Flow control system

• US 10,385,553 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2017
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kerry Dunki-Jacobs, Robert Dunki-Jacobs
• Original Assignee: Kerry Dunki-Jacobs, Robert Dunki-Jacobs
• Inventors: Dunki-Jacobs, Kerry, Dunki-Jacobs, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Sanchez-Medina, Reinaldo
• Assistant Examiner(s): Colon-Morales, David
• Application Number:
  US15/598,742
• Publication Number:
  US 20170254054A1
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• Field of Search: 251208, 25112911, 251304, 251352
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/02 Plumbing installations for fresh water
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/0408 Water installations especially for showers E03C1/06 takes precedence; shower heads B05B1/18
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/057 touchless, i.e. using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/0743 with both the supply and the discharge passages being on one side of the closure plates
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 27/045 with pivotal obturating members
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 3/08 with circular plates rotatable around their centres
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1393 characterised by the use of electric means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1858 by varying the mixing ratio of fluids having different temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0617 specially adapted for fluid materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/1842 Ambient condition change responsive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86743 Rotary
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86823 Rotary valve

Abstract

A fluid flow control system having a fluid inlet configured to be operatively coupled to a fluid source, a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the fluid inlet such that fluid may exit the system therethrough, a proximity sensor for detecting the position of an object within a region adjacent the sensor, and a flow control device configured to regulate fluid flow between the inlet and outlet in response to object detection by the sensor, wherein the flow control device varies the fluid flow proportional to the detected distance of an object from the sensor. A water flow control system for use in a shower environment is also provided, as well as a shower control system, methods for controlling water flow based on sensing of the presence and location of an object, and methods for reducing water consumption.

Claims

1. A fluid flow control system, comprising:

(a) a fluid inlet configured to be operatively coupled to a fluid source;

(b) a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the fluid inlet such that fluid may exit the system therethrough;

(c) a proximity sensor for detecting the position of an object within a region adjacent the sensor; and

(d) a flow control device configured to regulate fluid flow between the inlet and outlet in response to object detection by the sensor, wherein the flow control device comprises a disc valve which varies the fluid flow proportional to the detected distance of the object from the sensor;

wherein said disc valve comprises first and second valve plates located adjacent one another, said first valve plate having a pair of circumferentially-spaced arcuate openings and said second valve plate having first and second circumferentially-spaced openings, with each of said circumferentially-spaced openings in the second valve plate selectively alignable with one of said arcuate openings in the first valve plate,

wherein the first opening in the second valve plate includes a first portion having a first width and a second portion having a width smaller than the width of the first portion, and the second opening has an area smaller than that of said first opening in the second valve plate; and

further wherein at least one of the valve plates is selectively rotatable with respect to the other for selectively aligning the openings in said first and second valve plates in order to allow fluid flow through the aligned openings, the openings in the valve plates configured such that the second opening in the second valve plate is only aligned with one of the arcuate openings in the first valve plate when both the first and second portions of the first opening in the second valve plate are aligned with the other of said arcuate openings in the first valve plate.

2. The fluid flow control system of claim 1, wherein at least part of the second portion of the first opening in the second valve plate is a tapered in width.

3. The fluid flow control system of claim 2, wherein the second opening in the second valve plate is located radially-opposite to the first portion of the first opening in the second valve plate.

4. The fluid flow control system of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured for controlling the operation of the flow control device.

5. The fluid flow control system of claim 4, wherein the flow control system is configured for use in a shower installation, such that a shower head may be attached to the system in fluid communication with the fluid outlet.

6. The fluid flow control system of claim 4, further comprising a flow measurement device for measuring the flow rate of fluid through the outlet.

7. The fluid flow control system of claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to control the operation of the flow control device in response to the measured flow rate of fluid.

8. The fluid flow control system of claim 6, further comprising a flow meter for measuring the flow rate of fluid through the outlet, wherein the flow meter is located upstream of the flow control device.

9. The fluid flow control system of claim 8, wherein the flow meter comprises a turbine flow meter.

10. The fluid flow control system of claim 8, further comprising a temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of water flowing through the system, and further wherein the system is configured to regulate fluid flow based on the sensed water temperature in relation to at least one preset temperature.

11. A water flow control system for controlling water use by a bather, comprising:

(a) a water inlet adapted to be operatively coupled to a water source;

(b) a shower head in fluid communication with the water inlet;

(c) a proximity sensor for detecting the presence and position of the bather;

(d) a temperature sensor for sensing water temperature; and

(d) a flow control device configured to regulate water flow through the shower head in response to bather detection by the proximity sensor and water temperature;

wherein the system is adapted to control water flow therethrough based on water temperature and the detected position of the bather, such that;

—

water flow increases as the bather moves towards the shower head, —

water flow decreases as the bather moves away from the shower head, and —

water flow is reduced when the temperature of water flowing through the system is at or above a preset temperature and the presence of the bather is not detected by the sensor, while still allowing some water to flow through the system.

12. The water flow control system of claim 11, wherein said flow control device comprises a disc valve.

13. The water flow control system of claim 11, wherein said flow control device comprises a plurality of control valves.

14. The water flow control system of claim 11, comprising a plurality of said proximity sensors.

15. The water flow control system of claim 11, wherein said proximity sensor comprises a LIDAR sensor.

16. The water flow control system of claim 11, comprising a pair of water inlets adapted to be operatively coupled to hot and cold water sources, and further wherein said flow control device comprises a pair of control valves, one for controlling the flow of water from said hot water source and the other for controlling the flow of water from said cold water source.