Flow control system

• US 9,657,464 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2013
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kerry Dunki-Jacobs, Robert Dunki-Jacobs
• Original Assignee: Kerry Dunki-Jacobs, Robert Dunki-Jacobs
• Inventors: Dunki-Jacobs, Kerry, Dunki-Jacobs, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Schneider, Craig
• Assistant Examiner(s): COLON MORALES, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US14/089,684
• Publication Number:
  US 20140076415A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,275 Days
• Field of Search: 251208, 25112911, 251304, 251352, 13762541, 13762531, 137607, 137 781
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/02 Plumbing installations for fresh water
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/0408 Water installations especially for showers E03C1/06 takes precedence; shower heads B05B1/18
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/057 touchless, i.e. using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/0743 with both the supply and the discharge passages being on one side of the closure plates
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 27/045 with pivotal obturating members
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 3/08 with circular plates rotatable around their centres
• 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 7/0617 specially adapted for fluid materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/1842 Ambient condition change responsive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86743 Rotary
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86823 Rotary valve

Abstract

A fluid flow control system having a fluid inlet configured to be operatively coupled to a fluid source, a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the fluid inlet such that fluid may exit the system therethrough, a proximity sensor for detecting the position of an object within a region adjacent the sensor, and a flow control device configured to regulate fluid flow between the inlet and outlet in response to object detection by the sensor, wherein the flow control device varies the fluid flow proportional to the detected distance of an object from the sensor. A water flow control system for use in a shower environment is also provided, as well as a shower control system, methods for controlling water flow based on sensing of the presence and location of an object, and methods for reducing water consumption.

Claims

1. A fluid flow control system configured for installation between a water supply pipe and a shower head in a shower installation, comprising:

(a) a fluid inlet configured to be operatively coupled to the water supply pipe;

(b) a fluid outlet configured for delivering water to the shower head, said fluid outlet in fluid communication with the fluid inlet such that water may exit the system therethrough;

(c) a proximity sensor for detecting the position of a bather within an interrogation region adjacent the sensor when the system is installed in a shower enclosure;

(d) a flow control device comprising a control valve configured to regulate fluid flow between the inlet and outlet in response to bather detection by the proximity sensor within the interrogation region, wherein the flow control device comprises a disc valve which varies the fluid flow proportional to the detected distance of the bather from the proximity sensor by varying the control valve opening between a maximum and a minimum; and

(e) a controller configured for controlling the operation of the flow control device in response to the location of the bather within the interrogation region, as detected by the proximity sensor;

wherein the system determines, throughout a shower session, a full flow portion of the interrogation region and a minimum flow portion of the interrogation region based on a bather'"'"'s distance of closest approach to the sensor and distance of furthest approach to the sensor during the shower session, such that a maximum flow rate of water is delivered when the sensed distance of the bather from the sensor is within the full flow portion of the interrogation region, a minimum flow rate of water is delivered when the sensed distance of the bather from the sensor is within the minimum flow portion of the interrogation region, and an intermediate flow rate of water is delivered when the sensed distance of the bather from the sensor is between the minimum and maximum flow portions of the interrogation region.

2. The fluid flow control system of claim 1,

wherein the disc valve comprises a first valve plate having a pair of circumferentially-spaced arcuate openings, and a second valve plate having first and second circumferentially-spaced openings;

wherein the first opening in the second valve plate has a first portion having a first width, and a tapered width portion having a width which is less than the width of the first portion;

wherein the second opening in the second valve plate has an area smaller than that of the first opening in the second valve plate; and

further wherein the first and second valve plates are located adjacent one another with at least one of the valve plates rotatable with respect to the other such that each of the first and second circumferentially-spaced openings in the second valve plate is selectively alignable with a corresponding one of the arcuate openings in the first valve plate in order to allow controlled fluid flow through aligned openings.

3. The fluid flow control system of claim 2, wherein the second opening in the second valve plate is located radially-opposite to the first portion of the first opening, and further wherein the second opening is sized and located such that when the first portion of the first opening in the second valve plate is not aligned with one of the arcuate openings in the first valve plate, the second opening will not be aligned with the other arcuate opening in the first valve plate.

4. The fluid flow control system of claim 1, further comprising a flow measurement device for measuring the flow rate of fluid through the outlet.

5. The fluid flow control system of claim 4, wherein the controller is further configured to control the operation of the flow control device in response to the measured flow rate of fluid.

6. The fluid flow control system of claim 4, further comprising a flow meter for measuring the flow rate of fluid through the outlet, wherein the flow meter is located upstream of the flow control device.

7. The fluid flow control system of claim 6, wherein the flow meter comprises a turbine flow meter.

8. The fluid flow control system of claim 6, further comprising a temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of water flowing through the system, and further wherein the system is configured to regulate fluid flow based on the sensed water temperature in relation to at least one preset temperature.

9. The fluid flow control system of claim 2, wherein said valve plates are configured such that at least one of the valve plates is rotatable with respect to the other from:

a closed position whereat neither of the openings in the second valve plate is aligned with a corresponding one of the arcuate openings in the first valve plate;

an intermediate position whereat at least part of the tapered width portion, but none of the first portion of the first opening in the second valve plate is aligned with the corresponding arcuate opening in the first valve plate, and none of the second opening in the second valve plate is aligned with the other arcuate opening in the first valve plate; and

a fully open position whereat the first portion and tapered width portion of the first opening in the second valve plate is aligned with the corresponding arcuate opening in the first valve plate, and the second opening in the second valve plate is aligned with the other arcuate opening in the first valve plate.

10. The fluid flow control system of claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of fluid flowing through the system, and further wherein the system is configured to regulate fluid flow based on the sensed water temperature in relation to at least one preset temperature.

11. A fluid flow control system configured for installation between a water supply pipe and a shower head in a shower installation, comprising:

(a) a fluid inlet configured to be operatively coupled to the water supply pipe;

(b) a fluid outlet configured for delivering water to the shower head, said fluid outlet in fluid communication with the fluid inlet such that water may exit the system therethrough;

(c) a proximity sensor for detecting the position of a bather within an interrogation region adjacent the sensor when the system is installed in the shower installation;

(d) a flow control device comprising a control valve configured to regulate fluid flow between the inlet and outlet in response to bather detection by the proximity sensor within the interrogation region, wherein the flow control device varies the fluid flow proportional to the detected distance of the bather from the proximity sensor; and

(e) a controller configured for controlling the operation of the flow control device in response to the location of the bather within the interrogation region, as detected by the proximity sensor;

wherein the system determines, throughout a shower session, a full flow portion of the interrogation region and a minimum flow portion of the interrogation region based on a bather'"'"'s distance of closest approach to the sensor and distance of furthest approach to the sensor during the shower session, such that a maximum flow rate of water is delivered when the sensed distance of the bather from the sensor is within the full flow portion of the interrogation region, a minimum flow rate of water is delivered when the sensed distance of the bather from the sensor is within the minimum flow portion of the interrogation region, and an intermediate flow rate of water is delivered when the sensed distance of the bather from the sensor is between the minimum and maximum flow portions of the interrogation region.

12. The fluid flow control system of claim 11, further comprising a flow measurement device for measuring the flow rate of fluid through the outlet.

13. The fluid flow control system of claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to control the operation of the flow control device in response to the measured flow rate of fluid.

14. The fluid flow control system of claim 12, further comprising a flow meter for measuring the flow rate of fluid through the outlet, wherein the flow meter is located upstream of the flow control device.

15. The fluid flow control system of claim 11, further comprising a temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of water flowing through the system, and further wherein the system is configured to regulate fluid flow based on the sensed water temperature in relation to at least one preset temperature.