Hand-held shower system with inline adjustable temperature/pressure balanced mixing valve

• US 6,644,333 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2001
• Issued: 11/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: JZC, LLC
• Original Assignee: CEG Holdings LLC (CEG Holdings)
• Inventors: Gloodt, Cary
• Primary Examiner(s): Hepperle, Stephen M.
• Application Number:
  US09/960,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20020043281A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 137/597, 137/599.03, 137/599.04, 137/9, 137/100, 457/8, 466/3
• US Class Current: 137/9
• 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 2201/30 Diverter valves in faucets or taps
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1306 for liquids G05D23/1393 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0363 For producing proportionate flow
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2521 Flow comparison or differential response
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87249 Multiple inlet with multiple outlet

Abstract

A bathtub plumbing system including a hand-held shower controlled by a compact pressure balanced, volume and temperature controlled mixing valve. The pressure-balancing valve is installed in a bathtub plumbing set having a hand-held shower accessory. The pressure balancing valve receives hot and cold water from hand-held shower water feed pipes coupled to the main hot and cold water inlet pipes, respectively, located upstream of the respective hot and cold water control valves used to supply water to the main faucet. The hand-held shower hot and cold feed pipes are each hydraulically connected to a first respective hot and cold water inlet of a compact pressure-balancing valve. The hand-held shower is hydraulically connected to the outlet of the pressure-balancing valve by a flexible hose. Hot and cold water entering the pressure-balancing valve is mixed therein independently of the hot and cold water supplied to the faucet. A single control valve may therefore be manipulated to supply pressure and temperature balanced water to the hand-held shower.

Claims

1. A bathtub plumbing system having an anti-scald hand-held shower system connected without the need of a diverter, comprising:

a bathtub deck;

a primary hot water supply pipe extending to the bathtub deck;

a primary cold water supply pipe extending to the bathtub deck;

a hot water control valve mounted to the bathtub deck and fluidically connected to the primary hot water supply pipe;

a cold water control valve mounted to the bathtub deck and fluidically connected to the primary cold water supply pipe;

a faucet fluidically connected to the hot water control valve and fluidically connected to the cold water control valve;

a secondary hot water pipe fluidically connected to the primary hot water pipe;

a secondary cold water pipe fluidically connected to the primary cold water pipe;

a hand held shower;

a pressure balanced valve fluidically connected to the secondary hot water pipe and fluidically connected to the secondary cold water pipe; and

a flexible hose fluidically connecting the hand held shower to the pressure balanced valve;

wherein the hand held shower may be actuated independently of the hot and cold water control valves; and

wherein the hand held shower outputs water of a predetermined pressure.

2. The plumbing system of claim 1 wherein the pressure balanced valve further comprises an inner chamber adapted to intermix hot and cold water, wherein the pressure balanced valve is adapted to supply water to the hand held shower, and wherein the pressure balanced valve is adapted to balance the pressure of the water supplied to the hand held shower.

3. The plumbing system of claim 1 wherein the pressure balanced valve is adapted to supply water to the hand held shower and wherein the pressure balanced valve is adapted to balance the temperature of the water supplied to the hand held shower.

4. The plumbing system of claim 1 wherein the pressure balanced valve further comprises an inner chamber adapted to intermix hot and cold water, wherein the pressure balanced valve is adapted to supply water to the hand held shower, wherein the pressure balanced valve is adapted to balance the temperature of the water supplied to the hand held shower, and wherein the pressure balanced valve is adapted to balance the pressure of the water supplied to the hand held shower.

5. A bathtub-mounted hand held shower system controlled by a single valve without the need of a diverter, comprising:

a bathtub;

a hot water supply connected to the bathtub;

a cold water supply connected to the bathtub;

a spigot connected to the bathtub;

hot and cold spigot valves connected between the spigot and the respective hot and cold water supplies;

a pressure balanced valve connected to the bathtub and connected in hydraulic communication with the respective hot and cold water sources;

a hand held shower head; and

a flexible hose hydraulically connecting the hand held shower head to the pressure balanced valve;

wherein the hand held shower head may be actuated independently of the hot and cold spigot valves to actuate a flow of water of characterized by a substantially predetermined temperature and pressure.

6. A method for controlling the water temperature and pressure output from a hand held shower head, comprising the steps of:

a) connecting a pressure balanced valve having an output and a plurality of inputs to a bathtub deck;

b) hydraulically connecting the pressure balanced valve output to the hand held shower head;

c) hydraulically connecting a hot water source and a cold water source to respective pressure balanced valve inputs; and

d) controlledly opening the pressure balanced valve to achieve a water output from the hand held shower characterized by a predetermined pressure and temperature.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the pressure balanced valve is adapted to supply water to the hand held shower head, wherein the water has a water pressure and a water temperature, and wherein the water pressure and water temperature are controlled by the pressure balanced valve.