Tap water powered water recirculation system
OwnerMelvyn L. Henkin, Jordan M. Labyinventors
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Abstract
A water recirculation system which derives energy from an available pressurized tap water supply to filter and return previously discharged water to a water discharge device. A system embodiment includes a shower head and a tap water powered pump for returning water discharged from the shower head to the pump for mixing with the supplied tap water for delivery to the shower head inlet.
Claims55
A water recirculation system for use with a source of tap water and a water discharge device mounted about a drain opening, said system comprising;
- pooling means positioned relative to said discharge device to collect water discharged therefrom to form a water pool;
- pump means having a supply inlet, a suction inlet, and a discharge outlet, said pump means being responsive to tap water supplied by said source to said supply inlet for producing a suction at said suction inlet sufficient to draw water into said pump means for discharge with said supplied tap water through said discharge outlet;
- means for coupling said suction inlet to said pool for drawing water therefrom;
- means for coupling said discharge outlet to said discharge device;
- and
- filter means for filtering water returned from said pool prior to being discharged through said discharge outlet.
A shower water delivery system for use in a shower stall or bathtub having a tap water supply pipe, said system comprising:
- a tap water powered pump including a supply inlet coupled to said tap water supply pipe, a discharge outlet coupled to a shower head, an internal passageway coupling said supply inlet to said discharge outlet, and a suction inlet opening into said internal passageway;
- said pump including means responsive to tape water supplied to said supply inlet for producing a suction at said suction inlet;
- and
- means coupled to said suction inlet for returning water discharged from said shower head to said suction inlet for mixing said returned water with said supplied tap water in said internal passageway for discharge of the resulting mixture through said discharge outlet.
A shower water delivery system for use in a stall or bathtub shower installation having a tap water supply pipe, a floor including a drain opening, and a shower head mounted above said floor to discharge water toward said opening, said system comprising:
- water pooling means mounted proximate to said floor for limiting the flow rate of water into said drain opening to form a water pool;
- and
- recirculation means for continuously recirculating at least a portion of the water in said pool for discharge through said shower head, said recirculation means including:
- pump means having a supply inlet coupled to said supply pipe, a discharge outlet coupled to said shower head, and a suction inlet coupled to said pool,
- said pump means being responsive to tap water supplied to said supply inlet for drawing water from said pool and discharging a mixture of supplied tap water and drawn pool water through said shower head.
A shower arm assembly for use in a water recirculation system, said assembly comprising:
- pipe means having an open first end for coupling to a tap water supply pipe, an open send end for coupling to a shower head, an internal passageway coupling said first and second ends, and an intermediate opening for coupling to a pool of water discharged from said shower head;
- pump means mounted in said pipe means, said pump means being responsive to tap water supplied to said first end for producing a suction at said intermediate opening for drawing water from said pool into said internal passageway for discharging a mixture of supplied tap water and drawn pool water from said second end;
- and
- unidirectional flow means mounted in said pipe means proximate to said first end for preventing water flow out of said first end.
A drain adapter for use proximate a drain opening in the floor of a shower stall or bathtub for pooling water discharged from a shower head, said adapter comprising:
- a housing defining a pool water inlet and a suction outlet;
- a dam wall means mounted in said housing for surrounding said drain opening and restricting water flow thereto to thereby pool water in said housing;
- and
- filter means mounted in said housing between said pool water inlet and said suction outlet.
The adapter of claim 44 including means defining an overflow path to said drain opening for limiting the height of said pool.
A drain adapter for use proximate a drain opening in the floor of a shower stall or bathtub for pooling water discharged from a shower head, said adapter comprising:
- a housing defining a pool water inlet and a suction outlet;
- dam wall means mounted in said housing for surrounding said drain opening and restricting water flow thereto to thereby pool water in said housing;
- said housing comprising a substantially flat mat-like structure including a top surface upon which a user can readily stand.
A method of delivering water from a tap water source to a water discharge device so as to discharge a greater flow rate from the discharge device than is taken from the tap water source, said method comprising the concurrent steps of:
- forming a pool of water as it is being discharged from said discharge device;
- supplying tap water from said source to a pump to produce a suction at a suction inlet of said pump;
- coupling said suction inlet to said pool to draw water from said pool into said pump while water is concurrently being discharged from said discharge device;
- and
- delivering from said pump to said water discharge device a flow comprising the water supplied from said tap water source and the water drawn from said pool.
The method of 48 including the further step of:
- filtering said water drawn from said pool prior to discharging it from said discharge device.
A method of delivering water from a tap water source to a shower head so as to discharge a greater flow rate from the shower head than is taken from the tap water source, said method comprising the current steps of:
- supplying tap water from said source to a pump to produce a suction for drawing water discharged from said shower head to a suction inlet of said pump;
- delivering a water flow to said shower head comprised of said tap water supplied to said pump and said water drawn to said suction inlet;
- and
- mixing the tap water supplied to said pump with the water drawn to said suction inlet to form said flow delivered to said shower head.
A method of delivering water from a tap water source to a shower head so as to discharge a greater flow rate from the shower head than is taken from the tap water source, said method comprising the current steps of:
- supplying tap water from said source to a pump to produce a suction for drawing water discharged from said shower head to a suction inlet of said pump;
- delivering a water flow to said shower head comprised of said tap water supplied to said pump and said water drawn to said suction inlet;
- and
- forming a pool of water discharged from said shower head;
- and wherein
- said step of coupling comprises communicating said suction inlet with said pool.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.