Recirculating shower system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12180692-B2
Application number	US-202117364284-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2021
Priority date	Jul 1, 2020
Publication date	Dec 31, 2024
Grant date	Dec 31, 2024

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a recirculating shower system. The recirculating shower system may include a first shower outlet and a second shower outlet. The recirculating shower system may include a fresh water conduit fluidly coupled to the first shower outlet and a recirculated fluid conduit fluidly coupled to the second shower outlet. The fresh water conduit and the recirculated fluid conduit may be arranged such that warmer fresh water flowing through the fresh water conduit may heat cooler recirculated fluid flowing through the recirculated fluid conduit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A recirculating shower system, comprising:
a first shower outlet;
a second shower outlet;
a fresh water conduit fluidly coupled to the first shower outlet; and
a recirculated fluid conduit fluidly coupled to the second shower outlet;
wherein the fresh water conduit and the recirculated fluid conduit are arranged such that warmer fresh water flowing through the fresh water conduit may heat cooler recirculated fluid flowing through the recirculated fluid conduit;
wherein:
when the recirculated fluid enters the recirculated fluid conduit, the recirculated fluid is a first temperature;
when the recirculated fluid exits the recirculated fluid conduit via the second shower outlet, the recirculated fluid is a second temperature;
the first temperature is relatively cooler as compared to the second temperature; and
the first temperature increases in temperature to the second temperature as the recirculated fluid travels through the recirculated fluid conduit; and

wherein heat exchange is promoted by either:
a portion of the fresh water conduit enclosing a portion of the recirculated fluid conduit, such that fluid flowing through the portion of the fresh water conduit directly contacts the portion of the recirculated fluid conduit such that heat is exchanged between the fresh water and the recirculated fluid; or
a portion of the recirculated fluid conduit enclosing a portion of the fresh water conduit, such that fluid flowing through the portion of the recirculated fluid conduit directly contacts the portion of the fresh water conduit such that heat is exchanged between the fresh water and the recirculated fluid.

2. The recirculating shower system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first shower outlet is positioned on a first showerhead; and
the second shower outlet is positioned on a second showerhead.

3. The recirculating shower system of claim 1 , wherein the first shower outlet and the second shower outlet are positioned on a single showerhead.

4. The recirculating shower system of claim 1 , further comprising an ozone generator operably coupled to the fresh water conduit.

5. The recirculating shower system of claim 1 , comprising:
a shower control system configured to switch the second shower outlet between a first operating mode and a second operating mode; and
wherein the second shower outlet is configured to dispense the recirculated fluid in the first operating mode but not in the second operating mode.

6. The recirculating shower system of claim 5 , wherein the shower control system is configured to receive a user input to switch between the first operating mode and the second operating mode.

7. The recirculating shower system of claim 5 , wherein the recirculating shower system is configured to provide the recirculated fluid at a first flow rate and the fresh water conduit is configured to provide the fresh water at a second flow rate that is less than the first flow rate.

8. A recirculating shower system, comprising:
a first fluid chamber fluidly coupled to a first shower outlet;
a second fluid chamber fluidly coupled to a second shower outlet;
a receptacle operably coupled to the first shower outlet and the second shower outlet and configured to collect fluid dispensed from the first shower outlet and the second shower outlet;
a recirculated fluid conduit operably coupled to the receptacle and configured to provide the collected fluid to the first fluid chamber;
a fresh fluid conduit fluidly coupled to the second fluid chamber and configured to provide a fresh fluid to the second fluid chamber;
wherein the first shower outlet is configured to dispense the collected fluid;
wherein the second shower outlet is configured to dispense the fresh fluid;
wherein the first fluid chamber is separate from the second fluid chamber;
wherein the recirculated fluid conduit and the fresh fluid conduit are arranged such that warmer fresh fluid flowing through the fresh fluid conduit may heat cooler collected fluid flowing through the recirculated fluid conduit;
wherein:
when the collected fluid enters the recirculated fluid conduit, the collected fluid is a first temperature;
when the collected fluid exits the recirculated fluid conduit via the second shower outlet, the collected fluid is a second temperature;
the first temperature is relatively cooler as compared to the second temperature; and
the first temperature increases in temperature to the second temperature as the collected fluid travels through the recirculated fluid conduit; and

wherein heat exchange is promoted by either:
a portion of the fresh fluid conduit enclosing a portion of the recirculated fluid conduit, such that fluid flowing through the portion of the fresh fluid conduit directly contacts the portion of the recirculated fluid conduit such that heat is exchanged between the fresh fluid and the collected fluid; or
a portion of the recirculated fluid conduit enclosing a portion of the fresh fluid conduit, such that fluid flowing through the portion of the recirculated fluid conduit directly contacts the portion of the fresh water conduit such that heat is exchanged between the fresh fluid and the collected fluid.

9. The recirculating shower system of claim 8 , comprising a heat exchanger configured to exchange heat between relatively hot fluid within the fresh fluid conduit and relatively cool fluid collected within the receptacle.

10. The recirculating shower system of claim 8 , comprising an ozone generator operably coupled to the fresh fluid conduit.

11. The recirculating shower system of claim 8 , further comprising a shower control system configured to switch the first shower outlet between a first operating mode in which the collected fluid is dispensed and a second operating mode in which the collected fluid is not dispensed.

12. The recirculating shower system of claim 11 , wherein the shower control system is configured to receive a user input to switch between the first operating mode and the second operating mode.

13. The recirculating shower system of claim 8 , wherein:
the first shower outlet is positioned on a first showerhead; and
the second shower outlet is positioned on a second showerhead.

14. The recirculating shower system of claim 8 , wherein the first shower outlet and the second shower outlet are positioned on a single showerhead.

15. The recirculating shower system of claim 8 , wherein the system is configured to provide the collected fluid at a first flow rate and the fresh fluid conduit is configured to provide the fresh fluid at a second flow rate that is less than the first flow rate.

16. A recirculating shower system, comprising:
a showerhead including a plurality of outlets;
a receptacle operably coupled to the showerhead and configured to collect fluid dispensed from the plurality of outlets;
a first fluid conduit fluidly coupled to a first outlet of the plurality of outlets;
a second fluid conduit fluidly coupled to the receptacle and to a second outlet of the plurality of outlets;
a heat exchanger wherein the first fluid conduit is configured to provide fresh fluid to the first outlet;
wherein the second fluid conduit is configured to provide recirculated fluid to the second outlet;
wherein the heat exchanger is configured to exchange heat between the relatively hot fresh fluid from the first fluid conduit and the relatively cool recirculated fluid from the second fluid conduit;
wherein:
when the recirculated fluid enters the second fluid conduit, the recirculated fluid is a first temperature;
when the recirculated fluid exits t

Assignees

• Kohler Mira Ltd

Inventors

• Sansum Nigel
• Peel Kevin
• Fitton Craig
• Whitfield Robin

Classifications

• E03B1/041

  Greywater supply systems · CPC title

• E03B2001/045

  using household water · CPC title

• E03C1/00

  Domestic plumbing installations for fresh water or waste water; Sinks {(work tops A47B77/022)} · CPC title

• E03C2001/005

  Installations allowing recovery of heat from waste water for warming up fresh water · CPC title

• Y02A20/148

  using household water from wash basins or showers · CPC title