Lighting module for fluid delivery apparatus and fluid delivery apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11835216-B2
Application number	US-202017065792-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 8, 2020
Priority date	Apr 12, 2018
Publication date	Dec 5, 2023
Grant date	Dec 5, 2023

Abstract

A fluid delivery apparatus lighting module includes a first portion having a polymeric substrate having a chromium or chromium-based reflective coating coated on at least an outer surface of the polymeric substrate, the polymeric substrate and chromium or chromium-based reflective coating being at least partially permeable to light; at least one light source disposed within the fluid delivery apparatus lighting module, wherein the at least one light source is configured to receive power from at least one power source and emit light through at least the polymeric substrate and chromium or chromium-based reflective coating of the first portion, and wherein the at least one light source, when emitting no light in an unlit condition, is concealed within the fluid delivery apparatus lighting module behind at least the polymeric substrate and chromium or chromium-based reflective coating of the first portion; at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of a wired fluid temperature sensor, a wireless fluid temperature sensor, a wired fluid flow sensor, a wireless fluid flow sensor, a mechanical fluid flow sensor, a mechanical sensor, a wired motion sensor, a wireless motion sensor, and combinations thereof.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluid delivery apparatus lighting module, comprising:
a first portion comprising a polymeric substrate having a chromium or chromium-based reflective coating coated on at least an outer surface of the polymeric substrate, the polymeric substrate and chromium or chromium-based reflective coating being at least partially permeable to light;
at least one light source disposed within the fluid delivery apparatus lighting module, wherein the at least one light source is configured to receive power from at least one power source and emit light through at least the polymeric substrate and chromium or chromium-based reflective coating of the first portion, and wherein the at least one light source, when emitting no light in an unlit condition, is concealed within the fluid delivery apparatus lighting module behind at least the polymeric substrate and chromium or chromium-based reflective coating of the first portion; and
at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of a wired fluid temperature sensor, a wireless fluid temperature sensor, a wired fluid flow sensor, a wireless fluid flow sensor, a mechanical fluid flow sensor, a mechanical sensor, a wired motion sensor, a wireless motion sensor, and combinations thereof,
wherein at least one of:
the at least one light source is configured to emit the light based on at least the fluid delivery apparatus lighting module receiving sensed information from the at least one sensor, and/or
a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) is disposed within the fluid delivery apparatus lighting module and electrically-connected to the at least one light source, the PCBA being configured to receive the power from the at least one power source and distribute the received power to at least the at least one light source, with the at least one sensor being in communication with the PCBA for communicating sensed information to the PCBA, wherein the at least one light source is configured to emit the light based on at least the PCBA receiving the sensed information from the at least one sensor.

2. The fluid delivery apparatus lighting module according to claim 1 , further comprising a mask disposed within the fluid delivery apparatus lighting module, the mask including at least one opaque portion configured to be impermeable to the light emitted by the at least one light source and at least one non-opaque portion configured to be permeable to the light emitted by the at least one light source,
wherein the mask is disposed on or near at least an inner surface of the polymeric substrate of the first portion.

3. The fluid delivery apparatus lighting module according to claim 2 , further comprising at least one lens disposed within the fluid delivery apparatus lighting module between the mask and the at least one light source,
wherein the at least one lens is configured to receive the light emitted by the at least one light source and homogeneously distribute the received light through the at least one non-opaque portion of the mask and through at least the polymeric substrate and chromium or chromium-based reflective coating of the first portion.

4. The fluid delivery apparatus lighting module according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one non-opaque portion of the mask comprises at least one opening configured to be permeable to the light emitted by the at least one light source.

5. The fluid delivery apparatus lighting module according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one non-opaque portion of the mask is shaped to correspond to a shape of at least one image such that when the light from the at least one light source is emitted through the at least one non-opaque portion of the mask, the shape of the at least one image is projected through at least the polymeric substrate and chromium or chromium-based reflective coating of the first portion and is seen lit from outside of the fluid delivery apparatus lighting module, and wherein the at least one image is selected from the group consisting of logos, lines, letters, numbers, shapes, a rectangle, a square, a triangle, a trapezoid, a parallelogram, a pentagon, a hexagon, a heptagon, an octagon, a nonagon, a decagon, a circle, an oval, an arc, a cross, a tree, a water drop, a snowflake, a flame, a heatwave, a thermometer, a star, a lightning bolt, and combinations thereof.

6. A fluid delivery apparatus capable of selectively carrying or dispensing a flow of fluid, the fluid delivery apparatus comprising the fluid delivery apparatus lighting module of claim 1 .

7. The fluid delivery apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the fluid delivery apparatus is selected from the group consisting of a tap, a faucet, a spigot, a shower panel, a shower control valve system, a shower head, a fixed shower head, a handheld shower head, a fluid nozzle, and a thermostatic valve.

8. The fluid delivery apparatus according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a water tap comprising the fluid delivery apparatus lighting module, wherein the first portion of the fluid delivery apparatus lighting module is generally curved in at least one section thereof and is part of at least a spout assembly of the water tap, wherein the at least one light source of the fluid delivery apparatus lighting module is environmentally sealed within the spout assembly of the water tap,
a water tap comprising the fluid delivery apparatus lighting module, wherein the first portion of the fluid delivery apparatus lighting module is generally planar in at least one section thereof and is part of at least a spout assembly of the water tap, and wherein the at least one light source of the fluid delivery apparatus lighting module is environmentally sealed within the spout assembly of the water tap,
a shower panel comprising the fluid delivery apparatus lighting module, wherein the first portion of the fluid delivery apparatus lighting module is generally planar in at least one section thereof and is part of at least a front generally planar portion of the shower panel, and wherein the at least one light source of the fluid delivery apparatus lighting module is environmentally sealed within the shower panel,
a shower control valve system comprising the fluid delivery apparatus lighting module, wherein the first portion of the fluid delivery apparatus lighting module is generally planar in at least one section thereof and is part of at least a front portion of an escutcheon of the shower control valve system, and wherein the at least one light source of the fluid delivery apparatus lighting module is environmentally sealed within the shower control valve system,
a shower head comprising the fluid delivery apparatus lighting module, wherein the first portion of the fluid delivery apparatus lighting module is part of at least a first portion of the shower head, the first portion of the shower head having at least an exterior surface, wherein the at least one light source of the fluid delivery apparatus lighting module is environmentally sealed within the shower head, and wherein the shower head is a fixed shower head or a handheld shower head,
a fluid nozzle comprising the fluid delivery apparatus lighting module, wherein the first portion of the fluid delivery apparatus lighting module is part of at least a first portion of the fluid nozzle, the first portion of the fluid nozzle having at least an exterior surface, and wherein the at least one light source of the fluid delivery apparatus lighting module is environmentally sealed within the fluid nozzle, or
a thermostatic valve comprising the fluid delivery apparatus lighting module, wherein the first portion of the fluid delivery apparatus lighting module is part of at least a first portion of the thermostatic valve, the first portion of the thermostatic valve having

Assignees

• Motherson Innovations Co Ltd

Inventors

• Heib Sascha Björn
• Field Simon David

Classifications

• B05B1/192

  combined with features functioning other than as a support or as a portion of the fluid handling elements, e.g. audio systems, speakers or lights · CPC title

• F21V33/004 Primary

  Sanitary equipment, e.g. mirrors, showers, toilet seats or paper dispensers · CPC title

• A47K3/281

  Accessories for showers or bathing douches, e.g. cleaning devices for walls or floors of showers (A47K3/30, A47K3/38, A47K3/40 take precedence) · CPC title

• A47K7/00

  Body washing or cleaning implements · CPC title

• B05B1/18

  Roses; Shower heads · CPC title