Patent ID: 8807521

Claim:
A self-contained fluid flow control system for installation between a water supply pipe and a shower head in a shower installation, comprising: (a) a housing having a fluid inlet configured to be operatively coupled to a water supply pipe in a shower enclosure, and a fluid outlet configured for delivering water to a shower head, said fluid outlet in fluid communication with the fluid inlet such that fluid entering the system from a water supply pipe coupled to the fluid inlet will flow through the housing and exit the system through said fluid outlet; (b) a proximity sensor mounted on or in said housing for detecting the presence and position of a bather within a region adjacent the sensor when the system is installed in a shower enclosure; (c) a flow control valve housed within said housing and configured to regulate fluid flow between the inlet and outlet in response to bather detection by the sensor, wherein the flow control valve proportionally varies the fluid flow based on the detected presence of a bather and the distance of a bather from the sensor by varying the control valve opening between a maximum and a minimum; (d) a temperature sensor housed within said housing for detecting the temperature of water flowing through said housing; and (e) a controller housed within said housing and configured for controlling the operation of the flow control device in response to the presence and position of a bather as well as in response to the temperature of water flowing through said housing; wherein said controller is configured such that, following initiation of a shower cycle, when the temperature of the water flowing through said system stabilizes at or above a preset minimum bathing temperature and the presence of a bather is not detected, the controller causes water flow to be reduced to and maintained at a non-zero temperature maintenance flow by regulating said control valve.