BACKGROUND (a) Prior Art Many existing shower nozzle assemblies have a shower nozzle or rose which is usually positioned in a shower installation above the head height of a user and the flow from the rose is directed downwardly upon the head and body of the user.

As an improvement upon the shower effect provided in the known installations referred to above, shower assemblies have been developed for providing a jet or jets of water from a shower rose or spray devices which are directed at the user in a substantially perpendicular direction to the wall of the shower installation on which they are mounted. An example of such an arrangement is one which is marked under the trade mark VITA BATH by DM Industries Limited of Miami, Florida, USA.

These known units suffer a disadvantage in that the height of the shower nozzles are not adjustable. Also, they do not provide for an array of shower nozzles in a vertical arrangement so as to provide a spray pattern of water over the length of at least the torso of the body of the user.

Existing diverter valves are difficult to install in many shower installations, and are not very easily operated by a user.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved shower nozzle assembly and/or diverter valve which will at least go some way toward overcoming the foregoing disadvantages or which will alternatively at least provide the public with a useful choice.

(b) General Discussion of the Invention

Accordingly, in one aspect the invention consists in a shower nozzle assembly having an elongate slide bar for being mounted substantially vertically on a wall of a shower installation, the assembly including a shower nozzle means slideably mounted on the slide bar for selective adjustment of the position of the nozzle means along the slide bar, and the nozzle means being mounted so as to provide an emission of water in a direction substantially perpendicular to the wall.

In a further aspect the invention consists in a diverter valve for a shower installation, the valve having a body including an inlet, a first outlet and a second outlet, a valve member moveable between a first position and a second position whereby liquid entering the valve from the inlet is diverted to the first outlet when the valve member is in the first position and liquid entering the valve from the inlet is diverted to the second outlet when the valve member is in the second position, and one of the first or second outlets being orientated to direct liquid flow therethrough in a direction substantially opposite to the direction of liquid flow through the inlet.

In a further aspect the invention consists in a diverter valve having a body including an inlet, a first outlet and a second outlet, a valve member moveable between a first position and a second position whereby fluid entering the valve from the inlet is diverted to the first outlet when the valve member is in the first position and fluid entering the valve from the inlet is diverted to the second outlet when the valve member is in the second position, and a cam means to effect movement of the moveable valve member, whereby substantially arcuate movement of the cam means relative to the body moves the moveable valve member between the first and second positions.

To those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosures and the descriptions herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

The invention consists of the foregoing and also envisages constructions of which the following gives examples.

DRAWING DESCRIPTION One preferred form of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which; Figure 1 is a front elevation of apparatus in accordance with the present invention, Figure 2 is a side elevation in partial cross section of the apparatus of figure 1, Figure 3 is a side elevation in cross section of a diverter valve in accordance with the present invention, Figure 4 is a side elevation in cross section of a shroud for the diverter valve of figure 3, Figure 5 is a rear elevation of the shroud of figure 4, and Figure 6 is a side elevation in cross section of the diverter valve of figure 3 with the shroud of figures 4 and 5 attached thereto.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to figure 1, a shower nozzle assembly in accordance with the present invention is shown generally referenced 1. The apparatus has two slide bars 2 which have mounting members 4 at either end. The mounting members 4 are in use bolted, screwed, glued or otherwise affixed to the wall of a shower installation. Although for the purposes of illustrating the present invention two slide bars 2 are shown, it will be seen that if required only one slide bar may be used, or more than 2 slide bars may be used.

Slideably mounted on slide bars 2 is a nozzle arrangement provided in housing 6 which supports one or more shower nozzle outlets 8. Each of the nozzles 8 is of a known type having one or more apertures which have the effect of providing a spray or shower of water. Each of the nozzles is also directionally adjustable within a limited extent, but

each is mounted so that at least when in its central position the spray of water which is emitted from each nozzle is in a direction which is substantially perpendicular to the wall on which the apparatus is mounted. As can be seen in figure 1 the array of shower nozzles 8 is substantially vertical and the apparatus is mounted in a substantially vertical fashion on the wall of the shower installation. Therefore, when a user is standing in front of the apparatus, the user's torso will be exposed in a vertical direction to the vertical array of nozzles. It will be seen that various arrangements of nozzles may be used in accordance with the invention. For example, there may be two or three vertical rows of three or more nozzles.

As indicated by arrows 10 and 12 in figure 1, the housing 6 may be moved up (arrow 10) or down (arrow 12) along the slide bars 2 so as to provide vertical adjustment of nozzles 8 relative to the height of the user. The frictional engagement between the housing 6 and bars 2 is preferably sufficient in order to maintain a frictional engagement between the slide bars and the housing so that once the housing has been moved by a user in to the desired vertical position, it remains in the desired position by virtue of the frictional engagement. However, if additional securing apparatus is required, known clamps may be used to clamp the housing relative to the slide bar, or to simply provide a moveable obstruction on one or more of the slide bars 2 so that the housing may rest upon the obstruction to provide the vertical adjustment required.

Turning to figure 2, the apparatus is shown in partial cross section in which it can be seen that liquid is supplied to the apparatus for showering through a supply inlet conduit 14 which may for example be attached to a diverter valve (not shown in figure 2, but described further below) provided on the inlet to an existing shower rose provided in a shower apparatus. In this way the user may selectively divert water from the existing shower rose into inlet conduit 14 for supply to the apparatus of the present invention.

The inlet conduit 14 supplies liquid, which is supplied from a tap or taps, shower mixer or the like, to a first conduit 16 within which a second conduit 18 is arranged so that it may slide telescopically relative thereto. Sealing between conduits 16 and 18 is effected by one or more 0-rings 20 or similar seals provided externally on a distil end 21 of conduit 18. It will be seen that conduit 16 could be provided to slide within conduit 18 if desired.

The other end 22 of conduit 18 is connected to supply line 24 to which the inlet 26 of each nozzle 8 is connected. Therefore, in use, water supplied through inlet conduit 14 travels through conduit 16, into conduit 18 and then into supply line 24 to which it is distributed to each of the nozzles 8.

In figure 2 the housing 6 is shown in its lower-most position, and it will be seen that when the housing 6 is moved vertically (i. e. in the direction of arrow 10 in figure 1), conduit 18 will slide telescopically into conduit 16 with the O-ring 20 maintaining a seal therebetween. The extent of vertical movement is only constrained by the extent to which conduit 18 may be inserted into conduit 16. It will be seen that other arrangements may be used to supply water to the nozzle. For example, one or more flexible conduits such as inlet conduit 14 could be connected directly between the water supply and the supply line 24 or each individual outlet nozzle 8.

Turning to figure 3, a diverter valve for possible use with the invention described with reference to figures 1 and 2 is shown in cross section generally referenced 30. The diverter valve assembly has an inlet 32 which is in use connected to the water supply usually provided to a shower rose in an existing shower installation. Thus the water entering inlet 32 is supplied by a mixer or two taps or other apparatus at the desired temperature for use in the shower installation. The assembly has an outlet 34 to which a shower rose is for example attached. This is typically the shower rose of an existing shower installation i. e. the overhead rose beneath which a user will usually stand.

Another outlet 36 is provided to which the apparatus of figures 1 and 2 is attached by a conduit or the like which will in use run down the wall as illustrated by inlet supply conduit 14 in figures 1 and 2 above.

The diverter valve assembly 30 has a body 38 within which a moveable valve member 40 is located. Valve member 40 is slideable axially as generally indicated by arrows 42 and 44 and includes two 0-rings 46 and 48 which ensure that a substantially water tight engagement is made between the ends of the valve member 40 at the which the O- rings are located and the side walls of the passage ways within the body that are adjacent to the O-rings. In the position shown in figure 3, the valve member 40 is

located in such a way that O-ring 46 engages the walls adjacent thereto and thus diverts incoming water flow from inlet 32 through outlet 36 as shown by arrow 50.

The valve member 40 is moved to a position to allow water to flow from inlet 32 through to outlet 34 by sliding the valve member in a downward direction as indicated by arrow 44. The valve member when in a downward position is shown in figure 6.

Referring now to figure 6, it will be seen that the valve member 40 is in the lower most position and in this orientation O-ring 46 substantially prevents flow of water through outlet 36 and O-ring 48 substantially prevents flow of water in an upward direction.

Therefore, the only available flow path for incoming water from inlet 32 is to outlet 34.

Movement of the valve member 40 between the upper and lower positions is achieved by rotation of outer fascia 60. The fascia 60 has the form of a short cylinder provided about the valve body and is rotatable approximately one quarter of a turn relative to the body 38 of the valve about the centerline thereof, and is slideably mounted relative to the valve by means of shoulders 62 and 64.

The fascia 60 has an internal depending flange which has a variable contoured portion 66 which acts as a cam. Contoured portion 66 is slideably located within notch 68 of the valve member 40. Therefore, the result of the arrangement is that as a user rotates the out fascia 60 relative to the body, using fingers to grip ribs 70 of the fascia for example, the cam portion 66 slides within groove 68. As the cam portion 66 is rotated it is effectively raised in height when viewed in cross section as illustrated in figure 3.

Such rotation raises the valve member 40 to its upper most position. As the outer fascia 60 is rotated in the opposite direction, the effect is to move the valve member 40 into the lower most position as shown in figure 6. It will be seen that the degree of rotation of the fascia 60 required to effect the change in position of the valve member from the upper most to lower most position or vice versa may be selected by the design of the cam. However, it has been found that approximately one quarter turn of the fascia relative to the body provides a desirable range of movement for effecting the diversion of water flow. It will also be seen that the cam could be provided on a member other than fascia 60, for example on a further member which is moveable

linearly with respect to the valve body so that the linear movement moves the cam to effect movement of the valve member.

Turning to figure 4, a shroud is provided generally referenced 80 having a body 82 with a front opening 84, a rear opening 86 and an outlet 88. The shroud is shown in rear elevation in figure 5.

The use of the shroud of figures 4 and 5 is illustrated in figures 6. Referring to figure 6, the shroud is shown in position located about the rear of the body 38 of the diverter valve 30.0-rings 90 and 92 provide a substantially water tight seal between the body of the shroud 82 and the diverter valve body 38. It will be seen that the effect of the shroud is to divert water which would usually travel through outlet 36 being instead forced to exit the apparatus through outlet 88 when the valve member is in the upper most position. This flow is indicated by arrow 92 in figure 6. The purpose of this flow of water through outlet 88 is that outlet 88 is effectively provided behind the wall of the shower installation in use. Therefore, this arrangement may present a more desirable cosmetic appearance to the wall while still effectively allowing diversion of the water flow. The outlet 88 would in use be connected to a conduit such as conduit 14 (refer to figures 1 and 2). However, conduit 14 would in use be located behind the wall of the shower installation and would enter the apparatus of figures 1 and 2 from a hidden location, for example by entering the installation through one of the mounting brackets 4 as shown in figures 1 and 2. Conduit 14 may be used alternatively to supply water to individual shower nozzles mounted in the wall, and in such a case the piping would be hidden from view behind the shower wall.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a shower nozzle which provides a shower or spray of water directed substantially perpendicularly from the wall of the shower installation is provided which is also vertically adjustable to suit the height of a user.

More than one housing having one or more nozzle outlets 8 may be provided on the slide bar, each housing being individually moveable or positionable on the slide bar.

Furthermore, the invention provides for an array of nozzles so that a spray or shower effect which covers at least the user's torso may be provided.

Also, a diverter valve is provided which is easily fitted to an existing shower installation by simply attaching the valve inlet to the conduit that feeds the existing shower rose and attaching the existing shower rose to the outlet 34 (see figures 3 and 6). This eliminates the necessity for dismantling part of the wall of the installation to install the plumbing required in existing arrangements. The valve, when fitted, is aesthetically pleasing, so it does not detract from the appearance of an existing installation. Depending on the desired installation, the user also has the option of fitting shroud 80 about the valve to allow water diverted away from the shower rose to be delivered to one or more conduits located behind the wall of the installation.