IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
UP-0220343
(2008-07-24)
|
등록번호 |
US-7707665
(2010-06-03)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
6 인용 특허 :
18 |
초록
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A shower water conservation apparatus (10) that conserves the shower water by storing the initially cooled water that is produced by a hot water source (124). The initially cooled water is routed by a series of pipes and timed valves into a water reservoir assembly (19), such as a bellows (20), wher
A shower water conservation apparatus (10) that conserves the shower water by storing the initially cooled water that is produced by a hot water source (124). The initially cooled water is routed by a series of pipes and timed valves into a water reservoir assembly (19), such as a bellows (20), where the water is stored for later use. The cooled water from the bellows (20) is timely released and mixed with flow of cold water from a cold water source (126). The mixed cold water is further mixed with the now hot water from the hot water source (124) before the mixed hot and cold water is manually regulated and applied through a shower head (122).
대표청구항
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The invention claimed is: 1. A shower water conversation apparatus (SWCA) that functions in combination with a hot water source (124), a cold-water source (126), a manual hot-water valve (V5), a manual cold-water valve (V6) and a shower head (122), said SWCA comprising: a) a water reservoir enclosu
The invention claimed is: 1. A shower water conversation apparatus (SWCA) that functions in combination with a hot water source (124), a cold-water source (126), a manual hot-water valve (V5), a manual cold-water valve (V6) and a shower head (122), said SWCA comprising: a) a water reservoir enclosure (12) that includes an integral lower section (13) having a water inlet/outlet port bore (14), and an upper surface (15) to which is attached a cover (16) having an upper surface (17) and a lower surface (18), wherein said water reservoir enclosure is fabricated of a thermoplastic material, b) a water reservoir assembly (19) comprising: (1) a bellows (20) that is located within said water reservoir enclosure (12), and that has an upper surface (22) and a lower surface (24) having attached thereto a water inlet/outlet port (26) that extends outward from the water inlet/outlet port bore (14) located on the lower section (13) of said water reservoir enclosure (12), wherein said bellows is fabricated from a material selected from the group consisting of silicone-fiberglass, neoprene-coated nylon, neoprene-latex and polyurethane, wherein said bellows has a square or a rectangular shape, (2) an upper spring attachment plate (28) that interfaces with the lower surface (18) of the cover (16), (3) a lower spring attachment plate (29) that interfaces with the upper surface (22) of said bellows (20), (4) at least one spring (30) that is attached between the upper spring attachment plate (28) and the lower spring attachment plate (29), wherein when water is not flowing into said bellows (20) the compressive force of the at least one spring (30) maintains said bellows (20) in a compressed configuration conversely, when water flows into said bellows (20) the pressure of the water overcomes the compressive force of the at least one spring (30) allowing said bellows (20) to expand and fill with water, c) a coiled pipe (32) having an upper port (34) that is attached to the water inlet/outlet port (16) that extends outward from the lower section (13) of said water reservoir enclosure (12), said coiled pipe (32) also having a lower port (36) that is attached an upper port (40) of a T-section (38) further having a side port (42), and a lower port (44), wherein said coiled pipe (32) is further comprised of a plurality of pipes, wherein the plurality is a function of the space available to install said SWCA, wherein said coiled pipe is further comprised of a continuously coiled, clear flexible thermoplastic resin material having a nominal diameter ranging from 0.375-inches to 0.5-inches (0.95 cm to 1.27 cm), d) a first vertical pipe (48) having: (1) a lower port (49) that is attached to the hot-water source (124), (2) an outlet port (50) that is attached to the side port (42) on the T-section (38), (3) a T-section (51) having a side port (52), an upper port (53) and a lower port (54), (4) a T-section (55) having a side port (56), and (5) a first solenoid valve (V1) that is connected in series between the upper port (53) and the outlet port (50), e) a first horizontal pipe (60) having: (1) an inlet port (62) that is attached to the side port (52) that is located on the first vertical pipe (48), (2) an outlet port (64) that is attached to an upper port (68) of a T-section (66) further having a lower outlet port (70) and a side port (72), and (3) a second solenoid valve (V2) and a first turbine (T1) that are each connected in series between the inlet port (62) and the outlet port (64), f) a second horizontal pipe (76) having: (1) an inlet port (78) that is attached to the second side port (56) that is located on the first vertical pipe (48), (2) an outlet port (80) that is attached to the side port (72) that is located on the T-section (66), (3) a manual hot-water valve (V5) that is connected in series between the inlet port (78) and the outlet port (80), g) a second vertical pipe (84) having: (1) an inlet/outlet port (86) that is attached to the lower port (44) of the T-section (38), (2) a lower outlet port (88) that is located on a T-section (82), (3) a first side port (90) that is located on T-section (91), (4) a second side port (92) that is located on the T-section (82), (5) a third solenoid valve (V3) that is connected in series with a water pump (P1), wherein both the third solenoid valve (V3) and the pump (P1) are connected in series between the inlet/outlet port (86) and the side port (90), and (6) a second turbine (T2) that is connected in series between the T-section (82) and the T-section (91), h) a third vertical pipe (94) having: (1) a cold-water inlet port (96) that is attached to the cold water source (126), (2) a third horizontal pipe (102) having an outlet port (104) that is attached to the side port (90) located on the T-section (91), (3) a fourth solenoid valve (V4) that is connected in series between the cold water inlet port (96) and the outlet port (104), wherein said first solenoid valve, said second solenoid valve, said third solenoid valve and said fourth solenoid valve (V1-V4) are comprised of solenoid-operated gate or ball valves, (4) a fourth horizontal pipe (106) having an outlet port (108) that is attached to the second side port (92) located on the T-section (82) and an inlet port (110) that is attached to a side inlet port (98) located on the third vertical pipe (94), wherein said vertical and horizontal pipes are made of a material selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride a thermoplastic resin and polystyrene, and (5) a manually controlled manual cold-water valve (V6) that is connected in series between the inlet port (110), and the outlet port (108), i) a wye-pipe fitting (112) having: (1) a hot-water inlet port (114) that is attached to the lower outlet port (70) located on the T-section (66), (2) a cold-water inlet port (116) that is attached to the lower outlet port (88) located on the T-section (82), and (3) a vertical pipe (118) having an upper end that integrally intersects the wye-pipe fitting (112), and a lower end having an outlet port (120) that attaches to the shower head (122), j) a timing circuit (130) having means for sequentially controlling the open and closed cycles of said first solenoid valve, said second solenoid valve, said third solenoid valve, and said fourth solenoid valve (V1-V4) and the on and off periods of said first water pump (P1), k) a power supply (140) having means for supplying a voltage/current to operate said first solenoid valve, said second solenoid valve, said third solenoid valve, and said fourth solenoid valve (V1-V4) and said water pump (P1) and said timing circuit (130), wherein when said third solenoid valve (V3) is open, the water stored in the bellows (20) is allowed to flow out of the water inlet/outlet port (26) into the coiled pipe (32), said first water pump (P1), said second turbine (T2) and out of the shower head (122), wherein the water pressure is provided by a combination of forces provided by said at least one spring (30) and gravity, wherein said power supply further comprises: a) an input circuit comprising a utility power source that provides 120 volts a-c, at a frequency from 50-60 Hertz, b) a step-down power transformer having a primary winding that is connected to the input circuit and a secondary winding that supplies 24 volts a-c, at a frequency from 50 to 60 Hertz that is connected to said timing circuit, said first solenoid valve, said second solenoid valve, said third solenoid valve, and said fourth solenoid valve (V1-V4) and to said water pump (P1), and a temperature gauge that is located in series with the vertical pipe that extends from the bottom of the wye fitting.
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