Methods and apparatus for distributing water in a shower enclosure

1. An apparatus for installation into an existing shower enclosure, the shower enclosure including a first wall through which a water feed extends, a second wall, and third wall opposite the first wall, thereby forming the enclosure, the apparatus comprising:

a flexible source tube operating to couple to the water feed, the source tube having an inside diameter, Ds;

a first array for placement proximate to the first wall, and a second array for placement proximate to the third wall, opposite to the first array, each of the first and second arrays having at least two laterally extending, and vertically spaced apart, spray tubes, each spray tube having: (i) a length sufficient to span substantially an entire lateral dimension of the respective first or third wall at which they are disposed, (ii) a series of apertures extending through a wall of the given tube and permitting water to exit the tube and spray into the shower enclosure, and (iii) an inside diameter Di; and

a valve system operable to deliver water from the source tube to the respective spray tubes of the first and second arrays, the valve system being operable to adjust respective water flow rates to the first and second arrays,

wherein the inside diameter Ds of the flexible source tube is larger than either of the inside diameters Di of the spray tubes of the first and second arrays.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a source valve for coupling to the water feed and directing water to either the flexible source tube or to an existing shower head of the shower enclosure in accordance with user selection.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the valve system includes an input port and first and second output ports;

the input port is coupled to, and receives water from, the flexible source tube;

the first output port is coupled to, and provides a user-variable flow of water to, a first intermediate source tube that supplies water to the spray tubes of the first array; and

the second output port is coupled to, and provides a user variable flow of water to, a second intermediate source tube that supplies water to the spray tubes of the second array.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein at least one of:

the inside diameter Ds is about two times larger than the inside diameters Di of at least one of the spray tubes of the first and second arrays;

the inside diameter Di of the spray tubes of the first and second arrays are substantially equal;

inside diameters of the first and second intermediate source tubes are substantially the same as the inside diameters Di of the spray tubes of the first and second arrays.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first array includes:

at least four laterally extending, and vertically spaced apart, spray tubes; and

a vertically oriented distribution tube coupled to one end of each of the four laterally extending spray tubes, each of the spray tubes being terminated at an opposite end thereof,

wherein the first intermediate source tube is connected to one of the four spray tubes of the first array.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein at least one of:

the first intermediate source tube is connected to an upper-most one of the four spray tubes of the first array; and

the first intermediate source tube is connected mid-way along the length of the upper-most one of the four spray tubes.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the second array includes:

at least four laterally extending, and vertically spaced apart, spray tubes; and

a vertically oriented distribution tube coupled to one end of each of the four laterally extending spray tubes, each of the spray tubes being terminated at an opposite end thereof,

wherein the second intermediate source tube is connected to one of the four spray tubes of the second array.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein at least one of:

the second intermediate source tube is connected to a lower one of the four spray tubes of the second array; and

the second intermediate source tube is connected mid-way along the length of the lower one of the four spray tubes.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a frame for supporting the first and second arrays within the shower enclosure, the frame comprising:

a first grid of support arms for supporting the first array of spray tubes; and

a second grid of support arms for supporting the second array of spray tubes; and

an interconnecting structure coupled between the first and second grids.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the first grid comprises:

first and second, parallel and spaced apart, vertically extending posts; and

a plurality of laterally extending support arms coupled to and extending between the first and second vertically extending posts,

wherein each of the spray tubes of the first array is coupled to and extends along a respective one of the laterally extending support arms of the first grid.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the second grid comprises:

first and second, parallel and spaced apart, vertically extending posts; and

a plurality of laterally extending support arms coupled to and extending between the first and second vertically extending posts,

wherein each of the spray tubes of the second array is coupled to and extends along a respective one of the laterally extending support arms of the second grid.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the interconnecting structure includes an interconnecting rod coupled at one end to an intermediate position along one of the vertically extending posts of the first grid, and coupled at an opposing end to an intermediate position along one of the vertically extending posts of the second grid.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein:

the interconnecting rod may be coupled at the one end to either of the vertically extending posts of the first grid selected by the user during installation of the frame into the shower enclosure; and

the interconnecting rod may be coupled at the opposing end to either of the vertically extending posts of the second grid selected by the user during installation of the frame into the shower enclosure.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the support arms of the frame are formed from polyvinyl chloride pipe and the support arms are coupled together using polyvinyl chloride pipe fittings.

15. An apparatus for installation into an existing shower enclosure, the shower enclosure including a first wall through which a water feed extends, a second wall, and third wall opposite the first wall, thereby forming the enclosure, the apparatus comprising:

a flexible source tube operating to couple to the water feed;

a first array for placement proximate to the first wall, and a second array for placement proximate to the third wall, opposite to the first array, each of the first and second arrays having at least two laterally extending, and vertically spaced apart, spray tubes, each spray tube having: (i) a length spanning at least a portion of the entire lateral dimension of the respective first or third wall at which they are disposed, and (ii) a series of apertures extending through a wall of the given tube and permitting water to exit the tube and spray into the shower enclosure;

a water distribution system operable to deliver water from the source tube to the respective spray tubes of the first and second arrays; and

a frame for supporting the first and second arrays within the shower enclosure, the frame comprising (i) a first grid of support arms for supporting the first array of spray tubes, and a second grid of support arms for supporting the second array of spray tubes and (ii) an interconnecting structure coupled between the first and second grids.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein:

the water distribution system includes an input port and first and second output ports;

the input port is coupled to, and receives water from, the flexible source tube;

the first output port is coupled to, and provides water to, a first intermediate source tube that supplies water to the spray tubes of the first array; and

the second output port is coupled to, and provides water to, a second intermediate source tube that supplies water to the spray tubes of the second array.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the first array includes:

a vertically oriented distribution tube coupled to one end of each of the laterally extending spray tubes, each of the spray tubes being terminated at an opposite end thereof,

wherein the first intermediate source tube is connected to one of: (i) the vertically oriented distribution tube of the first array, and (ii) one of the spray tubes of the first array.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the first intermediate source tube is connected mid-way along the length of an upper-most one of the laterally extending spray tubes.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the second array includes:

a vertically oriented distribution tube coupled to one end of each of the laterally extending spray tubes, each of the spray tubes being terminated at an opposite end thereof,

wherein the second intermediate source tube is connected to one of: (i) the vertically oriented distribution tube of the second array, and (ii) one of the spray tubes of the second array.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the second intermediate source tube is connected mid-way along the length of a lower one of the laterally extending spray tubes.