MX2015001649A - Siphon, shower, method and kit for heating water. - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention refers to a novel solution for heating water, which uses a siphon (19), a shower (10) containing the siphon (19) associated to the external water heater (18). More particularly, the invention refers to a siphon (19), a shower (1), a method and kit for heating water for dwellings that have a low-pressure hydraulic circuit and only one branch of cold water, making use of a shower (1), a water heater operated by gas (18), which is arranged distant from the shower (1) for heating water, so that the water will be sent pressurized and cold, and will return to the shower (1) pressurized and hot for being used as required by the user by previously regulating the temperature of the water in the shower by means of a spreader.

Description

SIFON, SHOWER, METHOD AND KIT TO HEAT WATER CSMPO OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a new solution for heating building water, which makes use of a shower associated with a water heater operated with gas. More particularly, the present invention relates to a siphon, a shower, a method and a kit for heating water for houses, whose hydraulic circuit comprises low pressure and only a branch of cold water.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION For years, the bathing of people virtually throughout the planet has become an ordinary daily activity. In places that have natural resources and a large part of the culture influenced by various customs, mainly indigenous ones, the habit of taking a bath more than once a day is common.

Even in places with scarce resources, the bathroom must be practiced for reasons of hygiene and health, in accordance with studies and recommendations from the most varied areas.

Internal investigations carried out in laboratories have found that the average temperature of bath water, although it exhibits variations in accordance with the user's use, is slightly higher than the temperature of the bath.

Ref. 254389 human body in good health conditions, varying from 36 ° C to 42 ° C, being observed the particularities due.

The vast majority of habitable places in the world have average temperatures lower than the average temperature of bath water, for this reason there are heating devices that raise the water temperature to values suitable for human bathing.

This increase in temperature is carried out by providing the water with thermal energy, which can occur through various means and forms, among which one can cite heating by burning some type of gas, coal, oil, when generating steam, solar energy, by electric heating and the like, as well as hybrid systems having the combination of two or more heating means.

In order to better clarify the present invention, it is common to use electric heaters to heat water by virtue of its convenience and ease of installation. As a particular feature, electric water heaters need only one water branch to operate, which allows homes that have only one cold water circuit to have the comfort and convenience of a shower or bath tub with warm water.

In addition, it should be noted that there are limitations at the level of pressure existing in a hydraulic circuit of building. Regarding this, there are already pressurized showers that allow you to take a bath with the necessary comfort.

In any case, these solutions are limited only to the conversion of electrical energy into thermal energy by means of resistances to heat water. With respect to this, there is no practical and simple solution even allowing homes that have only a cold water hydraulic circuit to heat water with, for example, a gas-powered water heater. On the other hand, this problem becomes more complicated when the water pressure in the hydraulic circuit of the sprout is low, since a gas-operated water heater usually has, as a minimum necessary for its operation, a flow velocity of minus 1.5 liters / minute and a pressure measured without loss of load at the heater outlet of at least 5 kPa.

Naturally, the solution of the present invention has application in any type of housing provided with any hydraulic configuration, that is, with individual cold water pipe or double pipe for cold water and warm water. However, the great difficulty lies in going beyond the limitations of homes that make use only of a cold water line, the water pressure being low. Usually, these types of housing are present in dwellings of ground level and on the upper floors of buildings. This fact is due to the relationship between the height at which the water tank is and the height of the point at which the shower is installed.

As will be seen hereinafter, it is necessary to present a constructive solution of a pressurized shower capable of operating in conjunction with a gas-operated water heater, to operate in a dwelling provided only with a cold water pipe operating at low pressure , and this operation must meet safety requirements and provide greater community through a bathroom with larger volume and water temperature.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a water heater by using a gas operated water heater disposed outside the shower.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a shower capable of receiving, mixing and homogenizing hot and cold water received through a siphon having geometry specially designed for this purpose, so that the shower will operate under circumstances where the pressure of The building network or flow rate is low, which allows the use of the gas operated water heater with an increase in pressure.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a water heating sprinkler that makes use of a building hydraulic circuit that fills at least one low pressure water line, such as a water tank.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a water heating method that makes use of a shower, a water pump, a gas operated water heater, a mixer and a pressurized water line.

Finally, another object of the invention is to provide a water heating kit that provides safety measures when using a shower provided with a pressure switch and a gas operated water heater, also provided with a pressure switch.

The objectives of the present invention are achieved by means of a mixer applied to a pressurized shower comprising at least one hot water inlet fluidly associated with a branch of hot water, an auxiliary inlet capable of receiving cold water sent directly from a pressurized pump and a water outlet channel, the hot water inlet, the auxiliary inlet and the outlet channel being fluidly associated with a siphon, so that the outlet channel is in a position higher than the hot water inlet.

The objects of the present invention are also achieved by means of a water heater, comprising a connection for water inlet coming from the building circuit and a water outlet through a spreader, the shower, comprising a water pump associated with a pressurized branch and a mixer, which forms a fluid connection with the shower and a water heater disposed outside the shower, the pump comprises an inlet connection for water input from the building circuit and a pressurized outlet capable of carrying water through the branch pressurized as far as the heater that maintains fluid connection with the sprinkler through a pressurized hot water branch, the mixer as defined above that homogenizes the hot water and the cold water to send it through the outlet channel to the spreader.

The objects of the present invention are also achieved by means of a method for heating water, comprising the following steps: 1) opening a stopcock for water inlet coming from a building circuit in a shower, the shower includes a Pressure switch capable of detecting the presence of water and activating a pressurization pump; 2) water pressurized by the pump that is sent through a pressurized branch to a gas-operated water heater that, upon detecting the water pressure, releases the operation of the heater to heat the water or, in the absence of water, for the heater; 3) the water heated in step 2) which is sent through a branch of hot water to a mixer arranged in the shower; 4) the mixer is provided with a siphon capable of simultaneously maintaining the fluid connection with the branch of hot water through a hot water inlet and with the pump through an auxiliary inlet capable of receiving cold water, the mixer that homogenizes hot water and cold water to send water to the user through an exit channel.

Finally, the objects of the present invention are achieved by means of a water heating kit comprising a mixer, a gas operated water heater and a showerhead as defined above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The present invention will now be described in greater detail on the basis of modal examples represented in the figures. The figures show: Figure 1 is a schematic view of the hydraulic circuit and operation of the present invention; Figure 2 is an exploded view of the shower of the present invention; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the mixer of the present invention; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the mixer of the present invention; Y Figure 5 is a side view of the mixer of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a shower, a mixer, a method and a kit for heating water, which makes use of a water heater, preferably operated by gas, to allow a warm bath in houses and the like.

Although in a preferred embodiment the present invention has application on showers or showers, the same solution can also have application on a key card, since the operation is identical, without any limitation for such application, or any other application where the use of hot water is necessary (heater, hygienic shower, key, etc.). In this way the term "shower" can be interpreted as being a shower or any of the possibilities described here.

Before going into details of the present invention, it should be noted that the proposed solution can be used in any of the building facilities, dwellings or business establishments (such as offices or sheds). In order that it is possible to apply the solution of the present invention, at least one water pipe must exist in the building hydraulic circuit.

Naturally, the proposed solution also operates successfully when installed in hydraulic circuits operating with hot water and cold water pipes, but this is not a limiting factor. Preferably, but not necessarily, the present invention needs at least one branch of water coming from a water reservoir (low pressure).

As a rule, in order for the gas operated water heater to operate, it is necessary that few minimum hydraulic conditions are satisfied. Thus, the flow rate should not be less than 1.5 liters / minute and preferably it should be a minimum of 1.5-2 liters per minute, and the pressure measured with loss of load at the output of the booster should not be less than 5 kPa, and it must vary from a minimum of 5 to 10 kPa, otherwise the heating of the gas-operated water heater may not be carried out under the best circumstances. Preferably, but not necessarily, the operating pressures may be in the order of 70 kPa and the flow rate of 7 liters / minute. However, it should be noted that there is no limitation of the maximum operating values, the work being limited only by the resistance of the building hydraulic circuit.

In addition, with regard to hydraulic pipeline, it should be mentioned that it can be constituted by any material either polymeric or metallic, without any limitation in the application of the solution of the present invention, and this factor is not limiting the scope of protection. By way of example, the hydraulic pipe used, at least in part, may be of the multi-layer type pipe EMETIPEX-AL-PEX, PVC, CPVP.

Figures 1 and 2 show a possible constructive mode of the present invention. The shower 1 for the water heating system of the present invention is preferably provided with a base 3 and a housing of any geometric shape. The shower 1 comprises fixing means for fixing on a wall, such as perforations, bushings and screws.

Among the main elements of the present invention, the shower 1 preferably comprises, inside it, a pressurization pump 7, a mixer 8, a temperature adjustment selector 12, which can have any shape, and a spreader 11 capable of Water availability for the user. The present invention further comprises a stopcock 17 (which may or may not be ceramic, 1/4 turn, 1/2 turn or more) to open and close the building circuit 14, and a pressure switch 13 disposed between the pump 7 and an installation stopcock 17. Finally, the present invention also comprises a pressurized branch 16, a water branch hot 15 and a gas operated water heater 18 disposed outside the shower 1, the heater being associated with a pressure switch 13 'which, as will be seen later, has the safety function.

It should be noted that the pressurization pump 7 makes use of electrical energy, for that reason the shower 1 further comprises electric cables to connect the pressurization pump 7, without any limiting factor regarding the voltage or other electrical characteristics used.

In addition with reference to the pump 7, it must be said that the water coming from, for example, a water tank 19 is directly connected to the pump 7 through the inlet connection 7 therein present. Although for the present invention the connection does not need to be directly the pump 7, for the search for simplicity that is to say the least expensive constructive form. Thus, when one opens the stop valve 17, the water passes through a pressure switch 13, which sends a signal for the supply of electrical energy through the cables 20 to the pump 7, so that the latter does not come into operation and begins to pressurize the hydraulic system of the present invention.

The pump 7 can have any minimum value of water pressure necessary for it to operate property, and it can also provide any operating pressure, such possibilities vary in accordance with the needs of each project. It should be mentioned that possible alterations of these values can effectively result in superior and inferior performance, but do not influence the characteristics of the present invention, mainly: those of using a shower 1 and a gas operated water heater 18 remotely arranged in the watering can 1 to heat water, so that the water will be sent pressurized and cold and will return to the shower 1 pressurized and hot, to make the availability for the user.

By way of example, the minimum conditions for operating the pump 7 are preferably, but not necessarily, as follows. For the pump to be ignited, the flow rate must vary between at least 2.4 and 2.8 liters / minute (1 / min). Also to turn it on, the pressure must vary from at least 3 to 10 kPa. For the pump 7 that is going to be turned off, the minimum flow speed should be 1.8 to 2.31 / min.

As for the operating conditions provided by the hot water, the maximum water flow rate through the spreader 11 or shower varies between 4.2 and 5.4 1 / min. Once again, one observes that these should not be merely exemplification values, which are not restrictive of the scope of protection of the present invention, having been obtained by laboratory tests, with the aim of achieving bath temperature of 38 ° C with a variation higher or lower than 3 ° C, that is, between 35 ° C and 41 ° C.

Continuing the description of the present invention, the pump 7 comprises a pressurized outlet 5, to which the line of pipe called pressurized branch 16 is connected. This pressurized branch 16 sends the water still cold, but pressurized to the gas operated water heater 18, which is far from the sprinkler 1, and for the safety search The last one should not be placed in the bathroom, as it can cause suffocation. In this way, the pipe that goes and comes between the shower 1 and the heater 18 can be of any size. Preferably, the pipe may be 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, or 14 meters long, but this is not a limiting factor of the scope of protection of the present invention. In addition, according to the energy of the system, the pipe can be longer, such as 100 m.

The heater 18 is also associated with a pressure switch 13 ', so that the latter will detect the presence of pressurized water and will activate the heater 18 when igniting the flame that will heat the water circulating inside it. Once the water has been heated, it is sent back to the shower 1 through standard pipe to the outgoing pipe (pressurized branch 16). This pipe that brings back the heated water is called branch of hot water 15 and is connected to the shower 1 by means of a hot water inlet 6 associated with the mixer 8.

The mixer 8 then comprises a hot water inlet 6 and an auxiliary inlet 9 with direct connection to the pump 7 in order to feed the mixer 8 with cold water from the building's hydraulic circuit. It is the cold water inlet through the auxiliary inlet 9 inside the mixer 8 that allows the user to raise or lower the temperature of the bath water leaving. Alteration of the water flow velocity entering through the auxiliary input 9 is selected by the temperature selector 12 located on the shower housing 2 (either embedded or superimposed) to be handled by the user. The temperature adjustment knob operates as a stopcock, allowing one to regulate the flow of cold water in the pump 7 or in spite of the auxiliary input 9. It should be noted that, even though the temperature adjuster may oscillate between a position fully closed and a fully open position, preferably, but not necessarily, there will be a permanent minimum opening for constant entry of cold water through the auxiliary input 9, for the safety search. Once the hot water and cold water are mixed in the mixer 8, they reach the desired temperature and then the water is sent to the spreader 11 through the outlet channel 10 of the mixer 8.

The shower or shower 1 with a pressurizer, in the case of the present invention, does not have the function of heating the water, but only to increase the system pressure and provide means for the user to regulate the bath temperature, the hot water The entire system is provided, for example, by the gas-operated heater.

It should be noted that, since the water heating is carried out remotely at the location where the shower 1 is located, the possibility of changing the bath temperature as follows may occur. Depending on the time of year, whether summer or winter, one waits for the water temperature to be warmer or colder.

In this way, it is possible to make adjustment directly in the gas-operated water heater 18 in order to supply water at a temperature that allows the user to handle it (by means of the temperature adjustment mechanism, or the key opening step). water flow velocity greater or less) within a range that provides the desired comfort. It should also be noted that the temperature of the water leaving the heater must be higher than what one wishes for a bath, since it still has to pass through the branch of hot water 15, the mixer 8 and the spreader 11. Considering, for example, that the water leaves the heater 18 at 55 ° C and that it loses approximately 10 ° C until it reaches the spreader 11, one can estimate that the temperature selector 12 allows one handle the hot water in an amplitude of 6 ° C, which will allow the user to vary the temperature between 39 ° C and 45 ° C while taking his bath. It should be noted that these values simply exemplify the operation of the present invention, without limiting the scope of protection thereof in any way.

Therefore, there are three ways to adjust the water temperature in the shower, which can be either independent or combined. Two of the settings are easily accessible, as they are within the reach of the user (inside the box) (selector 12 and stopcock 17). The third adjuster, as already observed, will not be available to the user at the time of bathing (this is the setting that will be made in the gas-operated water heater 18 that is installed in another room). This situation is imposed on the "attention" of the user to adjust the heater flame control buttons before entering the bathroom and, if the adjustment made in the heater is not compatible with the time of year or with the ambient temperature, the user will only notice this after placing the operation system, for that reason a wrong setting can cause lack of hot water in the shower, due to the operation of the heating thermostat of the heater 18 and, until the user realizes this, there have been few attempts of use and a few liters of water have been wasted.

Additionally, the gas operated water heater 18 comprises a pressure switch 13 'which basically has two functions, namely: turning the heater 18 on and off. In this way, the pressure switch 13' detects a pre-defined minimum pressure, which allows the heater to be switched on. 18, so that the water is heated. On the other hand, if an energy drop is carried out, the pump 7 will stop working, and the pressure and water flow will decrease considerably. If the pressure switch 13 'of the heater 18 does not exist, the little water existing in the system would be subjected to exaggerated heating, which may cause damage to either the user or the system. For this reason, the heater 18 is provided with a pressure switch 13 'which detects an anomaly in the water supply and switches off the heater 18. Additionally, for greater safety of the system, the heater 18 is provided with a thermostat that can be programmed , for example, to turn off the heater 18 if it detects water at a temperature higher than that programmed, for example 70 ° C. In this way, the present invention has two security systems that work either separately or together in accordance with the needs. Naturally, the risk of that the user suffers a burn is prevented if the shut-off valve 17 is completely closed, since now the water will circulate in the system.

Furthermore, it should be noted that the present invention, as mentioned above, makes use of a mixer 8 which has the objective of allowing homogenization of the water temperature when mixing hot water and cold water, selected by the user. Although the mixer 8 can have any configuration, such as that shown in Figures 2 to 5, it comprises, preferably but not necessarily, a siphon 19, the geometry of which can be substantially cylindrical. The geometry of the siphon 19 has the objective of facilitating the mixing between hot water and cold water, to allow optimized homogenization, generating a swirl of water. Additionally, the siphon 19 also functions as a real siphon with a geometry in which the outlet channel 10 is above the inlet channel 6 for hot water, which allows one to prevent the entry of air into the system and water that falls after the key has been closed.

In order to improve the swirling effect allowing homogenization of the water temperature, the inlet channel 6 for hot water and the outlet channel 10 extends from the outside to the interior of the siphon 19. In addition, the outlet channel 19 You can have the portion of your tube Water entry that is inside the siphon with such geometry that the entrance will define a plane orthogonal to the tube of the hot water inlet channel 6.

It should be noted that the system operates without air, so that the pressure switch 13 'may be provided with elements for purging the air out of the system.

In order to facilitate the understanding of the present invention, one hereinafter describes a method for heating water, comprising the following steps: 1) opening a stop valve 17 for entering water from a building circuit 14 inside a shower 1, the shower 1 comprises a pressure switch 13 capable of detecting the presence of water and actuating a pressurization pump 7; 2) the water pressurized by the pump 7 is sent through a pressurized branch 16 to a gas operated water heater 18, the heater 18 is associated with a pressure switch 13 'which, when detecting the presence of pressurized water, extends the heater 18 for heating the water or, upon detecting the absence of pressurized water, for the heater 18; 3) the water heated in step 2 is sent through the hot water branch 15 to a mixer 8 arranged in the shower 1; 4) the mixer 8 simultaneously maintains fluid connection with the hot water branch 15 through a hot water inlet 6 and with the pump 7 through an auxiliary inlet 9 capable of receiving cold water, the mixer 8 mixes hot water with cold water to send the water to a spreader 11.

Finally, the present invention also contemplates a water heating kit comprising a water heater operated with gas 18 and a shower 1 as defined in the claim, each one (shower 1 and heater 18) is associated with its pressure switch 13, 13 'respective.

Preferred examples of modality having been described, one should understand that the scope of the present invention encompasses other possible variations, being limited only by the contents of the appended claims, which include possible equivalents.

It is noted that in relation to this date the best method known by the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is that which is clear from the present description of the invention.

Claims (16)

CLAIMS Having described the invention as above, the content of the following claims is claimed as property:

1. - A mixer characterized in that it is applied on a pressurized shower, comprising at least one hot water inlet fluidly associated with a branch of hot water, an auxiliary inlet capable of receiving cold water sent directly from a pressurization pump, and a water channel. The water outlet, the hot water inlet, the auxiliary inlet and the outlet channel are fluidly associated with a siphon, so that the outlet channel is in a position higher than the hot water inlet.

2. - The mixer according to claim 1, characterized in that the hot water inlet and the outlet channel extend from the outside as far as an internal portion of the siphon.

3. - The mixer according to claim 1, characterized in that the siphon has a substantially circular geometry.

4. - A shower to heat water, comprising a water inlet connection for water coming from the building circuit and a water outlet through a spreader, characterized in that it comprises a water pump associated with a pressurized branch and a mixer, configuring a fluid connection between the sprinkler and a water heater disposed outside the sprinkler; the pump comprises an inlet connection for water inlet that came from the building circuit and a pressurized outlet capable of sending water through the pressurized branch to the heater that maintains fluid connection with the shower through a branch of pressurized hot water; the mixer as defined in claims 1 to 3 harmonizing the hot water and cold water to send it to the spreader through the outlet channel.

5. - The water heating shower according to claim 4, characterized in that it comprises at least one pressure switch disposed between the pump and a valve of the installation.

6. - The shower for heating water according to claim 4, characterized in that it comprises at least one pressure switch disposed in the heater.

7. - The shower to heat water according to claim 4, characterized in that the heater is a water heater operated with gas.

8. - The shower for heating water according to claim 4, characterized in that it comprises a temperature selection element capable of regulating the flow of water sent by the pump to the mixer.

9. - The shower for heating water according to claim 4, characterized in that the mixer comprises a siphon of substantially circular geometry, capable of mixing hot water with cold water and preventing the entry of air.

10. - The shower to heat water according to claim 1, characterized in that it operates with a water flow rate of at least 1.51 per minute and a pressure at the outlet of the heater of at least 5 kPa

11. - The shower to heat water according to claim 1, characterized in that the building circuit comprises at least one branch of cold water that is fed by a water tank.

12. - A method for heating water, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: step 1): opening a stop valve for water inlet coming from a building circuit in a shower, the shower comprises a pressure switch capable of detecting the presence of water and activating a pressurization pump, step 2): the water pressurized by the pump is sent through a pressurized branch to a gas-operated water heater, the heater is associated with the pressure switch which, upon detecting the water pressure, turns on the heater to heat the water or , when detecting water pressure, for the heater; step 3): the water heated in step 2) sends, through a branch of hot water, a mixer arranged in the shower; step 4): the mixer is provided with a siphon capable of simultaneously maintaining fluid connection with the branch of hot water through a hot water inlet and with the pump through an auxiliary inlet capable of receiving cold water, the mixer homogenizes hot water and cold water to send the homogenized water to the user through an exit channel.

13. - A method for heating water for showers according to claim 12, characterized in that the mixture of hot water and cold water of step 4) is carried out in a siphon as defined in claims 1 to 3.

14. - A method for heating water for showers according to claim 12, characterized in that in step 4) the user can alternate the flow of water between the hot water and the cold water present in the mixer by means of a control element of temperature able to regulate the flow of water sent by the pump to the siphon.

15. A kit for heating water, characterized in that it comprises a mixer, a gas-operated water heater and a shower as defined in the preceding claims.

16. - The kit for heating water according to claim 14, characterized in that the heater and the shower are associated with a respective pressure switch.