Water supply system and a method for operating the same

• US 10,466,727 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2016
• Issued: 11/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Inventors: Shaffer, Ryan Joseph, Hofmann, Adam Christopher, Mersch, Matthew David
• Primary Examiner(s): Ciric, Ljiljana V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cox, Alexis K
• Application Number:
  US15/358,175
• Publication Number:
  US 20180143656A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,078 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 11/16 Controlling mixing ratio of fluids having different temperatures, e.g. by sensing the temperature of a mixture of fluids having different viscosities
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/00 Control of temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/13 by varying the mixing ratio of two fluids having different temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/132 with temperature sensing element
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/2034 the sensing element being a semiconductor
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/2039 using mechanical means

Abstract

A system and method of operating a water supply system with one or more water consuming appliances includes a water heater fluidly coupled to a water consuming appliance through a supply conduit. The water consuming appliance includes an appliance communication module for communicating a target temperature. A mixing valve is positioned on the supply conduit, is in operative communication with the appliance communication module, and heats water from the water heater and cold water from the water supply to provide a flow of supply water to the water consuming appliance at the target temperature.

Claims

1. A water supply system comprising:

a water heater configured for heating cold water from a water supply;

a first water consuming appliance fluidly coupled to the water heater by

a first supply conduit;

a second water consuming appliance fluidly coupled to the water heater by a

a second supply conduit;

a first mixing valve positioned on the first supply conduit and being configured for mixing heated water from the water heater and cold water from the water supply to provide a first flow of supply water to the first water consuming appliance at a target temperature, the first mixing valve having a first valve communication module;

an appliance communication module mounted within the first water consuming appliance, the appliance communication module being configured to communicate the target temperature directly to the first valve communication module of the first mixing valve; and

a second mixing valve positioned on the second supply conduit and being configured for mixing heated water from the water heater and cold water from the water supply to provide a second flow of supply water to the second water consuming appliance, the second flow of water being at a set point temperature.

2. The water supply system of claim 1, wherein the set point temperature is lower than the target temperature.

3. The water supply system of claim 1, wherein the appliance communication module and the first valve communication module are in wireless communication.

4. The water supply system of claim 1, wherein a controller of the water heater comprises the first valve communication module.

5. The water supply system of claim 1, wherein the first water consuming appliance is a dishwasher or a clothes washing machine and the target temperature is selected to correspond to a sanitization cycle temperature.

6. The water supply system of claim 1, wherein the second water consuming appliance is selected from the group consisting of a sink, a shower, and a tub.