Energy autonomous hand shower interface

• US 20080203195A1
• Filed: 02/23/2007
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Masco Corporation Of Indiana (Masco Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Masco Corporation Of Indiana (Masco Corporation)
• Inventors: Schmitt, Randall Paul
• Application Number:
  US11/710,142
• Publication Number:
  US 20080203195A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 239/548
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/0408 Water installations especially for showers E03C1/06 takes precedence; shower heads B05B1/18
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/055 Electrical control devices, e.g. with push buttons, control panels or the like

Abstract

A fluid delivery apparatus including an energy harvesting device to generate energy for communicating with a fluid control device.

Claims

1. A hand-held fluid delivery apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a sprayhead coupled to the housing; and

an energy harvesting device supported by the housing.

2. The hand-held fluid delivery apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a user interface including the energy harvesting device.

3. The hand-held fluid delivery apparatus of claim 2, wherein the user interface communicates with a fluid control device.

4. The hand-held fluid delivery apparatus of claim 3, wherein the fluid control device comprises an electrically actuated valve configured to control the flow of fluid to the sprayhead.

5. The hand-held fluid delivery apparatus of claim 3, wherein the user interface includes a transmitter configured to transmit a wireless signal to the fluid control device.

6. The hand-held fluid delivery apparatus of claim 5, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit a radio frequency signal.

7. The hand-held fluid delivery apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a user interface including a transmitter, a user input member operably coupled to the transmitter, and the energy harvesting device; and

wherein the energy harvesting device includes a transducer configured to convert mechanical energy supplied to the user input member to electrical energy supplied to the transmitter.

8. A hand-held fluid delivery apparatus comprising:

a housing including a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;

a user interface coupled to the housing, the user interface including a user input member, an energy harvesting device operably coupled to the user input member, and a transmitter electrically coupled to the energy harvesting device; and

wherein the energy harvesting device is configured to convert mechanical energy from the user input member to electrical energy supplied to the transmitter.

9. The hand-held fluid delivery apparatus of claim 8, wherein the transmitter communicates with a fluid control device.

10. The hand-held fluid delivery apparatus of claim 9, wherein the fluid control device comprises an electrically actuated valve configured to control the flow of fluid to the outlet of the housing.

11. The hand-held fluid delivery apparatus of claim 9 wherein the user interface includes a transmitter configured to transmit a wireless signal to the fluid control device.

12. The hand-held fluid delivery apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a controller in communication with the fluid control device.

13. The hand-held fluid delivery apparatus of claim 10, wherein the controller responds to wireless signals received from the transmitter of the user interface.

14. The hand-held fluid delivery apparatus of claim 10, wherein the user input member includes a water flow control input member in communication with the transmitter for controlling the valve to adjust the flow rate of fluid supplied to the outlet of the housing, and a temperature control input member in communication with the transmitter for controlling the valve to adjust the temperature of fluid supplied to the outlet of the housing.

15. A fluid delivery system comprising:

a fluid control device;

a user interface including an energy autonomous switch, and a transmitter electrically coupled to the energy autonomous switch and configured to emit a signal to the fluid control device; and

wherein the energy autonomous switch is configured to convert mechanical energy to electrical energy supplied to the transmitter.

16. The fluid delivery system of claim 15, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit a wireless signal to the fluid control device.

17. The fluid delivery system of claim 15, wherein the fluid control device comprises an electrically actuated valve configured to control the flow of fluid in response to operation of the user interface.

18. The fluid delivery system of claim 17, further comprising a hand-held housing including a fluid outlet and a fluid inlet, the user interface supported by the housing, and the fluid control device configured to control the flow of fluid through the fluid outlet in response to the signal emitted by the transmitter.

19. The fluid delivery system of claim 18, further comprising a controller in communication with the valve.

20. The fluid delivery system of claim 19, wherein the user input member includes a water flow control input member in communication with the transmitter for controlling the valve to adjust the flow rate of fluid supplied to the outlet of the housing, and a temperature control input member in communication with the transmitter for controlling the valve to adjust the temperature of fluid supplied to the outlet of the housing.