US20230183951A1

US20230183951A1 - Sanitary device having at least one dispenser for a liquid

Info

Publication number: US20230183951A1
Application number: US18/062,909
Authority: US
Inventors: Thilo Finkeldei; Andreas Jung
Original assignee: Grohe AG
Current assignee: Grohe AG
Priority date: 2021-12-09
Filing date: 2022-12-07
Publication date: 2023-06-15
Also published as: EP4194628A1; DE102021132418A1

Abstract

A sanitary device (1), comprising:at least one dispenser (2, 3) for a liquid;a basin (4) having a waste (5) for the liquid, anda first thermostat (6) to which at least part of the liquid discharged via the waste (5) can be supplied as circulating liquid, wherein the first thermostat (6) can be used to mix warm water or cold water to the circulating liquid to form a temperature-controlled circulating liquid, and wherein the temperature-controlled circulating liquid can be supplied to the at least one dispenser (2, 3).

Description

This application claims priority to German Patent Application No. 102021132418.1 filed Dec. 9, 2021, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
This invention relates to a sanitary device, which can be used in particular by persons in sanitary rooms, such as bathrooms, for showering, bathing and/or personal hygiene.
The use of sanitary devices, such as showers or bathtubs, can result in high water consumption. For this reason, sanitary devices are known, in which at least part of the used water can be returned to the sanitary devices to reuse the used water. In this case, a drop in temperature of the reused water has to be compensated for, for instance, by a tankless water heater or a combi gas boiler, resulting in high installation space requirements and high costs.
Therefore, the invention addresses the problem of solving at least part of the problems described with reference to the prior art and, in particular, of providing a sanitary device, which has smaller installation space requirements and is characterized by lower cost.
These problems are solved by a sanitary device according to the features of the independent claim. Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims. It will be appreciated that the features listed individually in the dependent claims may be combined in any technologically useful manner and define further embodiments of the invention. In addition, the features indicated in the claims are further specified and explained in the description, wherein further preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated.
A sanitary device having at least the characteristics listed below contributes thereto:

- at least one dispenser for a liquid;
- a basin having a waste for the liquid; and
- a first thermostat, to which at least a part of the liquid discharged via the waste can be routed as circulating liquid, wherein the first thermostat can be used to mix the circulating liquid with warm water or cold water to form a temperature-controlled circulating liquid, and wherein the temperature-controlled circulating liquid can be routed to the at least one dispenser.

The sanitary device is, in particular, a device for personal hygiene of a person. For this purpose, the sanitary device can, for instance, be designed in the manner of a shower or bathtub and/or be arranged in a sanitary room, such as a bathroom. Also, the sanitary device can be used for therapeutic applications. The sanitary device has at least one dispenser for a liquid. The at least one dispenser may be, in particular, a shower head, overhead shower, hand shower, nozzle and/or outlet opening. A liquid, in particular water, can be dispensed into (at least) one basin of the sanitary device through the at least one dispensing opening. In particular, the basin can also be designed in the manner of a shower tray or a bath tub. Furthermore, the basin can be arranged or secured in a stationary manner, for instance on the floor of a building. In particular, the basin may have (at least) one waste for the liquid at a bottom of the basin. In particular, the liquid can be routed to a public sewer system via the waste. It is possible for a single basin or waste to be assigned to multiple dispensers, but this is not mandatory.
Furthermore, the sanitary device has a first thermostat. At least part of the liquid drained via the waste can be routed to the first thermostat as circulating liquid. The circulating liquid can be routed to the first thermostat, in particular via a circulating-liquid supply line. The circulating-liquid supply line may be designed at least partially in manner of a pipe. Further, the circulating-liquid supply line may extend at least partially through a building wall and/or floor. Further, the first thermostat may have a circulating-water input for the circulating liquid. The circulating-liquid supply line may be connected to the circulating-water input of the first thermostat. The circulating liquid supplied to the first thermostat has a circulating-liquid temperature of, for instance, 20° C. (Centigrade) to 40° C. Furthermore, the circulating-liquid temperature may fluctuate. The first thermostat can be used to mix the circulating liquid with warm water and/or cold water to form a temperature-controlled circulating liquid having a desired circulating-liquid set point temperature. For this purpose, the sanitary device and/or the first thermostat can have an (electronic) control, which can be used to control a mixing ratio between the circulating liquid, the warm water and/or the cold water for the temperature-controlled circulating liquid to have the desired set temperature of the circulating liquid. By adding warm water, the first thermostat can be used to increase the circulating-liquid temperature of the circulating liquid to the set temperature of the circulating liquid and/or by adding cold water it can be used to reduce the set temperature of the circulating liquid. The warm water and/or cold water is in particular fresh water, which in particular has not yet been used by the sanitary device or has not yet been dispensed via the at least one dispenser. The desired setpoint temperature of the circulating liquid can be set by a user of the sanitary device, for instance, via an actuating element of the sanitary device and/or the first thermostat. In addition, the user of the sanitary device can set a dispensing quantity of the temperature-controlled circulating liquid via the actuating element or a further actuating element. A warm-water temperature of the warm water can in particular be a maximum of 90° C., preferably 25° C. to 90° C., particularly preferably 55° C. to 65° C., and/or a cold-water temperature of the cold water can in particular be a maximum of 25° C., preferably 1° C. to 25° C., particularly preferably 5° C. to 20° C. The circulating liquid set point temperature of the temperature-controlled circulating liquid can be, for instance, 30° C. to 50° C., preferably 35° C. to 45° C., particularly preferably 35° C. to 40° C. In addition, the first thermostat can at least partially compensate for the fluctuation of the circulating-liquid temperature of the circulating liquid supplied to the first thermostat such that the set temperature of the circulating liquid of the temperature-controlled circulating liquid fluctuates less or is (substantially) constant. The warm water can be routed to the thermostat, for instance, from a warm-water source, such as a boiler, a (private and/or local) thermal solar system or a heat pump, via a warm-water line and/or the cold water from a cold-water source, such as a building-water connection, a public water-supply network or a (private/local) well, via a cold-water line. The warm-water line and/or the cold-water line may be at least partially in manner of a pipe. Further, the warm-water line and/or the cold-water line may extend at least partially through a building wall and/or floor. The first thermostat may have a warm-water input for the warm water and/or a cold-water input for the cold water. The warm-water line may be connected to the warm water input and/or the cold-water line may be connected to the cold-water input. In addition, the first thermostat may be at least partially located in a wall or floor of the building. The temperature-controlled circulating liquid can be routed to the at least one dispenser. For this purpose, the first thermostat can be connected to the at least one dispenser (liquid-conveying) via at least one mixed-water line. The at least one liquid line can be at least partially designed in the manner of a pipe and/or hose. By mixing the circulating liquid with the warm water and/or cold water, the circulating liquid can be temperature-controlled without the need for a tankless water heater and/or a combi gas boiler, thus reducing the space required for the sanitary device and its cost.
The first mixing thermostat can be used to mix the warm water and the cold water to form water having a desired mixed-water temperature. The desired mixed-water temperature can be, for instance, 30° C. to 50° C., preferably 35° C. to 45° C., particularly preferably 35° C. to 40° C. The mixed water does not contain any circulating liquid. The first thermostat can be used to mix or produce both the temperature-controlled circulating liquid and the mixed water. The warm water and cold water can be mixed by the first thermostat to form the mixed water, particularly in a fresh water operating mode of the sanitary device or the first thermostat. In the fresh-water operating mode, in particular, the first thermostat does not mix any temperature-controlled circulating liquid and/or the at least one dispenser does not dispense any temperature-controlled circulating liquid. Mixing the temperature-controlled circulating liquid and/or discharge of the temperature-controlled circulating liquid via the at least one dispenser is in particular performed only after the sanitary device or the first thermostat has been switched to a circulating operating mode. This can be done, for instance, by controlling the sanitary device and/or the first thermostat.
The mixed water can then be routed to at least one dispenser via at least one mixed-water line.
The temperature-controlled circulating liquid can be routed to the at least one dispenser via a second mixed-water line. Thus, the mixed water and the temperature-controlled circulating liquid can be routed to the at least one dispenser via separate mixed-water lines. The second mixed-water line can be at least partially designed in the manner of a pipe and/or hose.
The first thermostat may be connected to an overflow tank. The overflow tank can be used to remove excess liquid from the sanitary device.
The overflow container may have an overflow through which excess liquid can be discharged. In particular, the overflow tank may include a receiving space for liquids that may be connected to the waste of the basin via a first waste line. In particular, the liquid can be collected in the receiving space up to a maximum liquid level. When the maximum liquid level is reached, the excess liquid can be discharged to a public sewer system via the overflow of the overflow tank and via a second waste line. After a changeover of the sanitary device or of the first thermostat to the circulation operating mode, the liquid located in the receiving space can be routed to the first thermostat as circulation liquid, in particular via the circulation-liquid supply line. For this purpose, a container discharge opening of the receiving space can be connected to the circulating-water input of the first thermostat via the circulating-liquid supply line.
A pump can be used to route the circulating liquid to the first thermostat. In particular, the pump is located in the circulating-liquid supply line. Further, the pump may be activated in the recirculation operating mode and/or deactivated in the fresh-water operating mode.
A second thermostat may be used to mix the warm water and the cold water to form mixed water having a mixed-water set-point temperature. In particular, this may mean that the sanitary device has a first thermostat and a second thermostat. Furthermore, this may mean in particular that the first thermostat cannot be used to mix the mixed water but (only) a second thermostat. The second thermostat may have a further actuating element by means, which the user of the sanitary device can use to set the desired mixed-water temperature. Thus, the mixed-water set-point temperature can be set independently of the circulating-liquid set-point temperature.
The mixed water can then be routed to at least one dispenser via at least one mixed-water line. In particular, the mixed water can be routed to the at least one dispenser via a first mixed-water line and the temperature-controlled circulating liquid can be routed to the at least one dispenser via a second mixed-water line.
Setting the mixed water set point temperature at the second thermostat may cause setting of a circulating-liquid set-point temperature of the temperature-controlled circulating liquid at the first thermostat. The first thermostat and the second thermostat may have a common actuator for setting the mixed-water set-point temperature and the circulating-liquid set-point temperature. For this purpose, the first thermostat and the second thermostat can be intercoupled, in particular mechanically, electrically and/or electro-mechanically.

The invention and the technical environment are explained in more detail below with reference to the figures. It should be noted that the figures show particularly preferred variants of the embodiment of the invention, but the invention is not limited thereto. The same reference numerals are used for the same components in the figures. In an exemplary and schematic manner

FIG. 1 shows a first variant of the embodiment of a sanitary device;

FIG. 2 shows a second variant of the embodiment of the sanitary device; and

FIG. 3 shows a third variant of the embodiment of the sanitary device.

FIG. 1 shows a first variant of the embodiment of a sanitary device 1, which is designed in the manner of a shower. The sanitary device 1 has a first dispenser 2 in the form of a shower head, which is connected to a first thermostat 6 via a first mixed-water line 7. Warm water can be routed to the first thermostat 6 from a warm-water source 15 via a warm-water supply line 16 and cold water can be supplied to the first thermostat 6 from a cold-water source 17 via a cold-water supply line 18. For this purpose, the first thermostat 6 has a warm-water input 19 for the warm water and a cold-water input 20 for the cold water. In a fresh water operating mode of the sanitary device 1 or of the first thermostat 6, the first thermostat 6 can be used to mix the warm water and cold water to form mixed water having a mixed-water set-point temperature. A user of the sanitary device 1 can use an actuating element 21 to set the mixed-water set-point temperature. The first mixed-water line 7 is connected to a first mixed-water outlet 22 of the first thermostat 6, such that the mixed water can be supplied to the first dispenser 2 via the first mixed-water line 7. The mixed water can be discharged through the first dispenser 2 into a basin 4, which is designed here in the manner of a shower tray. The basin 4 has a waste 5 at its basin bottom 13, through which the mixed water can be routed to an overflow tank 9 via a first waste line 14. The overflow container 9 has a receiving space 23, in which a liquid or the mixed water can be collected up to a maximum liquid level 24. When the maximum liquid level 24 is reached, excess liquid or excess mixed water can be discharged to a public sewer system 26 via an overflow 10 of the overflow tank 9 and a second waste line 25. After a changeover of the sanitary device 1 or the first thermostat 6 to a circulating operation mode, the liquid or the mixed water located in the receiving space 23 can be supplied to the first thermostat 6 as circulating liquid via a circulating-liquid supply line 27. For this purpose, a container discharge opening 28 of the receiving space 23 of the overflow container 9 is connected to a circulating-water input 29 of the first thermostat 6. Furthermore, a pump 11 is arranged in the circulating-liquid supply line 27, which can be used to pump the circulating liquid to the first thermostat 6. In the circulating mode of operation, the first thermostat 6 can be used to mix the circulating liquid with the warm water and/or the cold water by to form a temperature-controlled circulating liquid having a desired circulating-liquid set-point temperature. The circulating-liquid set-point temperature is equal to the mixed-water set-point temperature and can also be set via the actuating element 21 of the first thermostat 6. The temperature-controlled circulating liquid can be supplied to the first dispenser 2 via the first mixed-water line 7, such that the temperature-controlled circulating liquid circulates in a circuit as long as the sanitary device 1 or the first thermostat 6 is in the circulating operating mode. After switching the sanitary device 1 or the first thermostat 6 to the fresh water operating mode, the pump 11 is stopped to keep the circulating liquid from circulating. In the fresh-water operating mode, only mixed water from the warm water and cold water is dispensed via the first dispenser 2.
FIG. 2 shows a second variant of the embodiment of the sanitary device 1, which is also designed in the manner of a shower. The second variant of the embodiment of the sanitary device 1 differs from the first variant of the embodiment of the sanitary device 1 shown in FIG. 1 in that the mixed water can be routed from the first thermostat 6 to the first dispenser 2 via the first mixed-water line 7, and the circulating liquid can be routed to a second dispenser 3 via a second mixed-water line 8. In this way, the mixed water and the circulating liquid can be routed to the dispensers 2, 3 via separate mixed- water lines 7, 8. The first thermostat 6 has a first mixed-water outlet 22 for the first mixed-water line 7 and a second mixed-water outlet 30 for the second mixed-water line 8. It has to be emphasized that the mixed water can also be routed to a single or joint dispenser, for instance the first dispenser 2 via the first mixed-water line 7 and the circulating liquid via the second mixed-water line 8. In this case, the single or first dispenser 2 can have separate waterways for the mixed water and the circulating liquid, such that the mixed water and the circulating liquid can be routed separately until they are dispensed. In all other respects, the second variant of the embodiment of the sanitary device 1 is configured identically to the first variant of the embodiment of the sanitary device 1 shown in FIG. 1 , such that the description of the first variant of the embodiment can be transferred to the description of the second variant of the embodiment.
FIG. 3 shows a third variant of the embodiment of the sanitary device 1, which is also designed in the manner of a shower. The sanitary device 1 has a first dispenser 2 in the form of a shower head connected to a second thermostat 12 via a first mixed-water line 7. Warm water can be routed to the second thermostat 12 from a warm-water source 15 via a warm-water supply line 16 and cold water can be supplied to the first thermostat 6 from a cold-water source 17 via a cold-water supply line 18. For this purpose, the second thermostat 12 has a warm water input 19 for the warm water and a cold-water input 20 for the cold water. In a fresh-water operating mode of the sanitary device 1, the second thermostat 12 can be used to mix the warm water and the cold water to form mixed water having a mixed-water set-point temperature. The mixed-water set-point temperature can be set by a user of the sanitary device 1 via an actuating element 21 of the second thermostat 12. The first mixed-water line 7 is connected to a first mixed-water outlet 22 of the second thermostat 12, such that the mixed water can be supplied to the first dispenser 2 via the first mixed-water line 7. The mixed water can be discharged through the first dispenser 2 into a basin 4, which is designed here in the manner of a shower tray. The basin 4 has a waste 5 at its basin bottom 13, through which the mixed water can be routed to an overflow tank 9 via a first waste line 14. The overflow container 9 has a receiving space 23, in which a liquid or the mixed water can be collected up to a maximum liquid level 24. When the maximum liquid level 24 is reached, excess liquid or excess mixed water can be discharged to a public sewer system 26 via an overflow 10 of the overflow tank 9 and a second waste line 25. After a changeover of the sanitary device 1 to a circulating operation mode, the liquid or the mixed water located in the receiving space 23 can be routed to the first thermostat 6 as circulating liquid via a circulating-liquid supply line 27. For this purpose, a container discharge opening 28 of the receiving space 23 of the overflow container 9 is connected to a circulating-water input 29 of the first thermostat 6. Furthermore, a pump 11 is arranged in the circulating-liquid supply line 27, which can be used to pump the circulating liquid to the first thermostat 6. The circulating liquid can be mixed with the warm water by the first thermostat 6 in the circulating mode of operation to form a temperature-controlled circulating liquid having a desired circulating-liquid set-point temperature. The first thermostat 6 is coupled to the second thermostat 12 such that the actuating element 21 of the second thermostat 12 can be used to set the circulating-liquid set-point temperature, and the circulating-liquid set-point temperature is equal to the mixed-water set-point temperature.
The temperature-controlled circulating liquid can be supplied to a second dispenser 3 via a second mixed-water line 8, such that the temperature-controlled circulating liquid circulates in a circuit as long as the sanitary device 1 is in the circulating operating mode. After switching the sanitary device 1 to the fresh water operating mode, the pump 11 is stopped to keep the circulating liquid from circulating. In fresh water operation mode, the second thermostat 12 is used to dispense only mixed water mixed from the warm water and the cold water via the first dispenser 2. It has to be emphasized that the mixed water can also be routed to a single or joint dispenser, for instance the first dispenser 2 via the first mixed-water line 7 and the circulating liquid via the second mixed-water line 8. In this case, the single or first dispenser 2 can have separate waterways for the mixed water and the circulating liquid, such that the mixed water and the circulating liquid can be routed separately until they are dispensed.
The sanitary device 1 is characterized in particular by low installation space requirements and low costs.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS AND TERMS

1 sanitary device
2 first dispenser
3 second dispenser
4 basin
5 waste
6 first thermostat
7 first mixed-water line
8 second mixed-water line
9 overflow tank
10 overflow
11 pump
12 second thermostat
13 bottom of the basin
14 first waste line
15 warm-water source
16 warm-water supply line
17 cold-water source
18 cold-water supply line
19 warm-water input
20 cold-water input
21 actuating element
22 first mixed-water outlet
23 receiving space
24 maximum liquid level
25 second waste line
26 sewer system
27 circulating-liquid supply line
28 container discharge opening
29 circulating-water input
30 second mixed-water outlet

Claims

1. A sanitary device (1), comprising:

at least one dispenser (2, 3) for a liquid;

a basin (4) having a waste (5) for the liquid, and

a first thermostat (6) to which at least part of the liquid discharged via the waste (5) can be supplied as circulating liquid, wherein the first thermostat (6) can be used to mix warm water or cold water to the circulating liquid to form a temperature-controlled circulating liquid, and wherein the temperature-controlled circulating liquid can be supplied to the at least one dispenser (2, 3).

2. The sanitary device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the first thermostat (6) can be used to mix the warm water and the cold water to form mixed water having a desired mixed-water temperature.

3. The sanitary device (1) according to claim 2, wherein the mixed water can be routed to the at least one dispenser (2, 3) via a first mixed-water line (7).

4. The sanitary device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the temperature-controlled circulating liquid can be routed to the at least one dispenser (2, 3) via a second mixed-water line (8).

5. The sanitary device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the thermostat (6) is connected to an overflow tank (9).

6. The sanitary device (1) according to claim 5, wherein the overflow container (9) has an overflow (10) via which any excess liquid can be discharged.

7. The sanitary device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the thermostat disk (6) is secured by a pump (11).

8. The sanitary device (1) according to claim 1, wherein a second thermostat (12) can be used to mix the warm water and the cold water to form the mixed water having a mixed-water set-point temperature.

9. The sanitary device (1) according to claim 8, wherein the mixed water can be supplied to the at least one dispenser (2, 3) via a first mixed-water line (7).

10. The sanitary device (1) according to claim 8, wherein a setting of the mixed-water set-point temperature at the second thermostat (12) causes a setting of a set-point temperature of the circulating liquid of the temperature-controlled circulating liquid at the first thermostat (6).