Hot water heater recirculation system and method
First Claim
1. A hot water recirculation system, comprisinga source of hot water;
- a fixture remote from the source and configured to dispense hot water;
a fluid circuit extending from the source to the fixture for delivering hot water to the fixture, and returning to the source for recirculating hot water in the fluid circuit back to the source for reheating;
a fluid pump for recirculating hot water through the fluid circuit; and
an electrical circuit sensor magnetically coupled with an electrical circuit that is proximate the fixture and configured to detect operation of the electrical circuit without electrically connecting to and drawing power directly from the electrical circuit and corresponding with a user operating the fixture, and is further configured to initiate operation of the fluid pump responsive to detected operation of the electrical circuit to initiate hot water recirculation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A hot water recirculation system includes a source of hot water, a fixture, a fluid circuit, a fluid pump, and an electrical circuit sensor. The fixture is remote from the source of hot water and is configured to dispense hot water. The fluid circuit extends from the source to the fixture for delivering hot water to the fixture. The fluid circuit returns to the source for recirculating hot water in the fluid circuit back to the source for reheating. The fluid pump is configured for recirculating hot water through the fluid circuit. The electrical circuit sensor is configured to detect operation of an electrical circuit proximate the fixture and associated with a user operating the fixture. The electrical circuit sensor is further configured to initiate operation of the fluid pump responsive to detected operation of the electrical circuit to initiate hot water recirculation. A method is also provided.
32 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A hot water recirculation system, comprising
a source of hot water; -
a fixture remote from the source and configured to dispense hot water; a fluid circuit extending from the source to the fixture for delivering hot water to the fixture, and returning to the source for recirculating hot water in the fluid circuit back to the source for reheating; a fluid pump for recirculating hot water through the fluid circuit; and an electrical circuit sensor magnetically coupled with an electrical circuit that is proximate the fixture and configured to detect operation of the electrical circuit without electrically connecting to and drawing power directly from the electrical circuit and corresponding with a user operating the fixture, and is further configured to initiate operation of the fluid pump responsive to detected operation of the electrical circuit to initiate hot water recirculation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system for initiating hot water recirculation, comprising:
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a hot water tank communicating with a device for heating water; a hot water fixture disposed from the hot water tank and configured to dispense hot water to a user; a hot water fluid conduit comprising a hot water pipe loop extending from the hot water tank to the fixture and back to the hot water tank to enable passage of hot water in a single direction through the fluid conduit to the fixture and back to the hot water tank for reheating; a hot water pump disposed in the fluid conduit downstream of the fixture and proximate the hot water tank and configured to recirculate hot water through the fluid conduit and back into the hot water tank for reheating; and an electrical power relay magnetically coupled via mutual induction without direct electrical connection to an electrical power circuit for a fixture and provided in electrically non-invasive relationship with the electrical power circuit, configured to detect current flow through the electrical power circuit for the fixture which is provided proximate and associated with the hot water fixture, and further configured to initiate power delivery to the hot water pump responsive to the relay detecting operation of current flow through the electrical circuit to initiate hot water recirculation. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for recirculating hot water through a continuous loop fluid circuit, comprising:
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providing a source of hot water disposed within a continuous loop fluid conduit with at least one fixture disposed along the fluid conduit; detecting operation of an electrical circuit proximate the fixture and associated with a user operating the fixture using magnetic coupling and without forming a direct electrical connection with the circuit; and in response to detecting operation of the electrical circuit, recirculating hot water through the fluid conduit. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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Specification