System and method for remotely disinfecting plumbing fixtures

• US 9,476,188 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kohler MIRA Limited (Kohler Company)
• Original Assignee: Kohler MIRA Limited (Kohler Company)
• Inventors: Peel, Kevin T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schneider, Craig
• Assistant Examiner(s): COLON MORALES, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US13/797,405
• Publication Number:
  US 20130340831A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,323 Days
• Field of Search: 137/801, 137/341, 137/625.4, 137/625.41, 137/625.17, 137/602, 137/603, 137/606, 137/605, 4596-598, 462/3, 460/7, 251/129.04, 422/28, 422/38, 422108-110, 422/307
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/18 Roses; Shower heads with means for adding soap or the like E03C1/046; jet regulators E03C1/08
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/24 incorporating means for heating the liquid or other fluent material, e.g. electrically
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 1/24 Applying particulate materials
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/006 Arrangements or methods for cleaning or refurbishing water conduits
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/074 Arrangement of water treatment devices
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/075 Arrangement of devices for control of pressure or flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/078 Combined units with different devices; Arrangement of different devices with respect to each other
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/02 Plumbing installations for fresh water
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/04 Water-basin installations specially adapted to wash-basins or baths valves, faucets, mixing valves, taps F16K
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/0404 Constructional or functional features of the spout
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/0409 Shower handles
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/044 having a heating or cooling apparatus in the supply line water heaters, e.g. with continuous flow, F24H
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/055 Electrical control devices, e.g. with push buttons, control panels or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 1/44 Details of seats or valve members of double-seat valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/22 with an actuating member for each valve, e.g. interconnected to form multiple-way valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/24 with an electromagnetically-operated valve, e.g. for washing machines
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 19/00 Arrangements of valves and flow lines specially adapted for mixing fluids multiple-way valves F16K11/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 19/006 Specially adapted for faucets
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 27/0263 multiple way valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/04 using a motor
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 49/002 : Electric heating means
• CPC Class Codes: F17D 1/00 : Pipe-line systems conveying articles or materials through a pipe- line by means of a fluid carrier B65G51/00, B65G53/00; liquids B67D; special devices for transferring liquids from bulk storage containers into vehicles or boats or vice versa, e.g. loading or unloading vehicles or portable containers B67D7/00; conveying material which has been excavated by a dredger or soil shifter through a pipe-line E02F7/10; sewer pipe-line systems E03F3/00; thermal insulation of pipe-lines F16L59/00; central heating systems F24D
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 11/13 : characterised by the use of electric means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 11/16 : Controlling mixing ratio of fluids having different temperatures, e.g. by sensing the temperature of a mixture of fluids having different viscosities
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1393 : characterised by the use of electric means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1858 : by varying the mixing ratio of fluids having different temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/19 : characterised by the use of electric means G05D23/1393 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1917 : using digital means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0617 : specially adapted for fluid materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 : Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0329 : Mixing of plural fluids of diverse characteristics or conditions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0391 : Affecting flow by the addition of material or energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0424 : Liquid cleaning or flushing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6606 : With electric heating element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7759 : Responsive to change in rate of fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8376 : Combined
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8593 : Systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86389 : Programmer or timer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87668 : Single actuator operates plural flow control means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87684 : Valve in each inlet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87692 : With common valve operator

Abstract

A system for remotely disinfecting plumbing fixtures includes a controller provided at a first location remote from a plumbing fixture and configured to control a heater provided within the plumbing fixture. The controller is further configured to activate the heater to heat at least a portion of the plumbing fixture to an elevated temperature.

Claims

1. A system for remotely disinfecting plumbing fixtures comprising:

a first controller provided at a first location remote from a plumbing fixture; and

a second controller located within the plumbing fixture and configured to control a heater provided within the plumbing fixture;

wherein the first controller is further configured to activate the heater to heat at least a portion of the plumbing fixture to an elevated temperature sufficient to kill organisms in the plumbing fixture; and

wherein the second controller is configured to prevent fluid from flowing through the plumbing fixture when the heater is active.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first controller is configured to communicate with the second controller via a signal to control a mixing valve and the heater of the plumbing fixture, wherein the mixing valve is configured to mix a first fluid and a second fluid that is at a different temperature than the first fluid.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first controller is configured to communicate with the heater via a communications network.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first controller is configured to activate the heater at predetermined times.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first controller is configured to activate the heater at predetermined time intervals.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first controller is configured to activate the heater at a predetermined time after the plumbing fixture is used.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first controller is configured to control a plurality of heaters with each heater provided in one plumbing fixture of a plurality of plumbing fixtures, each of the plumbing fixtures located remotely from each other and from the first controller, wherein each plumbing fixture includes the second controller that is located within the associated plumbing fixture and is configured to control the heater provided within the associated plumbing fixture.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the heater is a component of a valve within the plumbing fixture, and wherein the second controller is provided within the plumbing fixture adjacent to the valve.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the valve is a mixing valve, and the second controller is configured to prevent fluid from flowing through the mixing valve when the heater is active, and wherein an insulating element is located between the heater and an outside surface of the plumbing fixture.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the plumbing fixture is a shower head or a bath spout and the mixing valve is provided within a body of the plumbing fixture.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the plumbing fixture is a faucet and the mixing valve is provided within a spout of the faucet.

12. A building system for remotely disinfecting plumbing fixtures comprising:

a plurality of plumbing fixtures, each of the plumbing fixtures comprising;

a body;

a mixing valve provided within the body and configured to mix a first fluid and a second fluid that is at a different temperature from the first fluid; and

a heating element provided within the body and configured to heat the associated mixing valve to a temperature sufficient to destroy organisms within the mixing valve; and

a control system remote from the plurality of plumbing fixtures;

wherein the control system is configured to allow remote control of each heating element, such that fluid is prevented from flowing through the associated mixing valve when the associated heating element is heating the associated mixing valve.

13. The building system of claim 12, wherein each of the plumbing fixtures includes an associated controller in communication with the heating element provided therein.

14. The building system of claim 12, wherein the control system is configured to individually control the heating elements of the plurality of plumbing fixtures.

15. The building system of claim 12, wherein the control system is configured to activate the heating element of at least one of the plurality of plumbing fixtures at predetermined times.

16. The building system of claim 12, wherein the control system includes a first controller for controlling each heating element remotely, and the building system further comprises a second controller located within each plumbing fixture that is configured to activate the mixing valve of the associated plumbing fixture.

17. The building system of claim 12, wherein the control system is configured to activate the heating element of at least one of the plurality of plumbing fixtures at predetermined time intervals.

18. The building system of claim 12, wherein the plumbing fixtures are each selected from the group consisting of a shower head, a bath spout, and a faucet.

19. The building system of claim 12, wherein the heating element extends through a body of an associated mixing valve, and the body of the associated mixing valve has a thermal mass such that the heating element heats the body of the associated mixing valve to the temperature using a power less than 50 watts.

20. A remotely controlled disinfecting system for a plumbing fixture comprising:

a plumbing fixture having;

a body having an inlet and an outlet;

a mixing valve provided in the body and in fluid communication with the inlet and the outlet, wherein the mixing valve is configured to mix a first fluid and a second fluid that is at a different temperature than the first fluid;

a heating element provided in the body; and

a controller coupled to the mixing valve, the controller being associated with the heating element and including a microprocessor that receives signals from a remote location instructing that the heating element should be turned on;

wherein the heating element is configured to heat at least a portion of the body of the plumbing fixture during a disinfection routine such that organisms on water contacting surfaces of the mixing valve are destroyed; and

wherein the mixer valve is disabled by the controller during the disinfection routine to prevent very hot water from being discharged.

21. The remotely controlled disinfecting system of claim 20, further comprising a control system configured to communicate the signals to the microprocessor of the controller, wherein the mixer valve is disabled for a period of time after the disinfection routine has finished to allow the mixer valve and the body of the plumbing fixture together with any water remaining in the waterways to cool down to a safe temperature for use of the mixer valve.

22. The remotely controlled disinfecting system of claim 20, wherein the heating element is a resistive wire heater.

23. The remotely controlled disinfecting system of claim 20, wherein the heating element extends through a portion of a body of the mixing valve, and the controller is located within the plumbing fixture and is coupled directly to an end of the mixing valve.

24. The remotely controlled disinfecting system of claim 20, wherein the controller communicates over a network.

25. The remotely controlled disinfecting system of claim 20, wherein the system is configured to turn on the heating element at predetermined times.

26. The remotely controlled disinfecting system of claim 20, wherein the system is configured to turn on the heating element at predetermined time intervals.

27. A method for remotely disinfecting water delivery components comprising:

sending a signal from a user interface at a remote location to a controller of a water delivery component, wherein the controller is located within the water delivery component and controls activation of a heating element within the water delivery component that is configured to heat an internal valve of the water delivery component, wherein the controller is configured to disable the valve while the heating element is active to prevent fluid from flowing through the valve.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of sending a signal is performed using a central controller of the user interface, the central controller being configured to communicate with controllers for a plurality of water delivery components, wherein each controller of the plurality of water delivery components is provided within the respective water delivery component and controls activation of the heating element within the respective water delivery component.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of sending a signal comprises sending a signal at predetermined times.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of sending a signal comprises sending a signal at predetermined time intervals.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of sending a signal utilizes a communications network, and wherein the valve is disabled for a period of time after the heating element has finished heating the valve to allow the valve and the water delivery component together with any water remaining in a waterway to cool down to a safe temperature for use of the valve.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the communications network is a wireless communications network.