of the jet disc 5 associated end of the tapering region 8, a bottom 10 is arranged in the housing of the shower head. Between the bottom 10 and the jet disk 5, a jet exit chamber 11 is thereby formed which has a very small thickness but a diameter which is greater than the diameter of the chamber 6 at its largest point, namely within the inlet region 7.

In the housing of the shower head, a channel 12 is formed outside the upper portion of the chamber 6, which extends a circumference around the chamber 6 along. The channel 12 has a rectangular cross section with rounded edges. At the in FIG. 2 right side, the channel 12 on its underside, that is, in the direction of the jet disk 5 side facing an outlet opening 13. Through this outlet opening 13, the water from the channel 12 enters the chamber 6. The channel 12 is what in the Figures 1 and 2 is not shown, connected at its outlet opening 13 opposite end with the interior of the handle 2.

The FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal section through the shower head in a rotated 90 ° plane in a larger scale. The tapering portion 8 begins at the end of the inlet portion 7 with a shape in which the wall of the chamber 6 is first guided inwardly almost in a radial plane. In other words, the radial plane runs tangentially with respect to the wall of the chamber 6 in the rejuvenation area 8. Die

Wall of the chamber 6 in the tapering 8 leads far inward and then passes in a curved arc in the constriction 9, where the tapering region 8 terminates in an opening whose edge extends in a plane parallel to the jet disk 5. At this point, the wall of the tapering region extends in the axial direction, ie perpendicular to the plane of the jet disk 5. On the inside of the jet disk 5 in the example shown, a plate 14 is arranged, which has an inclined surface at its outer edge, which has the passing through the constriction 9 Water is diverted radially outwards.

In the handle 2, a channel 15 is formed, through which the water flows through the shower hose in the shower head. This channel 15 is connected via a line bow 16 with the aforementioned channel 12 in connection. The channel 12 runs, see also FIG. 4 around the chamber 6 over an arc of about 270 °. At the end of the channel 12, the outlet opening 13 is formed, which, since the channel 12 gradually moves down there, also has a relatively large arc length, which is here in the range of 45 °. The water leaving the channel 12 through the outlet opening 13 therefore passes tangentially into the chamber 6.

From the partial section of FIG. 5 you can see the end of the channel 12. The lying in the direction of the rear wall 3 of the housing of the shower head boundary wall of the channel 12 runs here continuously downwards in the direction of the jet disk and forms a slope 17. Thereby, the very long outlet opening 13 is formed. The water flowing out thus also passes in the axial direction, that is in FIG. 5 from top to bottom, tangentially into the chamber 6 formed in the housing.

Both the FIG. 2 as well as the FIG. 5 it can be seen that where the outlet opening 13 of the channel 12 is located, the boundary wall the chamber 6 is in its rejuvenation area 8. The water emerging from the outlet opening 13 thus flows to this beginning 18 of the tapering region 8. The water is passed in a circular motion around the axis of the showerhead housing without being disturbed by projections, kinks or the like.

Once the water has passed the bottleneck 9, it passes into the flat jet outlet chamber 11 due to the existing circulation flow, from where it leaves the shower head through the existing jet outlet openings there. Due to the circulation flow, more or less volume results in a pattern that rotates in a circle around the axis of the chamber 6.

Between the outside of the chamber 6 in its tapering area 8 and the bottom 10 attached to the end of the tapering area is formed a gap 19 which is filled with air but does not fulfill a function. This space 19 is also in the section of FIG. 5 to see.

The longitudinal section of the FIG. 6 corresponds to the longitudinal section of FIG. 3 However, shows a comparison with the previous embodiment modified embodiment of a shower head. In longitudinal section of the FIG. 6 It can be seen that to the right of the chamber 6 no channel can be seen. The explanation follows from the FIG. 7 , Although the channel 12 extends along a circumference around the chamber 6, but only over an arc length of a quarter arc including the extension of the outlet opening 13. It can also be seen from the drawing that the cross section of the channel 12 downstream Conduction arc 16 is reduced.

The longitudinal section through the shower head in FIG. 8 should show that such a massage effect can be achieved with a shower even then can, if the axial extent of the tapering portion is not so short as in the previous embodiments, but takes such a length as the FIG. 8 shows. In FIG. 8 For example, in the previous embodiments, the axial extent of the tapered region is significantly smaller.

The course of the channel and its outlet opening 13 in this embodiment again as in the embodiment according to FIG. 4 , Again, see FIG. 10 to see that the outlet opening 13 of the beginning 18 of the wall of the tapering region 8 is opposite, so that the water flow is also gradually transferred here into the throat of the throat taper 8.

While the previous embodiments show shower heads of hand showers in which the water inlet is made by the handle 2 radially, the shows FIG. 11 to FIG. 13 an embodiment in which the shower head is an overhead shower, which thus contains no handle. The water inlet happens here through a connecting piece 22 which extends in the axial direction. He is laterally offset from the indicated axis 23 of the shower head. At the end of this connection piece 22, a line bend 26 is formed, from which the water is passed through 90 ° in the channel 12, which then leads around the chamber 6 formed around the shower head again in the same manner. The channel 12 extends here about 180 °, so a half arc. At the end of the channel 12, an outlet opening 13 is again present, which points to the beginning 18 of the wall of the tapering region 8.

The shower head of the FIG. 11 to FIG. 13 is an example of the fact that the diameter of the jet exit chamber 11 formed between the jet disk 5 and the bottom 10 may even be substantially larger than the maximum diameter of the chamber 6 into which the water is generated a vortex flow occurs. Even with such a large difference between the diameter of the constriction at the end of the tapering region 8 and the diameter of the jet outlet chamber 11, the turbulence of the water also in the outer region of the jet exit disc 5 still leads to a massaging effect.

It has already been mentioned that the jet exit disc can also have several areas which can be controlled separately. This is on the FIG. 14 referenced, which shows a view of the hand shower from the user's point of view. So here is the jet disk 5 to see. The jet disc is rotatably mounted together with the bottom 10 of the jet outlet chamber 11 on the outer side of the end of the tapering region 8. In the middle of the jet disk 5, an opening is provided, in which a jet core 25 is arranged. The edge of the opening of the jet disk 5 engages in a circumferential groove on the outside of the jet disk core 25. This circumferential groove extends obliquely and forms a curve which cooperates with the edge of the opening. The jet disk core 25 is guided with a shaft 27 in a socket 28 on the inside of the rear wall 3. How to do the presentation in FIG. 16 can be removed, the shaft 27 is formed so that it can not be rotated relative to the bush 28. With a rotation of the jet disk 5, therefore, the jet disk core 25 is slightly displaced in the direction of its shaft 27 in accordance with the slope of the curve in the circumferential groove. The FIG. 15 shows the position in which the inwardly directed shoulder 29 of the jet core 25 abuts against the edge of the outlet opening of the tapering region 8. The jet core has six continuous jet outlet openings 30. In the position of FIG. 15 Because of the relatively large jet outlet openings 30, a hard massage jet is generated here in the chamber 6 due to the water vortex in the chamber 6.

The passage openings 30 together preferably have a similar flow cross-section as the jet outlet openings in the outer region together.

Twisting the jet disk 5 by means of the Verstellansatzes 31, the beam core 25 is in the in FIG. 17 moved position shown. The shoulder 29 of the disk core 25 lifts off the edge of the opening at the end of the tapering region 8. The water now flows past the shoulder 29 into the outer region of the jet outlet chamber. Due to the high velocity of the water in the circumferential direction of the rotating vortex jumps immediately to the outside, so that no water exits despite the larger opening cross-section of the jet outlet openings 30 of the jet disk core 25. A seal is not required.

The jet core, which is displaced in the illustrated embodiment, may also have a different number of jet outlets 30. It is also conceivable that it contains a single central opening.

In the illustrated embodiment, the jet core is axially movable, while the jet disk is formed fixed outside the core. It is also conceivable to move the jet disk as a whole for switching on the various areas of the jet disk.

Claims (14)

1. Shower head, having

   1.1 a shower-head housing which

   1.2 is bounded on one side by a spray disc (5) and

   1.3 has a water inlet,

   1.4 a chamber (6) formed in the shower-head housing which chamber has

   1.5 an inlet region (7) and

   1.6 adjoining thereto a tapering region tapering in the direction towards the spray disc (5), and having

   1.7 a water conduit leading from the water inlet into the chamber (6), wherein

   1.8 the tapering region (8), at its end which is assigned to the spray disc (5), terminates in an opening which is adjoined by a jet-outlet chamber (11) bounded by the spray disc (5),

   1.9 the diameter of the jet-outlet chamber (11) is greater than the diameter of the opening of the tapering region (8) of the chamber (6),
   characterized in that
   the water conduit opens out tangentially into the inlet region (7) of the chamber (6), in the circumferential direction and in the axial direction of the shower head.
2. Shower head according to claim 1, wherein, as seen in a cross section running parallel to the spray disc (5), the chamber (6) has a rounded circumference.
3. Shower head according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tapering region (8) of the chamber (6) begins at least approximately parallel to a cross-sectional plane and terminates in a constriction (9) in which the wall of the tapering region (8) preferably runs approximately perpendicular to the spray disc (5).
4. Shower head according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ratio between the diameter of the chamber (6) in the inlet region (7) and the diameter of the chamber (6) at that end of the tapering region (8) which is assigned to the spray disc (5) is in a range of approximately 6:1 to 4:1.
5. Shower head according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the water inlet into the housing runs approximately radially or approximately axially in relation to the housing.
6. Shower head according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the water conduit from the water inlet into the housing is designed as a channel (12) which runs at least partially along the circumference around the chamber (6) over an angle range of at least 20° and opens out in an outlet opening (13) in the inlet region (7) of the chamber (6), which in particular runs along the circumference of the chamber (6), extends preferably over an angle range of approximately 20°, and in particular is located in a cross-sectional plane parallel to the spray disc (5).
7. Shower head according to claim 6, wherein the wall (18) of the tapering region (8) of the chamber (6) extending approximately parallel to a cross-sectional plane is located opposite the outlet opening (13) of the channel (12).
8. Shower head according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the channel (12) has a cross section which is decreasing in the flow direction.
9. Shower head according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the diameter of the jet-outlet chamber (11) corresponds approximately to the diameter of the chamber (6) formed in the shower head housing in the vicinity of the inlet region (7) and/or is greater than the greatest diameter of the chamber (6) formed in the shower head housing.
10. Shower head according to claim 9, wherein the jet-outlet chamber (11) is bounded by a base (10) on its side which is directed away from the spray disc (5).
11. Shower head according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the distance between that end of the tapering region (8) which is assigned to the spray disc (5) and the spray disc (5) is smaller than the diameter of the end of the tapering region (8).
12. Shower head according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the chamber (6) formed in the shower head housing, on its side of the inlet region (7) which is directed away from the spray disc (5), continues as far as to the rear wall (3) of the shower-head housing.
13. Shower head according to any one of the claims 9 to 12, wherein the jet-outlet chamber (11) is designed as a flat disc-like chamber.
14. Shower head according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the spray disc (5) has a plurality of regions, and a switchover device can be used to switch over between these regions, wherein preferably jet-outlet openings (30) of the various regions are of different sizes and the switchover device has a mechanical interruption just in one position, as required.

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