Shower head insert
A shower head insert comprises at least two water nozzle cartridges, each having at least two nozzles configured to produce water jets that impact to atomise the liquid producing droplets of water, and an injection moulded water distribution system to supply liquid to the at least two water nozzle cartridges. The water distribution system comprises at least two sockets for receiving the water nozzle cartridges, a central water inlet conduit in liquid communication with the first socket, and a narrow bore conduit providing high pressure liquid communication between the first and second sockets. The narrow bore conduit is configured to allow removal of conduit inner mould needles from the conduit after injection moulding through an open end of the sockets and in one embodiment comprises an upwardly depending section and downwardly depending sections. A shower head or shower head assembly comprising the shower head insert, and a water nozzle cartridge for the shower head insert, are also provided.
1 . A shower head insert for a shower head, comprising:
at least two water nozzle cartridges, each having at least two nozzles configured to produce water jets that impact each other to atomise a liquid producing droplets of water; and
an injection moulded one-piece water distribution system to supply liquid to the at least two water nozzle cartridges,
the injection moulded one-piece water distribution system comprising:
at least two sockets for receiving the at least two water nozzle cartridges,
a first water inlet conduit supplying water to a first socket of the at least two sockets,
and a second connecting conduit extending from the first socket to at least a second socket of the at least two sockets providing water serially from the first socket to at least the second socket,
wherein the second connecting conduit includes an angled section with respect to the first socket and the angled section includes a central longitudinal axis that extends through an open longitudinal end of the first socket, thereby allowing removal of a plurality of conduit inner mould needles from the second connecting conduit through the open longitudinal end of the first socket after injection moulding.
2 . A shower head insert according to claim 1 , in which the second connecting conduit comprises an upwardly depending section and a downwardly section.
3 . A shower head insert according to claim 1 , in which the injection moulded one-piece water distribution system comprises a third socket for receipt of water nozzle cartridges, wherein the second connecting conduit comprises a proximal upwardly depending section and at least two distal downwardly depending sections providing high-water serially from the first socket to the second socket and also to the third socket.
4 . A shower head insert according to claim 1 , in which each of the at least two water nozzle cartridges are configured to fit within the first socket or the second socket in a fluidically tight manner and comprises a waist section that defines a channel for water around each of the at least two water nozzle cartridges when one of the at least two water nozzle cartridges is fitted in the first socket or second socket.
5 . A shower head insert according to claim 4 , in which inlets for each of the at least two nozzles are disposed in the waist section.
6 . A shower head insert according to claim 4 , in which each of the at least two water nozzle cartridges comprise sealing means to fluidically seal the channel when the at least two water nozzle cartridges are fitted in the first socket or second socket.
7 . A shower head insert according to claim 6 , in which the sealing means comprises one or more resiliently deformable annular sealing rings and corresponding annular sockets to seat the one or more resiliently deformable annular sealing rings.
8 . A shower head insert according to claim 1 , in which the at least two water nozzle cartridges are configured to snap-fit into the at least two sockets.
9 . A shower head insert according to claim 8 , in which the at least two water nozzle cartridges comprise upwardly depending arms configured to engage a top of the at least two sockets.
10 . A shower head insert according to claim 1 , in which the at least two water nozzle cartridges are injection moulded.
11 . A shower head comprising a shower head insert according to claim 1 disposed within a shower head body.
12 . A shower head according to claim 11 , wherein the shower head body comprises an upper part and a lower part that clip together to enclose the shower head insert.
13 . A shower head according to claim 11 , wherein the shower head body is overmoulded around the shower head insert.
14 . A shower head according to claim 11 , including a base fitting configured to lock the shower head insert, shower head body and water distribution system together.
15 . A kit for assembling a shower head insert according to claim 1 .
16 . A shower head insert according to claim 1 ,
wherein each of the at least two water nozzle cartridges comprise a body having an upper section with an open top, a hollow lower section with an open bottom, and a waist section disposed between the upper section with the open top and the hollow lower section with the open bottom that in use defines a channel for water around the at least two water nozzle cartridges when each of the at least two water nozzle cartridges is fitted in a socket of the shower head, wherein each nozzle comprises an inlet disposed on an outer surface of the waist section, and an outlet configured to direct a water jet into the hollow lower section such that the water jets impact each other within the hollow lower section.
17 . A shower head insert according to claim 16 , comprising three water nozzle cartridges, wherein the injection moulded one-piece water distribution system further comprises a first socket, a second socket, and a third socket receiving the at least two water nozzle cartridges in a fluidically tight manner, and the first socket provides high pressure liquid communication from the first socket serially to the second socket and also to the third socket.
18 . A shower head insert according to claim 16 , in which the upper section and hollow lower section of each of the at least two water nozzle cartridges comprise sealing means to fluidically seal the channel when the at least two water nozzle cartridges are fitted in the socket.
19 . A shower head insert according to claim 17 , in which a sealing means seats one or more resiliently deformable annular sealing rings and corresponding annular sockets.
20 . A shower head insert according to claim 1 , wherein the open longitudinal end of the first socket includes an open outlet end and a back end opposite the open outlet end, and the central longitudinal axis of the angled section extends at an obtuse angle with respect to a plane parallel to the open outlet end.
21 . A shower head insert according to claim 1 , wherein the second connecting conduit includes a bifurcation that connects to the second socket and a third socket and provides water serially from the first socket to both the second socket and the third socket.