Automatic bathtub water level control system
First Claim
1. In combination:
- a bathtub;
a water inlet pipe for supplying water to the bathtub;
a temperature mixing valve coupling the water inlet pipe to hot water and to cold water supply pipes;
a solenoid-operated valve coupled to the water inlet pipe to control the flow of water into the bathtub;
a manually-operated valve coupled to the water inlet pipe in parallel with the solenoid-operated valve to control the flow of water into the bathtub independently of the solenoid-operated valve;
a drain plug for draining water out of the bathtub;
a solenoid-operated control mechanism mechanically coupled to the drain plug to open and close the drain plug;
a manually-operated mechanism coupled to the drain plug to open and close the drain plug independently of the solenoid-operated control mechanism; and
an electric control circuit connected to said solenoid-operated valve and to said solenoid-operated drain plug control mechanism, said electric control circuit including first switching means electrically connected to an energizing source and to said solenoid-operated drain plug mechanism selectively to connect said solenoid-operated drain plug mechanism to said energizing source to cause said solenoid-operated drain plug mechanism selectively to open and close the drain plug as said first switching means is operated between a first and second operating position, a second switching means electrically connected to said solenoid-operated valve to cause said solenoid-operated valve selectively to close and open as said second switching means is selectively operated between a first and a second operating position, electric timing means, a third switching means electrically connected to said electric timing means selectively to de-energize and energize said electric timing means when said third switching means is selectively operated between a first and a second operating position, and a manually settable control member mechanically coupled to the first, second and third switching means and to the timing means and manually operable to set the first, second and third switching means to their second operating positions as said control member is manually moved to a selected setting and subsequently operated by said timing means to set the second and third switching means to their first operating position after a predetermined time interval established by the setting of said control member.
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Abstract
An automatic water level control system for a bathtub is provided whereby the user merely sets a manual control to a desired water level. The control system then sequentially closes the bathtub drain and turns on the water faucet. The water faucet is preferably of the temperature mixing type which has previously been pre-set by the user, so that water at a desired temperature flows into the tub. When a selected, pre-set level has been reached, the water is automatically turned off and the bath is ready. The control system uses solenoid controlled valves connected to the usual manually controlled valves in such a manner that the normal manual control of the bath water is not interfered with in any way when the automatic control system is not activated.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. In combination:
- a bathtub;
a water inlet pipe for supplying water to the bathtub;
a temperature mixing valve coupling the water inlet pipe to hot water and to cold water supply pipes;
a solenoid-operated valve coupled to the water inlet pipe to control the flow of water into the bathtub;
a manually-operated valve coupled to the water inlet pipe in parallel with the solenoid-operated valve to control the flow of water into the bathtub independently of the solenoid-operated valve;
a drain plug for draining water out of the bathtub;
a solenoid-operated control mechanism mechanically coupled to the drain plug to open and close the drain plug;
a manually-operated mechanism coupled to the drain plug to open and close the drain plug independently of the solenoid-operated control mechanism; and
an electric control circuit connected to said solenoid-operated valve and to said solenoid-operated drain plug control mechanism, said electric control circuit including first switching means electrically connected to an energizing source and to said solenoid-operated drain plug mechanism selectively to connect said solenoid-operated drain plug mechanism to said energizing source to cause said solenoid-operated drain plug mechanism selectively to open and close the drain plug as said first switching means is operated between a first and second operating position, a second switching means electrically connected to said solenoid-operated valve to cause said solenoid-operated valve selectively to close and open as said second switching means is selectively operated between a first and a second operating position, electric timing means, a third switching means electrically connected to said electric timing means selectively to de-energize and energize said electric timing means when said third switching means is selectively operated between a first and a second operating position, and a manually settable control member mechanically coupled to the first, second and third switching means and to the timing means and manually operable to set the first, second and third switching means to their second operating positions as said control member is manually moved to a selected setting and subsequently operated by said timing means to set the second and third switching means to their first operating position after a predetermined time interval established by the setting of said control member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
- a bathtub;
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6. In combination:
- a bathtub;
a water inlet pipe for supplying water to the bathtub;
a temperature mixing valve coupling the water inlet pipe to hot water and to cold water supply pipes;
a solenoid-operated valve coupled to the water inlet pipe to control the flow of water into the bathtub;
a manually-operated valve coupled to the water inlet pipe in parallel with the solenoid-operated valve to control the flow of water into the bathtub independently of the solenoid-operated valve;
a drain plug for draining water out of the bathtub;
a solenoid-operated control mechanism mechanically coupled to the drain plug to open and close the drain plug;
a manually-operated mechanism coupled to the drain plug to open and close the drain plug independently of the solenoid-operated control mechanism; and
an electric control circuit connected to said solenoid-operated valve and to said solenoid-operated drain plug control mechanism, said electric control circuit including first manually-operated switching means electrically connected to an energizing source and to said solenoid-operated drain plug mechanism selectively to connect said solenoid-operated drain plug mechanism to said energizing source to cause said solenoid-operated drain plug mechanism selectively to open and close the drain plug as said first switching means is operated between a first and a second operating position, a second switching means electrically connected to said solenoid-operated valve to cause said solenoid-operated valve to close and open as said second switching means is operated between a first and a second operating position, electric timing means electrically connected to said first switching means to be energized when said first switching means is operated to its second operating position, and said timing means being connected to and controlling said second switching means for causing said second switching means to be actuated to its second operating position when said timing means is first energized to cause said solenoid-operated valve to open and for causing said second switching means to be actuated to its first operating position after a predetermined interval to cause said solenoid-operated valve to close, and a manually settable control element connected to said timing means to establish said predetermined time interval. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
- a bathtub;
Specification