US20190003157A1

US20190003157A1 - Shower

Info

Publication number: US20190003157A1
Application number: US16/064,318
Authority: US
Inventors: Coen Greidanus; Reitse De Jong; Helmer Reiling; Eric Van Duin; Robbert Thomas Chompff
Original assignee: Hamwells Holding B.V.
Priority date: 2015-12-23
Filing date: 2016-12-22
Publication date: 2019-01-03
Also published as: EP3394351A1; NL2016017B1; WO2017111593A1

Abstract

Shower system includes a recirculation shower defining a recirculation flow path and at least one temperature sensor. A tap is spaced from the recirculation flow path and arranged to supply water to the recirculation flow path, the tap being connected to a source of heated tap water. A control unit controls water temperature and/or flow rate of a water flow dispensed from the tap, in response to a signal received from the temperature sensor.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is a national stage of International patent application Ser. No. PCT/NL2016/050910, filed Dec. 22, 2016, and published in English as WO 2017/111593.

BACKGROUND

The invention relates to a shower system with a recirculation shower. Such recirculation showers are mainly used as wellness showers. With a limited amount of water a much higher water flow rate can be dispensed via the shower head. Usually, the wellness showers also comprise a conventional shower, so a user may first wash himself and then, after the used soapy water has been rinsed away, the user can switch over to the recirculation shower for enjoying the comfort of a wellness shower.
In a wellness shower due to the high circulation rate, the recirculated water cools relatively quickly. A thermostatic mixer tab is used to mix the recirculated flow with fresh hot water in order to keep the temperature at a desired level. This creates a risk that water from the recirculation flow might contaminate tap water in the public water supply network. Most jurisdictions require a strict separation of the public water supply network from any source of possibly polluted water, such as recirculation water in a Jacuzzi bath. SUMMARY a shower system includes a recirculation shower defining a recirculation flow path and at least one temperature sensor. A tap is spaced from the recirculation flow path and arranged to supply water to the recirculation flow path, the tap being connected to a source of heated tap water.
A control unit controls water temperature and/or flow rate of a water flow dispensed from the tap, in response to a signal received from the temperature sensor.
This configuration allows to maintain the water temperature at a set level by mixing fresh hot or cold water into the recirculation flow path during a recirculation shower bath. A strict separation is maintained between the recirculation flow and the tap, so any possible contamination of tap water in the public water supply network is prevented. The configuration meets the requirements of the strictest regulations in any country. The fresh water can be mixed continuously or intermittently. This way the water can be kept at a desired temperature and the water of the recirculation flow can be gradually refreshed.
The temperature sensor allows an accurate control of the water temperature in the recirculation flow. Flow rate and/or temperature of the water from the tap can be adjusted in response to signals from such a temperature sensor.
In a specific embodiment the recirculation shower includes a water collection reservoir with an overflow outlet, a shower head and a recirculation line fluidly connecting the water collection reservoir and the shower head. A pump circulates water from the water collection reservoir to the shower head. The recirculation flow path is formed by the water collection reservoir, the recirculation line, the shower head of the recirculation shower and a shower jet dispensed from the shower head returning the water to the water collection reservoir.
The tap has an outlet above the level of the overflow outlet, for instance above the water collection reservoir, or above a gutter or the like leading to the water collection reservoir. Tap water from the tap is collected in the water collection reservoir. To prevent contamination of tap water by splashes of recirculated water the tap may for instance be arranged with a gap above the highest possible water level in the water collection reservoir, i.e., the water level in the water collection reservoir when the drains are clogged. The gap between the tap outlet and the maximum water level may for example be at least 2 cm.
The shower system comprises at least one temperature sensor, e.g., in the recirculation line and/or the water collection reservoir. The tap can be a thermostatically controlled hot and cold water mixing tap.
Preferably, the tap is hidden from view and shielded from the shower jet and from splashing during showering, for instance by means of a panel, such as the front panel presenting a user interface for user control of the shower system.
Optionally, the shower system may also comprise a conventional second shower with a shower head operatively connected to the public water supply network separate. The second shower should be separate from the water flow circuit of the recirculation shower. According to regulations in some countries such a conventional tap water shower should be out of reach of the shower jet dispensed by the recirculation shower, when the shower is in the stowed position.
A user interface may be provided allowing the user to switch between a circulation flow and a drained flow. To this end the shower system may comprise a drain and a controllable drain valve for selectively positioning the drain in a drain position, to allow drainage of essentially all spent water, or in a high water level position, allowing collecting of sufficient water to enable a recirculation flow. When the user uses the conventional shower, the valve can be opened and the pump in the recirculation line is switched off. Water flows from the shower head of the conventional shower to the drain.
A user will typically wish to wash himself first using the conventional shower. After washing he may wish to switch over to the recirculation shower to experience the wellness effect of a circulation flow, typically having a much larger flow rate than a water flow from a conventional shower. However, to enable a recirculation flow, the water collection reservoir should contain a sufficient amount of water. Therefore, the control unit may be configured to open the tap and to close the drain valve when a user switches from drained flow to a circulation flow. The tap will provide the required water level in the water collection reservoir. Subsequently, the pump can be activated to circulate the collected water, e.g., by the user, by a timer or by a control unit in response to a signal from a level sensor in the water collection reservoir.
During filling of the water collection reservoir, a user may wish to proceed with showering and to have an uninterrupted shower bath. To this end, the control unit may be configured to switch off the conventional shower only after a sufficient amount of water has been collected in the water collection reservoir. To this end, the water collection reservoir may contain a sensor level. The control unit may switch off the conventional shower and activate the pump in response to a signal from the level sensor detecting a predefined level in the water collection reservoir. The water collection reservoir is then filled not only by the tap but also by the conventional shower, so the required water level in the collection reservoir is reached much earlier. The conventional shower can be switched off simultaneously with the activation of the pump or shortly thereafter, for instance gradually.
To ensure effective pumping directly from the moment of activation of the pump, the pump may be provided with an inlet in the water collection reservoir below the level of the overflow outlet. This way, the inlet is directly in communication with the water in the water collection reservoir at the moment of activation. To prevent entrance of spent soapy water into the pump inlet when the user uses the conventional shower, the pump inlet is above the level of the drain of the water collection reservoir.
During circulation flow, excess water can be discharged from the water collection reservoir via the overflow outlet with a flow rate substantially corresponding to the flow rate of the tap, apart from water spilt by splashing or evaporation during showering.
The water reservoir may have a bottom forming a floor for the shower system, supporting a user during showering. Alternatively, the reservoir may be a basin below a shower floor, e.g., hidden from view for a user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Aspects of the invention will be further explained with reference to the accompanying drawing, showing an exemplary embodiment of a shower.

FIG. 1: shows schematically an embodiment of a shower system;

FIG. 2: shows in detail a tap of the shower system of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a wellness shower system 1. The shower system 1 combines a recirculation shower 2 with a separate conventional shower 3, both having shower heads 4, 5 arranged above a water collection reservoir 6. The conventional shower 3 may for example be a hand shower to be stowed, e.g., by hooking it to a hook at a wall of the shower cabin. In the stowed position, the shower head 4 of the conventional shower 3 is out of reach of the shower jet dispensed by the recirculation shower 2.
The shower system 1 comprises a water collection reservoir 6 with an overflow outlet 7. A recirculation line 8 fluidly connects the water collection reservoir 6 to the shower head 5 of the recirculation shower 2. A pump 10 is arranged in the water collection reservoir 6 to pump water from the water collection reservoir 6 via the circulation line 8 to the shower head 5 of the recirculation shower 2.
In use a shower jet 9 dispensed from the shower head 5 recirculates water to the water collection reservoir 6. Hence, the water collection reservoir 6, the recirculation line 8, the shower head 5 and the shower jet 9 define a recirculation flow path of the recirculation shower 2.
The shower system 1 comprises a thermostatically controlled hot and cold water mixing tap 12 connected to a supply line 13 for hot tap water and a supply line 14 for cold tap water. Proportional valves 16 in the supply lines 13, 14 are configured to regulate the flows in the supply lines 13, 14 to obtain tap water of a desired temperature. The tap 12 has an outlet at a gap distance H, e.g., of at least 2 cm, above the highest possible water level W1 in the water collection reservoir 6 shown with a dotted line in FIG. 1—which is the water level when the drains are clogged and the water cannot be discharged via the outlet 7.
The tap 12 is hidden from view by a front panel 15. The front panel 15 also shields the tap 12 from the shower jet and from water splashing during a shower bath. The front panel 15 may for example present a user interface for user control of the shower.
The conventional shower 3 is operatively connected to the public water supply network with hot and cold water supply lines 20, 21 which are strictly separated from the recirculation flow. A motorized thermostat 22 allows a user to maintain the shower water at a desired temperature selected via a user interface at the front panel 15.
The user interface communicates with a control unit (not shown) allowing a user to switch between a circulation flow via the recirculation shower 2 and a drained shower flow via the conventional shower 3.
The wellness shower system 1 further comprises a drain 24 for discharging spent water overflowing the overflow outlet 7. The overflow outlet 7 forms a controllable drain valve selectively movable between a draining position allowing unhindered discharge of water via the drain 24, and a water collection position where it forms a weir bordering the drain 24, as shown in FIG. 1. In this position, water is collected in the water collection reservoir 6 until a level W2 corresponding to the height of the overflow outlet 7.
When a user uses the conventional shower 3, the control unit activates the overflow outlet 7 to open the drain 24. The user can wash himself with soap and the spent soapy water is drained via the open drain 24.
After finishing washing the user may switch over to the recirculation shower 2 via the user interface. The control unit activates the drain valve 25 to close the drain 24 and opens the tap 12, but does not yet switch off the conventional shower 3. Water is collected in the water collection reservoir 6 until a level sensor 27 in the water collection reservoir 6 detects that the water lever in the water collection reservoir 6 has reached a desired minimum level. At that moment the pump 10 is activated and the circulation flow starts. After starting up the circulation flow the conventional shower 3 is switched off. This way the shower bath is not interrupted during switching from drained flow to circulation flow.
The user can select and set the water temperature via the user interface. During circulation flow the recirculated water tends to cool down. To maintain the water temperature at the selected level, the tap 12 mixes hot water into the water collected in the water collection reservoir 6, e.g., continuously or intermittently. A temperature sensor 18 is provided in the recirculation line 8. The flow rate and/or temperature of the water from the tap 12 is adjusted in response to signals from the temperature sensor 18.
During circulation flow, excess water is discharged from the water collection reservoir via the overflow outlet 7 with a flow rate substantially corresponding to the flow rate of the tap 12 minus the volume of water spilt by splashing or evaporation during recirculation.
The pump 10 has an inlet 29 in the water collection reservoir 6 below the level of the overflow outlet 7, so its suction side is filled with water at the moment the pump 10 is activated. The pump inlet 29 is above the level of the drain 24 of the water collection reservoir 6 in order to avoid ingress of spent soapy water when the user uses the conventional shower 3. A filter filters water entering the inlet 29 of the pump 10. The inlet 29 of the pump 10 is between the tap 12 and the overflow outlet 7 to minimize any flow from the tap 12 directly to the overflow outlet 7.
A UV-source 32 is integrated in the circulation line 8 to clean the circulated water from microorganisms, for as far as necessary. A proportional valve in the recirculation line 8 can be used to regulate the flow rate of the recirculation shower 2.
The shower system 1 also comprises a floor 33 for supporting a user making use of one of the showers 2, 3. The water collection reservoir 6 is formed by a recessed portion of the floor 33. The front panel 15 forms part of a casing or housing of the shower system 1 overhanging the water collection reservoir 6 to hide it from a user's view.
FIG. 2 shows the tap 12 and its position behind the front panel 15 in more detail. Near the maximum water level W1 the front panel 15 has a substantially horizontal section with an opening 34 bordered by a conical collar 35. The tap 12 projects into the space confined by the collar 35.
During a shower bath water may enter the housing of the shower system 1. To protect the tap 12 from contamination by such leaking water the tap 12 is provided with a skirt 36 covering the collar 35.

Claims

1. A shower system, comprising:

a recirculation shower defining a recirculation flow path and at least one temperature sensor;

a tap spaced from the recirculation flow path and arranged to supply water to the recirculation flow path, the tap being connected to a source of heated tap water;

a control unit for controlling water temperature and/or flow rate of a water flow dispensed from the tap, in response to a signal received from the temperature sensor.

2. The shower system according to claim 1, wherein the recirculation shower comprises:

a water collection reservoir with an overflow outlet;

a shower head;

a recirculation line fluidly connecting the water collection reservoir and the shower head;

a pump for circulating water from the water collection reservoir to the shower head, wherein the tap has an outlet above the level of the overflow outlet.

3. The shower system according to claim 1, wherein the tap comprises a thermostatically controlled hot and cold water mixing tap.

4. The shower system according to claim 1, comprising a panel shielding the tap from the recirculation flow path.

5. The shower system according to claim 4, wherein the panel has a front side presenting a user interface for user control of the shower system.

6. The shower system according to claim 1, wherein the tap has an outlet above the highest possible water level in the water collection reservoir.

7. The shower system according to claim 1, comprising a second shower operatively connected to the public water supply network separate from the recirculation flow path.

8. The shower system according to claim 7, comprising a user interface allowing a user to switch between a recirculation flow and a drained flow, the shower system comprising a drain and a controllable drain valve which can selectively be positioned in a drain position or a high water level position.

9. The shower system according to claim 8, comprising a control unit configured to open the tap and to position the drain valve in the high water level position when a user switches over to a recirculation flow.

10. The shower system according to claim 9, comprising a level sensor in the water collection reservoir, wherein the control unit is further configured to switch off the second shower and to activate the pump in response to a signal from the level sensor detecting a predefined level in the water collection reservoir.

11. The shower system according to claim 1, wherein the pump has an inlet in the water collection reservoir below the level of the overflow outlet.

12. The shower system according to claim 11, wherein the pump inlet is above the level of the drain of the water collection reservoir.