EP4047144A1

EP4047144A1 - Electronic shower system for reducing water and energy consumption

Info

Publication number: EP4047144A1
Application number: EP22152911.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Daniel Tres Casas
Original assignee: Caspro SA
Current assignee: Caspro SA
Priority date: 2021-02-19
Filing date: 2022-01-24
Publication date: 2022-08-24
Also published as: ES1266215U; DE202022003016U1; ES1266215Y

Abstract

A water-saving electronic shower system (1) comprises an electro-hydraulic control housing (2) connected to a power source (7), a cold water inlet (17), a hot water inlet (18) and a plurality of water outlets; wherein the electro-hydraulic control housing (2) comprises: a control circuit (3); a temperature control valve (4); a temperature sensor (5); and a selector valve (6) for the plurality of water outlets; wherein the control circuit (3) is electrically connected to the temperature control valve (4), the temperature sensor (5) and the selector valve (6); wherein the system further comprises: a recirculation conduit (26) connected between a first outlet of the plurality of water outlets and the cold water inlet (17); and a circulator element (19) inserted in the recirculation conduit (26) and connected to the control circuit (3).

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, as expressed in the title of this specification, relates to a system for reducing water consumption for a shower installation with electronic control which allows the user to activate the recirculation of cold water during the process of acclimatising to the desired temperature.
It is particularly applicable to the scope of the thermostatic and conventional tap industry.

TECHNICAL PROBLEM TO BE RESOLVED AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Currently, the management of the planet's water resources is a matter of vital importance. Responsible and efficient water consumption is essential not only in regions with a scarcity of said resources, but also in a global environment.
The tap industry's commitment to the sustainability of the planet drives it to offer water-saving solutions as an additional functionality that allows users to enjoy the same comforts, but without unnecessarily wasting water.
In the moments before showering, users usually keep the tap open to let the water run during the process of acclimatising the water to the desired temperature, which may even take several minutes of wasting water at a rate of about 10-20 litres per minute. This loss of water is especially useless in the sense that it is not used for anything nor does it bring any benefit to the user, but at the same time, the user with a traditional shower system has no other option.
In the current state of the art, some sanitation facilities for showers with water-saving systems are known, but generally they are presented as complex systems that require multiple additional elements and significant modifications in the plumbing installation by specialised personnel, which in practice makes it very difficult for them to be carried out at a reasonable cost and effort.
Therefore, the state of the art lacks simple, safe and efficient water and energy-saving solutions that can be carried out in the installation of an electronic shower of the type disclosed in utility model U201530978 without major plumbing modifications.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention solves the aforementioned problems by means of a system for reducing water and energy consumption which, based on recirculation techniques, allows the user to save water during the temperature acclimatisation process prior to showering.
For this, the present invention relates to an electronic shower system with reduced water consumption that comprises an electro-hydraulic control housing connected to a power source, a cold water inlet, a hot water inlet and a plurality of water outlets; wherein the electro-hydraulic control housing comprises: a control circuit; a temperature control valve for the cold water inlet and the hot water inlet; a temperature sensor connected to the outlet of the temperature control valve; and a selector valve for the plurality of water outlets, connected between the outlet of the temperature sensor and the plurality of water outlets, wherein the control circuit is electrically connected to at least the temperature control valve, the temperature sensor and the selector valve for the plurality of water outlets; characterised in that the system further comprises: a recirculation conduit connected between a first outlet of the plurality of water outlets and the cold water inlet; and a circulator element inserted in the recirculation conduit and connected to the control circuit; wherein the control circuit (3) is further configured to enable only the first outlet of the plurality of water outlets and activate the circulator element (19) while the temperature sensor detects a temperature below a pre-set level and, once the detected temperature is higher than said pre-set level, close the first outlet and enable a second outlet of the plurality of water outlets.
Thus, advantageously, the cold water that would be wasted during the process of acclimatising to the desired temperature is recovered through the recirculation conduit and is sent towards the cold water inlet. The second outlet is enabled to start the shower only when the control circuit detects the desired temperature level.
In a first embodiment, the second outlet of the plurality of water outlets is selected from the following set: a shower head, a hand-held shower head, a waterfall shower head and jets. In a second embodiment, the second outlet comprises not only the foregoing possibilities, but also a combination thereof through the selector valve.
The water outlet selector valve is envisaged to comprise solenoids, each solenoid arranged for the corresponding water outlet; wherein the control circuit is configured to close the solenoid of the first outlet upon detecting a temperature equal to or greater than the pre-set level through the temperature sensor. Thus, the recirculation circuit is advantageously closed and the entire flow is available for the user's shower, once the pre-set temperature has been reached. Additionally, it is envisaged that the control circuit is further configured to close the solenoid of the second outlet upon detecting a temperature lower than the pre-set level through the temperature sensor. Thus, advantageously, total water savings are achieved during the process of acclimatising to the set temperature, since all the outlets remain closed, except for the outlet to the recirculation circuit, until said temperature is reached.
In one embodiment, the recirculation conduit comprises a non-return valve, inserted between the cold water inlet and the circulator element.
In one embodiment, the circulator element is an electric drive pump.
Additionally, according to a particular embodiment, the present invention comprises a luminous control device electrically connected to the control circuit, wherein said luminous control device comprises: a user interface; an On/Off button to turn the system on or off; a positive temperature control button that allows increasing the set temperature level; a negative temperature control button that allows decreasing the set temperature level; a selector button for the outlet of water through the shower head; a selector button for the outlet of water through the hand-held shower head; and a selector button for the water-saving system, which allows recirculation.
In one of the embodiments it is envisaged that the luminous control device is configured to emit a signal when the control circuit detects that the temperature sensor reads a temperature equal to or greater than the set temperature threshold. Thus, the user is advantageously informed that the temperature of the water has already reached the pre-set temperature level and they can proceed with the shower by selecting the desired water outlet. Meanwhile, the water outlet is kept closed to save water and energy consumption.
In an embodiment of the invention, before closing the water outlet while waiting for the user to decide to start the shower, once the desired temperature is reached in the system, the control circuit enables the water outlet selected by the user to temper the outlet pipe and improve user comfort and feel for a short period of time, for example five seconds. Thus, in one of the embodiments, the control circuit is configured, once the set temperature threshold has been reached, to enable the second outlet of the plurality of water outlets for a pre-set time and, once the pre-set time has been exceeded, to close the second outlet.
Additionally, according to one of the embodiments of the invention, the control circuit comprises a memory configured to store the set temperature level, preferably 38 degrees.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

To complete the description, and for the purpose of helping to make the features of the invention more readily understandable, this description is accompanied by a set of drawings constituting an integral part of the same, which by way of illustration and not limitation represents the following:

Figures 1A, 1B, 1C show, in sequence, the recirculation process of an embodiment, until the water reaches the temperature and is diverted through one of the two possible water outlets of this embodiment.
Figure 2 shows a view of the connection of the components comprised in the electro-hydraulic control housing with three possible outlets for water and one for recirculation.
Figure 3 shows a view of the luminous control device, including the ECO mode or water saving mode activation/deactivation button. Temperature control buttons and possible water outlet selector buttons.

Below, a list is provided of the different elements represented in the figures making up the invention:

1. Electronic shower system for reducing consumption.
2. Electro-hydraulic control housing.
3. Control circuit.
4. Temperature control valve.
5. Temperature sensor.
6. Water outlet selector valve.
7. Power source.
8. Luminous control device.
9. Screen.
10. On/Off button.
11. Positive temperature control button.
12. Negative temperature control button.
13. Selector button for the outlet of water through the shower head.
14. ECO system on/off button.
15. Selector button for the outlet of water through the hand-held shower head.
16. Selector button for the outlet of water through the waterfall shower head or jets.
17. Cold water inlet.
18. Hot water inlet.
19. Circulator element.
20. Shower head.
21. Hand-held shower head.
22. Waterfall shower head or jets.
23. Temperature control valve motor.
24. Solenoids.
25. Non-return valve.
26. Recirculation conduit.
27. Heating system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a novel water and energy-saving system in a hot water shower installation with electronic control. The main water-saving functionality is achieved by incorporating and managing a recirculation system for recirculating the cold water remaining in the hot water pipe to the cold water pipe, during the process of acclimatising to the selected temperature. It essentially consists of a return branch to the cold water inlet, with the particular feature that the present invention uses a water outlet dedicated exclusively to this recirculation function, so that the water is driven by a pump towards the cold water inlet, and in the meantime, the temperature sensor does not inform the electronic control circuit that hot water is arriving, in which case the control circuit orders the recirculation circuit to be closed and finally diverts the water at the desired temperature to the water outlets selected for starting the shower.
In the succession of Figures 1A, 1B, and 1C , an embodiment of the present invention is shown in detail in the electro-hydraulic control housing and the recirculation process. The scenario is one in which a user who intends to use the shower with hot water has started the process of acclimatising the water.
In Figure 1A , the water that runs through the hot water inlet 18 is initially cold. Therefore, this flow is diverted to the outlet dedicated exclusively to recirculation, wherein a circulator element 19 is arranged, for example an electric drive pump, which drives this water flow to the cold water inlet 17 via a recirculation conduit 26, such as a hose. The intervention of the pump 19 causes the normal direction of water through the cold water inlet to be reversed and reintroduced into the heating system 27.
In Figure 1B , the water supplied by the hot water inlet 18 has already reached the desired temperature for use, such that the system proceeds to close the recirculation outlet, which stops diverting more water from the hot water inlet 18, proceeding to disconnect the system with the consequent energy savings.
Lastly, in Figure 1C , once the water has the desired temperature conditions, the system enables a water outlet 20, from among the two possible water outlets 20, 21 of this embodiment, although other embodiments may provide another number, such that the water begins to come out at the set temperature. The recirculation outlet is kept closed at this time.
In one embodiment of the invention, shown in Figure 2 , the water-saving electronic shower system comprises an electro-hydraulic control housing 2 connected to a power source 7, a cold water inlet 17, a hot water inlet 18 and a plurality of water outlets; wherein the electro-hydraulic control housing 2 comprises: a control circuit 3; a temperature control valve 4 for the cold water inlet 17 and the hot water inlet 18; a temperature sensor 5 connected to the outlet of the temperature control valve 4; and a selector valve 6 for the plurality of water outlets, connected between the outlet of the temperature sensor 5 and the plurality of water outlets.
Furthermore, the recirculation circuit of the system comprises a recirculation conduit 26 connected between a first outlet of the plurality of water outlets and the cold water inlet 17; a circulator element 19 inserted in the recirculation conduit 26 and connected to the control circuit 3 and a non-return valve 25 in the recirculation conduit. Thus, when the temperature of the water is lower than the pre-set level, the control circuit opens the recirculation circuit to divert the water to the cold water inlet until the desired temperature is reached at the hot water inlet.
The number of water outlets varies from one embodiment to another depending on the options that are to be offered from an outlet of water through a shower head 20, a hand-held shower head 21, a waterfall shower head or jets 22 or others, but there is always an additional outlet dedicated exclusively to recirculation.
The outlet selector valve 6 comprises, in this embodiment represented in Figure 2, four solenoids 24, one arranged for each of the outlets 19, 20, 21, 22. The solenoids are electronically connected to the control circuit 3, which is programmed to open and close said solenoids 24 depending on the desired temperature, the current temperature of the water and the chosen outlet. Specifically, the control circuit 3 orders the solenoid of the first outlet 19 to open/close upon detecting a temperature lower/higher, respectively, than the pre-set level through the temperature sensor 5. At the same time, it orders the rest of the solenoids to close while the temperature sensor 5 continues to detect a temperature lower than the pre-set level and, only once the pre-set level has been reached, it orders the selected outlet to open to start the shower and stop the circulator element 19 with the consequent energy savings.
The system of the present invention exchanges information with the user through the luminous control device 8 shown in Figure 3 . Said luminous device is electrically connected to the control circuit 3 and can be installed in an area accessible by the user from the shower. It comprises a user interface, an On/Off button 10 to turn the system 1 on or off, a positive temperature control button 11 that allows increasing the set temperature level, a negative temperature control button 12 that allows decreasing the set temperature level, a selector button 13 for the outlet of water through the shower head 20, a selector button 15 for the outlet of water through the hand-held shower head 21, a selector button 16 for the outlet of water through the waterfall shower head or jets 22 and an "ECO" button selector 14 of the water-saving system, which enables recirculation to be deactivated, since it is preferably activated by default.
Therefore, the process for the user is simple, since the system comes by default with the "ECO" function or mode activated, so that once the shower is activated, it starts recirculating until the hot water reaches the area of the temperature sensor 5. Meanwhile, the control circuit 3 keeps the solenoids 24 of all the outlets closed, except for the solenoid of the outlet dedicated exclusively to recirculation, which diverts the water to the cold water inlet through the drive pump. When the temperature is the one that the user has established on the luminous device 8 using the button panel 11, 12, which has been stored in a memory, the control circuit 3 orders the dedicated solenoid to close and recirculation to end. Then the luminous control device 8 emits a signal, which can be luminous, acoustic or a combination of both, to inform the user that the temperature has been reached and they can start the shower. Finally, the user selects on the button panel 13, 15, 16 of the luminous device 8 the water outlet they want and they can start the shower.
From the time the water reaches the comfort temperature to the time the user manually starts the shower, the system keeps the water outlet closed to save water and energy consumption. However, in order to provide better feel and comfort to the user, the control circuit enables the water outlet selected by the user for a period of time of about five seconds, enough to temper the outlet pipe and ensure a water flow with a homogeneous temperature from the start of the shower.
An algorithm can be implemented in the control circuit to detect continued use of the shower. Thus, by setting a minimum period of time between showers, recirculation can be avoided when said set minimum time has not been reached and thus avoid the corresponding waste of energy.
The expressions "connected", "electrically connected" or "electronically connected" that are used do not necessarily imply that two elements are directly connected without intermediate elements, but rather they can refer to elements connected through other elements or they can refer to elements that are directly connected.
The present invention should not be limited to the embodiment described herein. Other configurations may be carried out by those skilled in the art based on the present description. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is defined by the following claims.

Claims

A water-saving electronic shower system (1) that comprises an electro-hydraulic control housing (2) connected to a power source (7), a cold water inlet (17), a hot water inlet (18) and a plurality of water outlets;
wherein the electro-hydraulic control housing (2) comprises:
- a control circuit (3);

- a temperature control valve (4) for the cold water inlet (17) and the hot water inlet (18),

- a temperature sensor (5) connected to the outlet of the temperature control valve (4); and

- a selector valve (6) for the plurality of water outlets, connected between the outlet of the temperature sensor (5) and the plurality of water outlets,

wherein the control circuit is electrically connected to at least the temperature control valve (4), the temperature sensor (5) and the selector valve (6) for the plurality of water outlets;

characterised in that the system (1) further comprises:
- a recirculation conduit (26) connected between a first outlet of the plurality of water outlets and the cold water inlet (17); and

- a circulator element (19) inserted in the recirculation conduit (26) and connected to the control circuit (3);

wherein the control circuit (3) is further configured to enable only the first outlet of the plurality of water outlets and activate the circulator element (19) while the temperature sensor detects a temperature below a pre-set level and, once the detected temperature is higher than said pre-set level, close the first outlet and enable a second outlet of the plurality of water outlets and stop said circulator element (19).
The system according to claim 1, wherein the second outlet of the plurality of water outlets is selected from the following set: a shower head (20), a hand-held shower head (21), a waterfall shower head and jets (22).
The system according to claim 1, wherein the water outlet selector valve (6) is configured to select the second water outlet from among the shower head (20), the hand-held shower head (21), the waterfall shower head, the jets (22) and combination of the foregoing.
The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the water outlet selector valve (6) comprises solenoids (24), each solenoid (24) arranged for the corresponding water outlet; wherein the control circuit (3) is configured to close the solenoid of the first outlet upon detecting a temperature equal to or greater than the pre-set level through the temperature sensor (5).
The system according to claim 4, wherein the control circuit (3) is further configured to close the solenoid of the second outlet upon detecting a temperature lower than the pre-set level through the temperature sensor (5).
The system according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a non-return valve (25) inserted in the recirculation conduit (26) between the cold water inlet (17) and the circulator element (19).
The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the circulator element is an electric drive pump.
The system according to claim 2, further comprising a luminous control device (8) electrically connected to the control circuit (3), wherein said luminous control device (8) comprises:
- a user interface

- an On/Off button (10) to turn the system (1) on or off,

- a positive temperature control button (11) that allows increasing the set temperature level,

- a negative temperature control button (12) that allows decreasing the set temperature level,

- a selector button (13) for the outlet of water through the shower head (20),

- a selector button (15) for the outlet of water through the hand-held shower head (21), and

- a selector button (14) for the water-saving system, which allows recirculation.
The system according to claim 8, wherein the luminous control device (8) is further configured to emit a signal when the control circuit (3) detects that the temperature sensor (5) reads a temperature equal to or greater than the set temperature threshold.
The system according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the luminous control device (8) further comprises a selector button (16) for the outlet of water through the waterfall shower head or jets (22).
The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the control circuit (3) comprises a memory configured to store the set temperature level.
The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the control circuit (3) is further configured, once the set temperature threshold has been reached, to enable the second outlet of the plurality of water outlets for a pre-set time and, once the pre-set time has been exceeded, to close the second outlet.