Abstract:
Shower water usage indicator apparatus comprises a shower head, a shower base for receiving shower water discharged from the shower head, a waste shower water outlet element for receiving runoff waste shower water from the shower base and for discharging to a drain, a controller for controlling water flow to the shower head and/or water flow from the waste shower water outlet element, a water flow rate detector for outputting a flow rate signal to the controller based on a detected water flow rate, and a water usage display element which is spaced from the water flow rate detector. A water usage indication is displayable on the water usage display element based on an output of the water flow rate detector. A data storage element stores usage data when showering, a representation of usage history based on the stored usage data being displayable on the water usage display element.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/GB2009/051564 filed on 18 Nov. 2009, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to indicator apparatus which is specifically adapted for use with a shower to indicate water usage, and to a method of monitoring such shower water usage. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    A shower with an integrated water flow meter, typically on a flow path of a water supply downstream of the shower controller, for monitoring a flow rate of water to or through the shower is known. The water flow meter is used to assist in optimising the heating of the water by a heater of the shower. Additionally or alternatively, the integrated water flow meter can assist in optimising the pumping rate of a waste shower water pump device of the shower. The use of such an integrated water flow meter has to date therefore been focused solely on optimising the operation of electrical parts of the shower, such as heaters and pump motors. 
         [0004]    It is becoming increasingly important to conserve water, thus reducing costs and energy consumption. 
         [0005]    Current state of the art provides a calibrating container and a shower use timer, such as the Efergy® Shower Timer by Efergy of Wetherby, Yorkshire and the Showerdrop® Timer by Product Creations Limited of West Sussex. Both of these devices require the user to time the shower head filling a container with water in order to calibrate the timer device. This is a flawed method of operation and assumes that the shower water supply is constant. This is not the case, as even seasonal supply water temperatures may affect shower supply flow rates substantially, resulting in under reporting of water consumption by 50 to 100% or possibly more. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention seeks to provide a solution which makes use of a known integrated water flow meter whilst indicating and/or controlling an amount of water used during showering. 
         [0007]    According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided shower water usage indicator apparatus comprising a shower head, a shower base for receiving shower water discharged from the shower head, a waste shower water outlet element for receiving runoff waste shower water from the shower base and for discharging to a drain, a controller for controlling water flow to the shower head and/or water flow from the waste shower water outlet element, a water flow rate detector for outputting a flow rate signal to the controller based on a detected water flow rate, and a water usage display element which is spaced from the water flow rate detector, a water usage indication being displayable on the water usage display element based on an output of the water flow rate detector. 
         [0008]    Preferable and/or optional features of the present invention are also set forth herein. 
         [0009]    According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of conserving water during showering, the method comprising the step of providing a shower installation having an integrated water flow rate detector for outputting a flow rate signal to a controller which controls water flow to a shower head and/or water flow from a waste shower water outlet element on a shower base with a water usage display element which is spaced from the water flow rate detector, a water usage indication being displayable on the water usage display element based on an output of the water flow rate detector, so that a user can monitor their water usage. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  shows a diagrammatic side view of a shower installation which comprises a first embodiment of shower water usage indicator apparatus, in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  shows a diagrammatic side view of a shower installation which comprises a second embodiment of shower water usage indicator apparatus, in accordance with the present invention; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  shows a front view of a user interface of a controller of a third embodiment of shower water usage indicator apparatus, in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    Referring firstly to  FIG. 1  of the drawings, there is shown a first embodiment of shower water usage indicator apparatus  10  which comprises a shower installation  12  including a shower controller  14  having an integrated electric shower water heater  16 , an integrated water flow rate detector  18  internally within the controller  14  and in this case at an outlet of a water supply pipe  20 , a shower head  22  in liquid communication with a shower water outlet of the controller  14 , a shower base  24  below the shower head  22  to receive shower water discharged from the shower head  22 , and a water usage display element  26 . 
         [0015]    The shower controller  14  may not necessarily include the heater  16 , and may simply be a mixer and/or control the flow rate of shower water being discharged from the shower head  22 . The controller  14  may be electronic and/or mechanical and, for example, may be thermostatic. 
         [0016]    The shower head  22  may be connected to an output of the controller  14  via an elongate flexible hose, or it may be unmountably attached to a wall surface of the shower area  28 , as in the present case. 
         [0017]    The water flow rate detector  18  may be electronic and/or mechanical, but preferably outputs an electronic water flow rate signal. 
         [0018]    The shower base  24  may be a shower tray, for example, a level-entry shower tray for wheel-chair access or a step-in shower tray, or a former with a preformed fall with or for supporting a wet-floor waterproof flexible plastics covering thereon. A waste shower water outlet element  30  is provided at a drain opening  32  of the shower base  24  and is in liquid communication with a drain  34 . The outlet element  30  receives runoff waste shower water from the shower base  24  and enables flow to the drain  34 . 
         [0019]    In this embodiment, the water usage display element  26  comprises a display housing  36  which is mountable independently of and spaced from the controller  14 , and a display screen  38 , in this case being a number-displaying LCD. A wireless receiver is provided in the display housing  36 , for example mounted on a PCB. Control circuitry also on the PCB interfaces between the receiver and the display screen  38 . 
         [0020]    Although wireless, the water usage display element  26  may be additionally or alternatively hard wired. 
         [0021]    The water usage display element  26  may include a user interface on the display housing  36  and/or a user interface may be provided on the controller  14 . 
         [0022]    The water usage display element  26  is preferably removably mountable on a wall  40  of the shower area  28 , at a remote location which is convenient for a user to view. However, the water usage display element  26  may be permanently affixed to the wall  40 . 
         [0023]    Energisation of the water usage display element  26  is preferably by, for example rechargeable, battery, but a mains power supply can additionally or alternatively be utilised. 
         [0024]    In use, the integrated water flow rate detector  18  outputs a continuous real-time flow rate signal to the shower controller  14 . This allows the controller  14  to optimise the heating of the water by the electric heater  16 . A control circuit in the controller  14  additionally converts the real-time flow rate signal to a volume signal which is outputted, via in this case a wireless transmitter, to the water usage display element  26 . The received volume signal is then displayed in real-time on the display screen  38  of the water usage display element  26  as a numerical value in litres, so that a user can see how much water the current showering process is using. The user can thus moderate or modify their showering habit to optimise or minimise water consumption. 
         [0025]    If the water usage display element  26  is hard wired to the controller  14 , then the transmitter associated with the controller  14  may not necessarily be wireless. 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , there is shown a second embodiment of shower water usage indicator apparatus  10 . Like references refer to parts which are the same as or similar to those of the first embodiment, and thus further detailed description is omitted. 
         [0027]    In this embodiment, the integrated water flow rate detector  18  is provided upstream of the shower controller  14  and towards a water supply, for example from a tank, boiler or mains. A waste shower water pump device  42  is also provided downstream of the drain opening  32  in the shower base  24 . The pump device  42  may be spaced downstream of the outlet element  30 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , or provided in the outlet element  30 . The pump device  42  typically includes an electric motor  44  and a pump controller  46 . The pump controller  46  controls a pump of the pump device  42  based on the water flow signal outputable by the water flow rate detector  18 . In this case, the water flow rate detector  18  may only output the water flow signal to the pump device  42 , but the signal may also be outputted to the controller  14 , as or similar to that described in the first embodiment. 
         [0028]    In use, a pump of the pump device  42  is controlled based on the water flow signal received from the water flow rate detector  18 , so as to typically optimise a pumped flow rate of waste shower water being drawn through the drain opening  32  and from the outlet element  30  and discharged to the drain  34 . 
         [0029]    During use, and as in the first embodiment, a control circuit in the pump device  42  converts the real-time flow rate signal of the water flow rate detector  18  also to a volume signal which is outputted, via in this case a, preferably wireless, transmitter in the pump device  42 , to the water usage display element  26 . The received volume signal is then displayed in real-time on the display screen  38  of the water usage display element  26 , so that a user can see how much water the current showering process is using. The user can thus again moderate or modify their showering habit to optimise or minimise water consumption. 
         [0030]    In this embodiment, the display screen  48  of the remote water usage display element  26  utilises a graduated LCD display, preferably including different colours to indicate and differentiate between levels of water usage. 
         [0031]    The numerical LCD display of the first embodiment can of course be utilised instead of the graduated display, or the graduated display of the second embodiment can be used in place of the numerical display of the first embodiment. 
         [0032]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , part of a third embodiment of shower water usage indicator apparatus  10  is shown. Like references again refer to parts which are the same as or similar to those of the first and second embodiments, and thus further detailed description is omitted. 
         [0033]    The shower controller  14  of the first and second embodiments may include a local water usage display element  50  mounted thereon, additionally or alternatively to the described remote water usage display element  26 . In this case, it may be convenient to provide the display of the water usage display element  50  on a user interface  52  of the controller  14 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . This may take the form of a plurality of LEDs  54 , which may be graduated in terms of colour, similarly to the display  48  of the second embodiment, to provide a visual indication of total water volume consumed during a specific showering process. 
         [0034]    In this embodiment, the display is provided so as to extend partway around the user controls  56  on the user interface  52  of the controller  14 . However, other arrangements can be considered. 
         [0035]    As an alternative, it is possible to have the display screen  38 ,  48  of one of the remote water usage display elements  26 ,  50  described in the first and second embodiments locally provided on the controller  14 . 
         [0036]    Although the water usage indications displayable by the local and remote water usage display elements  26 ,  50  are visual, they may additionally or alternatively be audible. 
         [0037]    The water usage indication preferably relates to a real-time volume of water used during the showering process. However, the water usage display element may only provide a water usage indication once the showering process is finished, or periodically throughout the showering process. 
         [0038]    Following completion of the showering process, the water usage display element  26 ,  50  is deenergised and the respective control circuit is preferably reset. However, the water usage may be stored, for example, on a data storage device  58  in the controller  14 , pump device  42  and/or water usage display element  26 ,  50 , for a predetermined or user determined period to allow analysing, optimisation of usage and to identify usage trends, for example, via computer interrogation  60 . 
         [0039]    To enable more direct control of the actual volume of shower water used during a showering process, the controller  14 , pump device  42  and/or water usage display element  26 ,  50  preferably include a data storage element  62 , such as non-volatile electronic memory. The data storage element  62  is accessible, for example, by an installer during the setup of the heater  16  and/or pump device  42  by using, for example, the user interface  52  of the controller  14 , to input a recommended water usage value and/or a maximum water usage value. The recommended water usage value may be based on national and/or local authority recommendations or guidelines, for example, 35 litres per showering process. 
         [0040]    In use, the water usage indication displayed by the water usage display element  26 ,  50  can be based on the recommended water usage value. For example, if a graduated display is utilised, then the graduations may change colour as the recommended water usage value is approached. Alternatively, if a numerical display is utilised, a running tally of saved water volume could also be displayed based on the recommended water usage value, thereby encouraging a user to continue their water conserving habits. 
         [0041]    If the maximum water usage value were utilised, then the shower controller  14  may be programmed to halt or reduce the flow of water to the shower head  22  once the maximum water usage value was reached. This may be beneficial in recreational areas, gyms, schools and other public and/or private locations with showering facilities. This would also be of benefit in a care environment where an invalid, infirm or elderly person may need longer to shower but may accidentally leave a shower running and/or may still want to feel that they too are able to conserve water. 
         [0042]    If a pump device  42  is provided, then the local water usage display element  50  may be provided on a visible part of the pump device  42 , such as part of a pump housing which may project from or be mounted on, for example, a wall of the shower area  28  or be provided in the drain opening  32  of the shower base  24 . 
         [0043]    Although the water flow rate detector  18  is provided upstream of the shower controller  14  or as part of the shower controller  14 , it may be provided downstream of the shower controller  14  but prior to the shower head  22 . Furthermore, the water flow rate detector  18  may be provided in the waste shower water outlet element  30  or downstream thereof. 
         [0044]    The water usage display element  26 ,  50  provides an indication of the volume of water used during a showering process. However, it may also display the energy consumption, for example, if a heater  16  is utilised. The energy consumption may be compared to a base level amount and/or a previous usage amount so that a user can compare their current usage with the aim of achieving savings. 
         [0045]    It is thus possible to provide shower water usage apparatus which makes use of an existing water flow rate detector which is provided as part of the shower installation for a different purpose, such as optimising a heater and/or a pump device. By modifying the control circuitry of the existing shower installation and providing a water usage display element locally and/or remotely, a water usage indication, typically being a real-time volume of water used during the showering process, can be displayed. It is thus also possible for a user to monitor their current water consumption in real-time during a showering process, thereby encouraging the user to economise. It is also possible for a user to monitor their water consumption during a showering process based on recommended and/or maximum usage volumes, and the shower can be automatically controlled accordingly. 
         [0046]    The embodiments described above are provided by way of examples only, and various other modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.