Plumbing fixture with user interface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10501915-B2
Application number	US-201815995346-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2018
Priority date	Jun 22, 2012
Publication date	Dec 10, 2019
Grant date	Dec 10, 2019

Abstract

A water delivery device that includes a body having a cold water inlet, a hot water inlet, and an outlet; a mixing valve in the body, and a touchscreen user interface on a surface of the body. The mixing valve includes a housing having a mixing chamber that is fluidly connected to the outlet, a first flow control valve moveably disposed in the housing to control a cold water flow from the cold water inlet to the mixing chamber, and a second flow control valve moveably disposed in the housing to control a hot water flow from the hot water inlet to the mixing chamber. The touchscreen user interface allows a user to control a temperature and/or a flow rate of water from the outlet by controlling the first and second flow control valves.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A water delivery device comprising:
a body having a cold water inlet configured to connect to a cold water supply, a hot water inlet configured to connect to a hot water supply, and an outlet;
a mixing valve located within the body and comprising:
a housing having a mixing chamber that is fluidly connected to the outlet;
a first flow control valve moveably disposed in the housing to control a cold water flow from the cold water inlet to the mixing chamber; and
a second flow control valve moveably disposed in the housing to control a hot water flow from the hot water inlet to the mixing chamber;

a touchscreen user interface located on a surface of the body, wherein the touchscreen user interface allows a user to control a temperature and a flow rate of water from the outlet by controlling the first and second flow control valves; and
an electronic controller located in the body, coupled directly to the housing of the mixing valve, and configured to control the temperature and the flow rate of water from the mixing valve through an input into the touchscreen user interface.

2. The water delivery device of claim 1 , further comprising an actuator located within the body and configured to control movement of the first and second flow control valves in response to the input into the touchscreen user interface.

3. The water delivery device of claim 2 , wherein each of the first and second flow control valves includes a valve member assembly configured such that, when in use, cold water flowing through the first flow control valve exerts substantially no net force on the valve member assembly of the first flow control valve and hot water flowing through the second flow control valve exerts substantially no net force on the valve member assembly of the second flow control valve.

4. The water delivery device of claim 2 , wherein the actuator comprises:
a first motor for controlling movement of the first flow control valve; and
a second motor for controlling movement of the second flow control valve;
wherein the electronic controller controls the first and second motors in response to the input into the touchscreen user interface.

5. The water delivery device of claim 4 , wherein each of the first and second motors and the electronic controller is coupled to the housing of the mixing valve.

6. The water delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the water delivery device includes a hand shower that is configured to detachably dock to a docking member of a shower, the hand shower comprising:
a stem configured as a handle of the hand shower; and
a spray head coupled to the stem and including the outlet for discharging water;
wherein the touchscreen user interface is located on the handle.

7. The water delivery device of claim 6 , wherein the hand shower further comprises a spray head mount coupled to an end of the stem, and wherein a portion of the spray head is received in an opening of the spray head mount and is pivotally coupled to the spray head mount through two opposing pivots, such that the spray head pivots relative to the spray head mount and the stem.

8. The water delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the water delivery device includes a fixed shower head comprising a base, which is configured to fixedly couple to and project from a wall of a shower enclosure, and the body coupled to the base and including the outlet for discharging water.

9. The water delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the water delivery device is a bar mixer further comprising a flexible hose extending from the outlet of the body, wherein the touchscreen user interface comprises:
a control panel located on a first side of the body and configured to control the temperature and the flow rate of water from the outlet to the flexible hose through an input into the control panel; and
a display located on a second side of the body and configured to display the temperature and the flow rate.

10. The water delivery device of claim 9 , wherein the first and second sides are on opposite sides of the body relative to the flexible hose, the mixing chamber includes an elongate structure formed by a conduit with the first flow control valve at one end of the conduit and the second flow control valve at the other, opposite end of the conduit, and the outlet is formed in the conduit in between the first and second flow control valves.

11. The water delivery device of claim 1 , wherein the water delivery device is a faucet and the body comprises a spout, and the mixing valve is located within the spout.

12. The water delivery device of claim 11 , wherein the body further comprises an escutcheon, and the surface of the body on which the touchscreen user interface is located is on the escutcheon.

13. A water delivery device comprising:
a body having a cold water inlet configured to fluidly connect to a cold water supply, a hot water inlet configured to fluidly connect to a hot water supply, and an outlet;
a mixing valve comprising:
a housing separate from and disposed within the body, the housing having a first inlet configured to receive cold water from the cold water supply, a second inlet configured to receive hot water from the hot water supply, and a mixing chamber fluidly connected to the outlet;
a first flow control valve moveable relative to the body and the housing to control a flow of the cold water from the first inlet to the mixing chamber; and
a second flow control valve moveable relative to the body and the housing to control a flow of the hot water from the second inlet to the mixing chamber;
wherein at least one of the first flow control valve or the second flow control valve includes at least two separate outlets into the mixing chamber;

an actuator located in the body for moving the first and second flow control valves; and
a touchscreen user interface located on a surface of the body, wherein the touchscreen user interface comprises:
an on/off button that turns on/off a flow of water to the outlet
a temperature control that controls a temperature of water to the outlet by controlling the actuator; and
a flow rate control that controls a flow rate of water to the outlet by controlling the actuator.

14. The water delivery device of claim 13 , wherein both the first flow control valve and second flow control valve each includes at least two separate outlets into the mixing chamber, and each flow control valve includes a valve member assembly comprising:
a first valve member that engages with a first valve seat associated with a first of the two valve outlets in a closed position of the flow control valve; and
a second valve member that engages with a second, separate, valve seat associated with a second of the two valve outlets in the closed position of the flow control valve.

15. The water delivery device of claim 13 , further comprising an electronic controller located within the body and configured to communicate with the touchscreen user interface, wherein the actuator comprises:
a first linear actuator configured to move the first flow control valve; and
a second linear actuator configured to move the second flow control valve;
wherein the electronic controller controls the first and second linear actuators in response to an input into the touchscreen user interface.

16. The water delivery device of claim 15 , wherein the water delivery device is a bar mixer further comprising a flexible hose extending from the outlet of the body, wherein the touchscreen user interface comprises:
a control panel located on a first side of the body and configured to control the tempera

Assignees

• Kohler Mira Ltd

Inventors

• Peel Kevin T

Classifications

• F16K49/002

  Electric heating means · CPC title

• F16K11/20

  operated by separate actuating members (with one plug turning in another F16K11/12) · CPC title

• G05D23/1393

  characterised by the use of electric means · CPC title

• F16K11/22

  with an actuating member for each valve, e.g. interconnected to form multiple-way valves · CPC title

• B05B1/18

  Roses; Shower heads · CPC title