Title of Invention

A SUPPORT FOR A SHOWER HEAD

Abstract

A shower support, with the aid of which a shower head (8) can be placed at a distance from a wall (1), contains, in addition to the holder for the conventional shower head, at least one additional shower (11) that is directly mounted on the wall arm (5) itself. The additional shower is supplied with water through the inside of the wall arm. The water supply for the additional shower is independent from the water supply for the shower head.

Full Text

Description Shower Support FIELD OF INVENTION The invention is based on a support with which a shower head may be mounted at a particular distance from a fixed location. PRIOR ART There are a wide variety of supports with which a shower head may be detachably, or permanently, mounted at a distance from a wall. In the case of a known support of that type, a pair of shower heads that may be pivoted about mutually parallel axes is arranged between the legs of a U-shaped, curved arm. The wall-mounting arm, which is configured from hollow, profiled stock, serves as a water conduit. The pair of shower heads are identically configured and simultaneously supplied with water from a common water supply. Other types of wall-mounting supports have just a single shower head that is either attached directly to the arm, or is detachable therefrom. Reference may be made to US 6,442, 775 relating to a shower fixture comprising: a base adapted to be fixed to a wall, connected to a pressurized-water supply, and having a pressvirized water outlet; a pair of generally parallel and spaced tubes having inner ends pivotal about an inner horizontal axis on the base and outer ends, at least one of the tubes being internally connected at the base to the outlet, whereby pressurized water can flow from the supply through the base to the tube; an element joining together the two tubes for joint pivoting; and a shower head mounted betwieen the outer ends, pivotal on the tube about an outer horizontal axis, and connected internally at the outer axis to the one tube, whereby water from the one tube can flow into the head. However, the above said patent does not disclose inventive features of the proposed application so as to get the desired technical effect. Further, reference may be made to US 4, 901, 927 in which both shower heads can be supplied with water independently from each other but the further shower head is not supplied by a hose and can not be removed from its fixture. Further, a shower apparatus with a shower member is known in the art, for which reference may be made to US 1,354,838. The patent discloses a shower apparatus comprising a shower tube, a T-shaped coupling member therein having an internal valve seat opposite the middle port of said coupling number, and a shower member having a tubular shank threaded into the middle orifice of said coupling member and provided with a valve to engage said interior valve seat to selectively close the water supply passage to said shower member without closing the passage from one end port of said coupling member to its other end port. Further it also relates to a shower apparatus comprising a shower tube, one or more T-shaped coupling members therein each having a valve seat, and one or more individual shower members having a tubular shank threaded into one orifice of a coupling member and provided with a valve to engage the valve seat of the coupling member to close a water supply passage to said shower member through its shank. In the above said invention, the tilting of the shower tube opens and closes a valve which controls the water flow through the shower tube which implies that in a particular position no water flows into the shower tube. Therefore, it is not required to provide the uppermost shower head with a hose for which an additional valve would be necessary. Further, as can be seen from the left column of the first page of the specification that, this known invention is related to an improved adjustable shower unit with cut off mechanism. This cut off mechanism is implemented by the two-way valve and controlled by the shower tube. The uppermost shower head of the reference cited can be supplied with water independently from the other shower heads, but the shower attachment of the reference can be used only if the support is positioned at a very low height namely in the bath tub. This results from the fact that, the handle for the valve for the uppermost shower head is arranged at the end of the shower tube. The problem addressed by the invention is creating a shower support that will provide additional showering opportunities and means for devising showering procedures. In order to solve the problem, the invention proposes a shower support having those features stated under principal claim. Elaborations on the invention are covered under subclaims. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In addition to the usual shower fixture or usual shower head, the shower support proposed by the invention thus has attached to it a second shower fixture that will hereinafter be referred to as an "additional shower fixture". The latter may beneficially be a showering fixture whose shape, dimensions, and/or design differ from those of the main shower fixture. For example, it might be a small shower head, or one that yields a jet having a totally different structure. In particular, under an elaboration on the invention, it may be provided that the additional shower fixture has its own water supply in order that it may be supplied with water, if desired, even water at a different temperature, independently of the main shower head, where it will be beneficial if it is provided that the additional shower fixture may be connected to the main shower fixture in order that the former may then be operated either in combination with the main shower fixture, or alone. The separate water supply to the at least one additional shower fixture may be effected by, for example, providing that it has its own water supply in the form of its own shower hose. However, it will be particularly judicious if it is supplied with water via a channel arranged within the arm. That channel may, for example, be connected to a hose connected to a line coming from the mixer faucet, in the vicinity of the mounting fixture. However, it will also be feasible If the channel is connected directly to a water line inside the mounting fixture in order that no conduits will be visible from outside. One way in which a water-supply channel may be configured is configuring the arm in the form of a length of hollow, profiled stock, at least out to the additional shower fixture. The location at which the additional shower fixture is arranged may be chosen to suit the showering procedure desired. The additional shower fixture may, for example, be mounted immediately adjacent to, or even outboard of, the main shower fixture. However, it will be particularly judicious if it is arranged between the mounting fixture and the support for the main shower head. It may be mounted such that supplements the jet, or array of jets, exiting the main shower fixture. Under an elaboration on the invention, it may be provided that the direction of the jet exiting the additional shower fixture is adjustable, where adjustments thereof may be accomplished by, for example, either altering the positioning of the additional shower fixture as a whole or altering merely part of the additional shower fixture. In particular, rotating it about a fixed, relative to the arm, axis represents one means of adjustment. According to the invention, under an elaboration thereon, it may be provided that the at least one additional shower fixture is mounted on the side of the wall- mounted arm. If several additional shower fixtures are to be involved, it will be judicious to mount them on both sides of the wall-mounting arm. Of course, mounting an additional shower fixture on the underside of the wall-mounting arm will also be feasible, and is proposed by the invention. If several additional shower fixtures are present, the invention proposes that all of them be supplied by a common water supply. Groups of additional shower fixtures may be formed, if desired, in which case, a single, common, water conduit supplying all additional shower fixtures of every group would be provided. According to the invention, under an elaboration thereon, it may be provided that the at least one additional shower fixture is permanently attached to the arm, rather than being detachable therefrom, where "permanently attached" does not mean that the shower fixture involved is nonadjustable. "Permanently attached" shall also be construed as implying that the additional shower fixture involved will still be detachable using a tool. Attaching an additional shower fixture to the wall-mounting arm using a quick-connect coupler, for example, a plug-in connector, is also feasible, and is proposed by the invention. The plug-in connector employed will then be configured such that no water will exit when the additional shower fixture involved is detached. It will be particularly beneficial if the arm may be pivoted about a horizontal, relative to its mounting fixture, axis in order that the receptacle for the hand-held shower head or shower head may be swung downward in order to adjust the shower head's location to suit users of various heights. That axis will then be orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the arm. The arm may also be rotated about a horizontal axis coincident with its longitudinal axis in order to shift the direction of the jet exiting the shower head to the left or right. According to the invention, it may be provided that, even if the wall-mounting arm is mounted on the mounting fixture such that it may be pivoted or rotated, the water conduit passes through the linkage joining them, which may be accomplished by, for example, providing a sealed feedthrough, or a hose passing through that linkage. The shape of the wall-mounting arm may be arbitrary, provided that only a single additional shower fixture may be attached thereto, which dictates that the wall- mounting arm must have certain minimum dimensions. For example, under an elaboration on the invention, it may be provided that the wall-mounting arm is configured In the form of a fork whose tines may begin at a particular distance from the mounting fixture. If such a forked arm is employed, according to the invention, it may be provided that the additional shower fixtures are arranged on the outer faces of both of its tines, which will allow obtaining a more divergent array of jets, or a more divergent jet. The shower head may, as usual, be supplied with water by a shower hose, in which case, ttie connector for connecting the shower hose to the water supply may also be located on the wall-mounting arm's mounting fixture. Other features, details, and benefits of the invention will be evident from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, the claims and the abstract, whose wordings are herewith mack part of this description by way of reference thereto, and the accompanying drawings, which depict: Fig. 1 a schematized side view of a shower support according to the invention; Fig. 2 a top view of the shower support shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 a second embodiment of a shower support according to the invention. Fig. 1. depicts a greatly simplified side view of a shower support according to the invention. In the case of example, shown, this Shower support is mounted on a wall 1. A mounting fixture 2, which, in the case of the example shown, is in the form of a console 3, serves to attach it to the wall. The console 3 is bolted to the wall. Within the console 3, the shower support is connected to a water line, preferably one conveying mixed hot and cold water, coming from a mixer faucet. A wall-mounting arm 5 is pivoted on a protrusion 4 on the console 3. Its pivot axis is horizontal and normal to the plane of the paper, i.e., parallel to the surface of the wall. A setscrew that may be operated by a knob 6 holds the wall-mounting arm 5 in place at a particular angular position. The wall- mounting arm extends outward from the wall, from the mounting fixture 2, to its far end 7. A receptacle, which is not depicted in detail in Fig. 1, for a shower head 8 is attached to the wall-mounting arm 5 in the vicinity of the latter's far end 7. In the case of the embodiment shown, the shower head 8 is disk-shaped, although it might well have any other shape, and has a handgrip 9 that is slightly angularly offset from the plane of the shower head 8. A shower hose 10 that passes through the handgrip 9 and hangs downward therefrom, forming a loop, leads to the mounting fixture 2. A pair of additional shower fixtures 11 that spay downward are attached to that side of the wall-mounting arm 5 that may be seen in Fig. 1. They are supplied with water through the interior of the wall-mounting arm 5, which is configured from a length of hollow, profiled stock. Fig. 2 depicts a simplified view of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1. The wall- mounting arm 5 splits, commencing at a short distance beyond the location thereon where it is attached to the console 3, thereby forming a pair of tines 14 that are configured such that they diverge, but are parallel to one another in the vicinity of the far end 7 of the wall-mounting arm, where a receptacle 13 for the shower head 8 is provided between the tips 12 of the tines 14. This top view shows that the additional shower fixtures 11 are attached to the outer faces of the pair of tines 14, which allows the additional shower fixtures 11, which spray downward, to generate an array of jets having a larger cross-sectional area. Fig. 3 depicts another manner in which a shower support according to the invention might be configured. The embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2 has a forked, wall- mounting arm 5 that, when viewed from the side, is curved, but the embodiment shown in Fig. 3 has a solid wall-mounting arm 15. A conical receptacle 16 for a hand-held shower head is schematically depicted on the right end, i.e., far end, of the wall-mounting arm 15, in Fig. 3. The hand-held shower head may be inserted therein. In the case of the example shown, a pair of additional shower fixtures 11, one on either side of the wall-mounting arm 15, is arranged on the wall-mounting arm 15. WE CLAIM 1. A shower support comprising a shower head (8) and a hose (10), a mounting fixture (2) for mounting the support such that the support is adjustable, a pivotabie arm (5, 15) jutting out of the mounting fixture (2), said arm having a first end connected to the mounting fixture (2) and a second opposite end, with a water conduit extending from the mounting fixture (2) to at least one additional shower fixture (11) attached along said arm, a receptacle (13, 16) adapted to receive the shower head (8) when the shower head Is not In hand operation, said receptacle being arranged at said second opposite (7) end of the arm away from the mounting fixture, wherein the shower head and the receptacle are configured to allow the shower head to be removed from the receptacle during hand operation of the shower head on the hose, and wherein the shower head Is applied with water by the hose and wherein the additional shower fixture is arranged to be supplied with water by the water conduit Independently of the shower head. 2. The shower support as dalmed in claim 1, wherein the water conduit Is defined by a channel that extends through the arm and leads to the additional shower fixture. 3. The shower support as claimed In claim 1, wherein the arm comprises a length of hollow, profiled stock, at least from the mounting fixture to the additional shower fixture. 4. The shower support as claimed In claim 1, whrein the additional shower fixture Is arranged between the mounting fixture and the far end of the arm. 5. The shower support as dalmed In claim 1, wherein a direction of a jet exiting the additional shower fixture is adjustable. 6. The shower support as claimed in claim 1, wherein the additional shower fixture Is mounted on a side of the arm jutting from the mounting fixture. 7. The shower support as clamed in claim 1, wherein at least one said additional shower fixture is mounted on a underside of the arm jutting from the mounting fixture. 8. The shower support as claimed In daim 1, comprising multiple said additional shower fixture and wherein the water conduit provides a water supply common to all the additional shower fixtures. 9. The shower support as claimed in claim 1, wherein the additional Shower fixture is nbndetachabte. lO.The shower support as claimed in claim 1, wherein the arm is pivotable relative to the mounting fixture about a horizontal axis orthogonal to a longitudinal of the arm. 11. The shower support as claimed in claim 10, wherein a water conduit passes a pivotable connection of the arm to the mounting fixture. 12.The shower support as claimed in claim 1, wherein the arm is configured in the form of a fork. 13.The shower support as claimed in claim 12, wherein the additional shower fixtures are arranged on outer faces of tines of the fork. Dated this 13th day of JUNE, 2005 A shower support, with the aid of which a shower head (8) can be placed at a distance from a wall (1), contains, in addition to the holder for the conventional shower head, at least one additional shower (11) that is directly mounted on the wall arm (5) itself. The additional shower is supplied with water through the inside of the wall arm. The water supply for the additional shower is independent from the water supply for the shower head.

Documents:

1126-kolnp-2005-granted-abstract.pdf

1126-kolnp-2005-granted-claims.pdf

1126-kolnp-2005-granted-correspondence.pdf

1126-kolnp-2005-granted-description (complete).pdf

1126-kolnp-2005-granted-drawings.pdf

1126-kolnp-2005-granted-examination report.pdf

1126-kolnp-2005-granted-form 1.pdf

1126-kolnp-2005-granted-form 18.pdf

1126-kolnp-2005-granted-form 2.pdf

1126-kolnp-2005-granted-form 26.pdf

1126-kolnp-2005-granted-form 3.pdf

1126-kolnp-2005-granted-form 5.pdf

1126-kolnp-2005-granted-pa.pdf

1126-kolnp-2005-granted-reply to examination report.pdf

1126-kolnp-2005-granted-specification.pdf

1126-kolnp-2005-granted-translated copy of priority document.pdf