Abstract:
A freestanding or Roman bathtub plumbing system including a bathtub filler (such as a spout and/or hand-held shower) controlled by a compact thermostatic mixing valve. The thermostatic mixing valve is installed in a bathtub plumbing set having a hand-held shower accessory. The thermostatic mixing valve receives hot and cold water from the main hot and cold water inlet pipes, respectively, located upstream of the respective hot and cold water control valves used to control the supply of water to the fillers. The hot and cold water feed pipes are each hydraulically connected to a first respective hot and cold water inlet of the thermostatic mixing valve. The bathtub fillers are hydraulically connected to the outlet of the thermostatic mixing valve, such as by a pipe or flexible hose. Hot and cold water entering the thermostatic mixing valve are mixed therein independently; water exiting the thermostatic mixing valve is characterized by a predetermined maximum temperature, such that a tub occupant will not be accidentally scalded.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/240,609 filed Oct. 16, 2000; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/960,440, filed Sep. 21, 2001 and issued on Nov. 11, 2003 as U.S. Pat. No. 6,644,333; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/704,086, filed Nov. 7, 2003. 
     
    
     
       TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to bathtub plumbing systems and, more particularly, to a plumbing system mounted under the deck of a freestanding or Roman bathtub including an anti-scald feature fluidically connected to the tub-filling water outlet(s) and controlled by a pressure and/or volume and/or temperature controlled mixing valve.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Freestanding or Roman bathtubs have been in use since the dawn of plumbing, and the piping and fixtures connected to Roman tubs have remained essentially unchanged throughout that time. Roman bathtubs have long been filled by a central fill spout fed by hot and cold water sources, each respectively controlled by a hot and cold inlet valve. Thus, when the hot valve is opened with the cold valve shut, water at the hot water supply temperature flows through the spout and into the tub. This has not been considered especially hazardous, as Roman tubs are typically filled without an occupant present and do not include a shower attachment.  
           [0004]    However, Roman bathtubs are being increasingly fitted with hand held shower sprayers, that are attached to the water supplies via secondary piping extending between the main inlets and a diverter, to which a hose is attached to deliver water to the sprayer. Thus, water at the hot water source temperature may be sprayed onto an unwary bather. The problem is even more acute if the bather is an infant being washed by an adult; if the adult forgets to test the water from the sprayer, the infant may be scalded. Further, even if the water temperature is properly balanced through a mixture of hot and cold water, a sudden drain on the cold water supply (such as through flushing a toilet or the like) may suddenly allow the water temperature at the sprayer to increase sufficiently to scald. Moreover, there is always the likelihood of a bather in the bathtub inadvertently opening the hot water valve and receiving a scalding blast of water through the spout and/or the sprayer.  
           [0005]    [0005]FIG. 1 illustrates a typical prior art Roman tub plumbing system. A hand-held shower  10  is plumbed by combining the hot water inlet and the cold water inlet lines  12 ,  14  from the separate hot and cold control valves  16 ,  18  at a diverter valve  20 . A flexible hose  22  fluidically connects the hand-held shower  10  to the diverter valve  20 . The diverter valve  20  combines hot and cold water arriving through the respective hot and cold inlet lines  12 ,  14 , but does not act to balance the temperature or pressure of the water. Temperature and pressure adjustments are made by opening the hot and cold control valves  16 ,  18  in conjunction.  
           [0006]    The above system has the disadvantage of requiring simultaneous control of both the hot and the cold control valves  16 ,  18  to achieve a desired pressure and temperature combination. While it is not difficult to achieve either a desired water temperature or a desired water pressure in this way, achieving both at once is trickier. In addition to the inherent difficulties of achieving a water flow having both the desired temperature and pressure, the situation is further complicated because the system ideally requires one hand to adjust the hot water valve  16 , a second hand to adjust the cold water valve  18 , and a third hand to manipulate the hand-held shower  10 . While the hot and cold water valves  16 ,  18  may be adjusted prior to opening the diverter valve  20 , the effective water pressure exiting the hand-held shower  10  is usually different from that exiting the tub faucet  24 , since the faucet  24  and the hand-held shower  10  typically have different dimensions. Therefore, fine-tuning adjustments are required to arrive at the desired water temperature-pressure combination. Alternatively, the hot and cold water valves  16 ,  18  may be adjusted while the diverter valve  20  is open and water is flowing from the hand-held shower  10 , but this necessitates simultaneous control of both valves  16 ,  18  and the hand-held shower  10 , posing a difficulty for a single individual having only two hands.  
           [0007]    While thermostatic and/or pressure balancing valves are well known in the art, they have typically been too large, bulky and expensive to be readily accommodated into a hand-held shower system. There is therefore a need for a way of easily controlling the water temperature and pressure of a Roman bathtub, especially one including a hand-held shower system. The present invention is directed towards meeting this need.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    The present invention relates to a Roman bathtub fill plumbing system (preferably including a hand-held shower feature) controlled by an anti-scald valve (such as a thermostatic mixing valve). In one preferred embodiment, a compact thermostatic tempering valve is installed in the hot water supply line in a Roman bathtub plumbing set. The thermostatic valve limits the maximum temperature of hot water entering the tub through a fill mechanism, such as a spout or sprayer.  
           [0009]    One object of the present invention is to provide an improved Roman bathtub fill system. Related objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a prior art hand-held shower system including a diverter valve.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a first embodiment of the Roman bathtub plumbing system of the present invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a second embodiment of the Roman bathtub plumbing system of the present invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a third embodiment Roman bathtub plumbing system of the present invention.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a fourth embodiment Roman bathtub plumbing system of the present invention.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a fifth embodiment Roman bathtub plumbing system of the present invention.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a sixth embodiment Roman bathtub plumbing system of the present invention.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 8 is a schematic view of a seventh embodiment Roman bathtub plumbing system of the present invention.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 9 is a schematic view of an eighth embodiment Roman bathtub plumbing system of the present invention.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 10 is a schematic view of a ninth embodiment Roman bathtub plumbing system of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0020]    For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a first embodiment of the present invention, a bathtub plumbing system  100  including a hand-held shower  102  controlled by an anti-scald valve  104 , such as, for example and not by limitation, a Grohe temp valve, model number 34-910-000. The system  100  also includes a main hot water pipe  110  and a main cold water pipe  112  for supplying hot and cold water, respectively. The main hot water pipe  110  is connected to a hot water control valve  114  and the main cold water pipe is connected to a cold water control valve  116 . The hot and cold water control valves  114 ,  116  are respectively operated by a hot and cold water control valve handles  118 ,  120 . The hot and cold water control valves  114 ,  116  are fluidically connected to a faucet  122 .  
         [0022]    A hand-held shower hot water feed pipe  126  is fluidically connected to the main hot water pipe  110  upstream of the hot water control valve  114 . A hand-held shower cold water feed pipe  128  is likewise fluidically connected to the main cold water pipe  112  upstream of the cold water control valve  116 . The hand-held shower hot and cold water feed pipes  126 ,  128  are fluidically connected to a compact anti-scald valve  104  spaced from the hot and cold water valves  114 ,  116 . The compact anti-scald valve  104  also preferably includes a mixed water control valve handle  130  extending therefrom. Preferably, the valves  114 ,  116 ,  104  are located beneath the tub surface  132  while the handles  118 ,  120 ,  130  extend through the tub surface  132 . More preferably, the dimensions of the fixtures located below the surface are such that the handles  118 ,  120 ,  130  may be arranged in an ergonomic and decorative design.  
         [0023]    The anti-scald valve  104  also includes an outlet  134  to which the hand-held shower  102  be fluidically connected. Preferably, a length of flexible hose  136  fluidically connects the anti-scald valve  104  to the hand held shower  102 .  
         [0024]    In operation, the anti-scald valve  104  serves to mix the hot and cold water flowing thereinto independently of the water supplying the faucet  122 . The anti-scald valve  104  allows single-handle control of the temperature and pressure of the water supplied the to hand-held shower  102 . The use of a compact anti-scald valve  104  in the system  100  eliminates the necessity for a diverter valve, thereby reducing the number and complexity of the required plumbing fittings as well as reducing the cost of the system  100 .  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a second embodiment of the present invention, a bathtub plumbing system  200  including a hand-held shower  202  controlled by an anti-scald valve  204 , such as, for example and not by limitation, a Lawler TMM-1000 thermostatic mixing valve. The system  200  also includes a main hot water pipe  210  and a main cold water pipe  212  for supplying hot and cold water, respectively. The main hot water pipe  210  is connected to a hot water control valve  214  and the main cold water pipe is connected to a cold water control valve  216 . The hot and cold water control valves  214 ,  216  are respectively operated by a hot and cold water control valve handles  218 ,  220 . The hot and cold water control valves  214 ,  216  are fluidically connected to a faucet  222 .  
         [0026]    A hand-held shower hot water feed pipe  226  is fluidically connected to the main hot water pipe  210  upstream of the hot water control valve  214 . A hand-held shower cold water feed pipe  228  is likewise fluidically connected to the main cold water pipe  212  upstream of the cold water control valve  216 . The hand-held shower hot and cold water feed pipes  226 ,  228  are fluidically connected to a compact anti-scald valve  204  spaced from the hot and cold water valves  214 ,  216 . The hand-held shower  202  preferably includes a simple flow control valve member  230  for actuating and, more preferably, controlling the flow of water therethrough. Preferably, the valves  214 ,  216 ,  204  are located beneath the tub surface  232  while the handles  218 ,  220  extend through the tub surface  232 . More preferably, the dimensions of the fixtures located below the surface are such that the handles  218 ,  220 , may be arranged in an ergonomic and decorative design.  
         [0027]    The anti-scald valve  204  also includes an outlet  234  to which the hand-held shower  202  be fluidically connected. Preferably, a length of flexible hose  236  is fluidically connected between the anti-scald valve  204  and the hand held shower  202 . Also preferably, the hand-held shower head  202  includes an actuation valve, such that the flow of water may be enabled or disabled at the shower head  202 .  
         [0028]    In operation, the anti-scald valve  204  serves to mix the hot and cold water flowing thereinto independently of the water supplying the faucet or spout  222 . The anti-scald valve  204  provides water at a predetermined maximum temperature to hand-held shower  202 . Preferably, the anti-scald valve also controls the water pressure to the hand-held shower  202  by reducing pressure fluctuations and providing a predetermined maximum pressure limit. More preferably, the anti-scald valve  204  both balances the temperature of the mixed water and reduces pressure fluctuations at the hand-held shower  202 . Still more preferably, the anti-scald valve  204  balances both the temperature and the pressure of the mixed water flowing therefrom. The use of a compact anti-scald valve  204  in the system  200  eliminates the necessity for a diverter valve, thereby reducing the number and complexity of the required plumbing fittings as well as reducing the cost of the system  200 .  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a third embodiment of the present invention, a bathtub plumbing system  300  including a hand-held shower sprayer  302  fluidically connected to a pressure-balancing valve  304 . Valve handle  305  is operationally connected to valve  304 . The system  300  also includes a main hot water pipe  310  and a main cold water pipe  312  hydraulically connected for supplying hot and cold water, respectively. The main hot water pipe  310  is connected to a hot water control valve  314  and the main cold water pipe is connected to a cold water control valve  316 . The hot and cold water control valves  314 ,  316  are respectively operated by a hot and cold water control valve handles  318 ,  320 . The hot and cold water control valves  314 ,  216  are fluidically connected to a faucet or fill spout  322  for filling a bathtub with water.  
         [0030]    A hand-held shower hot water feed pipe  326  is fluidically connected to the main hot water pipe  310  upstream of the hot water control valve  314 . A hand-held shower cold water feed pipe  328  is likewise fluidically connected to the main cold water pipe  312  upstream of the cold water control valve  316 . The hand-held shower hot and cold water feed pipes  326 ,  328  are fluidically connected to the pressure balancing valve  304  spaced from the hot and cold water valves  314 ,  316 . Fluid flow through the hand-held shower  302  is thus controlled by valve  304 . Preferably, valves  314 ,  316 , and  304  are located beneath the tub surface  332  while the handles  318 ,  320  and  305  extend through the tub surface  332 . More preferably, the dimensions of the fixtures located below the surface are such that the handles  318 ,  320  and  305  may be arranged in an ergonomic and decorative design.  
         [0031]    The pressure balancing valve  304  also includes an outlet  334  to which the hand-held shower  302  be fluidically connected. Preferably, a length of flexible hose  336  is fluidically connected between the valve  304  and the hand held shower  302 .  
         [0032]    In operation, the valve  304  serves to mix the hot and cold water flowing thereinto independently of the water supplying the faucet  322 . Valve  304  provides water at a predetermined maximum pressure to hand-held shower  302 . Preferably, valve  304  controls the water pressure to the hand-held shower  302  by reducing pressure fluctuations as well as providing a predetermined maximum pressure limit. More preferably, valve  304  is also a temperature balancing valve  304  that both balances the temperature of the mixed water and reduces pressure fluctuations at the hand-held shower  302 . Still more preferably, the anti-scald valve  304  balances both the temperature and the pressure of the mixed water flowing therefrom. The use of a compact anti-scald valve  304  in the system  300  eliminates the necessity for a diverter valve, thereby reducing the number and complexity of the required plumbing fittings as well as reducing the cost of the system  300 .  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 5 schematically illustrates a fourth embodiment of the present invention, a bathtub plumbing system  400  including a hand-held shower  402  controlled by an anti-scald valve  404 , such as a thermostatic mixing valve. The system  400  also includes a main hot water pipe  410  and a main cold water pipe  412  for supplying hot and cold water, respectively. The main hot water pipe  410  and the main cold water pipe  412  are connected to the respective appropriate inlets of the thermostatic mixing valve  404 . The valve  404  is operated by a control valve handle  405 . The valve  404  is fluidically connected to both a bathtub fill spout or faucet  422  and to a hand-held shower sprayer  402 .  
         [0034]    The hand-held shower  402  preferably includes a simple flow control valve member  430  for actuating and, more preferably, controlling the flow of water therethrough. Preferably, the valve  404  is positioned beneath the tub surface  432  while the handle  405  extends through the tub surface  432 .  
         [0035]    The anti-scald valve  404  also includes an outlet  434  to which the hand-held shower  402  be fluidically connected. Preferably, a length of flexible hose  436  is fluidically connected between the anti-scald valve  404  and the hand held shower  402 . Also preferably, the hand-held shower head  402  includes an actuation valve  430 , such that the flow of water may be enabled or disabled at the shower head  402 .  
         [0036]    In operation, the anti-scald valve  404  serves to mix the hot and cold water flowing thereinto for supplying the tub fillers  403 ,  422 , i.e., the faucet  422  and/or the hand-held sprayer  402 . The anti-scald valve  404  provides water at a predetermined maximum temperature to hand-held shower  402 . Preferably, the anti-scald valve also controls the water pressure to the hand-held shower  402  by reducing pressure fluctuations and providing a predetermined maximum pressure limit. More preferably, the anti-scald valve  404  both balances the temperature of the mixed water and reduces pressure fluctuations at the hand-held shower  402 . Still more preferably, the anti-scald valve  404  balances both the temperature and the pressure of the mixed water flowing therefrom. The use of a compact anti-scald valve  404  in the system  400  eliminates the necessity for a diverter valve, thereby reducing the number and complexity of the required plumbing fittings as well as reducing the cost of the system  400 .  
         [0037]    [0037]FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate fifth and sixth embodiment systems  400 ′ and  400 ″, respectively, that are identical to the system described above regarding FIG. 5, with the exception of the addition of a diverter  439  fluidically connected to supply water to the hand-held sprayer  402 . Referring to FIG. 6, the diverter  439  is of the stem-pull type and is incorporated into the spigot  422 . The diverter may be actuated to send mixed water from the valve  404  through the spigot  422  into the bathtub, or instead through hose  436  (hydraulically or fluidically connected to diverter  439 ) to the hand-held sprayer  402 . FIG. 7 illustrates a similar system, except that the diverter  439  is mounted to the tub deck  432  and is fluidically connected to valve  404  via pipe  440  for receiving mixed water therefrom. Diverter is also fluidically connected to spigot  422  and sprayer  402  for delivering mixed water thereto. The diverter  439  further includes a valve handle  441  connected thereto and extending through deck  432 . Handle  441  may be operated to actuate diverter  439  to send water to spigot  422  or through hose  436  to hand-held sprayer  402 .  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 8 schematically illustrates a seventh embodiment of the present invention, a bathtub plumbing system  500  including an anti-scald valve  504 , such as, for example and not by limitation, a Lawler TMM-1000 thermostatic mixing valve or the like having valve inputs fluidically connected to a main hot water pipe  510  and a main cold water pipe  512 , respectively. The valve mixes the inflowing hot and cold water and outputs the mixed water to faucet or spout  522  fluidically connected thereto. Preferably, the valve  504  further includes a control handle  505  operationally connected thereto, but may alternately be of the in-line type. Preferably, the valve  504  is located beneath the tub deck surface  532  while the handle  505  extends through the tub deck surface  532 .  
         [0039]    In operation, the anti-scald valve  504  serves to mix the hot and cold water flowing thereinto for supplying to the faucet  522 . The anti-scald valve  504  provides water at a predetermined maximum temperature to the spout  522 . Preferably, the anti-scald valve  504  also controls the water pressure to spout  522  by reducing pressure fluctuations and providing a predetermined maximum pressure limit. More preferably, the anti-scald valve  504  both balances the temperature of the mixed water and reduces pressure fluctuations at the spout  522 . Still more preferably, the anti-scald valve  504  balances both the temperature and the pressure of the mixed water flowing therefrom. The use of a compact anti-scald valve  504  in the tub fill system  500  eliminates the likelihood of accidentally scalding an occupant of the tub, such as a child or infant, while the tub is being filled or if the spout  522  is accidentally actuated.  
         [0040]    [0040]FIGS. 9 and 10 schematically illustrate an eighth and ninth embodiment of the present invention. The embodiment of FIG. 9 illustrates a bathtub plumbing system  600  including a hand-held shower  602  controlled by an in-line thermally tempering anti-scald valve  604 , such as, for example and not by limitation, a Lawler TMM-1000 thermostatic mixing valve. The system  600  also includes a main hot water pipe  610  and a main cold water pipe  612  for supplying hot and cold water, respectively. The main hot water pipe  610  and the main cold water pipe  612  are connected to the respective appropriate inlets of the thermostatic mixing valve  604 . The valve  604  is fluidically connected to both a bathtub fill spout or faucet  622  and to a hand-held shower sprayer  602 . The main hot water pipe  610  is connected to a spout hot water control valve  614  and via a secondary hot water pipe  626  to a sprayer hot water control valve  615 ; the main cold water pipe is connected to a spout cold water control valve  616  and via a secondary cold water pipe  628  to a sprayer cold water control valve  617 . The spout hot and cold water control valves  614  and  616  are respectively operated by a spout hot and cold water control valve handles  618  and  620 . The sprayer hot and cold water control valves  615  and  617  are respectively operated by a sprayer hot and cold water control valve handles  619  and  621 . The spout hot and cold water control valves  614 ,  616  are fluidically connected to a spout or faucet  622 ; the sprayer hot and cold water control valves  615 ,  617  are fluidically connected to the sprayer  602 . In particular, the T-joint  623  is fluidically connected between the control valves  615  and  617  and also fluidically connected to the sprayer through a flexible hose  636 . The output of the control valves  615  and  617  is thus directed through the T-joint  623  through the hose  636  to the sprayer  602 .  
         [0041]    In operation, the anti-scald valve  604  serves to limit the maximum temperature of water flowing therethrough. Although the valve  604  is illustrated as positioned in the main hot water line where it will operate to provide a maximum limit to the water flowing through the system, other valve placements/configurations may be used. For example, multiple valves may be used to limit the temperature of the water output of the system, with a first valve  604  positioned in fluidic communication between control valves  614 ,  616  and spout  622  and a second valve  604  positioned in fluidic communication between control valves  615 ,  617  and sprayer  602  (not shown). The anti-scald valve  604  provides water at a predetermined maximum temperature to the fill hardware, i.e., the spout  622  and the hand-held shower  602 . Preferably, the anti-scald valve also controls the water pressure spout  622  and/or to the hand-held shower  602  by reducing pressure fluctuations and providing a predetermined maximum pressure limit. More preferably, the anti-scald valve  604  both balances the temperature of the mixed water and reduces pressure fluctuations at the spout  622  and/or hand-held shower  602 . Still more preferably, the anti-scald valve  604  balances both the temperature and the pressure of the mixed water flowing therefrom. The use of a compact anti-scald valve  604  in the system  600  eliminates the necessity for a diverter valve, thereby reducing the number and complexity of the required plumbing fittings as well as reducing the cost of the system  600 .  
         [0042]    The system  600 ′ of FIG. 10 is identical to that of FIG. 9 except that a diverter valve  639  replaces the control valves  615  and  617  and the adjoining T-joint  623 . The valves  614  and  616  are each fluidically connected to the diverter  639 , which is fluidically connected to the sprayer  602  through the hose  636 . The diverter is preferably mounted beneath the tub deck surface. A diverter control handle  641  is preferably connected to the diverter  639  and more preferably extends through the deck surface  636 . The valve  604  operates essentially identically as described above.  
         [0043]    While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character. It is understood that the embodiments have been shown and described in the foregoing specification in satisfaction of the best mode and enablement requirements. It is understood that one of ordinary skill in the art could readily make a nigh-infinite number of insubstantial changes and modifications to the above-described embodiments and that it would be impractical to attempt to describe all such embodiment variations in the present specification. Accordingly, it is understood that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.