Water flow detection system for a bathing unit

A control system for regulating water temperature a bathing unit, the bathing unit including a receptacle for holding water, said control system comprising:

• a) a heating module including:
• i) a body defining a passage through which water can flow;
• ii) a heating device operative for heating the water that flows through said body, the heating device being adapted for acquiring a heating state and a non-heating state;
• b) a thermal element mounted in thermally conductive communication with water flowing through the body of said heating module;
• c) a heating module controller for controlling activation of the heating device, said heating module controller being operative for performing a water flow sufficiency detection process comprising:
• i) obtaining a first temperature measurement associated with the thermal element, the first temperature measurement being distinct from a water temperature associated to the water that flows through the body of the heating module;
• ii) activating the thermal element to cause it to acquire a certain temperature condition for a predetermined time interval;
• iii) deactivating the thermal element following the predetermined time interval;
• iv) obtaining a subsequent temperature measurement associated with the thermal element, the subsequent temperature measurement:
• 1. being taken a certain time interval after deactivating the thermal element;
• and
• 2. being distinct from a water temperature associated to the water that flows through the body of the heating module;
• v) processing the first temperature measurement and the subsequent temperature measurement to derive information associated to a sufficiency of water flow through the heating module;
• vi) causing the heating device to acquire a selected one of the heating state and the non-heating state based at least in part on the information associated to the sufficiency of water flow derived in step v).

A control system for a bathing unit, said control system comprising:

• a) a heating module including:
• i) a body defining a passage through which water can flow;
• ii) a heating device operative for heating the water that flows through said body, the heating device being adapted for acquiring a heating state and a non-heating state;
• b) a temperature sensing entity mounted in thermally conductive communication with water flowing through said body, said temperature sensing entity including a unitary thermal component:
• ii) providing information associated to a measure of temperature of said temperature sensing entity, said measure of temperature being distinct from water temperature information associated to the water that flows through the body of said heating module;
• c) a heating module controller operative for:
• i) activating and deactivating said temperature sensing entity to obtain temperature information associated with said temperature sensing entity;
• ii) processing the temperature information associated with said temperature sensing entity to derive information associated to a sufficiency of water flow through the body of said heating module;
• iii) causing the heating device to acquire a selected one of the heating state and the non-heating state based at least in part on the information associated to the sufficiency of water flow derived in ii).

A control system for a bathing unit, said control system comprising:

• a) heating means including a body defining a passage through which water can flow, said heating means being operative for heating the water that flows through said body, said heating means being adapted for acquiring a heating state and a non-heating state;
• b) a temperature sensing entity mounted in thermally conductive communication with water flowing through said body, said temperature sensing entity including a unitary thermal component:
• ii) providing information associated to a measure of temperature of said temperature sensing entity;
• c) means for activating and deactivating said temperature sensing entity to obtain temperature information associated with said temperature sensing entity, said temperature information being distinct from water temperature information associated to the water that flows through the body of said heating module;
• d) means for processing the temperature information associated with said temperature sensing entity to derive information associated to a sufficiency of water flow through the body of said heating means;
• e) means for causing the heating device to acquire a selected one of the heating state and the non-heating state based at least in part on the information associated to the sufficiency of water flow derived in d).

A computer readable storage medium including a program element suitable for execution by a computing apparatus for measuring a sufficiency of water flow through a heating module for a bathing unit, the heating module having a body defining a passage through which water can flow and a heating device for heating the water that flows through the body, the heating device being adapted for acquiring a heating state and a non-heating state, said computing apparatus comprising:

• a) a memory unit;
• b) a processor operatively connected to said memory unit, said program element when executing on said processor being operative for:
• i) obtaining a first temperature measurement associated with a thermal element mounted in thermally conductive communication with water flowing through the body of said heating module, the first temperature measurement being distinct from a water temperature associated to the water that flows through the body of the heating module;
• ii) activating the thermal element to cause it to acquire a certain temperature condition for a predetermined time interval;
• iii) deactivating the thermal element following the predetermined tune interval;
• iv) obtaining a subsequent temperature measurement associated with the thermal element, the subsequent temperature measurement:
• 1. being taken a certain time interval after deactivating the thermal element;
• and
• 2. being distinct from a water temperature associated to the water that flows through the body of the heating module;
• v) processing the first temperature measurement and the subsequent temperature measurement to derive information associated to a sufficiency of water flow through the heating module;
• vi) causing the heating device to acquire a selected one of the heating state and the non-heating state based at least in part on the information associated to the sufficiency of water flow derived in step v).

A control system for a bathing unit, said control system comprising:

• a) heating means including a body defining a passage through which water can flow, said heating means being operative for heating the water that flows through said body;
• b) thermal means in thermally conductive communication with water flowing through said body;
• c) controller means operative for:
• i) obtaining temperature information associated with said thermal means for detecting at least in part on a basis of said temperature information the sufficiency of water flow through said body, said temperature information associated with said thermal means being distinct from water temperature associated to water flowing through the body of said heating means;
• ii) causing said heating means to acquire a selected one of a heating state and a non-heating state based at least in part on the temperature information associated with said thermal means.