Patent ID: 6039067
Filing Date: 2000-03-21
Classification: E03B,F24D,Y02A,Y10T

Abstract:
A plumbing system having a pressurized cold water supply, a hot water supply means, a plurality of cold water outlets, a plurality of hot water outlets, a cold water supply conduit to furnish cold water supply pressure to said hot water supply means, a hot water supply conduit for the purpose of furnishing hot water from said hot water supply means, to said hot water outlets, a main cold water supply conduit for furnishing cold water to said cold water outlets, a water and energy conservation system for supplying hot water on demand, without wasting water down the drain waiting for hot water and for utilizing the hot water delivered from said hot water supply means so that no hot water is left to cool in the plumbing lines, configured so as to be capable of segmentation, for independent operation as a water saver segment only or as an energy saver segment only, comprising in combination:(a) a power source;(b) a programmable power controller means, for distributing power to selected components;(c) a power control means, to apply and interrupt power;(d) a pump;(e) a selectable flow control means, for directing and controlling flow;(f) a flow control unit, comprising a water saver segment including a multi-port cold water manifold, one inlet port of said cold water manifold coupled to a cold water inlet conduit, and having a single outlet port in fluid communication, at a tee junction, with a cold water outlet conduit to said hot water supply means through a back flow control means and with the inlet port of said pump, with the output port of said pump in fluid communication with the inlet of a normally closed-to-flow solenoid valve, and the outlet side of said solenoid valve in fluid communication, with a tee junction, in close proximity to the cold water inlet of said hot water supply means, to direct cold water supply pressure to said hot water supply means, and to direct cold water, circulated by said pump, to said hot water supply means, and;(g) an energy saver segment, including a multi-port, hot water manifold, an inlet port of said hot water manifold in fluid communication with the outlet of said hot water supply means, and an outlet port of said hot water manifold, in fluid communication with a hot water distribution conduit, to furnish hot water to each use area;(h) said hot water distribution conduit, with one end in communication with said outlet of said hot water manifold and the opposite end in fluid communication with its associated use area, branching at a tee junction, and coupling a hot water service conduit to said hot water outlet and coupling said distribution conduit, to a hot water inlet port of said selectable flow control means;(i) said cold water inlet conduit, having one end in fluid communication with said cold water manifold, and the other end in fluid communication, and branching at a tee junction, coupled to a pair of cold water outlet ports, of said selectable flow control means;(j) said selectable flow control means, with a fixed member having one inlet port in fluid communication with said cold water supply conduit and said hot water inlet port in fluid communication with said hot water distribution conduit and having said pair of cold water outlet ports in fluid communication with said cold water inlet conduit, and having a third outlet port in fluid communication, through a cold water feed-back conduit, to a tee junction in close proximity to said hot water outlet of said hot water manifold and;(k) said selectable flow control means having a moveable member, having a mechanical activation means attached, for closing and opening said power control means, with an internal flow channel which can be positioned for selectively opening and closing flow paths between input ports and output ports, for the purpose of completing and/or interrupting flow between associated conduits, which are connected to and in fluid communication with said selectable flow control means;(l) a first back flow control means to limit back flow to said hot water supply means;(m) a second back flow control means to limit back flow through said cold water feed back conduit;(n) a third back flow control means to protect said normally closed-to-flow solenoid valve and said pump against any harmful effects of back flow;(o) a fourth back flow control means to help direct flow during the operation of said pump.