Spa shower and controller

• US 6,691,338 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2001
• Issued: 02/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Water Pik Incorporated (Church & Dwight Company Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Interbath, Inc. (Church & Dwight Company Incorporated)
• Inventors: Zieger, Claus D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huson, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUYNH, KHOA D
• Application Number:
  US09/827,484
• Publication Number:
  US 20020144341A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 460/5, 460/1, 469/6, 459/6, 459/7, 454/11, 469/5, 466/1, 137/883, 137/625.4, 137/360, 137/377, 236/93.B, 236/93.A
• US Class Current: 4/605
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/021 Devices for positioning or connecting of water supply lines connection to the tap body E03C1/0403
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/05 Arrangements of devices on wash-basins, baths, sinks, or the like for remote control of taps remote control of taps or the like per se F16K
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1393 characterised by the use of electric means

Abstract

Systems and method for providing automated control over both water and temperature and pressure for a plurality of shower heads or other sources of water. The automated systems and methods for providing automated control over both water pressure and temperature make use of three distinct modules which comprise an input and display unit, and electronic processing unit, and the mechanical plumbing control unit. The electronic processing unit receives signals from the input and display unit and translates the received signals into the appropriate control signals for the mechanical plumbing control unit. A user is able to control the output water temperature from each of the shower heads or water sources as well as the individual water pressure from each of the shower heads or water sources. In the preferred exemplary embodiment, the housing of containing the electrical mechanical elements of the system is dimensioned such that the housing will advantageously fit within the cavity of the typical wall.

Claims

1. A system for controlling temperature and pressure at a plurality of water sources comprising:

a housing adapted to be located within a wall;

an input and display unit;

an electronic processing unit in electrical communication with the input and display unit; and

a plumbing control unit located inside the housing, comprising;

a thermostatic control valve having inputs in fluid communication with hot and cold sources of water and an output for outputting a mixture of hot water and cold water; and

a manifold having an input in fluid communication with the output of the thermostatic control valve, and a plurality of outputs positioned on one side wall of the manifold and in fluid communication with a corresponding plurality of water source supply lines, each of said plurality of outputs of said manifold having a corresponding electronic fluid control valve positioned on another side wall of the manifold and located within the housing.

2. The system for controlling temperature and pressure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing has a depth of less than four inches.

3. The system for controlling temperature as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of water sources comprises a plurality of shower heads.

4. The system for controlling temperature and pressure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing is rectangular, having opposing top and bottom walls and opposing side walls.

5. The system for controlling temperature and pressure as claimed in claim 4, wherein the opposing side walls contain opposing apertures that are aligned with hot and cold water supply lines on the thermostatic control valve.

6. The system for controlling temperature and pressure as claimed in claim 4, wherein the housing contains a peripheral flange member having a plurality of openings for securing the housing to wall studs.

7. The system for controlling temperature and pressure as claimed in claim 6, wherein the housing is less than 14 inches wide.

8. The system for controlling temperature and pressure as claimed in claim 4, wherein the opposing side walls contain a plurality of opposing apertures that are aligned with hot and cold water supply lines on the thermostatic control valve and are aligned with the plurality of outputs on the manifold.

9. The system for controlling temperature and pressure as claimed in claim 4, wherein one of said opposing side walls contains a D shell connector for electrical communication between the electronic processing unit and the plumbing control unit.

10. The system for controlling temperature and pressure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plumbing control unit is disposed entirely within the wall and is not visible to a user of the system for controlling temperature and pressure.

11. The system for controlling temperature and pressure as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensing element adapted to be located within the housing and located between the input of the manifold and the output of the thermostatic control valve.

12. A plumbing control system, comprising:

a thermostatic control valve having inputs in fluid communication with hot and cold sources of water and an output for outputting a mixture of hot water and cold water;

a plurality of water source supply lines;

a manifold having an input in fluid communication with the output of the thermostatic control valve, and a plurality of outputs positioned on one side wall of the manifold and in fluid communication with a corresponding plurality of water source supply lines, each of the outputs for the manifold having a corresponding electronic fluid control valve positioned on another side wall of the manifold; and

an enclosure housing the thermostatic control valve and the manifold, the enclosure adapted to be within a wall.

13. The plumbing control system as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a temperature sensing element located between the input of the manifold and the output of the thermostatic control valve.

14. The plumbing control system as claimed in claim 12, further comprising an electronic processing unit for controlling the thermostatic control valve to mix the hot water and the cold water such that the mixture of the hot water and the cold water that is output from the thermostatic control valve has a predetermined temperature.

15. The plumbing control system as claimed in claim 14, further comprising an input and display unit for transmitting control signals to the electronic processing unit.

16. The plumbing control system as claimed in claim 12, further comprising an electronic processing unit for adjusting the flow of water from each of the outputs of the manifold by controlling the fluid control valve for each of the outputs of the manifold.

17. The plumbing control system as claimed in claim 16, further comprising an input and display unit for transmitting control signals to the electronic processing unit.