Apparatus for disinfection of a sanitary facility or sanitary equipment

• US 5,431,180 A
• Filed: 03/23/1994
• Issued: 07/11/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Arjo Hospital Equipment AB (Carl Reinhold Adolf Bennet, PhD, MBA)
• Original Assignee: Arjo Hospital Equipment AB (Carl Reinhold Adolf Bennet, PhD, MBA)
• Inventors: Stenberg, Kaj O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stinson, Frankie L.
• Application Number:
  US08/217,093
• Time in Patent Office: 475 Days
• Field of Search: 134/104.1, 134/100.1, 134/166 R, 134/201, 134/94.1, 134/95.3, 4/222, 4/662
• US Class Current: 134/100.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 3/281 Accessories for showers or bathing douches, e.g. cleaning devices for walls or floors of showers A47K3/30, A47K3/38, A47K3/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/046 Adding soap, disinfectant, or the like in the supply line or at the water outletpreventing contamination of drinking-water pipes E03C1/10
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/102 using an air gap device
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/104 using a single check valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/20 Controlling water pollution; Waste water treatment

Abstract

An apparatus for showering and disinfection of a sanitary facility includes a first shower, a first operating device for opening or closing the supply of liquid to the first shower, and a first conduit for supplying water to the shower. A tank is disposed in the first conduit and is connected, via a first inlet pipe of the first conduit, to a supply pipe and is connected by a second conduit section, to the shower. The first conduit section discharges in the tank above a highest permitted filling level, whereby there is created an air gap between liquid in the tank and the discharge of the conduit section. Downstream of the air gap, a device is coupled in for the supply of disinfectant to the storage space of the tank, or to the second conduit section.

Claims

1. An apparatus for showering and disinfection of a sanitary facility or sanitary equipment, said apparatus comprising at least a first shower, a first operating device for opening or closing the flow of liquid to said first shower, a first conduit for supplying liquid to said first shower, a tank coupled in said first conduit, said tank having a storage space for liquid, said first conduit including a first conduit section having an outlet for discharging liquid into said tank at a level above a highest permitted filling level in the tank and a first valve in said first conduit section to control liquid flow in said first conduit section;

said first conduit further including a second conduit section connected to the storage space of the tank and to said first shower, said second conduit section transporting liquid from the tank to said first shower, said second conduit section being connected to the storage space of the tank at a level located below the highest filling level of the tank;

a device being provided for the supply of disinfectant to said tank or to said second conduit section said tank being provided with a level guard to prevent the filling level in the tank from exceeding a predetermined highest filling level, said level guard being connected to said first valve in said first conduit section to close said first valve when the liquid in the tank reaches said predetermined highest filling level thereby to keep said outlet of said first conduit section above the highest liquid level in the tank.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first operating device is connected to the level guard by means for transmitting signals.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said level guard is connected to said first valve by means for transmitting signals.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, comprising a pump in said first conduit, said level guard being connected to said pump by means for transmitting signals.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said level guard consists of a spillway overflow.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein said first operating device, said first valve, said level guard and said pump are connected to a control and regulator device by means of signal devices for transmitting signals between said operating device, first valve, level guard and pump and said control and regulator device;

said control and regulator device being operative to control the functions of said first valve and said pump based on incoming signals to said control and regulator device.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a second shower, a second conduit for supplying liquid to said second shower, second operating device in said second conduit for opening or closing the flow of liquid to said second shower, and a second valve in said second conduit, said second valve, and said second operating device being connected, by means of signal devices to said central control and regulator unit for transmitting signals between said control and regulator device and said second valve and said second operating device;

said control and regulator device being operative to control the position of said second valve based on incoming signals to said control and regulator device.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said level guard is disposed to sense the liquid pressure of a liquid column in said tank.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said first operating device, said first valve, said level guard and said pump are connected to a control and regulator device by means of signal devices for transmitting signals between said operating device, first valve, level guard and pump and said control and regulator device;

and said control and regulator device being operative to control the functions of said first valve and said pump based on incoming signals to said control and regulator device.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a second shower, a second conduit for supplying liquid to said second shower, a second operating device in said second conduit for opening or closing the flow of liquid to said second shower and a second valve in said second conduit, wherein said second valve, and said second operating device are connected, by means of signal devices to said central control and regulator unit for transmitting signals between said control and regulator device and said second valve and said second operating device;

said control and regulator device being operative to control the position of said second valve based on incoming signals to said control and regulator device.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said device for supplying disinfectant is coupled in said second conduit section.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said device for supplying disinfectant comprises an injector.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tank is provided with a drainage conduit which is connected to the storage space of said tank in the lower region of said storage space.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said drainage conduit is disposed and dimensioned for permitting a liquid flow of a magnitude such that a filled tank is substantially completely empty after at most approximately 10 minutes.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the distance between the highest filling level of said tank and the outlet end of said first conduit section is at least approximately 1 cm.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first conduit section is connected to a faucet which is located upstream and which is supplied with hot and cold water via hot and cold water conduits.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein said apparatus includes a second shower which, via a second conduit is connected to the faucet;

and a second operating device being provided for opening or closing the flow of water to said second shower.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said second operating device is connected, by means for transmitting signals, to a valve for switching the valve between open or closed position;

and valve connecting said second shower with said second conduit.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein said apparatus includes a second shower and a tap pipe which, via a second conduit is connected to the faucet;

and second and third operating devices for opening or closing the flow of water to said second shower and said tap pipe, respectively.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein said second operating device and said third operating device are connected, by means for transmitting signals, to a second valve for switching the valve between open or closed positions;

said second valve connecting said faucet with said second conduit.

21. The apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein said first operating device, said first valve, said level guard and said pump are connected to a control and regulator device by means of signal devices for transmitting signals between said operating device, first valve, level guard and pump and said control and regulator device;

and said control and regulator device being operative to control the functions of said first valve and said pump based on incoming signals to said control and regulator device.

22. The apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein said second valve, said second operating device and said third operating device are connected, by means of signal devices to said central control and regulator unit for transmitting signals between said control and regulator device and said second valve, said second operating device and said third operating device;

and said control and regulator device being operative to control the position of said second valve based on incoming signals to said control and regulator device.