ELECTRONIC SHOWER USER INTERFACE

• US 20130075483A1
• Filed: 05/23/2011
• Published: 03/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Delta Faucet Company (Masco Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Masco Corporation Of Indiana (Masco Corporation)
• Inventors: Marty, Garry R., Huffington, Todd, Davidson, Kyle R., Johnson, Brian W., O'Cull, Larry D., Jonte, Patrick B.
• Application Number:
  US13/698,940
• Publication Number:
  US 20130075483A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 236/12.1
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/055 Electrical control devices, e.g. with push buttons, control panels or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/057 touchless, i.e. using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 11/13 characterised by the use of electric means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 11/132 by controlling the flow of the individual components G05D11/133 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/13 by varying the mixing ratio of two fluids having different temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1306 for liquids G05D23/1393 takes precedence

Abstract

An electronic shower system including a mixing valve operably coupled to a mixing valve drive, and a diverter valve operably coupled to a diverter valve drive and in fluid communication with the mixing valve. A controller is in communication with the mixing valve drive and the diverter valve drive. A user interface includes a removable module in communication with the controller.

Claims

1. An electronic shower system comprising:

a mixing valve fluidly coupled to a hot water supply and a cold water supply;

a mixing valve drive operably coupled to the mixing valve for controlling the proportion of water from the hot water supply and the cold water supply provided to an outlet;

a controller in electrical communication with the mixing valve drive; and

wherein the mixing valve drive includes an electric motor, a drive gear operably coupled to the motor, a driven gear operably coupled to the mixing valve, a transmission coupling the drive gear with the driven gear, and a manual override configured to disengage the transmission coupling to the drive gear in response to manual engagement from a user.

2. The electronic shower system of claim 1, wherein the manual override includes a button including internal splines and external splines, the internal splines rotatably engaging with external splines supported by a drive shaft of the motor, the external splines in a first axial position rotatably engaging with internal splines supported by the drive gear, and the external splines in a second axial position disengaged from the internal splines supported by the drive gear.

3. The electronic shower system of claim 1, further comprising a position sensor operably coupled to the mixing valve drive for detecting a position of the mixing valve, the position sensor in electrical communication with the controller.

4. The electronic shower system of claim 3, wherein the transmission includes a belt, and the position sensor includes a potentiometer operably coupled to a position gear driven in motion by the belt.

5. The electronic shower system of claim 4, wherein the mixing valve drive further includes a spring biased tensioner operably coupled to the belt.

6. The electronic shower system of claim 1, further comprising:

a diverter valve fluidly coupled to the mixing valve; and

a diverter valve drive operably coupled to the diverter valve for controlling the delivery of water from the mixing valve to at least one of a plurality of outlets, the diverter valve drive in electrical communication with the controller.

7. The electronic shower system of claim 6, wherein the diverter valve directs water to a selected outlet and the flow rate of water delivered to the selected outlet.

8. The electronic shower system of claim 1, wherein the mixing valve drive includes an access opening in the driven gear for manual rotation of the driven gear.

9. The electronic shower system of claim 8, wherein the access opening is configured to receive a tool to rotate the driven gear.

10. The electronic shower system of claim 1, further comprising a battery operably coupled to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to detect the loss of external power and the battery is configured to operate the mixing valve drive a predetermined time following the detected loss of external power.

11. An electronic shower system comprising:

a mixing valve fluidly coupled to a hot water supply and a cold water supply;

a mixing valve drive operably coupled to the mixing valve for controlling the proportion of water from the hot water supply and the cold water supply provided to an outlet;

a controller in electrical communication with the mixing valve drive; and

a battery operably coupled to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to detect the loss of external power and the battery is configured to operate the mixing valve drive a predetermined time following the detected loss of external power.

12. The electronic shower system of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to cause the mixing valve drive to close the mixing valve at a predetermined time after the detected loss of external power.

13. The electronic shower system of claim 12, wherein the controller deactivates the mixing valve drive when no external power is detected and the mixing valve is closed.

14. The electronic shower system of claim 11, the mixing valve drive includes an electric motor, a drive gear operably coupled to the motor, a driven gear operably coupled to the mixing valve, a transmission coupling the drive gear with the driven gear, and a manual override configured to disengage the transmission coupling to the drive gear in response to manual engagement from a user.

15. The electronic shower of claim 14, wherein the manual override includes a button including internal splines and external splines, the internal splines rotatably engaging with external splines supported by a drive shaft of the motor, the external splines in a first axial position rotatably engaging with internal splines supported by the drive gear, and the external splines in a second axial position disengaged from the internal splines supported by the drive gear.

16. The electronic shower system of claim 11, further comprising:

a diverter valve fluidly coupled to the mixing valve; and

a diverter valve drive operably coupled to the diverter valve for controlling the delivery of water from the mixing valve to at least one of a plurality of outlets, the diverter valve drive in electrical communication with the controller.

17. The electronic shower system of claim 16, wherein the diverter valve directs water to a selected outlet and the flow rate of water delivered to the selected outlet.

18. The electronic shower system of claim 11, wherein the mixing valve drive includes an access opening in the driven gear for manual rotation of the driven gear.

19. The electronic shower system of claim 18, wherein the access opening is configured to receive a tool to rotate the driven gear.

20. An electronic shower system comprising:

a mixing valve fluidly coupled to a hot water supply and a cold water supply;

a mixing valve drive operably coupled to the mixing valve for controlling the proportion of water from the hot water supply and the cold water supply provided to an outlet;

a diverter valve fluidly coupled to the mixing valve;

a diverter valve drive operably coupled to the diverter valve for controlling the delivery of water from the mixing valve to at least one of a plurality of outlets;

a controller operably coupled to the mixing valve drive and the diverter valve drive; and

a user interface including a temperature input portion and a flow rate input portion, the temperature input portion configured to cause the controller to control the mixing valve, and the flow rate input portion configured to cause the controller to control the diverter valve.

21. The electronic shower system of claim 20, wherein the diverter valve includes a rotatable valve plate configured to be moved into a plurality of rotational positions to direct flow from an inlet to at least one selected first and second fluid outlets and to control flow rate to the at least one selected outlet.

22. The electronic shower system of claim 21, wherein the diverter valve includes a second valve plate cooperating with the rotatable valve plate and including a first port fluidly coupled to the first fluid outlet and a second port fluidly coupled to the second fluid outlet, the rotatable valve plate including an opening in selective fluid communication with at least one of the first port and the second port based upon the rotational position of the rotatable valve plate.

23. The electronic shower of claim 22, wherein the rotational positions of the rotatable valve plate define a high flow rate of water through the first fluid outlet, a high flow rate of water through the second fluid outlet, a medium flow rate of water through the first fluid outlet, a medium flow rate of water through the second fluid outlet, a low flow rate of water through the first fluid outlet, and a low flow rate of water through the second fluid outlet.

24. The electronic shower of claim 23, wherein rotational position of the rotatable valve plate further defines no flow through either the first fluid outlet or the second fluid outlet.

25. An electronic shower system comprising:

a mixing valve fluidly coupled to a hot water supply and a cold water supply;

a mixing valve drive operably coupled to the mixing valve for controlling the proportion of water from the hot water supply and the cold water supply provided to an outlet;

a controller in electrical communication with the mixing valve drive;

a main user interface module in electrical communication with the controller; and

a remote user interface in wireless communication with the controller, wherein the controller provides priority to operation of the main user interface module over the remote user interface.

26. The electronic shower system of claim 25, wherein user input from the remote user interface may be overridden by user input from the main user interface module if the controller determines that the main user interface module is active when user input is received by the remote user interface.

27. The electronic shower system of claim 26, wherein the user input from the remote user interface causes the controller to generate an inquiry on the main user interface module for the user to accept the input from the remote user interface.

28. The electronic shower system of claim 25, further comprising a temperature sensor positioned downstream from the mixing valve and in communication with the controller, wherein the controller provides a warm up function based upon input from the temperature sensor.