Water conservator system and method
First Claim
1. A water conservator system for plumbing installations comprising:
- means to provide water flow from one or more fixtures in a water supply system to a return conduit as a return flow for water reuse;
storage means for providing operating conditions therein, said operating conditions providing for receiving said return flow and for storing said return flow as stored flow and for delivering said stored flow on demand through a feed conduit to said water supply system for reuse; and
a first means for preventing backflow from said water supply system to a water main, said water main supplying water to said water supply system;
said storage means comprising;
second means for preventing backflow from said storage means to said return conduit;
third means for preventing backflow from said feed conduit to said storage means; and
means for governing said receiving and said storing of said return flow and said delivering of said stored flow, said means for governing including;
controlled means to engender said operating conditions in said storage means;
level sensing means for sensing of high and low levels of said stored flow; and
relay means for control of said controlled means in response to said high and said low levels being sensed by said level sensing means.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A water conserving system for plumbing installations in buildings, for instance in homes, institutions, industry, etc., facilitates saving of water during adjustment of volume and temperature and precludes the need for water shut-off and subsequent readjustment to accomodate suspensions of actual water use while saving, for reuse, the water that otherwise flows unused to drain and into the sewer system. The water conserving system provides water outlet fixtures having diverter valving means for selective diversion of water through return conduits to storage means, whence it is returned to the water supply for reuse, so that water adjustment may be performed with least water waste and water flow may be left turned on (and adjusted) without it being wasted to drain when actual use is temporarily suspended.
-
Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A water conservator system for plumbing installations comprising:
-
means to provide water flow from one or more fixtures in a water supply system to a return conduit as a return flow for water reuse; storage means for providing operating conditions therein, said operating conditions providing for receiving said return flow and for storing said return flow as stored flow and for delivering said stored flow on demand through a feed conduit to said water supply system for reuse; and a first means for preventing backflow from said water supply system to a water main, said water main supplying water to said water supply system; said storage means comprising; second means for preventing backflow from said storage means to said return conduit; third means for preventing backflow from said feed conduit to said storage means; and means for governing said receiving and said storing of said return flow and said delivering of said stored flow, said means for governing including; controlled means to engender said operating conditions in said storage means; level sensing means for sensing of high and low levels of said stored flow; and relay means for control of said controlled means in response to said high and said low levels being sensed by said level sensing means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A water conservation method in plumbing installations, comprising the steps of:
-
(a) selectively returning water flow from one or more fixtures in a water supply system to a return conduit for reuse; (b) receiving said water flow from said return conduit in storage means, said storage means providing operating conditions therein, said operating conditions providing for said receiving; (c) storing said water flow as stored flow in said storage means, said operating conditions providing for said storing; (d) delivering said stored flow on demand through a feed conduit to said water supply system for reuse, said operating conditions providing for said delivering; (e) preventing backflow from said water supply system to a water main, said water main supplying water to said water supply system; (f) preventing backflow from said storage means to said return conduit; (g) preventing backflow from said feed conduit to said storage means; (h) governing said operating conditions by controlled means to engender said operating conditions in said storage means; (i) sensing of high and low levels of said stored flow; and (j) controlling by relay means said controlled means in response to said sensing of said high and said low levels.
-
Specification