The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 30, 2002
Filed:
Jan. 26, 2000
Graham H. Paterson, Wilmington, DE (US);
Willard A. Denham, Greenville, DE (US);
Speakman Company, Wilmington, DE (US);
Abstract
A shower head comprising a hollow body connected at one end to a water source, and a face, plate connected at the other end of the hollow body. The face plate includes a plastic substrate having a plurality of circumferential openings and a central opening provided therein. The face plate further has a thermoplastic rubber layer formed on portions of the plastic substrate, including the walls of the plastic substrate circumferential openings. The thermoplastic rubber layer formed on the walls of the plastic substrate circumferential openings includes ridge portions extending away from and circumferentially around the plastic substrate circumferential openings. The shower head further comprises a plurality of plungers connected to a spider, wherein each plastic substrate circumferential opening receives a corresponding plunger and the ridge portions closely surround the plungers. The shower head also comprises a diverter valve having a cylindrical insert communicating with the central opening of the face plate. The cylindrical insert has a plurality of openings formed therein and connects to the spider. The diverter valve has a deformable member arranged on the inside of the cylindrical insert and covers the plurality of openings formed in the insert. When water flowing through plungers is stopped, the water pressure against the deformable member increases and forces the deformable member away from the cylindrical insert openings, allowing water to flow through the central opening of the face plate.