SHOWER

A recirculation shower comprises a pump for circulating water through the recirculation shower, and a water tank fluidly connected to an inlet of the pump. The tank is positioned at a higher level than the pump. A fresh water supply feeds the tank. Optionally, the shower may have two such tanks, one for hot water and one for cold water, to mix water of a desired temperature into the recirculated shower flow.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a recirculation shower. During a shower bath such recirculation showers continuously recirculate water, so large flow rates can be achieved with only limited amounts of water. Recirculation showers typically comprise a water collection reservoir, a shower head and a pump for circulating water between the water collection reservoir and the shower head.

Such recirculation showers are mainly used as wellness showers. Usually, the wellness showers are combined with a conventional shower, so a user may first wash himself and then, after the spent soapy water has been rinsed away, the user can switch over to the recirculation shower for enjoying the comfort of a wellness shower.

In a combined shower system due to the high circulation rate the recirculated water cools relatively quickly. A thermostatic mixer tab is used to mix the recirculated flow with fresh hot water in order to keep the temperature at a desired level. This creates a risk that water from the recirculation flow might contaminate tap water in the public water supply network. Moreover, a single pump is used to circulate spent water in a circulation mode and to supply fresh water in a conventional shower mode. Most jurisdictions require a strict separation of the public water supply network from any source of possibly polluted water, such as recirculation water in a Jacuzzi bath.

Another drawback of such a shower system is that the pump is at a distance above the water level in the water catchment basin below the shower floor. When the shower is switched to recirculation mode, it will take considerable time and pump power for starting up the circulation flow.

SUMMARY

A recirculation shower comprises a pump for circulating water through the recirculation shower via a circulation flow path. A water tank is fluidly connected to an inlet of the pump and positioned at a higher level than the pump, and a fresh water supply for feeding the water tank.

This way, the suction side of the pump is always directly in contact with pumpable water. The circulation flow can start as soon as the pump is activated. Smaller pumps with less power can be used.

In a particular embodiment, the recirculation shower has a shower head and a water collection reservoir arranged to collect water dispensed by the shower head, wherein the pump is arranged to circulate water via the circulation flow path from the water collection reservoir to the shower head. The circulated water is circulated via the water collection reservoir but does not pass the water tank, which is outside the circulation flow path. The water collection reservoir may for example arranged to collect water from a floor of the shower system via a drain, e.g., by gravity, the floor being below the shower head for supporting a user making use of the shower.

The fresh water supply may for example be thermostatically controlled. This will ensure that after activation of the pump the recirculation flow will start with a water temperature set by the user.

The tank, or the line connecting the tank to the pump, may be provided with a valve. A control unit may be configured to open the valve when the pump is activated and to close the valve once the recirculation flow has reached a set flow rate.

In a specific embodiment the fresh water supply comprises a tap with an outlet at a distance above a maximum water level of the water tank. This isolates the water supply from any water in the tank or anywhere else in the recirculation flow path of the recirculation shower. Such a tap can safely be connected to a public water supply network.

The tank may for instance comprise an overflow outlet. An overflow line may be provided between the overflow outlet of the tank and a water collection reservoir fluidly connected to the inlet of the pump.

Optionally, the recirculation shower may have two water tanks fluidly connected to the inlet of the pump, e.g., a cold water tank fed by a cold water supply and a hot water tank fed by a hot water supply. The two tanks may for instance have respective outlet lines connecting to the pump inlet and being provided with proportional valves under the control of a control unit for adjusting the water temperature of water fed to the pump inlet. This way, the two tanks can be used for mixing fresh hot water into the recirculation flow during a recirculation shower bath to keep the water temperature at a level set by a user. The second tank may for example be fed by a hot water supply line while the first tank is fed by a cold water supply line. In such a case, the two tanks may both comprise an outlet line with a proportional valve. Downstream the proportional valves the two outlet lines may combine to form a single pump feeding line containing a temperature sensor. A control unit can be used to control the proportional valves to minimize the difference between a temperature measured by the sensor and a set value.

Optionally, one or both of the tanks may comprise an overflow outlet, e.g., with an overflow line running to the water collection reservoir. Optionally, one or both of the two tanks may comprise a float for stopping water supply to the tank if a maximum level is reached. In a specific embodiment, the cold water tank may comprise an overflow outlet, while the hot water tank comprises a float.

An alternative system for mixing fresh hot water into the recirculation flow may comprise a separate tap spaced from the recirculation flow path. A control unit may control water temperature and/or flow rate of a water flow dispensed from the tap, in response to a signal received from one or more temperature sensors in the recirculation flow path.

An aspect of the invention also relates to a shower system comprising a conventional shower with hot and cold water supply lines and a recirculation shower as disclosed above, the recirculation shower defining a circulation flow path isolated from hot and cold water supply lines of the conventional shower.

The shower system may comprise a user interface allowing a user to switch between a recirculation mode and a conventional shower mode. The user interface may also enable him to control the temperature and/or flow rate of the shower water dispensed by the conventional shower and/or the recirculation shower.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1shows a wellness shower system1. The shower system1combines a recirculation shower2with a separate conventional shower3, both having shower heads4,5arranged above a water collection reservoir6. The water collection reservoir6is provided with an overflow outlet (not shown). A recirculation line8fluidly connects the water collection reservoir6to the shower head5of the recirculation shower2. A pump10is arranged in the recirculation line8to circulate water from the water collection reservoir6to the shower head5of the recirculation shower2.

The water collection reservoir6is arranged below a floor7of the shower system1. A drain is provided to guide water from the floor7to the water circulation reservoir6.

The shower system1comprises a thermostatically controlled hot and cold water mixing tap12connected to a supply line13for hot tap water and a supply line14for cold tap water. Proportional valves16in the supply lines13,14are configured to regulate the flows in the supply lines13,14to obtain tap water of a desired temperature. The tap12has an outlet at least 2 cm above the highest possible water level in the water collection reservoir6, i.e., the water level in the water collection reservoir when the drains are clogged.

Although not shown inFIG. 1, the tap may be hidden from view, e.g., by a front panel presenting a user interface for user control of the shower.

The conventional shower3is operatively connected to the public water supply network with hot and cold water supply lines20,21which are strictly separated from the recirculation flow. A motorized thermostat22allows a user to maintain the shower water at a desired temperature selected via a user interface at the front panel.

The shower system1further comprises a water tank28fluidly connected to an inlet29of the pump10. The water tank28is positioned at a higher level than the pump10so the inlet29of the pump is always under water. A fresh tap water supply35feeds the tank via a supply line36branched off from a supply37line feeding the conventional shower3. The feeding line36is downstream the motorized thermostat22so the tank28is fed with water of the same temperature as the water dispensed by the conventional shower3. The tank28is provided with an overflow outlet39connected to an overflow line40leading to the water collection reservoir6.

The user interface communicates with a control unit allowing a user to switch between a circulation flow via the recirculation shower2and a drained shower flow via the conventional shower3.

The wellness shower system1further comprises a drain24and a controllable drain valve25for selectively closing or opening the drain24. When the user switches over to the conventional shower3, the control unit activates the drain valve25to open the drain24. The user can wash himself with soap and the spent soapy water is drained via the open drain24. Meanwhile, the tank28is fed with fresh tap water of the same temperature as the water dispensed by the conventional shower3. When the tank28is filled, excess water will flow via the overflow outlet39and the water collection reservoir6to the drain24.

After finishing washing by means of the conventional shower3the user may switch over from the conventional shower3to the recirculation shower2via the user interface. The control unit activates the drain valve25to close the drain24and opens the mixing tap12, but does not yet switch off the conventional shower3. Water is collected in the water collection reservoir6until a level sensor27in the water collection reservoir6detects that the water lever in the water collection reservoir6has reached a desired minimum level. At that moment the pump10is activated and the circulation flow starts directly. After the circulation flow reaches a desired flow rate, set by the user, a control unit switches off the conventional shower3and close off the line between the tank28and the pump inlet29. The shower bath is not interrupted during switching from the conventional shower3to the recirculation shower2.

The user can select and set the water temperature via the user interface. During circulation flow the recirculated water tends to cool down. To maintain the water temperature at the selected level, the tap12mixes hot water into the water collected in the water collection reservoir6, e.g., continuously or intermittently. A temperature sensor18is provided in the recirculation line8. The flow rate and/or temperature of the water from the tap12is adjusted in response to signals from the temperature sensor18.

During circulation flow, excess water is discharged from the water collection reservoir via the overflow outlet with a flow rate corresponding to the flow rate of the tap12.

A filter31in the water collection reservoir filters water entering the inlet29of the pump10. A UV-source32is integrated in the circulation line8to clean the circulated water from microorganisms, for as far as necessary.

FIG. 2shows an embodiment of a shower system101having two water tanks132,133instead of one. Just like the embodiment ofFIG. 1, the shower system101combines a recirculation shower102with a separate conventional shower103. The shower system101comprises a water collection reservoir104with an overflow outlet (not shown). A recirculation line108fluidly connects the water collection reservoir106to the shower head105of the recirculation shower102. A pump110is arranged in the recirculation line108to circulate water from the water collection reservoir106to the shower head105of the recirculation shower102.

The conventional shower103is operatively connected to the public water supply network with hot and cold water supply lines120,121which are strictly separated from the recirculation flow. A motorized thermostat122allows a user to maintain the shower water temperature at a desired level selected via a user interface at the front panel.

Two water tanks132,133are fluidly connected to an inlet129of the pump110. Both water tanks128are positioned at a higher level than the pump110. The tanks132,133include a cold water tank132and a hot water tank133. The cold water tank132is fed by a cold tap water supply line136. The hot water tank133is fed by a hot tap water supply line137. The cold water tank132is provided with an overflow outlet139connected to an overflow line140leading to the water collection reservoir106. The hot water tank133is provided with a float138preventing overflow of the hot water tank133. Both tanks132,133comprise an outlet line141provided with a proportional valve142. Downstream the proportional valves142the two outlet lines141join to form a single line143connecting to the inlet129of the pump110.

The proportional valves142are controlled by a control unit (not shown). The pump feeding line143contains a temperature sensor144. If the temperature measured by the sensor144deviates from a set temperature, the control unit controls the proportional valves142to adjust the temperature of the water fed to the pump feeding line143. In this configuration, a separate tap for the supply of fresh hot water is not needed anymore.