Steam system and method
AssigneeKohler Co.
InventorDonald P. Freier
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A steam generator for a shower steam system includes a first chamber, a second chamber, and an intermediate heat transfer member. The first chamber is configured to receive water. The second chamber is configured to receive a flow of air. The intermediate heat transfer member fluidly separates the first chamber from the second chamber. The intermediate heat transfer member includes a heating element configured to generate heat energy. The intermediate heat transfer member is configured to transfer heat energy generated by the heating element to the first chamber to generate steam in the first chamber, and transfer heat energy generated by the heating element to the flow of air in the second chamber.
Claims20
A steam generator for a shower steam system, the steam generator comprising:
- a first chamber configured to receive water;
- a second chamber configured to receive a flow of air;
- and
- an intermediate heat transfer member fluidly separating the first chamber from the second chamber, the intermediate heat transfer member including a heating element configured to generate heat energy;
- wherein the intermediate heat transfer member is configured to:
- transfer heat energy generated by the heating element to the first chamber to generate steam in the first chamber, and
- transfer heat energy generated by the heating element to the flow of air in the second chamber.
A shower steam system comprising:
- a steam generator, the steam generator comprising:
- a first chamber;
- a second chamber;
- and
- an intermediate heat transfer member fluidly separating the first chamber from the second chamber, the intermediate heat transfer member including a heating element configured to generate heat energy;
- a spray nozzle in fluid communication with the first chamber, wherein the spray nozzle is configured to provide an atomized spray of water to the first chamber;
- and
- a blower in fluid communication with the second chamber, the blower configured to provide a flow of air to the second chamber;
- wherein the intermediate heat transfer member is configured to:
- transfer heat energy generated by the heating element to the atomized spray of water in the first chamber to generate steam, and
- transfer heat energy generated by the heating element to the flow of air in the second chamber to heat the flow of air.
A method of generating at least one of steam or heated air in a shower steam system, the method comprising:
- receiving, by a steam generator, a signal to produce at least one of steam or heated air, the steam generator comprising:
- a first chamber;
- a second chamber;
- and
- an intermediate heat transfer member fluidly separating the first chamber from the second chamber, the intermediate heat transfer member including a heating element;
- providing at least one of water to the first chamber or a flow of air to the second chamber in response to the received signal;
- generating, by the heating element, heat energy in response to the received signal;
- and
- transferring, by the intermediate heat transfer member, the generated heat energy to the first chamber and the second chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.