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US 7,025,077 B2Granted
Heat exchanger for instant warm water
AssigneeMasco Corporation of Indiana
InventorJohn D. Vogel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for providing heated water to a hot water supply line positioned intermediate a hot water supply and a faucet.
Claims20
A method of providing heated fluid to a faucet assembly, the method including the steps of:
- providing a hot fluid supply line fluidly coupled to a hot fluid supply;
- providing an auxiliary fluid line;
- placing the auxiliary fluid line at least partially in a reservoir of heated fluid;
- coupling the hot fluid supply line and the auxiliary fluid line to a temperature responsive valve;
- detecting a temperature of fluid within the hot fluid supply line;
- and
- drawing fluid from the auxiliary fluid line through the valve and to the faucet assembly in response to the detected temperature being below a desired temperature.
4 more elements
A faucet assembly comprising:
- a fluidway including a spout leg, a cold arm coupled to the spout leg, and a hot arm coupled to the spout leg;
- a cold fluid supply line fluidly coupled to the cold arm of the fluidway;
- a hot fluid supply line fluidly coupled to the hot arm of the fluidway;
- an auxiliary fluid line coupled to the fluidway and in thermal communication with a reservoir of heated fluid;
- at least one control valve in fluid communication with the spout leg, the at least one control valve being configured to control the flow of water from the cold arm and the hot arm to the spout leg;
- and
- a thermal regulator valve in fluid communication with the hot fluid supply line, the auxiliary fluid line, and the fluidway, the valve being configured to mix fluid from the hot fluid supply line and the auxiliary fluid line to provide a mixed water to the fluidway.
4 more elements
A faucet assembly comprising:
- a waterway including a first spout;
- an instant hot device including a reservoir of heated water and a second spout fluidly coupled to the reservoir of heated water;
- a cold water supply line fluidly coupled to the waterway;
- a hot water supply line fluidly coupled to the waterway;
- and
- an auxiliary water line fluidly coupled to the hot water supply line, auxiliary water line being at least partially located within the reservoir of heated water, wherein the auxiliary water line is in fluid communication with the first spout of the waterway.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.