Systems and methods for point water modification

Abstract

A water usage management system that can be installed in an environment containing the primary infrastructure for water usage to provide an alternative, modular infrastructure for water usage. Fresh water used at various points of use, such as showers or sinks, can be modified by a point-of-use water conditioner. Water can be modified at the point of use based on a preconfigured routine or a manual user selection. The treatment performed on the water can include quality treatments, such as modifying the pH or mineral content, and can also include experiential treatments, such as adding a scent, color, carbonation, or health and beauty supplements. Additives used during treatment are provided in cartridges that can be inserted into and removed from the water conditioner. The cartridges can self-identify when inserted to aid in compatibility and availability determinations as well as a recycling / re-certification process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to systems and methods for managing the domestic storage, treatment, and use of water. Background Technology

[0002] Water scarcity is becoming an increasingly serious problem for many countries, with the scale of its impact influenced by a variety of factors, such as population growth, climate change, and the growing demands of both industry and agriculture. Consequently, water demand is likely to become even more strained in the coming decades, and many global cities are indeed facing supply-demand shortages that cannot be met by current strategies. One approach to ensuring that residential households have sufficient resources to meet these scarcity challenges is the reuse principle, where certain water flows within a household are reused or reused for secondary purposes, sometimes characterized as “grey water.” Conventional methods of this reuse focus on a “whole-household” approach and require significant initial costs (e.g., installation of hardware and infrastructure, reconfiguration of supply lines and discharge components, etc.) and maintenance costs (e.g., treatment, cleaning, especially around wastewater classified as “sewage”).

[0003] The resulting system can process multiple residential water flows and redirect them back to a single flow in a potable or non-potable quality form for secondary reuse applications (e.g., virtually all water used in a household is redirected to a single storage tank supplying all future use). However, this potable or non-potable form is not optimized for any particular purpose and does not take into account the specific needs of secondary purposes, and therefore in some cases, the treatment of the input water may be inefficient, unnecessary, or unsuitable based on the prior use and actual characteristics of the water. Due to the high cost of implementation and maintenance, and the static rather than dynamic or reactive treatment of water, the scale of savings achievable by residential households using conventional greywater systems is limited, and therefore they are not considered a feasible or realistic option for most household users. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In one form, the residential water replenishment system includes a housing configured to be positioned at a point of use within a residence. The system also includes a water channel configured to receive a volume of water from a water source connected to a water inlet and supplying that volume of water to a water outlet. The system further includes one or more cartridge receivers. The system also includes one or more injection nozzles in fluid communication with the water channel. The system also includes one or more pumps, each pump connected to at least one of the cartridge receivers, connected to an injection nozzle of the one or more injection nozzles, and operable to extract a volume of chemicals from a cartridge connected to the at least one cartridge receiver and inject that volume of chemicals into the volume of water via the injection nozzle. The system also includes a processor configured to cause the one or more pumps to modify the volume of water within the water channel based on a selected treatment.

[0005] In another form, the residential point-of-use reservoir device includes a water capture device in fluid communication with prior-used water, wherein the water capture device includes a sensor configured to provide a signal indicating the presence of prior-used water. The device also includes a storage reservoir and a first channel configured to contain a volume of water, the first channel providing a fluid connection between the water capture device and the storage reservoir. The device further includes one or more cartridge receivers and one or more injection nozzles in fluid communication with the storage reservoir. The system also includes one or more pumps, each pump coupled to at least one of the one or more cartridge receivers, coupled to an injection nozzle of the one or more injection nozzles, and operable to extract a volume of chemical from a cartridge coupled to the at least one cartridge receiver and inject that volume of chemical into the volume of water via the injection nozzle. The device also includes a second channel and one or more delivery pumps, the second channel providing a fluid connection between the storage reservoir and subsequent points of use, the one or more delivery pumps being configured to deliver prior-used water to the storage reservoir based on signals from the sensor, and to deliver water from the storage reservoir to subsequent points of use.

[0006] In another form, a method includes providing a water replenishment unit configured to receive a volume of water from a water source and provide that volume of water to a water output. The method also includes receiving user input via a user interface of the water replenishment unit by a processor. The method further includes determining a water modification associated with the user input by the processor. The method also includes, by the processor and based on the water modification, causing a pump of the water replenishment unit to extract a volume of chemicals from a cylinder coupled to the water replenishment unit and inject that volume of chemicals into the volume of water. Attached Figure Description

[0007] The above and other features and advantages of this disclosure, as well as the ways in which they are obtained, will become more apparent from the following description of non-limiting embodiments of this disclosure, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and the disclosure itself will be better understood, wherein:

[0008] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary use of water.

[0009] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary system for managing water use.

[0010] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the use of a point water regulator.

[0011] Figure 4 This is a front view of an example using a water tap regulator.

[0012] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Front perspective view of the water level regulator.

[0013] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary internal structure using a point-of-use regulator.

[0014] Figure 7A This is a schematic diagram of another exemplary internal structure using a point-of-use regulator.

[0015] Figure 7B yes Figure 7A A front view of an exemplary internal component using a water flow regulator.

[0016] Figure 7C yes Figure 7B Front perspective view of the internal components.

[0017] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary tube receiver.

[0018] Figure 9A This is a front perspective view of an exemplary cylinder that can be used with a water dispenser regulator.

[0019] Figure 9B yes Figure 9A A cross-sectional view of the cylinder.

[0020] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary pretreatment module that can be used with a point-of-use regulator.

[0021] Figure 11A This is a front perspective view of an exemplary pump that can be used with a point-of-use regulator.

[0022] Figure 11B yes Figure 11AA front perspective view of the pump, with the housing removed to show the internal components.

[0023] Figure 11C yes Figure 11A An exploded view of the pump.

[0024] Figure 11D yes Figure 11A Rear perspective view of an exemplary cylinder plate of a pump.

[0025] Figure 11E yes Figure 11A A front view of an exemplary manifold plate of a pump, where dashed lines indicate the location of the internal channels.

[0026] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram illustrating another exemplary pump.

[0027] Figure 13 It is a flowchart of an exemplary set of advanced steps that can be performed to operate a point water regulator.

[0028] Figure 14 It is a flowchart of a set of exemplary steps that can be performed to enable the cylinder to be used with a point water regulator.

[0029] Figure 15 This is a flowchart of a set of exemplary steps that can be performed to manage the reuse of the tube.

[0030] Figure 16 It is a flowchart of an exemplary set of steps that can be performed to provide point water treatment.

[0031] Figure 17 This is a flowchart that can be executed to provide another set of exemplary steps for point water treatment.

[0032] Figure 18A This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary water capture ring.

[0033] Figure 18B yes Figure 18A Front perspective view of the water capture ring.

[0034] Figure 18C yes Figure 18A Another schematic diagram of the water capture ring.

[0035] Figure 19A This is an alternative exemplary front perspective view using a point water regulator.

[0036] Figure 19B This is another alternative exemplary front perspective view using a point water regulator.

[0037] Figure 19CThis is yet another alternative exemplary front perspective view using a water tap regulator. Detailed Implementation

[0038] This disclosure relates to systems and methods for managing the storage, treatment, and use of water in a domestic environment. Various non-limiting embodiments of this disclosure will now be described to provide a general understanding of the functionality, design, and operational principles of the systems and methods. One or more examples of these non-limiting embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the systems and methods described herein and illustrated in the drawings are non-limiting exemplary embodiments, and that the scope of the various non-limiting embodiments of this disclosure is fully defined by the claims. Features described or illustrated in one non-limiting embodiment may be combined with features of other non-limiting embodiments. Such modifications and variations are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure.

[0039] In a water-scarce world, one of the growing concerns for consumers is water quality. Many consumers prefer bottled water over tap water because they believe it offers benefits against perceptible contaminants and overall health. In the beauty context, many consumers are seeking different experiences and benefits for hair and skin by using different types and qualities of water. For example, mineral water, rainwater, sparkling water, vinegar, and even champagne are touted as preferred cleaning and rinsing solvents over tap water. This “alternative water trend” or “premium water trend” is becoming increasingly mainstream. In fact, there are real scientific reasons why certain types of water can improve beauty effects, such as pH levels. Compared to tap water, the natural pH of skin or hair is slightly acidic. As a result, this can lead to swelling of the skin or hair, which may affect their natural barrier function.

[0040] Another example is hardness, where Ca / Mg and carbonates can also have some detrimental effects on salt deposits on skin or hair, and can form crystalline structures that damage surface quality, feel, and appearance. Increased acidity in water can prevent or remove crystalline deposits, leaving a smoother surface, which may be related to the trend of using vinegar as a rinsing agent. Furthermore, transition metals can prove to be highly corrosive to hair or skin due to the catalytic propagation of peroxidation reactions involving the body's natural oils.

[0041] Some trends may be driven primarily by perceived experiences rather than improved skin, hair, or other health benefits. For example, carbonated water has been used in bathing and has been described as enhancing the rinsing “experience” by providing consumers with a pleasurable sensation due to the nucleation of bubbles on the skin’s surface.

[0042] While some water treatment systems exist, ranging from softening systems to ion exchange units and nanofiltration systems, these systems typically focus on whole-house treatment to convert greywater into drinking water, rather than providing specific health or experience benefits. Therefore, such systems present significant challenges in installation and maintenance, and do not offer flexibility for specific applications or variability in treatment types.

[0043] As disclosed herein, it may be advantageous to selectively treat only certain flows of water or certain "moments" of water supplied at points of use, such as showers, sinks, toilets, or other points of use. This selective treatment allows for modular and centralized treatment of water at specific points of use to provide specific benefits, rather than treating the entire water supply supplied to or used by a household. This allows systems and devices of moderate cost and complexity to treat only a portion of the water allocated to the household at a specific need or purpose, at a specific time, or both (e.g., the duration of a shower, or certain portions of a shower, such as the rinsing phase of hair washing, or during body rinsing after cleaning). Implementations of these point-of-use devices can be integrated into existing water infrastructure (e.g., supply lines, drainage lines) or exist in parallel with existing water infrastructure without permanently modifying the existing infrastructure. In some implementations, point-of-use water treatment devices may be combined with systems that provide broader capabilities for water use, capture, treatment, and reuse, such as the system disclosed in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 118176, filed November 25, 2020, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0044] These point-of-use water treatment devices can be implemented in small sizes and can utilize consumable and replaceable cartridges, allowing water quality to be modified upon user request or via a programmed sequence. Such cartridges may incorporate chemical treatments to provide health benefits, experience benefits, or other alterations, and may include cartridges configured to change pH, provide carbonation, mineralization, or dispense specific liquids to improve beauty outcomes and experiences. These point-of-use devices can also be combined with water treatment modules (e.g., passive or active filtration systems) for the removal of specific types of metal ions, such as transition metals.

[0045] Now turn to the attached image. Figure 1This diagram illustrates exemplary water use within a home environment 10 (such as a household). Primary infrastructure 11 associated with water use (e.g., copper or plastic pipes supplying fresh water, plastic drains diverting used water to a wastewater treatment system) is shown in solid lines, while modular infrastructure 13, which may include point-of-use water treatment devices as described herein, is shown in dashed lines. Fresh water enters the home environment 10 from a freshwater inlet 12 via the primary infrastructure 11. The freshwater inlet 12 may be, for example, a water treatment plant or other public facility, a public water storage tank, a freshwater well, or another groundwater inlet. The water supplied by the freshwater inlet 12 is used in the home environment in various ways, such as kitchen use 14 (e.g., sink, dishwasher), bathing use 18 (e.g., shower, sink), laundry use 20 (e.g., washing machine), and toilet use 22. In addition to providing water for various uses, the primary infrastructure 11 also provides drainage from those uses to wastewater outlet 16 (such as a public sewage system, septic tank, or septic tank system).

[0046] As can be seen, the modular infrastructure 13 is more limited in scope than the primary infrastructure 11. The modular infrastructure 13 may be enclosed within the structure of the home environment 10 (e.g., within walls, floors, or ceilings) or may be installed externally to such a structure. The modular infrastructure 13 may include aspects of the primary infrastructure 11, such as copper or plastic pipes enclosed within the structure, but may also include flexible tubing, flat tubing, temporary tubing with quick-attach and release features, and other materials that facilitate the transport of water over relatively short distances and / or within a single room or adjacent rooms. In some embodiments, the modular infrastructure 13 may also include transportable moving elements, such as tanks, cylinders, or troughs, which can be carried or otherwise transferred (e.g., by rolling on a set of wheels) from one location to another. In some embodiments, the modular infrastructure 13 may include point-of-use water treatment devices that can receive fresh or treated water and perform treatment on demand at the point of use, as will be described in more detail below.

[0047] While the specific layout and design of the modular infrastructure 13 will depend on the specific home and varying implementation methods, and may also change from time to time as modular connections are added or removed, Figure 1Several exemplary connections that are generally effective are illustrated. For example, water typically used for bathing purposes 18 in a bathroom can be captured, treated, and stored by modular infrastructure 13, as detailed below, and then redirected for toilet use 22 instead of flowing to wastewater output 16. Similarly, water used for laundry use 20 can be captured by modular infrastructure 13 and then, after treatment and storage, reused for one or more laundry uses 20 before being redirected for toilet use 22. Water used for toilet use 22 is often too difficult to handle in a way that is both efficient and acceptable for widespread use, and therefore can be directly redirected to wastewater output 16. In other embodiments, modular infrastructure 13 can provide captured water for other subsequent uses, such as watering plants or lawns, and can capture water from other sources, such as dishwashing machines, kitchen sinks, or rainwater from the roof or gutters. A significant advantage of modular infrastructure 13 compared to conventional whole-house water reuse systems is its minimal footprint and application. By implementing modular infrastructure 13 in a limited manner and leveraging it based on various dynamic factors such as sensor data, usage history, user requests, and other inputs detailed below, significant gains can be achieved in terms of efficiency, ease of use, and maintenance costs.

[0048] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary system 100 for managing water use. System 100 can be implemented to achieve... Figure 1 Some or all of these aspects, such as the use of modular infrastructure 13 to allow water management outside of the main infrastructure 11. Figure 2 Points of use 101 shown include a sink 110 (e.g., in a bathroom, and primarily intended for handwashing and oral hygiene), a shower 112, and a toilet 118, which are typically grouped into the same room or located at least close to each other within the environment, as well as a washing machine 114 and an outdoor faucet 116, which are typically located in other rooms and vary in distance from each other and from other points of use. One or more point-of-use devices 104 may be installed and configured for one or more points of use 101 to achieve features such as water modification at the point of use, real-time or on-demand water modification, water capture, treatment and reuse, and other beneficial features.

[0049] Although not required in all implementations, Figure 2The exemplary system 100 shown also includes a water usage hub 102 that communicates with one or more devices, such as point-of-use devices 104, and itself communicates with one or more remote servers 106 and one or more user devices 108. The water usage hub 102 can communicate with the point-of-use devices 104 and enable communication between those devices and user devices 108, remote servers 106, or other point-of-use devices 108. For example, this can allow a user with a smartphone 108 to remotely configure and interact with the point-of-use device 104. The water usage hub 102 can be a computer, router, hub, switch, or other network device, or a proprietary device with sufficient processing, storage, and communication capabilities to allow wired and / or wireless transmission and reception of data, as well as the processing, storage, and analysis of data. In some embodiments, the water usage hub 102 can be a smartphone or other personal computing device owned by a person in the environment, and therefore can also be user device 108. Wired data connections can be via USB, Ethernet, broadband over power lines, or other wired connections. The wireless data connection can be Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, IR, NFC, or other short-, medium-, or long-range wireless transmissions. Remote server 106 can be one or more physical, virtual, cloud, or other server environments configured to transmit and receive data over a wide area network (e.g., the Internet) and to store, modify, and analyze data. User device 108 can include one or more smartphones, tablets, computers, laptops, wearable devices, gaming devices, proprietary devices, or other personal computing devices, such as those owned by a person residing in or accessing the location implementing system 100.

[0050] Reference Figures 1-2 The data exchanged between the water usage hub 102 and the point-of-use device 104 may include usage data such as the volume and frequency of water entering and leaving the network, water entering the system from the freshwater input 12, and water leaving the system via the wastewater output 16; the status of the point-of-use device 104 may include battery charge level, filter status, cartridge status and cartridge fill level, and other information. As an example, the point-of-use device 104 may from time to time communicate via wireless LAN and report general status information (e.g., currently in use, volume of water allocated over a period of time, battery level, cartridge fill level, cartridge contents, or other information, water temperature) and target notifications (e.g., battery change warning, cartridge change or replacement warning, leak detection faucet, dangerous water temperature warning, or other warnings).

[0051] The data available to the water use hub 102 may also include sensor data describing the characteristics of the water used at the point of use 101. This may include data from sensors capable of determining various characteristics of the water volume. Such information may be used by the point of use device 104 or other equipment to assess and prepare captured water for subsequent use, and may be reported to the water use hub 102 so that it can be used for other purposes, such as identifying ways to improve overall water quality in a household, detecting the presence of contaminants, or recommending different products (e.g., chemical treatment cartridges, filter modules) that can improve or reduce the levels of chemical contaminants present in the water at the point of use 101.

[0052] Data collected by water use hub 102 can be provided to remote server 106 and used as part of aggregated information, for example, regarding water use across a group of users or a geographic area of ​​origin, and can be used to generate and improve the configuration of multiple systems 100 across many users. For example, data reported from multiple users within a single city can indicate that most or all residents of that city are receiving water with an undesirable high mineral content from freshwater input 12. Such information can be used to remotely configure numerous point-of-use devices 104 within that city to account for and address known high mineral content. Water use hub 102 and / or server 106 can also use the collected data to communicate with user devices 108 and provide information, recommendations, and other data to users via one or more graphical user interfaces. For example, user device 108 may receive a notification indicating high mineral content in freshwater input 12 and recommendations for family water softeners or other solutions. As another example, user equipment 108 may receive a notification instructing that, based on its historical and / or configured usage patterns, if it can wash its laundry load at 9 p.m. instead of 7 p.m., the entire water usage for the wash will come from the reused water that will be available at that time, rather than from the fresh water input 12. Also, user equipment 108 may receive a notification instructing that the chemical cartridge for point-of-use device 104 is low on water and should be replaced.

[0053] As another example of the use of point device 104 Figure 3A schematic diagram of a point-of-use water regulator 200, also referred to as a residential water replenishment unit, is shown. This regulator is operable to modify water at a point of use, such as a showerhead. Water modification may include, for example, filtration, injection of chemical treatments (e.g., to change pH), and injection of user experience treatments (e.g., to provide scented, colored, or carbonated water). The water regulator 200 includes a water channel 202 that receives water as input from a freshwater input 12 or another source and delivers the water to an output at the point of use (e.g., a showerhead). As the water passes through the water channel 202, it may be filtered, treated, and otherwise modified. In different embodiments, the water channel may include one or more inputs (e.g., one input for freshwater 12 and one input for water input from modular infrastructure 13) and one or more outputs (e.g., one output for a point of use, such as a showerhead 112, and one output for peripherally connected devices, such as a handheld shower).

[0054] The water conditioner 200 may include one or more syringe pumps 204 operable to introduce chemicals (e.g., additives) into the water flow in the water channel 202. In various embodiments, the syringe pump 204 may draw additives from an internal reservoir or from a cartridge or other externally replaceable reservoir. In a cartridge-based embodiment, the water conditioner 200 may include a cartridge receiver 210 that receives a cartridge containing a chemical treatment, user experience treatment, or other additive and supplies such additives to the syringe pump 204. The cartridge receiver 210 may include additional features, such as a light, electrical, or wireless data reader or receiver operable to receive information from an inserted cartridge that can be used to identify the cartridge and its contents, or to enable / disable other features of the water conditioner 200 based on the inserted cartridge, as will be described in more detail below.

[0055] Water conditioner 200 may include user interface 206, which allows a user to provide input to water conditioner 200, receive information from water conditioner 200, or both. User interface may include, for example, a display screen, touchscreen, a set of light indicators or other visual indicators, a set of buttons or other controls, voice activation features, or a software interface that can be wirelessly accessed from another device, such as a smartphone connected to water conditioner 200 via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. User interface 206 may be configured to allow a user to activate certain water treatments, create and change software configurations of water conditioner 200, receive information related to the functionality of water conditioner 200 (such as operating status, cylinder contents, cylinder level), and receive warning messages or other notifications related to the functionality of water conditioner 200.

[0056] For example, the water conditioner 200 may include other features and components such as a power supply 208 (e.g., a rechargeable / replaceable battery, hardwired connection, power cable), a communication device 212 (e.g., a Bluetooth transceiver, Wi-Fi transceiver, optical transceiver, or other device capable of receiving and transmitting data wirelessly or via hardwired connection), a processor 218 (e.g., one or more computer processors within the water conditioner 200 or in a device communicating with the water conditioner 200, configured to execute programmed instructions and exchange control signals with other devices of the water conditioner 200 (such as a syringe pump 204, user interface 206, etc.), and components such as memory, storage devices, and waterproof and moisture-proof seals. One or more processors 218 may also include various types of computer processors, including microprocessors, and may also include control boards, programmable logic devices, field-programmable gate arrays, and other devices capable of receiving input signals, determining output signals, and providing output signals to one or more other devices or components.

[0057] The water conditioner 200 may include a sensor module 214, which includes one or more sensor capabilities, such as a flow sensor, pressure sensor, contaminant sensor, water characteristic sensor (e.g., for determining pH, hardness, transparency), temperature sensor, motion sensor, proximity sensor, sound sensor, optical sensor, or other sensor devices capable of measuring the physical characteristics of the surrounding environment and generating a dataset for use by the processor 218. Characteristics measured by the sensors may include, for example, water temperature, mineral content, acidity, chemical content, particulate content, microbial content, fungal content, viral content, and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD).

[0058] The water conditioner 200 may also include a filtration module 216, which may include one or more filter membranes, chambers or materials, and may be positioned inline along the water channel 202, before the water channel 202 and outside the water conditioner 200 itself (e.g., inline along a hose or other channel that supplies fresh water 12 to the water conditioner 200), or after the water channel 202 and outside the water conditioner 200 (e.g., inline along a hose or other channel that supplies modified water to a point of use such as a shower 112).

[0059] In some embodiments, water channel 202 may have two or more outputs, one of which supplies modified water to a point of use such as shower 112, and a second output terminating at auxiliary device connector 220. Auxiliary device connector 220 may be configured to connect to any of a variety of auxiliary devices to allow modified water to be selectively supplied to shower 112, the connected auxiliary device, or both simultaneously. Examples of auxiliary devices include, for example, a handheld shower head separate from the main shower head, a water-spraying toothbrush, a water-spraying hairbrush, a water-spraying body scrub brush, and a water-spraying razor. Auxiliary devices may receive a steady flow of water from water regulator 200 based on the operation of a passive or active valve system within water channel 202 and / or auxiliary device connector 220, or may include their own supply valves that control water flow by pressing a button or adjusting another control, or both.

[0060] In some embodiments, the water conditioner 200 may be additionally configured for point-of-use water capture and reuse via a modular infrastructure. This embodiment may additionally include one or more storage reservoirs 222. The storage reservoirs 222 may be inlined with or otherwise in fluid communication with the water channel 202, such that water received via some or all of the water inputs enters the storage reservoirs 222, and water from the storage reservoirs 222 may exit the water conditioner 200 via one or more water outputs. The water supplied by the water conditioner 200 may originate from a freshwater input 12 that completely bypasses the storage reservoirs 222, may exit from the storage reservoirs 222, or may be a mixture.

[0061] Water supplied to storage reservoir 222 may be stored and initially treated, or treated over time, while water bypassing storage reservoir 222 may be treated and supplied in real time. Water supplied to storage reservoir 222 may originate from freshwater input 12, or may be water captured from the point of use via modular infrastructure 13. Water captured in storage reservoir 222 for treatment during prior use may be treated and then supplied from storage reservoir 222 for subsequent use, and is typically captured before entering main infrastructure 11 (e.g., before entering a drain). Components of water conditioner 200 associated with water modification (e.g., syringe pump 204, cartridge receiver 210, and filter module 216) may operate to treat water bypassing storage reservoir 222, water stored within storage reservoir 222, or both. For example, in the case where the water conditioner 200 can receive four cylinders including water-modifying chemicals, the additive from each cylinder can be used to treat water in real time or in the storage reservoir 222, or the cylinders can be dedicated to a specific purpose (e.g., two cylinders can be used to treat water bypassing the storage reservoir 222, while two cylinders can be used to treat water within the storage reservoir 222).

[0062] Embodiments of the water regulator 200 with storage reservoir 222 may also include a water delivery device 224, which may be, for example, a pump operable to generate pressure and / or vacuum for delivering water within a closed system. The water delivery device 224 may be operable to capture water from the point of use and deliver it to the storage reservoir, and may also be used to deliver water from the storage reservoir to water channel 202 for subsequent use.

[0063] Figure 4 This is a front view of the water regulator 300. The water regulator 300 has a shape, size, and other physical characteristics that make it suitable for placement near the shower 112, but it should be understood that any concepts, features, or methods described herein can also be applied to other points of use, such as the sink 110, washing machine 114, or toilet 118. Therefore, with respect to such concepts, features, and methods described in this disclosure with respect to the shower 112, such description is for illustrative and clarification purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the disclosure to application in the shower 112. The water regulator 300 includes a housing 302, a water inlet 304 extending from the housing, and a water outlet 306 extending from the housing. Although the water inlet 304 and water outlet 306 are shown located on the top and bottom sides of the housing 302, respectively, it should be understood that they can be positioned elsewhere, and therefore, for example, on the top of the housing 302, on the bottom of the housing 302, or on opposite sides of the housing 302. The water regulating device 300 includes four cylinder receivers 308, with two cylinder receivers disposed on each side of the housing (e.g., cylinder receivers 308 are also located on the other side). Figure 5 (As shown in the diagram), they define recesses extending into the housing 302 and are shaped as receiving cartridges 310. The cartridge receiver 308 may also include one or more protrusions to which the cartridge 310 is received. The cartridge 310, removably attached to the cartridge receiver 308, may include chemical treatments, experiential treatments, or other additives that can be injected into the water via a device such as a syringe pump 204, and may also include aspects of the filtration module 216, such as a filter membrane or chamber that can be easily replaced by replacing the used filter cartridge with a replacement cartridge.

[0064] The front of housing 302 includes a set of buttons 312 and a set of status indicators 314, which may correspond to one or more buttons. Each button 312 may correspond to a single cylinder, such that actuating the button causes additive to be injected from the corresponding cylinder 310 into the water flow. The operation of the buttons 312 may vary depending on the implementation. For example, in some implementations, pressing the button 312 may supply a static amount of additive in multiple injections, while in other implementations, pressing the button 312 multiple times within a short period may result in the subsequent supply of an increased amount of additive in a single injection. The status indicators 314 may be, for example, light indicators operable to emit different colors of light with varying brightness. The status indicators 314 may be operable to provide information about the operation of the water regulator 300, wherein the light indicators indicate water modification in progress or imminent (e.g., three lights may illuminate in response to three presses of the corresponding button), or indicate the status of the corresponding cylinder 310 (e.g., three lights represent a nearly full cylinder, one light represents a nearly empty cylinder), or indicate both in varying operating modes. The status indicator 314 can also operate in other modes, such as providing errors, warnings, notifications or other information.

[0065] Figure 5 This is a front perspective view using the water level regulator 300, showing the cylinder 310 removed from the cylinder receiver 308, while the other three cylinders remain connected to their respective cylinder receivers. Although the cylinders 310 are shown as cylinders, it should be understood that they may be implemented with different shapes, sizes, or other different physical characteristics. Additionally, it should be understood that although the cylinder receivers are shown on opposite sides of the housing 302, in some embodiments they may alternatively be distributed around the top, bottom, or front of the housing 302.

[0066] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary internal structure using a water regulator 400. A water inlet 404 at the top of the housing 402 leads to an internal water passage 418 that extends from the water inlet 404 to a water outlet 406 at the bottom of the housing. The water inlet 404 and water outlet 405 may have different types of connectors, such as threaded connectors or push-pull connectors, and may be combined with additional mechanisms for locking, sealing, or otherwise securing the connection to prevent leakage.

[0067] Four cartridge receivers 408 are shown in positions that substantially correspond to the location of the water regulator 300 (e.g., two on each side of the housing 402), and the position of the cartridge 410 within the upper left cartridge receiver 308 is indicated by a dashed line. An injection pump 416 is shown connected to each cartridge receiver 408 via a supply line 414. The injection pump 416 is coupled to a main water channel 418 such that water flowing through the water regulator 400 flows through or into contact with one or more syringe nozzles or other outputs of the injection pump 416. The injection pump 416 may include a single pump mechanism and a set of electronically actuated valves that can be reconfigured by operation via a button or user control or based on a control signal (e.g., from processor 218 or another source). Once the valves are selectively configured, operation of the pump mechanism will cause an additive to be introduced from the cartridge corresponding to any open valve into the water flow within the water channel 418. The water regulator 400 also includes a pretreatment module 412, which may include one or more filters of the filtration module 216. In some embodiments, the pretreatment module 412 may also include a turbine positioned along the main water channel 418, which is operated by the flow of water through the main water channel 418 and generates charge to power components of the water regulator 400 or to supply charge to the power source 208.

[0068] Figure 7A This is a schematic diagram of another internal structure using the water regulator 500. The water regulator 500 includes a housing 502, a water inlet 504, a water outlet 506, a cylinder receiver 508, a pretreatment module 512, and a main water channel 518, which has the same internal structure as described above. Figure 6 The water conditioner 500 includes a set of four injection pumps 520, each corresponding to a single cartridge receiver 508. The injection pumps 520 are selectively operable (e.g., by pressing a corresponding button, or based on a control signal from processor 218 or another device) to inject additives into the main water channel 518 via injection nozzles or other outputs that are in fluid contact with the main water channel 518.

[0069] Figure 7B This is, for example, a front view of a set of internal components that may be used in a water regulator 500. A water inlet 504 supplies water to a main water channel 518, which terminates at a water outlet 506. A set of four injection pumps 520 is shown as a rack and pinion pump mechanism, which draws additive from a cylinder 522 on the inlet side and then pushes the additive into the main water channel 518 via a supply line 531 connected to an injection nozzle 530 on the outlet side. The injection nozzle itself... Figure 7C This is shown more clearly in the text. Although in Figure 7CThe structural parts of the cylinder receiver are not shown, but the functional part of each cylinder receiver is shown as a cylinder connector 524, which is positioned to engage with the nozzle or valve of the cylinder when the cylinder 522 is inserted into the cylinder receiver.

[0070] An auxiliary water channel 526 branching from the main water channel 518 is also shown. The auxiliary water channel 526 terminates within the housing 502 of the water regulator 500 and is accessible via a removable back panel or side panel of the housing 502. The auxiliary water channel 526 can be used in place of the water inlet 504 and can itself be blocked or otherwise sealed. This may be useful when the water regulator 500 is positioned above the water inlet, as it minimizes the amount of externally visible piping or conduit connected to the water outlet 506. Alternatively, the auxiliary water channel 526 can be coupled to auxiliary devices, such as... Figure 3 In the context discussed, this is to provide selective water output from auxiliary water channel 526, water output 506, or both, as already described.

[0071] Figure 7C yes Figure 7B A front perspective view of the internal components is shown. The cylinder connector 524 is shown in more detail, and it may include features forming an impermeable seal between the cylinder connector 524 and the cylinder 522, as well as features that "activate" the cylinder upon connection (e.g., engaging a locking mechanism of the cylinder 522 and pressing a push tab or other structure of the locking mechanism when the cylinder 522 is inserted). The injection nozzle 530 is also visible, extending from the main water channel 518 and connected to the injection pump 520 via a supply line on the output side of the injection pump 520.

[0072] Figure 8This is a schematic diagram of a cylinder receiver, for example, that may be included in a cylinder-based water conditioner. The position of the body of cylinder 700 within cylinder receiver 701 is shown in dashed lines. As already described, cylinder 700 may be inserted into cylinder receiver 701 and may be directed to fluid communication with a syringe pump via a cylinder connector. In some embodiments, cylinder receiver 700 may include cylinder reader 703 positioned on or near cylinder connector, such as near the end of cylinder receiver 700, such that it is in physical contact with a portion of cylinder 700, or otherwise positioned close to a portion of cylinder 200. For example, cylinder 700 may include identifier 705, which includes stored or encoded data describing the characteristics of the cylinder. Identifier 705 may be, for example, a barcode, QR code, or other visually encoded data, an RFID chip or wireless memory, or a solid-state memory chip. The data stored or encoded by identifier 705 may include, for example, a unique identifier associated with each cylinder 700 (e.g., a record stored in a database may use this number as a primary key to uniquely identify cylinder 700), cylinder type or model, contents or additives inside the cylinder, or other information (e.g., such information may be actually stored or encoded in identifier 705, or may be parsed by a database query using the unique identifier of the cylinder).

[0073] Upon insertion, identifier 705 can be automatically read by cartridge reader 703, and the received information is provided to processor 218 (or another device or processor) for use by the water conditioner. Such uses may include, for example, verifying cartridge compatibility, cartridge availability, contents or additives within the cartridge, verifying that the cartridge is not expired or has exceeded its lifespan, or other purposes. These uses may be performed entirely locally on the water conditioner (e.g., based on locally available and stored data), or via a network, such as by receiving or providing information to one or more remote servers that store data related to the verification cartridge.

[0074] As an example, in some implementations, each cylinder 700 may be associated with a unique identifier stored on its identifier 705, and a remote server 106 may store records associated with each unique identifier. When a cylinder 700 is first coupled to a water conditioner, the unique identifier is read from identifier 705 and provided to the remote server 106 (e.g., via a device such as a water usage hub 102, or a user device 108 such as a smartphone that can communicate with the water conditioner). The remote server 106 may verify that the unique identifier is associated with a previously manufactured cylinder, and may check for recalls or safety notices related to the cylinder, and, if no issues are found, may provide the water conditioner with information indicating that the cylinder is available. Upon receiving this information, the water conditioner may allow the cylinder to be used for water modifications, as already described. A similar process may result in providing the remote server 106 with additional data indicating that the cylinder is used up when the same cylinder is depleted and removed from the water conditioner. If the same cartridge is reinserted into the water conditioner, the remote server 106 can detect that the cartridge is used up and unavailable, and can provide response data that causes the water conditioner to signal an error message and / or prevent the cartridge from being further removed for additives. The above example can be combined with other systems and methods to allow for cartridge recertification, recycling, refilling, or other reuse, while ensuring that the cartridge is not refilled with hazardous additives or chemicals, or refilled in a manner that could damage the cartridge, water conditioner, or both during subsequent use.

[0075] Figure 9A This is a front perspective view of a cylinder 700, which can be coupled to a water conditioner via a cylinder receiver to provide a replaceable and interchangeable supply of additives for water modification. Cylinder 700 includes: a cylinder housing 702, which can be shaped to fit a cylinder receiver; and an edge 704, which connects to a cylinder coupling (e.g., cylinder coupling 524, as shown in the image). Figure 7C (As shown) Joining.

[0076] Figure 9BThis is a cross-sectional view of cylinder 700. The interior of cylinder housing 702 of reservoir 706 is visible as a cavity. When the reservoir is filled with additive material, a base plate 708, matching the diameter of reservoir 706 and sealing against the inner wall, is positioned at the bottom of reservoir 706. The sealing region 710 below base plate 708 may be filled with pressurized gas, or may include a spring or other biasing mechanism that provides passive force to base plate 708, thereby biasing the additive material in the direction of dispensing from reservoir 706. Cap 714 seals the open end of cylinder housing 702, and edge 704 is positioned inside the cap. Cap 714 includes an outlet valve 718, which may be a diaphragm made of, for example, semi-rigid rubber or another material, that prevents the contents of reservoir 706 from draining in its idle state, but allows supply to a shaft (e.g., when cylinder 700 is connected to a water regulator). Figure 11B The supply shaft 816 (shown as part of the injection pump 800) passes through and enters the reservoir 706. The cap 714 also includes a plug 716, which can be removed during filling or emptying of the cylinder 700. Figure 8 The identifier 705 discussed herein may be embedded in the cap 714, printed on the inner wall of the edge 704, or otherwise positioned in the proximal portion of the tube 700, depending on the type of identifier.

[0077] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of a pretreatment module 412 that can be used with a water regulator. The pretreatment module includes a booster turbine 424, a sensor module 426, and a filter module 428. The booster turbine 424 can be configured to generate charge to charge a connected battery 422 that powers the water regulator, or it can directly power the water regulator. The sensor module 426 may include one or more sensors (e.g., flow sensors, pressure sensors, temperature sensors, etc.) that come into contact with the water flow traveling through the main water channel 418, and can be configured to provide measurement data to the processor 218. As an example, the sensor module 426 may include a flow sensor that determines whether water is flowing through the main water input and provides that information to the processor 218, thereby disabling the operation of the syringe pump and other devices when no water flow is detected, and enabling them when water flow is detected. The filter module 428 may include one or more porous filters, filter membranes, filter media, or other filtration components.

[0078] Figure 11A It can be used with a point-of-use regulator (e.g., such as...) Figure 7B and Figure 7CThe image shows a front perspective view of an injection pump 800 used in conjunction with an injection pump 520. The injection pump 800 includes an electric motor 802 housed within a housing 811, operable to extract an additive from a coupled cartridge and inject it into the main water flow of a water regulator (e.g., water regulator 500). Pumping force is provided by displacement of a volume within a cylinder plate 810 coupled to the housing 811. During operation, the additive can be extracted from the cartridge coupled to the injection pump 800 via a supply shaft 816 inserted through a valve or opening in the cartridge.

[0079] Reference Figure 11D and Figure 11E The extracted additive is drawn into cylinder 822 of cylinder plate 810 via manifold 812, and then pushed from cylinder 822 to output 818 of cover plate 814 through another channel of manifold 812. Figure 11C The exploded view shows each of the cylinder plate 810, manifold plate 812, and cover plate 814. Specifically, the output 817 of the cylinder plate 810 can be seen in this view; during assembly, this output is aligned with the input 828 of the manifold plate 812, which allows for… Figure 11E I saw it in the middle. Figure 11E Two channels of manifold 812 are shown. The input channel includes an input 828 located on the rear of manifold 812, aligned with the output 817 of cylinder plate 810; an embedded channel 826 located within manifold 812 and fluidly connecting input 828 to cylinder opening 824; and cylinder opening 824 fluidly connected to cylinder 822 of cylinder plate 810. The output channel of manifold 812 includes a cylinder opening 830 fluidly connected to cylinder 822; and a surface channel 832 visible on the surface of manifold 812 and fluidly connecting cylinder opening 830 to output 834 aligned with output 818 of cover plate 814. Although surface channel 832 is visible on the surface of manifold 812, it is sealed by cover plate 814 when syringe pump 800 is fully assembled.

[0080] Now let's switch to the displacement source of the syringe pump 800. Figure 11B A front perspective view of the injection pump 800 with housing 811 removed is shown. An electric motor 802 can be seen coupled to a pinion 804, which is itself in rotatable communication with a rack 806, which is slidably positioned within housing 811 during assembly. Operation of the electric motor 802 in a first rotational direction causes the rack 806 to move in a first direction (e.g., along the x-axis), while operation of the electric motor 802 in a second rotational direction causes the rack 806 to move in a second direction opposite to the first direction. (See reference...) Figure 11C The rack 806 can be considered as part of a single component (including the piston 820), which can be collectively referred to as the piston shaft. For example... Figure 11DAs shown, the piston 820 is sized and shaped to occupy cylinder 822 such that when the piston 820 extends into or retracts from cylinder 822, the volume of cylinder 822 is displaced, resulting in positive or negative pressure (e.g., when extended into cylinder 822, the contents of the cylinder are ejected, and when retracted from cylinder 822, a vacuum is created within cylinder 822). In this way, the operation of electric motor 802 provides a two-stage operation of injection pump 800, the first stage being the rack 806 retracting the piston 820 from cylinder 822, and the second stage being the rack 806 extending the piston 820 into cylinder 820. Considering the input and output channels defined by manifold plate 812, it can be seen that the first stage allows additive to be drawn into the cylinder from the barrel via the input channel, while the second stage allows additive in the cylinder to be discharged out of cover plate 814 via the output channel.

[0081] Figure 12 The operation of the syringe pump 800 is further illustrated schematically. The syringe pump 840 includes an electric motor 842 coupled to a pinion 844, which itself is rotatably connected to a rack 846 including a piston 860. The piston occupies the diameter of a cylinder 862 such that movement of the piston 844 along the x-axis can displace the volume of the cylinder 862 or create a vacuum within the cylinder 862. An input channel 852 and an output channel 854 are shown in a configuration similar to that of the syringe pump 800. Each channel 852, 854 also includes a one-way valve that allows flow in different directions, determining the flow direction during operation of the syringe pump 840. For example, an input valve 856 allows unidirectional flow into the cylinder 862, while an output valve 858 allows unidirectional flow out of the cylinder 862. Valves 856, 858 can be flexibly biased toward a closed position (e.g., by a spring or other tensioning member) such that they close under isobaric conditions. Any positive pressure in its permissible direction will exceed the strength of the biasing member and cause the valve to open, while pressure in the unpermissible direction will conversely pull valves 856, 858 against the structure to which they are mounted and prevent flow. Valves 856, 858 can be implemented in other ways than those described above, for example, as electronically actuated valves that open in either direction based on a control signal, which could allow additives, for example, present in the cylinder of an injection pump, to be delivered back to the cartridge.

[0082] One advantage of the disclosed rack and pinion injector pump is the precise control over the volume of additive injected into the main water channel and the achievable high injection pressure (e.g., greater than the pressure of the fresh water input 12, or greater than the restricted flow rate if the water regulator includes any flow or pressure limiters), so that the additive is injected into the main water channel without any water flowing back into the injector pump. For reference... Figure 12To illustrate, the size of the teeth used for rack 846 and pinion 844 can be selected to correspond to the displacement volume (e.g., 0.1 ml), and electric motor 842 can be configured to operate in steps corresponding to the displacement volume (e.g., full rotation, quarter rotation, etc.), so that instead of receiving a control signal to "turn on" or "turn off" electric motor 842, it receives a control signal to operate electric motor 842 by five-quarters of a rotation or in steps (e.g., which could correspond to 0.5 ml). The high pressure of the displacement exceeding the water flow pressure in the main water channel can be achieved by selecting the size of the rack 844 and pinion 846 assembly that allows sufficient force to be generated without exceeding the capacity of electric motor 842 (e.g., the diameter of pinion 844 can be increased to increase the magnitude of the force applied to pinion 846).

[0083] Figure 13 This is a flowchart of a set of advanced steps that can be performed to operate a point water regulator (e.g., one that can be used with the water regulators disclosed herein). The water regulator can only be enabled for operation when, for example, flow rate 900 is detected by a flow sensor or other sensor in the water regulator's sensor module. This prevents the injection of additives into water channels that contain stagnant / still water or are empty. Before or during use, the water regulator can identify 902 any attached cylinders and / or peripherals to determine what kind of water modification or other water use can be provided. When usable cylinders and / or peripherals are connected to the water regulator and flow rate is detected 900, they can be enabled 904 for water modification or other purposes. The water regulator can then, in response to user input, configured user preferences, or other input, provide 906 water treatment using the enabled cylinders and / or peripherals.

[0084] Figure 14 It is a flowchart of a set of steps that can be performed to enable the cylinder to be used with a point-of-use regulator. Although Figures 13-17The discussion may describe certain steps as being performed by or in conjunction with the water regulator (e.g., using processor 218), but it should be understood that in some embodiments, some or all of these steps may be performed by or in conjunction with other processors, such as the processor of user equipment 108, remote server 106, water usage hub 102, or other devices. When the cylinder is connected to the water regulator, the water regulator may receive an identifier 910 or other cylinder information when the system detects a flow rate 900, or both. As already described, information may be received from the cylinder, which may include reading a unique identifier from an RFID chip located on the cylinder using a wireless RFID reader. The water regulator may determine the availability of the cylinder 912 based on this identifier or other information, which may be performed locally or in conjunction with remote server 106. For example, local determination may include decoding an encoded value with a locally stored key, while remote determination may include exchanging information with remote server 106 to verify the authenticity and / or previous use of the cylinder to determine its availability.

[0085] When the cylinder is functional (916), the water regulator can determine one or more usage restrictions associated with the cylinder and update the user interface to reflect these restrictions. For example, some cylinders containing chemical treatments may only allow one use per day or other time interval, one use per shower or other usage-based event, or may only allow use by users of certain configurations of the water regulator (e.g., the treatment may be enabled based on a wireless connection to a nearby mobile device associated with a particular user, and disabled when the device is not nearby). Other cylinders, such as user experience cylinders (e.g., color, carbonation, fragrance), may allow unlimited use or generally have fewer restrictions. The water regulator's user interface can be updated to reflect any current restrictions. This may include, for example, illuminating a light indicator associated with a button for a particular cylinder in a different color to indicate that it is limited to one use per day, or to indicate that further use is not possible at that time. Alternatively, this may include updating the software interface on user device 108 to describe or otherwise illustrate such restrictions. When the cylinder is invalid (916), the water regulator may instead provide a warning (920) indicating that the cylinder is invalid or defective and will prevent additives from being injected into the water flow from that cylinder. Providing such warnings (920) may include audible warnings, illumination of a light indicator associated with the tube, or notifications indicating errors via user equipment (108).

[0086] When a peripheral device is connected to the water regulator, a peripheral device identifier identifying the peripheral device and its capabilities can be received (914). As already described, the peripheral device identifier can be received from the peripheral device via wireless or wired data transmission upon connection, or it can be configured or provided via user equipment (108). As already described in the context of the tub, the water regulator can determine (912) the availability of the peripheral device locally or in conjunction with a remote server (106), and if the peripheral device is valid (916), the water regulator can determine (918) any limitations on its use and update the user interface to reflect such limitations. For example, if the attached peripheral device is identified as a toothbrush that selectively provides water during use, the water regulator can determine (918) that certain elements, such as odors, colors, or chemicals that may negatively affect brushing, can now be injected into the water flow during use of the peripheral device. If the attached peripheral device is invalid or unavailable (916), the water regulator can provide a warning indicating an error via the user interface and prevent water from flowing to the peripheral device.

[0087] Figure 15 This is a flowchart of an exemplary set of steps that can be performed to manage the reuse of a tubing. As already described, a particular tubing that may be used with a water conditioner may include unique identification data (e.g., stored by identifier 705) that can be used to verify the tubing's contents, usage history, compatibility, and other characteristics. This identification data can also be used to assist in the recycling, refilling, and reconditioning of the tubing. This can be particularly advantageous for the tubing disclosed, as it will be used during showering, handwashing, or other hygiene-related tasks, and therefore users can exhibit a preference for having a dedicated set of tubing through the refilling and reconditioning process, rather than receiving refilled or reconditioned tubing with an unknown history, ownership, or use. In other words, a user might want to buy a new tubing, run out of its filler during use, return the tubing for refilling, and then receive the exact same tubing once refilled.

[0088] This can be achieved by associating each can's unique identification data with a user 930, with this association stored locally (e.g., on the water conditioner, or by user device 108), on a remote server 106, or both. For example, this association can be made when a user first purchases a can using a software application on user device 108. Whenever a can is inserted or otherwise connected to the water conditioner, identification data can be read from identifier 705 and verified 932 to confirm that it has previously been associated with user 930, and an alert can be provided if the can is not yet associated with a user or is associated with another user. Once a can is empty, the user can return it to a location where it can be refilled or reconditioned (e.g., by mail, placed in a recycling bin or drop-off area, or otherwise). At this location, can identifier 705 can be scanned again 934 to verify the user and any user preferences related to refilling (e.g., the user may have specific configuration preferences related to the formulation or contents of additives), or to identify the user account or payment preferences to which refill fees can be applied, or both. The cylinder identifier 705 can be scanned again during mailing 936 to identify the user's shipping information and any configuration preferences related to the shipment, or to automatically print and prepare shipping labels and other packaging related to the shipment, or both. Once shipped back to the user, the user will know they have received the same cylinder as them when the water conditioner verifies the cylinder upon insertion 932, or the user will know they have received a different cylinder when the water conditioner reports that the cylinder is new or unfamiliar.

[0089] Figure 16 This is a flowchart of a set of steps that can be executed to provide point water treatment. When one or more processing functions are enabled, the water regulator can enter a 940 operating mode, which may include waking from a low-power sleep state and preparing to receive user input and / or provide water modifications. In the low-power state, most of the power-consuming components of the water regulator can be disabled, while components involved in waking from the low-power state (such as processor 218, communication device 212, and one or more sensors of sensor module 214) can operate normally or at a reduced power level. The water regulator may enter the 940 operating mode based on a schedule (e.g., as determined by the clock of processor 218), based on communication with user equipment 108 via communication device 212, or based on the output of one or more sensors (e.g., a motion or proximity sensor indicating the movement of a nearby user, a water flow sensor indicating the flow rate of water into the water regulator via input).

[0090] During operation 940, in embodiments including electronically actuated valves, the water regulator can set one or more valves 942 to their initial or default settings. For example, refer to... Figure 6This could include closing each valve of the syringe pump 416, or refer to Figure 7B This may include closing or opening a valve on the auxiliary water channel 526 (e.g., depending on whether an external device is connected, or whether the auxiliary water channel 526 is used in place of the water inlet 504). The water regulator may also prepare one or more injection pumps 944 to prepare for injecting the additive into the water flow in the main water channel. For example, refer to Figure 6 This may include, for example, by operating the injection pump 416 to remove any previously used additives from the injection pump 416 and any output supply lines, to reverse the additives back into their original container, or into a waste or dump outlet. See also, for example, [reference needed]. Figures 11A to 11E and Figure 12 The injection pump may include filling each injection pump with additive filling cylinders 822, 862 to prepare it for rapid injection into a water flow.

[0091] The water regulator can also determine 946 whether any pre-configured water modification actions exist, which can be configured by the user of the water regulator to be performed automatically during water use at the point of use. For example, a water regulator installed at shower 112 can be configured to provide a fragrance additive at the start of the shower, a carbonation additive four minutes after the shower begins, and a color additive eight minutes after the shower begins (e.g., the user may find this useful for signaling the different stages of the shower or the passage of time during the shower). If a pre-configured routine 946 exists, the water regulator can perform 950 any pre-configured treatment. The water regulator can also prompt 948 the user to manually input (e.g., via an interface such as a set of light indicators and buttons, or otherwise) to trigger a water modification, which may occur in lieu of any pre-configured treatment 950 or in addition to any pre-configured treatment 210.

[0092] Figure 17 This is a flowchart of another set of steps that can be executed to provide a modification using point water. When the water regulator receives a treatment selection at 960 based on a pre-configured automatic routine or manual input, the water regulator can check 962 one or more treatment limits associated with the selection. Treatment limits can be configured on a per-canister basis and can be configured by the canister manufacturer or by the user. For example, some additives that provide chemical treatment rather than user experience modification may be restricted for health or safety reasons. As another example, the system's user can configure limits on experience-related modifications to control the system's operating costs. Limits can be implemented over a period of time (e.g., 30 minutes) and can be implemented per use (e.g., each button press to inject the additive), per volume (e.g., the total amount of additive injected), per user (e.g., some users may have limits while others do not), and in other ways.

[0093] When a selected application is not permitted due to exceeding a certain processing limit 964, the water regulator can provide 966 a processing warning indicating that the selected application exceeds the permitted limit (e.g., flashing of a light indicator, audible warning, etc.). If use is permitted 964 and within the processing limit, the water regulator can determine 968 one or more cylinders associated with the selection. Depending on the specific implementation, the cylinder associated with 968 can be determined by a correspondence with the input (e.g., refer to...). Figure 5 Each button in a set of buttons 312 may correspond to a single cylinder, or it may be a stored configuration accessible by the processor 218. The water regulator may also determine the output channel 970 for the additive, which may depend on the specific cylinder, whether the water regulator has auxiliary water channels and / or attached peripheral devices, or whether the water regulator has multiple other water inputs or outputs.

[0094] The water regulator can also be reconfigured based on the selection of one or more valves (e.g., 972). Figure 7A The illustrated implementation may exclude any electrically actuated valves, and therefore will not require reconfiguration for each processing cycle. Such as Figure 6 Other embodiments shown, or embodiments that allow connection to peripheral devices, may include one or more electrically actuated valves that may need to be configured to a specific state during each additive treatment. For example, in embodiments that include attached peripheral devices such as a spray handle, the injection of color additive may modify the water flow to the main shower head and the spray handle, or may exclude it from one water flow or another. In such embodiments, for example, when color additive is injected into the water flow, the valve may be automatically actuated to modify and restrict the water flow to the main shower head.

[0095] Once the water conditioner is configured to inject the selected water modifier, one or more syringe pumps can be operated to introduce the additive into the water flow. The injection of the additive can be gradual or instantaneous. For example, referring to syringe pumps, such as... Figure 11AThe syringe pump, as shown, can operate with an electric motor 802 in small steps or increments over a period of time (e.g., between about 5 seconds and about 60 seconds) to gradually introduce the additive, or it can operate over shorter periods of time to provide a larger dose (e.g., a full tank 822 of additive between about 1 second and about 5 seconds). The characteristics of a specific syringe pump can be determined and configured for the water conditioner, allowing the processor 218 to easily convert each treatment selection into syringe pump operation. For example, if a particular syringe pump is configured to operate in steps discharging 0.1 ml of volume, the processor 218 can be configured to convert each ml of selected additive into 10 steps for pumping the electric motor. This information can be configured statically or periodically based on the output of a flow sensor to accommodate varying mechanical tolerances and / or changes in operation over time. At each use, the water conditioner can also update a set of usage history information stored on a local or remote server 106. The usage history can include information such as the number of times each cartridge was used, the volume extracted from each cartridge, and more general / aggregated analytical information about usage patterns across multiple users and water conditioners. Usage data can be used to warn users when the cartridges are almost empty, or to automatically initiate cartridge recirculation, reconditioning, or reordering activities.

[0096] As in Figure 3 As described in the context, some embodiments of the water conditioner 200 may include a storage reservoir 222 and a water delivery device 224 operable to capture water at the point of use (e.g., before entering a drainage device) so that the water can be stored and treated for subsequent use. Figure 18A An example of a water capture device in the form of a drain ring 1004 is provided, which can be installed at the point of use to capture water when it is used, before entering the main infrastructure 11, or after entering the main infrastructure but before being discharged to a wastewater outlet. Water captured by the drain ring 1004 can be diverted to a storage reservoir 222 via modular infrastructure 13, as already described. A shower basin 1000 can be positioned to receive water from a shower head 112, either from a freshwater inlet 12 or using a point-of-use regulator. The shower basin 1000 includes a drain device 1002 through which water from the shower head 112 will enter the main infrastructure 11 (if not captured). The drain ring 1004 is positioned around the drain device 1002 and includes raised edges (e.g., see...). Figure 18BThe shower tray 1000 has a raised edge 1010, which causes water within the shower tray 1000 to accumulate to a certain depth before overflowing the drain ring 1004 and entering the main infrastructure 11. The drain ring 1004 includes an inlet 1006 on the lower outer portion of the raised edge 1010, at which water that accumulates can enter a hollow cavity within the drain ring 1004. An outlet channel 1008 connects the drain ring 1004 to a reservoir pump 1012 (e.g., a water delivery device 224 such as a water regulator 200), allowing water entering the inlet 1006 to be delivered from the shower tray 1000 to a storage reservoir (e.g., a storage reservoir 222) for storage, treatment, and subsequent use. Figure 18B As can be seen, the height of the raised edge 1010 can be selected to allow water to converge to a depth at which the inlet 1006 is at least partially submerged, while preventing water from converging to unsuitable and / or unsafe depths. Figure 18C A side view of the drain ring 1004 is shown, in which the drain device 1002 is shown as a set of dashed lines below the surface of the shower basin 1000.

[0097] The water trap can be implemented in a different manner than ring 1004 and can be implemented for use at other points of use besides the shower basin 1000. For example, the water trap can be implemented as a plug inserted into the drain device of a shower or sink, or as an inline trap on the drain hose of a washing machine.

[0098] A single room may have one or more point-of-use devices 104 with different functions. For example, the main bathroom may have a first point-of-use water regulator (e.g., such as water regulator 500) installed at the shower 112 to modify the water during bathing, a second point-of-use water regulator (e.g., such as water regulator 200) installed at the sink to modify the water during handwashing or oral hygiene, and a third point-of-use water regulator (e.g., such as water regulator 200 including a storage reservoir 222 and a water delivery device 224) positioned on or on the walls of the room and capable of capturing, storing, treating, and reusing water. Water used at the sink 110 and shower 112 may be captured by the third point-of-use water regulator and may be supplied to the toilet 118 or the first and / or second point-of-use water regulators for subsequent use.

[0099] It should be understood that Figure 5 The use of the water regulator 300 is merely an example, and various embodiments of the water regulator 300 may have different shapes, sizes, the number and location of cylinders and cylinder receivers, and other features. (See also...) Figure 19A The water regulator 320 can have the same Figures 3-5The same or similar features are shown, and the housing is circular, with the tube receiver 324 inserted into the curved edge of the housing and configured to receive the tube 322 and connect to the tube 210, as already described. The display 326 in front of the water regulator 300 can be an LCD, LED, or other display and can be configured to display various operating characteristics of the water regulator 320. Figure 19A The interface 328 on the display 326 shows the currently measured pH of the water, the current shower duration (which can be counted upwards to track the total time, or counted down from a configured number), and the measured water temperature. The display 326 can provide visual alerts based on the characteristics of the display, such as visually indicating by color or symbols that the water is above or below a configured temperature threshold, or that the shower duration has exceeded a configured limit. Alerts can also be provided by an audio tone emitted by the speaker of the water conditioner 320. The interface 328 also displays information associated with the corresponding cylinder and button (e.g., “pH Enhancement,” “Rosemary & Pink Grapefruit,” “Calm,” and “Revive”), thus indicating to the user the effect of each button. Such information can be configured by the user when installing each cylinder 322, or can be automatically determined based on information read from the cylinder identifier, as already described.

[0100] Figure 19B Another exemplary water conditioner 330 is shown, which may have the same characteristics as... Figures 3-5 The same or similar features are shown, and include an insert housing 334 that can be installed in a cavity within the tiled surround 332. Water connections may be within the housing 334 and / or the surrounding walls. The water regulator 330 also includes a cylinder receiver 340 configured to receive and connect to the cylinder 336, as already described. The display 338 may be, for example, an LED or LCD display configured to provide various operational information and may also have touch input capabilities for selecting processes and interacting with the water regulator 330.

[0101] Figure 19C Another exemplary water conditioner 350 is shown, which may have the same characteristics as... Figures 3-5The same or similar features shown include a set of tube receivers 354 configured to receive and connect to a set of tubes 352. The water conditioner 350 includes a slot 356 sized and constructed to receive an interface device 358. The interface device 358 may be, for example, a smartphone, tablet, or a proprietary mobile device including a display, user interface, and other features similar to user device 108. The interface device 358 may be communicatively coupled to the water conditioner 350 by being inserted into the slot 356, or it may be wirelessly coupled to the water conditioner 350 and placed in the slot for secure storage during showering. When coupled to the water conditioner 350, the interface device 358 may display operating characteristics, receive user input to interact with the water conditioner 350 and configure the water conditioner 102, and may provide user-specific configurations (e.g., each user in a household may carry their personal configuration between water conditioners).

[0102] combination

[0103] Example 1

[0104] A residential water replenishment system includes: (a) a housing configured to be positioned at a point of use within a residence; (b) a water channel configured to receive a volume of water from a water source connected to a water inlet of the water channel and to supply the volume of water to a water outlet; (c) one or more cartridge receivers; (d) one or more injection nozzles in fluid communication with the water channel; (e) one or more pumps, wherein each pump: (i) is connected to at least one of the one or more cartridge receivers; (ii) is connected to an injection nozzle of the one or more injection nozzles; (iii) is operable to extract a volume of chemicals from a cartridge connected to the at least one cartridge receiver and to inject the volume of chemicals into the volume of water via the injection nozzle; and (f) a processor configured to cause the one or more pumps to modify the volume of water within the water channel based on a selected process.

[0105] Example 2

[0106] The system according to Embodiment 1 further includes a user interface that can be operated by a user to provide the selected processing.

[0107] Example 3

[0108] According to the system of embodiment 2, for each of the one or more tube receivers, the user interface includes: at least one button operable to provide selected processing from the tube receiver; and at least one visual indicator configured to provide information about the tube receiver.

[0109] Example 4

[0110] The system according to any one or more of Embodiments 1 to 3 further includes: (a) a storage reservoir for the water channel, the storage reservoir being configured to store water; and (b) a delivery pump operable to: (i) deliver the volume of water from a prior point of use to the storage reservoir; and (ii) deliver the volume of water from the storage reservoir to the water input.

[0111] Example 5

[0112] According to any one or more of the systems described in Embodiments 1 to 4, each of the one or more tube receivers includes a tube reader configured to read a set of tube information from an identifier of a tube coupled to the tube receiver.

[0113] Example 6

[0114] According to the system of Embodiment 5, the tube reader is a wireless transceiver configured to receive the set of tube information and provide the set of tube information to the processor.

[0115] Example 7

[0116] According to one or more of the systems described in Embodiments 5 to 6, wherein the processor is configured to provide the set of cylindrical information to a remote server via a communication device.

[0117] Example 8

[0118] According to any one or more of the systems described in Embodiments 5 to 7, the processor is configured to determine whether a cylinder connected to the cylinder receiver is available based on the set of cylinder information, and to prevent the one or more pumps from extracting chemicals from the unavailable cylinder when the cylinder connected to the cylinder receiver is unavailable.

[0119] Example 9

[0120] According to any one or more of the systems described in Embodiments 5 to 8, the housing is configured to be positioned at the shower, and both the water inlet and the water outlet are configured to be coupled to a pre-existing connector of the shower.

[0121] Example 10

[0122] According to any one or more of the systems described in Embodiments 1 to 9, at least one of the pumps comprises: (a) a cylinder; (b) a motor operable to rotate a pinion; and (c) a piston shaft including a piston head at a distal end positioned within the cylinder; and a rack at a proximal end, the rack contacting the pinion such that rotation of the pinion in a first rotational direction or a second rotational direction causes the piston head to displace the volume of the cylinder in the first and second directions.

[0123] Example 11

[0124] According to the system of embodiment 10, wherein the at least one pump further includes: (a) an input channel connected to the at least one cylinder and an input valve connected to the cylinder; and (b) an output channel connected to the injection nozzle and an output valve connected to the cylinder; wherein operation of the motor in the first rotational direction causes the cylinder to be filled from the at least one cylinder via the input channel, and operation of the motor in the second rotational direction causes the cylinder to be emptied via the output channel.

[0125] Example 12

[0126] According to the system of embodiment 11, wherein the at least one pump is configured to operate in the same steps based on a control signal from the processor, and wherein the processor is configured to: (a) determine the volume of a chemical associated with the selected process; (b) determine the number of steps corresponding to the given volume of chemical; and (c) operate the at least one pump based on the determined number of steps.

[0127] Example 13

[0128] According to one or more of the systems described in Embodiments 11 to 12, the diameter of the pinion is selected to provide a displacement pressure from the cylinder exceeding the pressure within the water passage.

[0129] Example 14

[0130] The system according to any one or more of Embodiments 1 to 13, wherein the system is part of a modular infrastructure separate from a pre-existing main infrastructure.

[0131] Example 15

[0132] The system according to any one or more of Embodiments 1 to 14, wherein the processor is a single processor within the housing.

[0133] Example 16

[0134] The system according to any one or more of Embodiments 1 to 15 further includes a communication device, wherein the processor includes a first processor within the housing and a second processor within the user equipment that communicates with the first processor via the communication device.

[0135] Example 17

[0136] The system according to any one or more of Examples 1 to 16 further includes a sensor module comprising a sensor capable of measuring one or more of the following of the given volume of water: (a) water temperature; (b) mineral content; (c) acidity; (d) chemical content; (e) particulate content; (f) microbial content; (g) fungal content; (h) virus content; or (i) oxygen demand.

[0137] Example 18

[0138] According to any one or more of the systems described in Embodiments 1 to 17, the one or more pumps include a single pump coupled to at least two of the one or more barrel receivers.

[0139] Example 19

[0140] The system according to any one or more of Embodiments 1 to 18, wherein there is a one-to-one correspondence between the one or more pumps and the one or more cylinder receivers.

[0141] Example 20

[0142] According to any one or more of the systems described in Embodiments 1 to 19, the water output includes a main water output and an auxiliary water output, wherein the main water output is connected to a pre-existing point of use, and the auxiliary water output is configured to be connected to a peripheral device.

[0143] Example 21

[0144] The system according to any one or more of Embodiments 1 to 20 further includes: (a) a power source that provides power to the processor and the one or more pumps; and (b) a turbine located within the water channel and configured to provide power to the power source as the volume of water passes through the water channel.

[0145] Example 22

[0146] The system according to any one or more of Embodiments 1 to 21 further includes a flow sensor located within the water channel and configured to indicate when the given volume of water passes through the water channel, wherein the processor is configured to operate in a low-power mode or a normal-power mode based on the indication from the flow sensor.

[0147] Example 23

[0148] The system according to any one or more of Embodiments 1 to 22 further includes a filtration module configured to filter the volume of water as water passes through the water channel and to separate a group of contaminants from the volume of water.

[0149] Example 24

[0150] According to the system of embodiment 23, the filtration module includes a filter cartridge receiver configured to receive a filter cartridge, the filter cartridge including a filter for separating and retaining the set of contaminants.

[0151] Example 25

[0152] According to any one or more of the systems described in Examples 1 to 24, wherein the processor is configured to: (a) receive a set of cartridge information from a cartridge reader of one or more of the cartridge receivers in response to a cartridge being coupled to the cartridge receiver; and (b) identify a chemical associated with the cartridge based on the set of cartridge information.

[0153] Example 26

[0154] According to the system of embodiment 25, the processor is configured to: (a) determine one or more usage restrictions associated with the chemical based on the set of cylinder information and a set of configured usage restrictions; and (b) cause one or more pumps to modify the volume of water based on the selected treatment and one or more usage restrictions.

[0155] Example 27

[0156] According to the system of embodiment 26, the usage limitations of said set of configurations include one or more of the following: (a) a limited number of chemical injections over a period of time; and (b) a limited volume of chemical injections over said period of time.

[0157] Example 28

[0158] According to any one or more of Embodiments 1 to 27, the processor is configured to: (a) receive a set of tube information from a tube reader of one or more of the tube receivers in response to a tube being coupled to the tube receiver; (b) identify a tube identifier based on the set of tube information; (c) determine whether the tube has been previously coupled to any of the one or more tube receivers based on the tube identifier and a set of configured paired tubes; and (d) provide a warning to a user interface if the tube has not been previously coupled to any of the one or more tube receivers.

[0159] Example 29

[0160] According to any one or more of the systems described in Embodiments 1 to 28, wherein the processor is configured to determine the selected process based on a pre-configured process, and wherein the pre-configured process includes two or more discrete chemical injection events performed by the one or more pumps based on a duration since the given volume of water began flowing through the water channel.

[0161] Example 30

[0162] The system according to any one or more of Embodiments 1 to 29 further includes a communication device, wherein the processor communicates via the communication device with one or all of a water use hub, a user equipment, and a remote server.

[0163] Example 31

[0164] A residential point-of-use storage device includes: (a) a water capture device in fluid communication with prior-used water, wherein the water capture device includes a sensor configured to provide a signal indicating the presence of the prior-used water; (b) a storage reservoir configured to contain a volume of water; (c) a first channel providing a fluid connection between the water capture device and the storage reservoir; (d) one or more cartridge receivers; (e) one or more injection nozzles in fluid communication with the storage reservoir; and (e) one or more pumps, wherein each pump: (i) is coupled to at least one cartridge receiver in one or more of the cartridge receivers. (i) a receiver; (ii) an injection nozzle coupled to one or more injection nozzles; and (iii) operable to extract a volume of chemicals from a cylinder coupled to the at least one cylinder receiver and inject the volume of chemicals into the volume of water via the injection nozzle; (f) a second channel providing a fluid connection between the storage reservoir and the subsequent point of use; and (g) one or more delivery pumps configured to: (i) deliver the prior-used water to the storage reservoir based on a signal from the sensor; and (ii) deliver water from the storage reservoir to the subsequent point of use.

[0165] Example 32

[0166] According to the apparatus of embodiment 31, the water capture device includes a ring configured to be assembled around a drainage device at a point of prior use, the ring including: (a) a raised edge that prevents the prior use water from flowing into the drainage device when the prior use water is below a depth corresponding to the height of the raised edge; (b) an inlet on an outer sidewall that allows the prior use water to enter a cavity within the ring; and (c) an outlet that connects the cavity within the ring to the first channel; wherein the sensor is located within the cavity of the ring and configured to provide the signal when the prior use water accumulates within the cavity of the ring.

[0167] Example 33

[0168] According to the apparatus of any one or more of embodiments 31 to 32, each of the one or more cylinder receivers includes a structure having a shape configured to receive a cylinder valve and align the cylinder valve with the supply shaft of a pump of the one or more pumps corresponding to the cylinder receiver.

[0169] Example 34

[0170] According to any one or more of embodiments 31 to 33, at least one of the first channel and the second channel includes a conduit.

[0171] Example 35

[0172] According to the apparatus of embodiment 34, the conduit includes a first conduit for receiving water from the ring and a second conduit for disposing of water via the ring.

[0173] Example 36

[0174] According to any one or more of the apparatuses described in Embodiments 31 to 35, the one or more cylinder receivers include at least two cylinder receivers, and there is a one-to-one correspondence between the one or more cylinder receivers and the one or more pumps.

[0175] Example 37

[0176] According to the apparatus of any one or more of embodiments 31 to 36, at least one of the pumps comprises: (a) a cylinder; (b) a motor operable to rotate a pinion; and (c) a piston shaft including a piston head at a distal end positioned within the cylinder; and a rack at a proximal end, the rack contacting the pinion such that rotation of the pinion in a first rotational direction or a second rotational direction causes the piston head to displace the volume of the cylinder in the first and second directions.

[0177] Example 38

[0178] According to the system of embodiment 37, wherein the at least one pump further includes: (a) an input channel connected to the at least one cylinder and an input valve connected to the cylinder; and (b) an output channel connected to the injection nozzle and an output valve connected to the cylinder; wherein operation of the motor in the first rotational direction causes the cylinder to be filled via the input channel, and operation of the motor in the second rotational direction causes the cylinder to be emptied via the output channel.

[0179] Example 39

[0180] According to the system of embodiment 38, wherein the at least one pump is configured to operate in the same steps based on a control signal from a processor, and wherein the processor is configured to: (a) determine the volume of a chemical associated with a selected process; (b) determine the number of steps corresponding to the given volume of chemical; and (c) operate the at least one pump based on the determined number of steps.

[0181] Example 40

[0182] The apparatus according to any one or more of embodiments 31 to 39, wherein the filter is replaceable.

[0183] Example 41

[0184] A method for a residential water replenishment unit includes providing a water replenishment unit configured to receive a volume of water from a water source and provide a volume of water to a water outlet; (b) receiving user input by a processor via a user interface of the water replenishment unit; (c) determining a water modification associated with the user input by the processor; and (d) causing a pump of the water replenishment unit, based on the water modification, to extract a volume of chemicals from a cylinder connected to the water replenishment unit and inject the volume of chemicals into the volume of water.

[0185] Example 42

[0186] The method according to embodiment 41 further includes reading a set of cylinder information from the identifier of the cylinder connected to the water replenishment unit by a cylinder reader.

[0187] Example 43

[0188] The method according to embodiment 42 further includes the processor providing the set of cylinder information to a remote server via the communication device.

[0189] Example 44

[0190] The method according to any one or more of Embodiments 42 to 43 further includes: determining, by the processor, whether the cylinder connected to the water replenishment unit is available based on the set of cylinder information; and preventing the pump from extracting chemicals from the unavailable cylinder when the cylinder is unavailable.

[0191] Example 45

[0192] According to any one or more of the methods in Examples 41 to 44, wherein the pump is configured to operate in the same steps based on a control signal from the processor, the method further includes the processor: (a) determining the volume of chemicals associated with the water modification; (b) determining a number of steps corresponding to the volume of chemicals; and (c) operating the pump based on the determined number of steps.

[0193] Example 46

[0194] The method according to any one or more of embodiments 41 to 45 further includes filtering the volume of water through a filtration module as the water passes through the water replenishment unit to separate a group of contaminants from the volume of water.

[0195] Example 47

[0196] The method according to any one or more of Examples 41 to 46 further includes: (a) the processor receiving a set of cylinder information from a cylinder reader in response to the cylinder being connected to the water replenishment unit; and (b) the processor identifying chemicals associated with the cylinder based on the set of cylinder information.

[0197] Example 48

[0198] The method according to embodiment 47 further includes: (a) the processor determining one or more usage restrictions associated with the chemical based on the set of cylinder information and a set of configured usage restrictions; and (b) the processor causing the pump to modify the volume of water based on the selected treatment and the one or more usage restrictions.

[0199] Example 49

[0200] According to the method of embodiment 48, the usage limitations of said set of configurations include one or more of the following: (a) a limited number of chemical injections over a period of time; and (b) a limited volume of chemical injections over said period of time.

[0201] Example 50

[0202] The method according to any one or more of Embodiments 41 to 49 further includes: (a) receiving a set of cylinder information from a cylinder reader by the processor in response to the cylinder being connected to the water replenishment unit; (b) identifying a cylinder identifier by the processor based on the set of cylinder information; (c) determining by the processor whether the cylinder has previously been connected to any water replenishment unit based on the cylinder identifier and a set of configured paired cylinders; and (d) providing a warning to the user interface by the processor if the cylinder has not previously been connected to any of the one or more cylinder receivers.

[0203] The dimensions and values ​​disclosed herein should not be construed as strictly limited to the precise numerical values ​​cited. Rather, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to represent the stated value and a range around which it is functionally equivalent. For example, a dimension disclosed as “40 mm” is intended to represent “approximately 40 mm”.

[0204] Unless expressly excluded or otherwise limited, every reference cited herein, including any cross-references or related patents or patent applications, and any patent application or patent claiming priority to or benefiting from it, is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Reference to any reference is not an endorsement of it as prior art to any disclosed or protected art herein, nor is it an endorsement of any such invention, either on its own or in combination with any one or more references. Furthermore, where any meaning or definition of a term in this invention conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in referenced documents, the meaning or definition given to that term in this invention shall prevail.

[0205] While specific embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described by way of example, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it is intended that all such changes and modifications falling within the scope of the invention be covered by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A residential point-of-use storage device, comprising: (a) A water capture device in fluid communication with prior-used water, wherein the water capture device includes a sensor configured to provide a signal indicating the presence of the prior-used water; (b) A storage container configured to hold a certain volume of water; (c) A first channel, the first channel providing a fluid connection between the water capture device and the storage reservoir; (d) One or more tube receivers, wherein each of the one or more tube receivers includes a tube reader configured to read a set of tube information from an identifier of a tube coupled to the tube receiver; (e) One or more injection nozzles in fluid communication with the storage reservoir; (f) One or more pumps, wherein each pump: (i) Connected to at least one of the one or more tube receivers; (ii) An injection nozzle connected to one or more of the injection nozzles; and (iii) Operable to extract a volume of chemicals from a cylinder connected to the at least one cylinder receiver, and inject the volume of chemicals into the volume of water via the injection nozzle; (g) A second channel, the second channel providing a fluid connection between the storage reservoir and a subsequent point of use; (h) One or more delivery pumps, said one or more delivery pumps being configured to: (i) Based on the signal from the sensor, the previously used water is delivered to the storage tank; and (ii) Transporting water from the storage tank to the subsequent point of use. At least one of the pumps is configured to operate in the same steps based on a control signal from a processor, and the processor is configured to: determine the volume of chemicals associated with the selected process; determine the number of steps corresponding to the volume of chemicals; and operate the at least one pump based on the determined number of steps.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the water capturing device includes a ring configured to be assembled around a draining device at a point of prior use, the ring comprising: (a) A raised edge that prevents the prior water from flowing into the drainage device when the prior water is below a depth corresponding to the height of the raised edge; (b) An inlet on the outer sidewall, the inlet allowing the previously used water to enter the cavity within the ring; as well as (c) an outlet that connects the cavity within the ring to the first channel; The sensor is located within the cavity of the ring and is configured to provide the signal when the prior use of water is gathered within the cavity of the ring.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2, wherein each of the one or more cylinder receivers includes a structure having a shape configured to receive a cylinder valve and aligning the cylinder valve with the supply shaft of a pump of the one or more pumps corresponding to the cylinder receiver.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein at least one of the first channel and the second channel comprises a conduit.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the conduit comprises a first conduit for receiving water from the ring and a second conduit for disposing of water via the ring.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein there is a one-to-one correspondence between the one or more cylinder receivers and the one or more pumps.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one of the one or more pumps comprises: (a) cylinder; (b) A motor, said motor being operable to rotate a pinion; as well as (c) A piston shaft, the piston shaft including a piston head at a distal end, the piston head being positioned within the cylinder; and a rack at a proximal end, the rack contacting the pinion such that rotation of the pinion in a first rotational direction or a second rotational direction causes the piston head to displace the volume of the cylinder in the first and second directions.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the at least one pump further comprises: (a) An input channel connected to the at least one cylinder and to the input valve of the cylinder; and (b) An output channel, which is connected to the injection nozzle and to the output valve of the cylinder; The operation of the motor in the first rotational direction causes the cylinder to be filled via the input channel, and the operation of the motor in the second rotational direction causes the cylinder to be emptied via the output channel.

9. A method for residential water supply, comprising: (a) A water replenishment unit is provided, the water replenishment unit being configured to receive a certain volume of water from a water source and provide the certain volume of water to a water output; (b) The processor receives user input via the user interface of the water replenishment unit; (c) The processor determines the water modification associated with the user input; (d) The processor, and based on the water modification, causes the pump of the water replenishment unit to extract a certain volume of chemicals from a cylinder connected to the water replenishment unit and inject the certain volume of chemicals into the certain volume of water. The method further includes having a cylinder reader read a set of cylinder information from an identifier of the cylinder coupled to the water replenishment unit, and providing the received information to the processor. The pump is configured to operate in the same steps based on a control signal from the processor, and the method further includes the processor: determining the volume of chemicals associated with the water modification; determining a number of steps corresponding to the volume of chemicals; and operating the pump based on the determined number of steps.

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