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US5035010A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Reciprocating shower device for human usage when showering

Assignee: Panasonic Electric Works Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1989-08-14
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Granted: 1991-07-30
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Expires: 2009-08-14
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Abstract

Abstract A shower device includes a housing having a longitudinally elongated slit substantially in center part of the housing, substantially all constituents of the device being accommodated within the housing, so that a guide rail is disposed along the slit and a slider carrying a shower nozzle is displaced by a drive means for reciprocation along the guide rail with the shower nozzle disposed at the slit. The device is thus made excellent in the appearance and also in the safety with all water hoses disposed inside the housing.

Inventors

  • 👤 Jun-Ichi Sakamoto
  • 👤 Tetsuya Onkura
  • 👤 Kouichi Yoshida

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 20:28
CPC Classifications
E; E03; E03C; E03C1/00; E03C1/02; E03C1/06; E03C1/063

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim 246 words
A shower device comprising a housing having a slit longitudinally elongated substantially in a central part of said housing, a guide rail provided inside said housing to be disposed along said elongated slit, a slider means supporting a shower nozzle and displaceable for reciprocation along said guide rail, first water passage means for supplying water to said shower nozzle, and a driving means for hydraulically reciprocating said slider means for travel along said guide rail to apply said water ejected from said shower nozzle to and along a user's body, wherein said driving means comprises a drive element operably connected to said slider means so that displacement of said drive element produces travel of said slider means, a change-over valve connected to a source of pressurized water a pair of conduits each communicating with said drive element and said change-over valve for conducting water to and from said drive element for displacing said drive element, said change-over valve supplying pressurized water alternately to said conduits so that each of said conduits alternately defines a supply conduit conducting pressurized water to said drive element and a discharge conduit conducting discharge water away from said drive element, whereby the direction of displacement of said drive element is periodically reversed, said drive means arranged to keep said discharge water isolated from water in said first water passage means so that the pressure of water ejected from said shower nozzle is independent of water and pressure in said discharge conduit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 246 words
A shower device comprising a housing having a slit longitudinally elongated substantially in a central part of said housing, a guide rail provided inside said housing to be disposed along said elongated slit, a slider means supporting a shower nozzle and displaceable for reciprocation along said guide rail, first water passage means for supplying water to said shower nozzle, and a driving means for hydraulically reciprocating said slider means for travel along said guide rail to apply said water ejected from said shower nozzle to and along a user's body, wherein said driving means comprises a drive element operably connected to said slider means so that displacement of said drive element produces travel of said slider means, a change-over valve connected to a source of pressurized water a pair of conduits each communicating with said drive element and said change-over valve for conducting water to and from said drive element for displacing said drive element, said change-over valve supplying pressurized water alternately to said conduits so that each of said conduits alternately defines a supply conduit conducting pressurized water to said drive element and a discharge conduit conducting discharge water away from said drive element, whereby the direction of displacement of said drive element is periodically reversed, said drive means arranged to keep said discharge water isolated from water in said first water passage means so that the pressure of water ejected from said shower nozzle is independent of water and pressure in said discharge conduit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 102 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein said first water passage mans for supplying water to said shower nozzle includes a flexible hose coupled at one end to said shower nozzle on said slider means and at the other end to a water supply pipe, said one end of said flexible hose being disposed on one side of said driving means while said other end of the flexible hose being disposed on the other side of the driving means, the flexible hose being thus suspended between its ends to be substantially in a U-shape adjacent a lower part of the driving means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 45 words
A device according to claim 1 which further comprises a screen belt displaceable in cooperation with said slider means driven by said driving means, said belt covering said slit of said housing for preventing said ejected water from entering into the housing through the slit.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 29 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein said driving means further comprises a water supply and discharge system separated from said service water supplying means for said shower nozzle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 19 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein said change-over valve includes means for passing a constant amount of water.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 70 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein said reciprocally driving means further comprises a hydraulic cylinder having therein said driving element in the form of a piston dividing the interior of said cylinder into upper and lower spaced, said piston being reciprocally shiftable in response to the supply and discharge of water to said upper and lower spaces by said conduits, and said slider means being coupled to said piston.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 42 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein said change-over valve includes a first biasing means for accelerating change-over turning action of the valve and a second biasing means for restraining any excessive action of said first biasing means in light load direction.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 68 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein said change-over valve has a discharge port for the water, the device further comprises a screenbelt provided displaceable in cooperation with said slider means to cover said slit of said housing for preventing any water entering through the slit from the exterior into said housing, discharge water from said discharge port of said change-over valve being supplied onto said screen belt.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 57 words
A device according to claim 1 which further comprises a pair of height control means mounted to said guide rail for positioning at any desired position thereon, and said change-over valve is arranged to change the reciprocating direction of said slider means every time when the slider means reaches one of said pair of height control means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 49 words
A device according to claim 1 wherein said guide rail, said slider means, said means for supplying water to said shower nozzle, and said reciprocally driving means are accommodated within said housing with an ejecting end only of said shower nozzle being disposed to the exterior of said housing.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 23 words
A device according to claim 3 including means for directing water against said belt within said housing for cleaning and lubricating said belt.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 22 words
A device according to claim 5 including a constant flow valve for establishing a constant water flow rate for said driving means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 26 words
A shower device according to claim 1 including a low pressure pump connected to said second water passage means for supplying water to said change-over valve.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2685093A Cited
US3005995A Cited
US3806963A Cited
US4171094A Cited
US4402459A Cited
US4360159A Cited
US4651720A Cited
US4561136A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1994-07-29 1995-01-28 1995-07-30 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1998-07-29 1999-01-28 1999-07-30 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2002-07-29 2003-01-28 2003-07-30 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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