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EP-4739440-A1 - DEVICE WITH WATER-OPERATED VIBRATION FUNCTION, IN PARTICULAR SHOWER HEAD WITH WATER-OPERATED VIBRATION FUNCTION

EP4739440A1EP 4739440 A1EP4739440 A1EP 4739440A1EP-4739440-A1

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus, in particular a shower head (100), with a water-operated vibration function for massage purposes and/or for sexual stimulation. The shower head (100) preferably comprises a hollow elongate main body (1), a water inlet (2) arranged on one side of the main body (1), one or more water outlets (1a) arranged on another side of the main body (1), a vibration element (8) arranged within the main body (1) between the water inlet (2) and the one or more water outlets (1a), and a switching mechanism (11) designed to switch between a first state, in which the vibration element (8) is movably released in at least part of the main body (1), and a second state, in which a position of the vibration element (8) in the main body (1) is fixed.

Inventors

  • Pircher, Julian
  • RABL, Christian

Assignees

  • vibr. GmbH

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240703

Claims (17)

  1. 1. Device with water-powered vibration function, in particular shower head with water-powered vibration function, the device (100) comprising: - a hollow base body (1) which extends in particular in a longitudinal direction, - a water inlet (2), which is arranged in particular on one side of the hollow base body (1), - one or more water outlets (la), which are arranged in particular on a side of the base body (1) facing away from the water inlet, - a vibration element (8) arranged within the base body (1), in particular with respect to the path of the water through the base body (1) between the water inlet (2) and the one or more water outlets (la), and - a switching mechanism (11) which is designed to switch between a first state in which the vibration element (8) is movably released in at least a part of the base body (1), and a second state in which a position of the vibration element (8) is held in the base body (1), wherein the switching mechanism (11) is designed such that a groove-guided rotational and/or displacement movement of a movable element (11b) of the switching mechanism (11) relative to a fixed element (11c) of the switching mechanism (11) switches between the first and the second state.
  2. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the switching mechanism (11) has a groove guide (11c, 11d) which is adapted to guide a movement of the movable element (11b) of the switching mechanism (11) relative to the fixed element (11c) of the switching mechanism (11).
  3. 3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the groove guide (11c, 11d) comprises a guide groove (11d) and a pin element (11c) engaging in the guide groove (11d), wherein a first end position (B) of the pin element (11d) in the guide groove (11d) corresponds to the first state and a second end position (A) of the pin element (11d) in the guide groove (11d) corresponds to the second state.
  4. 4. Device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the switching mechanism (11) is designed so that the movement of the movable element (11b) of the switching mechanism (11) relative to the fixed element (11c) of the switching mechanism (11) guided by the groove guide switches between the first and the second state.
  5. 5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the groove-guided movement of the movable element (11b) of the switching mechanism (11) relative to the fixed element (11c) of the switching mechanism (11) comprises a rotational movement of the movable element (11b) of the switching mechanism (11) relative to the fixed element (11c) of the switching mechanism (11) and/or a displacement movement of the movable element (11b) of the switching mechanism (11) relative to the fixed element (11c) of the switching mechanism (11) in the longitudinal direction.
  6. 6. Device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vibration element (8) in the second state is held, in particular clamped, in the longitudinal direction of the base body (1) between a stop section (6a) on one side of the vibration element (8) and one or more holding sections (10; 10a-10c) on the other side of the vibration element (8).
  7. 7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the stop section (6a) on one side of the vibration element (8) and the one or more holding sections (10; 10a-10c) on the other side of the vibration element (8) are further apart in the longitudinal direction in the first state than in the second state, such that in the first state a limited free mobility of the vibration element (8) in the longitudinal direction between the stop section (6a) on one side of the vibration element (8) and the one or more holding sections (10; 10a-10c) on the other side of the vibration element (8) is released.
  8. 8. Device according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the vibration element (8) in the second state of the switching mechanism (11) is held firmly in the longitudinal direction between the stop section (6a) on one side of the vibration element (8) and the one or more holding sections (10; 10a-10c) on the other side of the vibration element (8), in particular such that an axial position of the vibration element (8) is held in the second state of the switching mechanism (11) and/or that a radial position of the vibration element (8) is held in the second state of the switching mechanism (11).
  9. 9. Device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vibration element (8) is spherical, in particular as a spherical body which comprises metal and/or plastic or consists of metal and/or plastic.
  10. 10. Device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the switching mechanism (11) is adapted to switch from the first state to the second state, and/or the switching mechanism (11) is adapted to switch from the second state to the first state, wherein the water-operated vibration function of the device is switched on when the switching mechanism (11) is in the first state, and/or the vibration function of the device is switched off when the switching mechanism (11) is in the second state.
  11. 11. Device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vibration element (8) is designed to carry out a water-driven vibration movement in the first state of the switching mechanism (11) when water flows from the water inlet (2) to the one or more water outlets (la), the water flowing around the vibration element (8) between the water inlet (2) and the one or more water outlets (la); and the position of the vibration element (8) is held when the switching mechanism (11) is in the second state, while the water flows around the vibration element (8) between the water inlet (2) and the one or more water outlets (la) when water flows from the water inlet (2) to the one or more water outlets (la).
  12. 12. Device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the switching mechanism (11) is mechanically designed and is set up for mechanical switching between the first and second states; and/or the switching mechanism (11) comprises a mechanical bistable mechanism, wherein the switching mechanism (11) provides two mechanically stable positions, each of which is maintained without the action of external forces, wherein a first position of the two mechanically stable positions corresponds to the first state of the switching mechanism (11) and a second position of the two mechanically stable positions corresponds to the second state of the switching mechanism (11).
  13. 13. Device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the movable element (11b) is designed to move in the longitudinal direction of the base body (1), in particular in an axial direction of the base body (1), which particularly preferably has an interior space (lb) having a cylindrical shape.
  14. 14. Device according to claim 13, characterized in that the movable element (11b) of the switching mechanism (11) is designed to move in the longitudinal direction of the base body (1) between a first stable position, in particular a first stable position relative to a fixed element (11a) of the switching mechanism (11), and a second stable position, in particular a second stable position relative to the fixed element (11a) of the switching mechanism (11), wherein the movable element (11b) of the switching mechanism (11) is positioned in the first stable position when the switching mechanism (11) is in the first state, and the movable element (11b) of the switching mechanism (11) is positioned in the second stable position when the switching mechanism (11) is in the second state.
  15. 15. Device according to claim 14, characterized in that the movable element (11b) of the switching mechanism (11) is pulled further in the longitudinal direction towards the fixed element (11a) of the switching mechanism (11) in the first stable position than in the second stable position.
  16. 16. Device according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that the movable element (11b) of the switching mechanism (11) is further away and/or retracted from the vibration element (8) in the first stable position in the longitudinal direction than in the second stable position.
  17. 17. Shower head comprising a device according to at least one of the preceding claims.

Description

DEVICE WITH WATER-OPERATED VIBRATION FUNCTION, IN PARTICULAR SHOWER HEAD WITH WATER-OPERATED VIBRATION FUNCTION Description The present disclosure relates to a device with a vibration function for massage purposes and/or for sexual stimulation, in particular a shower head with a vibration function for massage purposes and/or for sexual stimulation. The present disclosure particularly relates to a device with a water-powered vibration function for massage purposes and/or for sexual stimulation, in particular a shower head with a water-powered vibration function for massage purposes and/or for sexual stimulation. background A generic device with a water-powered vibration function is known, for example, from the patent specification AT 51 37 17 A1. In AT 51 37 17 A1, the device has an elongated hollow body and a water inlet and one or more water outlets (e.g. shower nozzles) on opposite sides of the elongated hollow body. A vibration element is provided inside the elongated hollow body. In a vibration position, the vibration element can move within a cavity arranged between the water inlet and the water outlets within the elongated hollow body, with water flowing from the water inlet around the vibration element to the water outlets and thereby driving a water-powered vibration movement of the vibration element. In examples of AT 51 37 17 A1, the device is designed in a shower head. However, the vibration operation of the device according to AT 51 37 17 Al can only be switched off by interrupting the water supply. WO 99/22875 A1 relates to a shower pulsator with a water-powered vibrating ball. Similar to AT 51 37 17 A1, the vibration operation of the device according to WO 99/22875 A1 can only be switched off by interrupting the water supply. KR 2013/0009078 A relates to a vibrating shower device with a massage function. The vibrating shower device according to KR 2013/0009078 A has a vibrating element that can move within a ring section inside the shower device. The water coming from the water inlet moves the vibrating element around the ring section. However, even if the water flow to the vibrating element is restricted, the vibrating element can still move freely in the ring section, which leads to a disadvantageous user experience. In addition, the mechanism according to KR 2013/0009078 A is very complicated because a switch mechanism is designed to redirect the water flow between two paths depending on a switch position. US 5,467,927 A relates to a shower head with a selectively usable vibrating and pulsating element. The mechanism according to US 5,467,927 A is very complicated, since a switch mechanism is provided to redirect the water flow between two paths depending on a switch position. The vibration function is generated by a rotating turbine with an eccentric weight inside the shower head. US 2011/266363 Al concerns a shower head with a water-powered vibration function. The mechanism of US 2011/266363 Al is quite complicated, since the vibration function is generated by a rotating turbine that drives an eccentric wheel inside the shower head. US 4,209,132 A relates to a shower spray head with a water-powered vibration function based on a rotating turbine that drives an eccentric element inside the shower spray head. In view of the above-mentioned prior art, it is an object of the present disclosure to provide an improved device providing a water-powered vibration function, in particular with a less complex vibration mechanism and/or an improved or more convenient user handling. In particular, starting from the closest prior art of AT 51 37 17 A1, it is an object of the present disclosure to preferably provide an improved device which provides a water-operated vibration function, in which the vibration function can be conveniently switched on, in particular can be switched off or deactivated independently of the water flow, in particular in which the vibration function can be conveniently switched on and off without interrupting the water flow during shower operation. Summary With regard to one or more of the above-mentioned objects, a device with a vibration function, in particular a water-operated vibration function, according to independent claim 1 and a shower head comprising such a device with a vibration function are proposed. Dependent claims relate to exemplary preferred embodiments. According to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, a device with a water-powered vibration function is proposed, in particular a shower head with a water-powered vibration function, a device included in a shower head with water-powered vibration function or a device integrated into a shower head with a water-powered vibration function. In exemplary preferred embodiments, the device may comprise a hollow base body which, in some embodiments, may extend in a longitudinal direction, preferably in a straight line or bent or curved in the longitudinal direction. For example, the device may comprise an elon