Disability shower with air purge system

A shower unit for washing a human user, the shower unit comprising:

• a) a water source;
• b) a water delivery system connected to said water source, said water delivery system including a main water line and a plurality of parallel branches coming off of said main water line, each said branch having at least one output nozzle;
• c) a compressed air source;
• d) for each said branch, a respective air operated branch valve controlling flow through the respective branch, each said air operated valve in selective communication with said compressed air source;
• e) a main valve operable to shut off flow from said water source to said main water line;
• f) a purge line connecting said compressed air source to said main water line;
• and
• g) a purge valve controlling air flow through said purge line;
• wherein:
• h) with said main valve closed and said purge valve open, said branch valves may be opened one at a time to allow compressed air to flow through the respective branch and purge any water in said respective branch through the respective at least one output nozzle.

A method of purging water from a shower unit after use, the shower unit having a water system comprising a main water line dividing into a plurality of parallel branches, each branch terminating in at least one respective output nozzle and flow through each branch controlled by a respective branch valve, the output nozzles positioned at varying heights, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) shutting off water flow into the main water line;
• b) introducing compressed air into the main water line at a selected purge pressure;
• c) opening one of the branch valves while keeping the remainder of the branch valves closed and allowing the compressed air to force any water in the respective branch out through the respective at least one output nozzle;
• d) closing the previously opened branch valve;
• e) repeating said opening and closing steps for each branch valve in the shower unit until all but one of the branches have been purged of water;
• f) opening the last branch valve while keeping the remainder of the branch valves closed and allowing the compressed air to force any water in the respective branch out through the respective at least one output nozzle;
• and
• g) shutting off the flow of compressed air entering the main water supply line while keeping the last branch valve open and allowing air pressure in said main water line to drop below a preselected shut-down pressure;
• wherein
• h) said opening and closing steps begin with the branch valve controlling the branch with the highest positioned at least one output nozzle and proceed downwardly such that the last branch valve is the branch valve controlling the branch with the lowest positioned at least one output nozzle.

A method of purging water from a shower unit after use, the shower unit having a water system comprising a main water line dividing into a plurality of parallel branches, and means for introducing a cleaning agent into the water system, each branch terminating in at least one respective output nozzle and flow through each branch controlled by a respective branch valve, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) after a cleaning agent has been introduced into the water system, shutting off flow of cleaning agents into the water system;
• b) with water flowing into said main water line, opening one of the branch valves while keeping the remainder of the branch valves closed and allowing incoming water to rinse any cleaning agent in the respective branch out through the respective at least one output nozzle;
• c) closing the previously opened branch valve;
• d) repeating said steps of opening and closing the branch valves with water flowing into the main water line for each branch valve in the shower unit until all of the branches have been rinsed of cleaning agent;
• e) after all of the branches have been rinsed of cleaning agent, shutting off water flow into the main water line;
• f) introducing compressed air into the main water line at a selected purge pressure;
• g) opening one of the branch valves while keeping the remainder of the branch valves closed and allowing the compressed air to force any water in the respective branch out through the respective at least one output nozzle;
• h) closing the previously opened branch valve;
• i) repeating said opening and closing steps for each branch valve in the shower unit until all but one of the branches have been purged of water;
• j) opening the last branch valve while keeping the remainder of the branch valves closed and allowing the compressed air to force any water in the respective branch out through the respective at least one output nozzle;
• and
• k) shutting off the flow of compressed air entering the main water supply line while keeping the last branch valve open and allowing air pressure in said main water line to drop below a preselected shut-down pressure.