WO2010092367A1 - Dispositif de douche à pompe - Google Patents

Dispositif de douche à pompe Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2010092367A1
WO2010092367A1 PCT/GB2010/050102 GB2010050102W WO2010092367A1 WO 2010092367 A1 WO2010092367 A1 WO 2010092367A1 GB 2010050102 W GB2010050102 W GB 2010050102W WO 2010092367 A1 WO2010092367 A1 WO 2010092367A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
water
noise
noise monitoring
control apparatus
shower
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB2010/050102
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Robert William Stimpson
Ian Douglas Felmeri
Original Assignee
Dlp Limited
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Dlp Limited filed Critical Dlp Limited
Priority to US13/201,221 priority Critical patent/US20110308006A1/en
Priority to EP10704174A priority patent/EP2396476A1/fr
Publication of WO2010092367A1 publication Critical patent/WO2010092367A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
    • G05B—CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS
    • G05B13/00—Adaptive control systems, i.e. systems automatically adjusting themselves to have a performance which is optimum according to some preassigned criterion
    • G05B13/02—Adaptive control systems, i.e. systems automatically adjusting themselves to have a performance which is optimum according to some preassigned criterion electric
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E03—WATER SUPPLY; SEWERAGE
    • E03C—DOMESTIC PLUMBING INSTALLATIONS FOR FRESH WATER OR WASTE WATER; SINKS
    • E03C1/00—Domestic plumbing installations for fresh water or waste water; Sinks
    • E03C1/01—Domestic plumbing installations for fresh water or waste water; Sinks for combinations of baths, showers, sinks, wash-basins, closets, urinals, or the like
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E03—WATER SUPPLY; SEWERAGE
    • E03C—DOMESTIC PLUMBING INSTALLATIONS FOR FRESH WATER OR WASTE WATER; SINKS
    • E03C1/00—Domestic plumbing installations for fresh water or waste water; Sinks
    • E03C1/12—Plumbing installations for waste water; Basins or fountains connected thereto; Sinks

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to pumped shower apparatus, and to suction-noise monitoring and control apparatus for such shower apparatus.
  • Water flow detection devices for detecting and controlling a pumping rate of the associated electrically operated waste water pump.
  • the water flow detection devices are flow sensors which detect the presence of water and the flow rate either at the shower head or at the drain.
  • the pump is then controlled in order to move the runoff water to the drain at a suitable rate which is high enough to prevent flooding of the showering surface but which is not high enough to entrain air causing undesirable slurping, gurgling and sucking noises.
  • the present invention seeks to provide a solution to these problems.
  • water-noise monitoring and control apparatus for pumped shower apparatus, the water-noise monitoring and control apparatus comprising water-noise monitoring means for monitoring suction noise from, at or adjacent to a drain of the shower installation, and a controller for automatically controlling a pump of the shower installation based on an output of the water-noise monitoring means.
  • pumped shower apparatus comprising a shower head for discharging shower water, a showering surface below the shower head, a drain unit at the showering surface for receiving runoff shower water, a pump for moving water from the drain unit to a drain, and water-noise monitoring and control apparatus in accordance with the first aspect of the invention for optimising the speed of the pump whilst eliminating or reducing water noise from, at or adjacent to the drain unit.
  • Preferable and/or optional features of the second aspect of the invention are set forth in claim 18 and claim 19.
  • Figure 1 shows a diagrammatic side view of one embodiment of pumped shower apparatus, in accordance with the second aspect of the invention, incorporating suction- noise monitoring and control apparatus in accordance with the first aspect of the invention
  • FIG. 2 is a generalised block diagram of the pumped shower apparatus, shown in Figure 1.
  • pumped shower apparatus 10 which comprises a shower water control unit 12, which may be, for example, an electric shower water heater, a shower head 14 which is in liquid communication with the control unit 12, and a showering surface 16 such as a shower tray or water-resistant floor covering surface.
  • a drain unit 18 is provided beneath the showering surface 16 and into which runoff shower water enters.
  • An electric pump 20 is provided downstream of the drain unit 18 for moving the runoff shower water from the drain unit 18 to a drain 22.
  • the pump 20 is provided to supplement or in substitution of gravity. This can often occur when the shower apparatus 10 is being newly installed in an existing room which does not provide an adequate fall for runoff to a drain. It also frequently occurs in a showering area in which a water-resistant floor covering material is being laid on a former provided within the depth of a standard floor joist.
  • Suction-noise monitoring means 24 is also provided along with a controller 26 for automatically controlling the pump 20 based on an output of the suction-noise monitoring means 24.
  • the monitoring means 24 includes an acoustic sensor 28 and/or a vibrational sensor 30.
  • the or each sensor 28, 30 may be positioned at the control unit 12, at or adjacent to the showering surface 16, such as on or in a wall of the showering area, and/or at or adjacent to the drain unit 18.
  • the acoustic sensor 28 and the vibrational sensor 30 detect sounds or vibrations of the in use pumped shower apparatus 10, and output signal data to an analysis circuit 32 of the controller 26.
  • the controller 26 includes a microprocessor 34 and a memory storage device 36 having pre-set and pre-stored data relating to noise generated by the suction of water from the drain unit 18 and/or from the impact of water droplets onto the showering surface 16.
  • the sound generated by the cavitation and mixing of water and air at the shower drain point is of different frequency and sound pressure envelope to that created by the impact of water droplets on the showering surface 16, water droplets onto water puddles forming on the showering surface 16 or speech by the user and other noises associated with showering.
  • a comparator 38 provided as part of the analysis circuit 32 compares the data outputted by the acoustic sensor 28 and/or vibrational sensor 30 with the pre- stored data. If the sensor data falls within the parameters of the pre-stored data, then it is determined that suction noise is present, and a control circuit 40 controls a local pump controller 42 at the pump 20 to decrease the pumping rate accordingly.
  • control circuit 40 controls the local pump controller 42 at the pump 20 to increase the pumping rate accordingly.
  • the or each sensor 28, 30 can provide data to the comparator 38 at periodic intervals, enabling the control circuit 40 to automatically optimise the speed of the pump 20, utilising noise outputs compared with reference information held in the memory 36 in opposing control modes to increase or decrease the pump speed.
  • the comparator 38 includes a Fourier analysis device, such as a Fast Fourier Transform module 44 allowing the algorithmic computation of the Fourier transform from the set of discrete data values provided by the or each sensor 28, 30.
  • the component frequencies of the data received from the sensor(s) 28, 30 can then be compared with those of the pre-stored data to determine whether the pump 20 is operating optimally, and pump control signals are outputted from the control circuit 40 accordingly.
  • Fuzzy logic may also conveniently be employed as part of the comparator 38 in an effort to match sensor data with the pre-stored data in light of extraneous noise and vibration, such as from a user and ambient noise from the surrounding environment, picked up by the or each sensor 28, 30.
  • the controller 26 also includes a learning circuit 46 for a user to input a specific pump control based on suction noise. Conveniently, this is activated by a user interface, such as a button, which may be provided, for example, on the control unit 12 of the shower apparatus 10.
  • the learning circuit 46 includes a recorder for recording and storing user- specified data via the sensor(s) 28, 30 of the suction-noise monitoring means. The data of this preferred pumping condition is analysed and stored in the memory storage device 36 via the learning circuit 46, and via a logic controller may then take precedence over the default pre-stored data. In this way, the controller 26 can be programmed to automatically control the pump 20 so as to meet a specific requirement which best suits or is optimal for a particular user or installation.
  • water-pooling monitoring means 48 is provided in the form of pre- stored data relating to pooling and/or spay falling on water.
  • the control circuit 40 controls the pump 20 to operate at its maximum pumping rate irrespective of suction noise and/or vibration.
  • the water-pooling monitoring means 48 may utilise the existing sensor(s) 28, 30, or may use a further sensor 50 which may be dedicated to monitoring pooling and/or potential flooding. It may be for example, an acoustic sensor and/or a vibrational sensor. In the latter case, this would be beneficial in case of failure of the sensor(s) 28, 30 of the suction-noise monitoring means 24.
  • suction-noise monitoring means 24 and controller 26 are advantageous to provide as an integrated part of the pumped shower apparatus 10, thus simplifying installation.
  • it can be provided as separate suction-noise monitoring and control apparatus 52 which may be supplied as a kit of parts and/or which may be retro-f ⁇ ttable to an existing shower installation.
  • the interface would preferably be a pulsed signal generated from the controller 26 to the existing local pump controller 42 in the form impersonating a typical two- or three-wire flow-rate sensor signal as used in current installations.
  • the suction noise monitoring apparatus so described would then be retrofitted in place of an existing flow meter or sensor and simply adapted into the installation.
  • water-noise monitoring means used throughout is intended to include the suction-noise monitoring means and the water-pooling monitoring means.
  • One or more further acoustic and/or vibrational sensors can be provided at any position on the shower installation and/or along the drain.
  • one or more flow sensors may be utilised, these are not essential for controlling a pumping speed of the pump, and may for example be utilised to activate and deactivate the pump.
  • suction-noise monitoring means can be dispensed with in favour of only providing the water-pooling monitoring means, and vice versa. This can be beneficial in some cases, such as to supplement rather than substitute water detection elements of an existing pumped drainage shower installation.
  • pumped shower apparatus which monitors water noise, such as suction noise, including slurping noise, at or emanating from the drain, including the drain unit, and water-puddling or water pooling noise at or on the showering surface, usually within the vicinity of the drain or drain unit, and which then controls a pumping rate accordingly to reduce or eliminate the noise but to maintain a suitable flow rate of waste water. It is further possible to provide water-noise monitoring and control apparatus which reduces or eliminates suction noise, including slurping noise, at or emanating from a drain, including a drain unit, of a pumped shower installation and/or water pooling at or on a showering surface, usually within the vicinity of the drain or drain unit.

Abstract

Le dispositif de douche à pompe (10) selon l'invention comprend une pomme de douche (14) pour projeter de l'eau de douche, et un receveur de douche (16) en dessous de la pomme de douche (14). Ledit dispositif comprend en outre une unité de drainage (18) dans le receveur de douche (16) pour recevoir l'eau de douche usée et une pompe (20) pour acheminer l'eau de l'unité de drainage (18) vers un tuyau d'évacuation (22). Ledit dispositif comprend enfin un appareil de surveillance et de contrôle des bruits d'écoulement pour optimiser la vitesse de la pompe (20) tout en éliminant ou en réduisant les bruits d'écoulement de l'unité de drainage (18), au niveau ou à proximité de celle-ci. Le dispositif de surveillance et de contrôle des bruits d'écoulement comprend des moyens de surveillance (24, 28) des bruits d'écoulement pour surveiller les bruits d'écoulement de l'unité de drainage (18) de l'installation de douche, au niveau de ou à proximité de ladite unité (18). Le dispositif comprend également un dispositif de commande (26) pour commander automatiquement une pompe (20) de l'installation de douche en fonction d'une sortie des moyens de surveillance (24, 28) des bruits d'écoulement.
PCT/GB2010/050102 2009-02-13 2010-01-25 Dispositif de douche à pompe WO2010092367A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US13/201,221 US20110308006A1 (en) 2009-02-13 2010-01-25 Pumped Shower Apparatus
EP10704174A EP2396476A1 (fr) 2009-02-13 2010-01-25 Dispositif de douche à pompe

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0902331.8 2009-02-13
GB0902331.8A GB2467757B (en) 2009-02-13 2009-02-13 Pumped shower aparatus

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2010092367A1 true WO2010092367A1 (fr) 2010-08-19

Family

ID=40548084

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/GB2010/050102 WO2010092367A1 (fr) 2009-02-13 2010-01-25 Dispositif de douche à pompe

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US20110308006A1 (fr)
EP (1) EP2396476A1 (fr)
GB (1) GB2467757B (fr)
WO (1) WO2010092367A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2483909B (en) * 2010-09-24 2014-04-16 Dlp Ltd Improvements in or relating to shower water apparatus
GB2537188B (en) * 2015-07-03 2017-04-26 Munster Simms Eng Ltd Shower pump drainage system

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE19516991A1 (de) * 1994-05-09 1995-11-30 Gary William Doughty Dusch-Schaltuhr
DE29606289U1 (de) * 1996-04-04 1996-06-20 Mainewitsch Isolde Duschwasserumwälzeinrichtung
AU2005209608A1 (en) * 2004-11-04 2006-05-18 D & B Wholesale Pty Ltd A shower timer

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7124452B1 (en) * 2004-02-23 2006-10-24 Bauza Pedro J Shower temperature display
GB2424368B (en) * 2005-03-23 2009-09-23 Dlp Ltd Pumped drainage apparatus
US7194776B1 (en) * 2005-04-19 2007-03-27 Sean Michael Lastuka Liquid stream analysis and feedback system with acoustic filtering method
GB2431415A (en) * 2005-10-18 2007-04-25 Dlp Ltd Pumped waste unit

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE19516991A1 (de) * 1994-05-09 1995-11-30 Gary William Doughty Dusch-Schaltuhr
DE29606289U1 (de) * 1996-04-04 1996-06-20 Mainewitsch Isolde Duschwasserumwälzeinrichtung
AU2005209608A1 (en) * 2004-11-04 2006-05-18 D & B Wholesale Pty Ltd A shower timer

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2467757B (en) 2014-12-31
US20110308006A1 (en) 2011-12-22
GB2467757A (en) 2010-08-18
GB0902331D0 (en) 2009-04-01
EP2396476A1 (fr) 2011-12-21

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
CN107237381B (zh) 卫生设备
JP2007247159A (ja) 自動水栓及び自動水栓機能付き洗面装置
US11193264B2 (en) Toilet overflow prevention system and method
US8615825B2 (en) Liquid drainage system
US20110308006A1 (en) Pumped Shower Apparatus
GB2414586A (en) Swimming pool alarm
JP4849932B2 (ja) 自動運転型水中ポンプ
EP2414679B1 (fr) Filtre d'une pompe de cale
US10337181B2 (en) Toilet usage sensing system
JP2006070729A (ja) 水中ポンプ
JP2018168672A (ja) 便器洗浄装置
JP7445461B2 (ja) 水洗式便器
JP2004044291A (ja) 排水ポンプの制御装置および方法ならびに排水システム
US20230203797A1 (en) Capacitive sensing faucet system
JP2021139170A (ja) 水洗式便器
JP2021036099A (ja) 水洗大便器装置
GB2537188A (en) Improved shower pump drainage system
KR200355427Y1 (ko) 착좌감지기능을 갖는 국부세정기
JP2022043485A (ja) 便器装置
JP2015178754A (ja) 吐水装置
JP2007169875A (ja) 小便器洗浄装置
JP2008175061A (ja) 自動水栓
JP2023141187A (ja) 水位検出装置
JP2008180531A (ja) 距離測定装置
KR101257506B1 (ko) 식기 세척기 및 그 제어방법

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application

Ref document number: 10704174

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1

WWE Wipo information: entry into national phase

Ref document number: 2010704174

Country of ref document: EP

NENP Non-entry into the national phase

Ref country code: DE

WWE Wipo information: entry into national phase

Ref document number: 13201221

Country of ref document: US