GB2322717A - Bath-water temperature regulation - Google Patents

Abstract

A bath-water temperature regulating device 2 comprises inlet valve means 26,28, temperature sensing means (52,Fig.1) and means for controlling the flow through said inlet valve means to regulate the temperature of the water filling the bath. The level of the water may be sensed and controlled and the discharge of water via valved plug 40 may also be controlled.

Description

Bathwater Regulator The present invention relates to a device for regulating the temperature of bath-water.

It is commonly recognised to be a difficult task to fill a bath with water to precisely the required temperature.

Where separate hot and cold water faucets supply the bath, it is necessary to continually check the temperature of the partially filled bath to ensure that the correct proportions of hot and cold water are supplied. An isolated hot water supply also constitutes a considerable safety hazard, particularly to the elderly and to young children.

A marginal improvement upon this arrangement is provided by having a single water faucet supplying a mixture of hot and cold water. However, there still remains an inherent danger of scolding where the relative proportions of hot and cold water are initially adjusted. Also, the temperature of the hot water supply often varies, there often being an abrupt change in temperature, for example as cold water is drawn off at a different outlet.

A further disadvantage of existing arrangements is that a bath left running through negligence will waste valuable hot water via the overflow drain. More significantly, should that drain be inadequate to dispel a sufficient volume of water, the bath may overflow, with perhaps catastrophic consequences.

A further consideration is that, having run a bath, the temperature of the bath-water will gradually diminish over time. A person may therefore wish to 'top-up' the bath-water with additional hot water. In order to do so without risking an overflow of bath-water, it is necessary to partially drain the existing water. For reasons of convenience, it would be desirable to provide means for automatically performing this process so as to continuously regulate the temperature of a filled bath without risk of an overflow.

I have now devised a regulating device which overcomes, in its various embodiments, each of the above-mentioned limitations of existing arrangements.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a bath-water temperature regulating device comprising inlet valve means, temperature sensing means and means for controlling the flow through said inlet valve means to regulate the output of said temperature sensing means.

Preferably the inlet valve means comprises first and second inlet valve means for connecting to hot and cold water supplies respectively.

Preferably the temperature sensing means comprises a first sensor for sensing the temperature of the water supplied through the device and/or a second sensor for sensing the temperature of the water contained in the bath.

Preferably the device is adapted to be fitted to the existing faucet or faucets of a bath.

Preferably the control means comprises means for manually selecting a desired bath-water temperature.

Preferably the control means comprises a display means for displaying actual or required temperatures.

Preferably the device comprises means for detecting the level of bath-water. Preferably the control means are arranged to regulate the depth of bath-water in response to an output from the detecting means.

Preferably the device comprises drainage valve means for discharging water from the bath. Preferably the control means are arranged to regulate the rate of discharge of bathwater through said drainage valve means. Preferably the drainage valve means are adapted to be fitted to the existing drainage outlet of a bath.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an illustration of a device according to the present invention connected to the fittings of a conventional bath; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the arrangement of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a partial cross-section through the arrangement of Figure 1.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, a bathwater temperature regulating device 2 is connected via conduits 4 and 6 to hot and cold water supply faucets 8 and 10 respectively. The free ends of the conduits 4 and 6 are pushed over the faucets and are secured in place by means of respective clips 12 and 14 e.g. Jubilee clips. The main body of the device 2 is firmly attached to the bath wall 16 by means of a pneumatic suction pad 18 on its rear.

The device comprises an interface 20 having a display 22 and data entry elements 24 (in the form of increment and decrement keys), by means of which a desired bath-water temperature may be entered into the device and the actual temperature of either the supply water or that of the filled bath may be displayed.

Control means contained within the device act to regulate the bath-water temperature by controlling the relative flow through each of the conduits 4 and 6 via respective motorised valves 26 and 28. In Figure 3 each motorised valve can be seen to comprise a motor 30 the toothed projecting shaft 32 of which drives the toothed rack 34 of a valve gate 36. By advancing or reversing the gate, the flow rate of water through its respective conduit may be varied. In Figure 3, the gate associated with conduit 4 is shown retracted so that the passage through that conduit is fully open, whereas the gate associated with conduit 6 is shown extended so that the passage through that conduit is fully closed.

A shaft 38 extends downwards from the main body of the device, and carries at its end a valve 40, illustrated in perspective in Figure 3. The valve comprises an outer body 42 having an external profile corresponding to that of the existing drain aperture 44 into which it fits to form a seal.

In operation, the control means embodied within the temperature regulating device may cause the shaft to rotate to turn an inner part 46 of the valve and thereby open channels 48 and 50 in the valve body 42, through which bath-water may drain.

Sensing means 52 are provided towards the base of the main body of the device 2 to sense when the bath-water reaches that level. The control means of the device then operate valves 26 and 28 to prevent further water from entering the bath. The sensing means 52 also provide an output which may be used to regulate the temperature of the filled bath as detailed below.

In use, the control means act to supply water at the required temperature (as input via the interface 20) until the level of the bath-water reaches that of the sensing means 52.

The temperature of the filled bath is then monitored by the control means, and where it deviates by more than a given amount from the desired temperature, a quantity of bath-water is drained via drainage valve 40 to be replaced by a corresponding volume of hot water from the supply. Thus the temperature level of the bath-water is maintained substantially constant.

Having finished bathing, a depression of button 54 causes the drainage valve to be opened and the entire contents of the bath to be drained.

The device thus described therefore provides a safe and efficient means for filling a bath with water of a required temperature and to maintain the water of a filled bath at a substantially constant temperature.

Claims (12)

Claims

1) A bath-water temperature regulating device comprising inlet valve means, temperature sensing means and means for controlling the flow through said inlet valve means to regulate the output of said temperature sensing means.

2) A bath-water temperature regulating device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said inlet valve means comprises first and second inlet valve means for connecting to hot and cold water supplies respectively.

3) A bath-water temperature regulating device as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein said temperature sensing means comprises a first sensor for sensing the temperature of the water supplied through the device and/or a second sensor for sensing the temperature of the water contained in the bath.

3) A bath-water temperature regulating device as claimed in any preceding claim, adapted to be fitted to the existing faucet or faucets of a bath.

4) A bath-water temperature regulating device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said control means comprises display means for displaying the temperature of the bath-water.

5) A bath-water temperature regulating device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said control means comprises means for manually selecting a desired bath-water temperature.

6) A bath-water temperature regulating device as claimed in Claim 5, wherein said control means comprises display means for displaying said desired bath-water temperature.

7) A bath-water temperature regulating device as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising means for detecting the level of bath-water.

8) A bath-water temperature regulating device as claimed in Claim 7, wherein said control means are arranged to regulate the depth of bath-water in response to an output from said detecting means.

9) A bath-water temperature regulating device as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising drainage valve means for discharging water from the bath.

10) A bath-water temperature regulating device as claimed in Claim 9, wherein said control means are arranged to regulate the rate of discharge of bath-water through said drainage valve means.

11) A bath-water temperature regulating device as claimed in Claim 9 or Claim 10, wherein said drainage valve means are adapted to be fitted to the existing drainage outlet of a bath.

12) A bath-water temperature regulating device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.