Plumbing fixture with heating element

• US 10,494,798 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2018
• Issued: 12/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kohler MIRA Limited (Kohler Company)
• Original Assignee: Kohler MIRA Limited (Kohler Company)
• Inventors: Peel, Kevin T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sanchez-Medina, Reinaldo
• Assistant Examiner(s): Colon-Morales, David
• Application Number:
  US15/935,658
• Publication Number:
  US 20180209126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/18 Roses; Shower heads with means for adding soap or the like E03C1/046; jet regulators E03C1/08
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/24 incorporating means for heating the liquid or other fluent material, e.g. electrically
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 1/24 Applying particulate materials
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/006 Arrangements or methods for cleaning or refurbishing water conduits
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/074 Arrangement of water treatment devices
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/075 Arrangement of devices for control of pressure or flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/078 Combined units with different devices; Arrangement of different devices with respect to each other
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/02 Plumbing installations for fresh water
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/04 Water-basin installations specially adapted to wash-basins or baths valves, faucets, mixing valves, taps F16K
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/0404 Constructional or functional features of the spout
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/0409 Shower handles
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/044 having a heating or cooling apparatus in the supply line water heaters, e.g. with continuous flow, F24H
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/055 Electrical control devices, e.g. with push buttons, control panels or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/44 Details of seats or valve members of double-seat valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/22 with an actuating member for each valve, e.g. interconnected to form multiple-way valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/24 with an electromagnetically-operated valve, e.g. for washing machines
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 19/00 Arrangements of valves and flow lines specially adapted for mixing fluids multiple-way valves F16K11/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 19/006 Specially adapted for faucets
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 27/0263 multiple way valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/04 using a motor
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 49/002 : Electric heating means
• CPC Class Codes: F17D 1/00 : Pipe-line systems conveying articles or materials through a pipe- line by means of a fluid carrier B65G51/00, B65G53/00; liquids B67D; special devices for transferring liquids from bulk storage containers into vehicles or boats or vice versa, e.g. loading or unloading vehicles or portable containers B67D7/00; conveying material which has been excavated by a dredger or soil shifter through a pipe-line E02F7/10; sewer pipe-line systems E03F3/00; thermal insulation of pipe-lines F16L59/00; central heating systems F24D
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 11/13 : characterised by the use of electric means
• 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 23/1393 : 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 23/19 : characterised by the use of electric means G05D23/1393 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 : using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0617 : specially adapted for fluid materials
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/99 : dummy group
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 : Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0329 : Mixing of plural fluids of diverse characteristics or conditions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0391 : Affecting flow by the addition of material or energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0424 : Liquid cleaning or flushing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6606 : With electric heating element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7759 : Responsive to change in rate of fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8376 : Combined
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8593 : Systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86389 : Programmer or timer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87668 : Single actuator operates plural flow control means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87684 : Valve in each inlet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87692 : With common valve operator

Abstract

A shower head that includes a movable handset, a mixing valve, and an electric heater. The movable handset includes a stem configured to detachably engage a shower head dock, and a spray head coupled to the stem and configured to discharge water. The mixing valve is disposed within the movable handset and includes a housing including a waterway located therein for water to flow through, a first flow control valve located within the housing and configured to control the flow of hot water to the spray head, and a second flow control valve located within the housing and configured to control the flow of cold water to the spray head. The electric heater is disposed within the movable handset and configured to heat at least part of the housing to an elevated temperature sufficient to kill organisms within the waterway.

Claims

1. A shower head comprising:

a movable handset comprising;

a stem configured to detachably engage a shower head dock; and

a spray head coupled to the stem and configured to discharge water;

a mixing valve disposed within the movable handset and comprising;

a housing including a waterway located therein for water to flow through;

a first flow control valve located within the housing and configured to control the flow of hot water to the spray head; and

a second flow control valve located within the housing and configured to control the flow of cold water to the spray head; and

an electric heater disposed within the movable handset and configured to heat at least a part of the housing to an elevated temperature sufficient to kill organisms within the waterway.

2. The shower head of claim 1, wherein the electric heater extends through at least a portion of the housing.

3. The shower head of claim 2, wherein the portion of the housing is adjacent to a mixing chamber of the housing and to an outlet of the mixing valve that is fluidly connected to the spray head.

4. The shower head of claim 3, wherein the portion is separated from the mixing chamber by a wall of the housing.

5. The shower head of claim 4, wherein the wall of the housing further defines:

2 at least a portion of a first inlet chamber that receives the hot water; and

at least a portion of a second inlet chamber that receives the cold water.

6. The shower head of claim 1, wherein the electric heater is potted into a bore that extends through the housing using a thermally-conductive adhesive.

7. The shower head of claim 1, wherein the electric heater comprises a resistive wire heater coil that is powered with 50 watts or less.

8. A shower head comprising:

a movable handset comprising;

a stem configured to detachably engage a shower head dock; and

a spray head coupled to the stem and configured to discharge water;

a mixing valve disposed within the movable handset and comprising;

a housing including a waterway located therein for water to flow through;

a first flow control valve located within the housing and configured to control the flow of hot water to the spray head; and

a second flow control valve located within the housing and configured to control the flow of cold water to the spray head;

an electric heater disposed within the movable handset and configured to heat at least a part of the housing to an elevated temperature sufficient to kill organisms within the waterway;

a temperature sensor that monitors the elevated temperature; and

an electronic controller that disables the mixing valve in response to the elevated temperature reaching a predetermined threshold to prevent water discharge from the spray head.

9. The shower head of claim 8, wherein the electronic controller is disposed within the movable handset.

10. The shower head of claim 9, wherein the stem has a recessed area and the electronic controller and the mixing valve are disposed within the recessed area.

11. The shower head of claim 9, further comprising:

a first motor coupled to the mixing valve for controlling movement of the first flow control valve relative to the housing; and

a second motor coupled to the mixing valve for controlling movement of the second flow control valve relative to the housing;

wherein the electronic controller controls operation of the first and second motors.

12. The shower head of claim 11, further comprising a user interface for communicating at least one of a selected flow rate and a selected temperature of the discharge water to the controller via a control signal, wherein the controller controls the first and second motors in response to the control signal.

13. The shower head of claim 12, wherein the user interface is located on the movable handset.

14. The shower head of claim 13, wherein the user interface comprises a touch sensitive panel for inputting the at least one of the selected flow rate and the selected temperature.

15. The shower head of claim 14, wherein the user interface comprises a display that shows the at least one of the selected flow rate and the selected temperature.

16. A shower head comprising:

a movable handset comprising;

a stem that detachably engages a shower head dock; and

a spray head coupled to the stem and configured to discharge water;

a mixing valve located inside the stem and comprising;

a housing including a cold water inlet, a hot water inlet, and a mixing chamber;

a first flow control valve located within the housing and configured to control the flow of the cold water to the mixing chamber; and

a second flow control valve located within the housing and configured to control the flow of the hot water to the mixing chamber;

an electric heater located inside the stem and configured to heat the housing to an elevated temperature sufficient to kill organisms within the housing during a disinfection routine; and

an electronic controller that controls operation of the electric heater during the disinfection routine.

17. The shower head of claim 16, wherein the electronic controller is located inside the stem, the stem comprises a thermally-insulating material, and the housing comprises a thermally-conductive material.

18. The shower head of claim 17, further comprising a temperature sensor located inside the stem and configured to monitor the elevated temperature, wherein the electronic controller disables the mixing valve to prevent water discharge from the spray head in response to the elevated temperature being at or above a predetermined threshold temperature.