US 11,180,907 B2 · Flow control system

Abstract

A fluid flow control system having a fluid inlet configured to be operatively coupled to a fluid source, a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the fluid inlet such that fluid may exit the system therethrough, a proximity sensor for detecting the position of an object within a region adjacent the sensor, and a flow control device configured to regulate fluid flow between the inlet and outlet in response to object detection by the sensor, wherein the flow control device varies the fluid flow proportional to the detected distance of an object from the sensor. A water flow control system for use in a shower environment is also provided, as well as a shower control system, methods for controlling water flow based on sensing of the presence and location of an object, and methods for reducing water consumption.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A fluid flow control system, comprising:

(a) a fluid inlet configured to be operatively coupled to a fluid source;
(b) a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the fluid inlet such that fluid may exit the system therethrough;
(c) a proximity sensor for detecting the presence of an object within a region adjacent the sensor;
(d) a temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of fluid flowing through the system;
and
(e) a flow control device comprising a control valve configured to regulate fluid flow between the inlet and outlet in response to object detection by the sensor;
and
wherein the system is configured to regulate fluid flow based on the sensed fluid temperature such that, when fluid is flowing through the system and the temperature of the fluid has stabilized and the presence of the object within the region adjacent the proximity sensor is not detected, fluid flow is reduced while still allowing some fluid to flow through the system.

5 more elements

A water flow control system configured for installation between a water source and a shower head in a shower installation, comprising:

(a) a water inlet adapted to be operatively coupled to the water source;
(b) a water outlet configured for delivering water to the shower head, said water outlet in fluid communication with the water inlet;
(c) a proximity sensor for detecting the presence of a bather in the shower installation;
(d) a temperature sensor for sensing water temperature;
and
(d) a flow control device configured to regulate water flow through the water outlet in response to bather detection by the proximity sensor and water temperature, wherein said flow control device comprises at least one controllable valve;
wherein the system is adapted to control water flow therethrough based on water temperature and the detected presence of the bather, such that water flow through the system is reduced when the temperature of water flowing through the system is stable and the presence of the bather is not detected, while still allowing some water to flow through the system.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

16/544,693Filed 19 Aug 2019 · continuation

Priority

25 May 2010

Published

US 2019/0368170 A15 Dec 2019

Granted

23 Nov 2021

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification16 codes

E03C 1/02
Domestic plumbing installations for fresh water or waste water; Sinks: plumbing installations for fresh water
E03C 1/0408
Water-basin installations specially adapted to wash-basins or baths: water installations especially for showers
E03C 1/057
Electrical control devices, e.g. with push buttons, control panels or the like: touchless, i.e. using sensors
F16K 3/08
In the form of closure plates arranged between supply and discharge passages: with circular plates rotatable around their centres

Family

Application61/348,000Us provisional application · filed 25 May 2010

Application13/115,971Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 25 May 2011

PCT/US2012/039722Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 25 May 2012

Application61/732,276Us provisional application · filed 30 Nov 2012

Application14/089,684Parent of this continuation · filed 25 Nov 2013

US 8,807,521 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 19 Aug 2014

Application15/598,742Parent of this continuation · filed 18 May 2017

US 9,657,464 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 23 May 2017

US 2019/0368170 A1Pre-grant publication · published 5 Dec 2019

US 10,385,553 B2Parent of this continuation

Application14/089,684Parent of this continuation-in-part

US 2011/0289675 A1Published application

US 2014/0076415 A1Published application

US 2017/0254054 A1Published application

US 11,180,907 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Flow control system

Life of this patent

Flow control system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17