SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REMOTELY DISINFECTING PLUMBING FIXTURES

• US 20130340831A1
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Published: 12/26/2013
• 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.
• Granted Patent: US 9,476,188 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/1
• 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 system for remotely disinfecting plumbing fixtures includes a controller provided at a first location remote from a plumbing fixture and configured to control a heater provided within the plumbing fixture. The controller is further configured to activate the heater to heat at least a portion of the plumbing fixture to an elevated temperature.

Claims

1. A system for remotely disinfecting plumbing fixtures comprising:

a controller provided at a first location remote from a plumbing fixture and configured to control a heater provided within the plumbing fixture, wherein the controller is further configured to activate the heater to heat at least a portion of the plumbing fixture to an elevated temperature.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to communicate with a controller associated with the plumbing fixture that is configured to send signals to the heater.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to communicate with the heater via a communications network.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to activate the heater at predetermined times.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to activate the heater at predetermined time intervals.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to activate the heater at a predetermined time after the plumbing fixture is used.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control heaters provided in a plurality of plumbing fixtures, each of the plumbing fixtures located remotely from each other and from the controller.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the heater is a component of a valve within the plumbing fixture.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the valve is a mixing valve.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the plumbing fixture is a shower head or a bath spout and the mixing valve is provided within a body of the plumbing fixture.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the plumbing fixture is a faucet and the mixing valve is provided within a spout of the faucet.

12. A building system comprising:

a plurality of plumbing fixtures, each of the plumbing fixtures having a body and a heating element and a mixing valve provided within the body;

a control system remote from the plurality of plumbing fixtures;

wherein each of the heating elements are configured to heat an associated mixing valve to a temperature sufficient to destroy organisms within the mixing valve; and

wherein the control system is configured to allow remote control of the heating elements.

13. The building system of claim 12, wherein each of the plumbing fixtures includes an associated controller in communication with the heating element provided therein.

14. The building system of claim 12, wherein the control system is configured to individually control the heating elements of the plurality of plumbing fixtures.

15. The building system of claim 12, wherein the control system is configured to activate the heating element of at least one of the plurality of plumbing fixtures at predetermined times.

16. The building system of claim 12, wherein the control system is configured to activate the heating element of at least one of the plurality of plumbing fixtures at predetermined times.

17. The building system of claim 12, wherein the control system is configured to activate the heating element of at least one of the plurality of plumbing fixtures at predetermined time intervals.

18. The building system of claim 12, wherein the plumbing fixtures are each selected from the group consisting of a shower head, a bath spout, and a faucet.

19. The building system of claim 12, wherein the heating element extends through a body of an associated mixing valve.

20. A remotely controlled disinfecting system for a plumbing fixture comprising:

a plumbing fixture having a mixing valve and a heating element provided therein;

a controller associated with the heating element and configured to receive signals from a remote location instructing that the heating element should be turned on;

wherein the heating element is configured to heat at least a portion of a body of the plumbing fixture such that organisms on water contacting surfaces of the mixing valve are destroyed.

21. The remotely controlled disinfecting system of claim 20, further comprising a control system configured to communicate the signals to the controller.

22. The remotely controlled disinfecting system of claim 20, wherein the heating element is a resistive wire heater.

23. The remotely controlled disinfecting system of claim 20, wherein the heating element extends through a portion of a body of the mixing valve.

24. The remotely controlled disinfecting system of claim 20, wherein the controller communicates over a network.

25. The remotely controlled disinfecting system of claim 20, wherein the system is configured to turn on the heating element at predetermined times.

26. The remotely controlled disinfecting system of claim 20, wherein the system is configured to turn on the heating element at predetermined time intervals.

27. A method for remotely disinfecting water delivery components comprising:

sending a signal from a remote location to a controller of a water delivery component, wherein the controller is configured to control activation of a heating element within the water delivery component that is configured to heat an internal valve of the water delivery component.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of sending a signal is performed using a central controller configured to communicate with controllers for a plurality of water delivery components.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of sending a signal comprises sending a signal at predetermined times.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of sending a signal comprises sending a signal at predetermined time intervals.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of sending a signal utilizes a communications network.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein the communications network is a wireless communications network.