Shower Systems and Related Methods

Abstract

Shower systems include a transfer device (which may be a valve or pump) that selectively alternates between a drain state, in which water exiting a shower pan of a shower flows to a waste outlet, and a retention state, in which water exiting the shower pan does not flow to the waste outlet. A freshwater valve selectively alternates between a freshwater state, in which freshwater from a freshwater source flows to a showerhead of the shower, and a recirculation state, in which freshwater from the freshwater source is prevented from flowing to the showerhead. A recirculation pump selectively moves water exiting the shower pan to the showerhead. A controller uses stored instructions to initiate switching of the transfer device between the drain / retention states, initiate switching of the freshwater valve between the freshwater / recirculation states, and initiate turning the recirculation pump on / off. Methods of use include providing the controller with the instructions.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This document claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 771,213, entitled “Hydronic Heating Recirculating Shower System Core,” naming as first inventor Jonathan D. Kistemaker, which was filed on Mar. 13, 2025, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated entirely herein by reference.BACKGROUND1. Technical Field

[0002] Aspects of this document relate generally to water-conserving shower systems. Specific aspects of this document relate to shower systems that allow switching between freshwater and closed-loop recirculation modes.2. Background Art

[0003] Recirculating showers (also known as water recycling showers, recycle showers, or recirculation showers) exist in the art and use a collection basin and pump to facilitate reusing water during a shower. This is useful in some settings, for example, to conserve drinking water, and it may also be a useful mechanism for reducing the amount of energy that might otherwise be spent heating the shower water. In some settings, a recirculating shower may also allow for smaller heating elements (such as a boiler or solar water heating system) than might otherwise be used.SUMMARY

[0004] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a shower system including: a transfer device configured to selectively alternate between a drain state, in which water exiting a shower pan of a shower flows to a waste outlet, and a retention state, in which water exiting the shower pan does not flow to the waste outlet; a freshwater valve configured to selectively alternate between a freshwater state, in which freshwater from a freshwater source flows to a showerhead of the shower, and a recirculation state, in which freshwater from the freshwater source is prevented from flowing to the showerhead; a recirculation pump switchable between an on state and an off state and configured to, when in the on state, move water exiting the shower pan to the showerhead; a controller including one or more processors; and one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media included in the controller or communicatively coupled with the controller; wherein the one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: initiate switching of the transfer device between the drain state and the retention state; initiate switching of the freshwater valve between the freshwater state and the recirculation state; and initiate switching of the recirculation pump between the on state and the off state.

[0005] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a shower system, wherein the one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media include instructions facilitating a recirculation mode, which instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: cause the transfer device to be in the retention state; and responsive to a predetermined trigger event: cause the freshwater valve to be in the recirculation state; and cause the recirculation pump to be in the on state.

[0006] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a shower system, wherein the predetermined trigger event is one of: a passage of a predetermined amount of time; and receipt of a signal, initiated by one or more sensors of the shower system, at the one or more processors.

[0007] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a shower system, wherein the one or more sensors include one of a water level sensor, a flow sensor, and a pressure sensor.

[0008] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a shower system, wherein the predetermined trigger event corresponds with the shower system accumulating a working volume of water for recirculation, the working volume amounting to between one half gallon and two gallons of water, inclusive.

[0009] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a shower system, wherein the controller includes one or more selectors and wherein the instructions facilitating the recirculation mode are executed by the one or more processors responsive to one or more user selections at the one or more selectors.

[0010] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a shower system, wherein the one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media include instructions facilitating an end-of-recirculation mode, which instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: cause the freshwater valve to be in the freshwater state; cause the transfer device to be in the drain state; and cause the recirculation pump to be in the off state.

[0011] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a shower system, wherein the instructions facilitating the end-of-recirculation mode cause the one or more processors to cause the transfer device to be in the drain state only after a predetermined amount of time after causing the freshwater valve to be in the freshwater state.

[0012] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a shower system, wherein the instructions facilitating the end-of-recirculation mode cause the one or more processors to simultaneously switch the transfer device to the drain state and switch the freshwater valve to the freshwater state.

[0013] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a shower system, wherein the end-of-recirculation mode is configured to substantially purge recirculated water from all water lines of the shower system that provide water flow from the freshwater valve to the showerhead.

[0014] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a shower system, further including one or more filters positioned to filter water flowing from the shower pan to the showerhead.

[0015] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a shower system, wherein the shower system further includes at least one conduit positioned to facilitate flow of freshwater from the freshwater source to the showerhead and further positioned to facilitate water flow from the shower pan to the showerhead.

[0016] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a shower system, further including a heat exchanger configured to transfer heat to recirculated water flowing to the showerhead.

[0017] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a shower system, wherein the heat exchanger is fluidically coupled with a heated freshwater line to receive heated freshwater flow therefrom for heating the heat exchanger, and wherein the showerhead is further coupled with the heated freshwater line to receive heated freshwater flow therefrom.

[0018] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a shower system, wherein the shower system moves water from the shower pan to the showerhead without passing the water through a thermostatic mixing valve.

[0019] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a shower system, wherein the transfer device includes a valve.

[0020] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a shower system, wherein the transfer device includes a waste pump.

[0021] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method of use of a shower system including: providing a controller including: one or more processors; and one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media included in the controller or configured to communicatively couple with the controller; wherein the one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media include instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: initiate switching of a transfer device of the shower system between a drain state, in which water exiting a shower pan of a shower flows to a waste outlet, and a retention state, in which water exiting the shower pan does not flow to the waste outlet, wherein the transfer device includes one of a valve and a waste pump; initiate switching of a freshwater valve between a freshwater state, in which freshwater from a freshwater source flows to a showerhead of the shower, and a recirculation state, in which freshwater from the freshwater source is prevented from flowing to the showerhead; and initiate switching of a recirculation pump between an on state and an off state, wherein in the on state the recirculation pump moves water exiting the shower pan to the showerhead.

[0022] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media include instructions facilitating a recirculation mode, which instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: cause the transfer device to be in the retention state; and responsive to a predetermined trigger event: cause the freshwater valve to be in the recirculation state; and cause the recirculation pump to be in the on state; wherein the predetermined trigger event is one of: a passage of a predetermined amount of time; and receipt of a signal, initiated by one or more sensors of the shower system, at the one or more processors.

[0023] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media include instructions facilitating an end-of-recirculation mode, which instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: cause the freshwater valve to be in the freshwater state; cause the transfer device to be in the drain state; and cause the recirculation pump to be in the off state.

[0024] General details of the above-described implementations, and other implementations, are given below in the DESCRIPTION, the DRAWINGS, the CLAIMS and the ABSTRACT.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Implementations will be discussed hereafter using reference to the included drawings, briefly described below, wherein like designations refer to like elements. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0026] FIG. 1A is a diagram of an implementation of a shower system;

[0027] FIG. 1B shows a front view of an example controller of the shower system of FIG. 1A;

[0028] FIG. 1C shows example computing and related elements of the controller of FIG. 1B;

[0029] FIG. 2 is a close-up view of an alternative configuration of a portion of the shower system of FIG. 1A;

[0030] FIG. 3 is a close-up view of an alternative configuration of a portion of the shower system of FIG. 1A;

[0031] FIG. 4 is a close-up view of an alternative configuration of a portion of the shower system of FIG. 1A;

[0032] FIG. 5A is a diagram representatively illustrating installation details of a shower system;

[0033] FIG. 5B is a diagram representatively illustrating electrical installation details of the shower system of FIG. 5A;

[0034] FIG. 6 is a diagram of an implementation of a shower system showing specific flow details related thereto;

[0035] FIG. 7 is a partial view of the shower system of FIG. 6 showing a subset of the elements thereof and detailing specific flow details related thereto;

[0036] FIG. 8 is a partial view of the shower system of FIG. 6 showing a subset of the elements thereof and detailing specific flow details related thereto; and

[0037] FIG. 9 is a partial view of the shower system of FIG. 6 showing a subset of the elements thereof and detailing specific flow details related thereto.DESCRIPTION

[0038] Implementations / embodiments disclosed herein (including those not expressly discussed in detail) are not limited to the particular components or procedures described herein. Additional or alternative components, assembly procedures, and / or methods of use consistent with the intended shower systems and related methods may be utilized in any implementation. This may include any materials, components, sub-components, methods, sub-methods, steps, and so forth.

[0039] Disclosed herein are water-conserving shower systems and related elements and methods. In some implementations such shower systems may allow switching (including automatic switching) between freshwater and closed-loop recirculation modes, and may incorporate heating elements (such as integrated hydronic or pressurized-water heating elements) within a compact modular housing.

[0040] Conventional showers waste significant volumes of water, often fifteen to twenty-five gallons per use. This makes them impractical for off-grid, recreational vehicle (RV), or marine applications. Prior recirculating showers exist in the art, but in general they require manual user timing, multiple showerheads, and / or complex plumbing (such as dual inlet paths) and corresponding complex installation. With regard to manual user timing, prior art shower systems often require manual switching from freshwater to recirculated water, which can lead to shower-pan overflow. With regard to multiple showerheads and complex plumbing, dual-inlet or dual-head designs in the prior art have produced “dead-leg” sections of unused plumbing where water stagnates between uses, increasing contamination risks. With regard to complex installation, such prior art systems can take more time, expertise, and expense to install, and may require professional installation.

[0041] The shower systems disclosed herein in implementations utilize a single-outlet, dual-valve, timer-controlled configuration that automates switching between freshwater (or fresh) and recirculation modes. This can include the use of one or more sensors and / or one or more timers which prevent overflow of the shower pan by automatically limiting the amount of freshwater added. In certain embodiments, shower systems disclosed herein further include heating elements (such as hydronic heating and / or pressurized-hot-water heat exchange), providing compact, energy-efficient heating and simplified installation. The shower systems disclosed herein in implementations are compatible with a wide variety of shower pan configurations and sizes, and are simple to install. In implementations, during use the shower pan may act as a reservoir of recirculated water (rather than having a designated tank for this purpose). This can make the system easier to clean, as the reservoir is inherently fully drained between showers instead of retaining stored water therein. The shower system designs disclosed herein provide a simpler, cleaner, and more hygienic approach that reduces cold water discharge, ensures automatic system purge, and integrates well into compact shower environments such as RVs, boats, and residential retrofits.

[0042] Referring now to FIG. 1A, a shower system 100 is shown. This is only one representative example of a shower system. In some cases a shower system could be sold as an unassembled kit which the user assembles after purchase. In some implementations the shower system could include all of the elements shown in FIG. 1A (or all of the elements shown in other shower systems disclosed in the drawings), but in other implementations some elements may be pre-existing and the sold kit could include elements used to retrofit an existing shower (such as by non-limiting example a shower in a home, business, RV, boat, etc.) in order to convert it into a recirculating shower. Accordingly, in implementations any subset of the elements of any given shower system may be sold or provided as a kit, or may be professionally installed, to provide the completed shower systems disclosed herein. Nevertheless, the phrase “shower system” is used herein to refer broadly to any complete shower system shown in the drawings or otherwise described herein or, alternatively, any subset of any such system.

[0043] Shower system 100 in implementations includes a shower 102 having a showerhead 104 configured to output a flow 106 of water for showering. As used herein, the term “showerhead” is meant to include static / fixed / mounted showerheads that may be secured to a shower wall with rigid pipes or the like and also handheld showerheads that may be coupled with a flexible hose or the like and are capable of being moved about manually by the user while showering. During showering some water 110 may collect or pool within a shower pan 108. A manual valve is not shown in FIG. 1A (but manual valve 112 is shown in corresponding FIG. 5A which will be discussed hereafter). Manual valves are well known in prior art showers and can be controlled with (and / or can include) a handle or knob or the like in order to initiate the flow of water through the showerhead and / or to mix / control relative amounts of heated / non-heated water in order to adjust the amount and / or the temperature of the water flowing out of the showerhead. In some cases multiple valves and corresponding handles / knobs are used, and in other cases a single valve and corresponding handle / knob or the like are used for such control of the outflowing water.

[0044] A controller 111 may be included and may be accessible by the user during a shower—for example it may be installed such that the user can readily access one or more user interfaces or buttons thereof while the user is standing in the shower. The controller may further be waterproof or water-resistant such that water exiting the showerhead or otherwise in the shower system does not hinder or negatively affect its functions. The controller may have one or more selectors available through a user interface (such as digital selectors) and / or buttons or knobs or the like. Through this controller the user may make one or more selections in order to control various elements of the shower system, as will be discussed in more detail herein. The controller may include a printed circuit board, electrical input and output elements for receiving selections and for controlling various valves, internal timing elements, one or more memories, power sources such as a battery and / or a power input / cord capable of being plugged into or wired to a power source, one or more lights such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and / or visual displays, and so forth. The controller 111 may be in electronic communication with valves, pumps, and other elements of the shower system, through wired or wireless (such as BLUETOOTH or WIFI) connections, to control their operation according to one or more software programs or the like stored in memory of the controller, responsive to user selections at / through the controller.

[0045] FIG. 1A shows a simplified flow 115 of water (represented by an arrow showing a direction of the flow) from the shower pan (e.g., through a drain in the shower pan) toward a junction 116. Junction 116 in the shown implementation is a three-way junction (such as a three-way tee). A transfer device 118 may allow or direct flow from the junction toward a greywater tank 120. In implementations the transfer device 118 and junction 116 may be incorporated into a single element or combined unit, such that the combined unit switches between allowing greywater to flow either to greywater tank 120 (or another waste outlet) in a first configuration and to flow towards recirculation pump 126 in a second configuration. In implementations the transfer device 118 may be a valve, such as a ball valve, and in normal freshwater operation it may remain open in order to allow greywater to drain to the greywater tank by gravity. In other implementations the transfer device 118 may be a pump, such as a sump pump, and in normal freshwater operation it may be turned on in order to pump greywater to the greywater tank assisted by gravity or even against gravity (in implementations the pump may be called a waste pump or greywater pump inasmuch as it moves water to a waste location, such as a greywater tank or other waste area). In lieu of a greywater tank, the greywater could be routed to a sewage system, a septic tank or septic system, a black tank or in other words a blackwater tank which also receives blackwater, overboard a boat, or, simply, to the ground or another location—it may be any location that shower water can feasibly drain to. The transfer device may have a plurality of states / configurations—when it is configured / switched to allow water to pass from the shower pan to the greywater tank 120 or other waste location, either by gravity through a valve or even against gravity using a waste pump, the transfer device is in a drain state.

[0046] In implementations transfer device 118 could be a pump (such as a sump pump) and a timer of the controller (or timer logic or the like) may control a relay, switch, control element, or some other element that would turn off the sump pump (or other type of pump). In some implementations when a sump pump unit has electrical power supplied to it, it nevertheless turns on or off automatically based on whether water is sensed or is not sensed, respectively, by one or more sensors of the sump pump unit. In implementations in which such a sump pump unit is included in a shower system as transfer device 118, the shower system may include a relay or switch or the like to turn off or withdraw power to the sump pump unit (for example interrupting or opening an electrical circuit of which the sump pump unit is a part). Once the recirculation mode / stage is completed, power may be restored to the sump pump unit (such as by using the relay or switch or the like to complete the electrical circuit of which the sump pump unit is a part), and the shower pan may then resume draining as normal. In all of these cases the controller may control the relay / switch or other element that effectively activates / deactivates the sump pump unit in this way.

[0047] The junction also allows the greywater, optionally, to flow through one or more filters 122 such that a filtered flow 123 may reach a recirculation pump 126 (in some cases the one or more filters 122 could be excluded and unfiltered greywater could reach the recirculation pump). The recirculation pump and one or more other elements may form a core 124 (also called a shower core and / or infinity shower core herein) which could, in implementations, be included within one or more housings. In a first configuration 138 the core may also include a freshwater valve 128. In implementations the freshwater valve may be a three-way ball valve controlled by a delay timer, the timer allowing for administration of an ideal (or an otherwise predetermined) volume of recirculation water for a recirculation shower mode. In implementations the timer may be implemented using logic of the controller that initiates signals to switch the freshwater valve based on a predetermined passage of time. The recirculation pump may be in fluid connection with the freshwater valve, and a freshwater input 130 (also called a freshwater source) may also be in fluid connection with the freshwater valve. The freshwater valve may be configured to automatically allow flow from the recirculation pump and / or freshwater source to pass therethrough and toward an optional additional one or more filters 132, and optional one or more heaters 134, to provide a flow 136 of water (which may be heated and / or filtered) to the showerhead.

[0048] The term “freshwater” as used herein is defined as any water that is not greywater or blackwater. The term “greywater” as used herein is defined as any domestic wastewater (e.g., generated in a household, office building, RV, boat, etc.) that does not have fecal contamination (e.g., all streams except for wastewater from toilets, such as wastewater from sinks, showers, baths, clothes washing machines, dishwashers, other household or boat or office appliances or devices, etc.). The term “blackwater” as used herein is defined as wastewater from toilets. The phrase “recirculated water” as used herein is defined as water that exits a shower pan of a shower and is recirculated to a showerhead of the shower.

[0049] As indicated above, the controller may be in electrical communication with (or may include) one or more switches that turn on / off various elements and / or open / close valves and the like to switch between different operating modes. For example, the controller may control valve actuation, and / or may have built-in timing elements to control the amount of time certain valves are opened or closed, and / or may also receive data from one or more sensors to assist its control of the valves, for example fill sensor 109 (which may detect when water in the shower pan reaches the level of the fill sensor and relay this to the controller). Implementations that use a fill sensor or the like may be useful for example in an RV or other implementation in which the vehicle and / or shower pan is on an incline. In such implementations, more water may be needed to initiate or facilitate a recirculation mode, and as such the fill sensor may work more effectively than a timer. Even so, timed versions and / or fill sensor versions (or shower systems with both) each have their advantages, as will be understood by the practitioner of ordinary skill in the art.

[0050] FIG. 1B shows example external elements of the controller, including a housing 111A, a display 111B, and selectors 111C. In implementations the display may be a touch-screen interface for user interaction, and in other implementations it may function only as a display. The user may interact with the user interface and / or the selectors to, for example, begin recirculation mode, and to implement other methods as desired and as explained herein. By non-limiting example, a selector may have wording thereon, such as “Recirculate” or “Infinity Mode” or the like (and other selectors may have other wording thereon for other modes / steps disclosed herein), and the user may select the selector (such as by touching or pushing or depressing it or otherwise interacting with it) to begin the recirculation mode / process. Some example wording is shown on the user interface and on the selectors in FIG. 1B, but these are only meant as representative examples. In other implementations other wording may be used and the selectors may provide for different functions than those represented in FIG. 1B—in implementations the manufacturer or seller of the shower system elements may pre-program the controller to have various different functions such that each selector initiates logic steps that cause the shower system to perform some desired function. Inasmuch as the display 111B may be a touch-screen, the display 111B itself, or any portion thereof, may also be a selector.

[0051] FIG. 1C depicts a high-level block diagram of example computing elements and / or related elements of the controller 111 suitable for use in performing some of the functions described herein. The elements of FIG. 1C may in implementations be at least partially housed within the housing 111A. As depicted in FIG. 1C, the computing and related elements may include a PCB 111D (printed circuit board), a processor 111E (e.g. a central processing unit or CPU), a memory 111F, e.g. random-access memory (RAM) and / or read-only memory (ROM), software 111G for implementing the methods (or portions of the methods) described herein, and additional components 111H which may be implemented as hardware and / or software (such as, by non-limiting example, one or more receivers and / or transmitters for communicating with other computing devices of the system locally and / or through a telecommunications network, wireless communication elements, one or more microphones and / or speakers for audio input / output, input / output interfaces for programming the controller and / or for wired connections to sensors and / or valves of the shower systems, and so forth). The double-arrowed connectors of FIG. 1C representatively illustrate the individual elements being able to communicate with one another. As can be understood, in implementations the controller may utilize a combination of software and / or hardware elements, e.g., application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC) or any other hardware or software elements, to perform its control functions. In implementations the methods may be implemented using software 111G (which may be instructions), the software or instructions loaded into memory 111F and executed by processor 111E to implement the functions discussed herein. As such, in implementations the methods disclosed herein may be implemented using one or more non-transitory computer-readable media, e.g., one or more random access memories (RAMs), one or more read-only memories (ROMs), any other storage media, and / or so forth.

[0052] In some implementations the user interface and / or selectors of the controller shown in FIG. 1B, and the computing and related elements shown in FIG. 1C, may be in separate distinct housings or the like and only electrically coupled either by wired or by wireless communication. Or, as in the examples in the drawings, they may be comprised within or partially within a single controller unit using a single housing, for example the PCB 111D (having processor 111E, memory 111F, software 111G, and additional components 111H integrally included thereon / therewith) may be included entirely within the housing 111A and electronically / communicatively coupled with the display 111B and selectors 111C to perform the functions described herein.

[0053] FIG. 1A is a simplified diagram (for example water flow directions are shown by arrows, but no pipes or water conduits are shown), but it nevertheless may be used to describe general operating conditions of the shower system. Various modes of the system will be described in further detail below.Freshwater Mode Startup

[0054] In implementations, the shower system 100 begins operation in a standard freshwater mode, with the transfer device 118 facilitating water flow to the greywater tank 120 or other waste area, and with the freshwater valve 128 allowing water from the freshwater input 130 to flow through the system to the showerhead, to allow the user to shower. Greywater exits the shower pan and flows to a waste location, such as the greywater tank 120 or some other outlet. This mode involves standard freshwater use for initial showering. Freshwater flows from the freshwater source / supply through the showerhead, and the transfer device 118 (e.g., valve or waste pump or the like) facilitates water flow to a waste location.Pre-Recirculation Mode Water Gathering Mode

[0055] As indicated, one issue with the normal freshwater mode is that it may reduce or deplete a limited supply of freshwater. In RV, boating, or other settings, if the user wishes to preserve freshwater for other uses (such as drinking, dishwashing, toilet use, etc.) the user may need to limit the shower to a short time period. On the other hand, the shower systems disclosed herein allow the user to switch to a recirculation mode, in which freshwater no longer enters the shower system, but instead, the system recirculates the water already present in the system, continuously, for a longer shower. This may thus be called “infinity mode” in some implementations, as the user may continue this mode as long as desired. In this recirculation mode, there may also be heating elements heating or reheating the recirculated water, thus allowing the user to take a nice, long, hot, relaxing shower, even in RV or boating or other settings where such showers are normally not feasible.

[0056] When the user desires to initiate recirculation mode, the user may make a selection to that effect at or through controller 111 (for example by pressing the “Infinity Mode” button / selector shown in FIG. 1B), and this may cause the controller to activate / toggle one or more electrical switches and / or otherwise switch transfer device 118 to pause water flow to the greywater tank 120, facilitating a predetermined fill period for the shower pan to collect a working volume of water. For example if the transfer device 118 is a drain the controller may close the drain, or if the transfer device is a waste pump the controller may turn off the waste pump, in order to allow the working volume of water to gather. In either case, this configuration or state is called a “retention state” herein—a state or configuration in which the transfer device 118 facilitates the retention of water within the shower system, to prepare for recirculation mode. The working volume may in implementations be, or may be about, or may be any value between, a half-gallon to two gallons of water, or one to two gallons of water.

[0057] One advantage of having a timer-controlled or sensor-controlled fill sequence is that, instead of relying on user input to manually provide a working volume of water (e.g., the user turning off the freshwater flow manually after determining that a working volume has probably been gathered), the system automatically gathers the working volume precisely and consistently from use to use. In prior art systems the user had to switch the flow from freshwater flow to recirculated flow manually (essentially trying to time the mode switch manually by guessing when enough freshwater had been added to the loop / system or in other words retained). Automating the freshwater gathering step prevents overflow of the shower pan by ensuring that the system does not add too much freshwater into the system for recirculation, and it also ensures that a large enough volume of freshwater is gathered for the system to have an effective recirculation phase. In implementations a minimum working volume of water may be needed to prime the recirculation loop, and accordingly the system may be designed such that the fill sequence gathers at least that minimum amount of water—but in implementations the system may also gather more water as desired, for example to provide for higher water pressure or a higher water throughput rate during recirculation.Recirculation Mode Heated or Non-Heated

[0058] After the timed or sensor-based interval in which the system is gathering a working volume of water, the transfer device 118 continues to pause water flow to the greywater tank 120, and freshwater valve 128 may switch to, instead of passing freshwater therethrough from freshwater input 130, pass water from recirculation pump 126 (recirculated water) therethrough (this may be controlled / initiated automatically by logic or the like of the controller—the controller essentially automatically switching / actuating the freshwater valve 128 to effectuate recirculation). The switch of the freshwater valve from a freshwater state (in which freshwater flows therethrough to the showerhead) and a recirculation state (in which freshwater does not flow therethrough to the showerhead), and switching the recirculation pump on, may thus be automatically controlled by the controller responsive to a predetermined trigger event—such as a passage of a predetermined amount of time or, alternatively, receipt of a signal initiated by one or more sensors of the shower system (e.g., a fill sensor, a water level sensor, a flow sensor, a pressure sensor, etc., positioned at various locations of the shower system as will be understood by the practitioner of ordinary skill in the art). In such cases in which a trigger event triggers these state switches, the trigger event(s) may correspond with the shower system accumulating the working volume of water for recirculation, which as indicated may amount to between one half gallon and two gallons of water, inclusive.

[0059] During recirculation mode the shower is a closed-loop system—water that exits the showerhead into the shower pan then exits the shower pan and passes through the recirculation pump and back through the showerhead again, over and over as long as desired by the user or as long as predetermined by the shower system elements and controller. The recirculation pump, switchable between an on state and an off state, thus is in the on state during this recirculation mode and moves water exiting the shower pan to the showerhead. During this recirculation mode or phase the recirculation pump 126 draws water from the shower pan 108 through one or more filters 122 positioned on the suction side (and, in heated embodiments, pulls or pushes the water through one or more heat exchangers or other heating elements) and returns it to the showerhead 104. During this recirculation phase no freshwater is admitted to the loop. The shower instead operates in a completely closed cycle, with the shower pan acting as a reservoir of the recirculated water.

[0060] As is evident from the description herein and from the drawings, in recirculation mode the controller and / or other system elements may switch (or cause switching of) the transfer device to the retention state and, simultaneously, switch (or cause switching of) the freshwater valve to the retention state (the opposite configurations may also be effectuated simultaneously, in implementations). The ability of the controller and / or other system elements to implement dual-valve choreography, coordinating control of the transfer device 118 (between the drain state and retention state) and freshwater valve 128 (between the freshwater state and recirculation state), allows the system to automatically govern the various operating modes / phases, such as the recirculation mode, making user interactions / selections at the controller simple and easy. A single selection of a selector may cause recirculation mode to begin, for example.End-of-Recirculation Mode and Freshwater Rinse / Purge

[0061] Either upon receiving a manual command from the user at controller 111 or after a predetermined amount of time (as automatically determined by the controller, for example), the recirculation mode may end by the controller restoring freshwater flow—switching / controlling the freshwater valve 128 to pass freshwater from freshwater input 130 therethrough and switching transfer device 118 so that water flow to the greywater tank 120 (or other waste area) resumes. For example if transfer device 118 is a valve then the controller may open the valve to begin draining by gravity, or if transfer device 118 is a waste pump then the controller may turn on the waste pump, so that water flow from the shower pan to the greywater tank 120 or other waste area resumes, assisted by or even against gravity. The system may continue the freshwater flow for some predetermined amount of time before shutting down water flow, in order to provide a purging rinse that purges shared plumbing lines with freshwater and flushes the loop to remove the recirculated greywater from the recirculation loop and into the shower pan, allowing it to pass through transfer device 118 to the greywater tank 120 or other location. The purging rinse thus clears recirculated water from the feed line or, in other words, from the water conduit(s) that feed into the showerhead during freshwater use. This period of freshwater flow also allows the user to have a freshwater rinse, to rinse off with freshwater after the recirculated water flow / rinse / shower is finished. After some predetermined amount of time (or, in implementations, after sensing an optical clarity of the water, such as through fill sensor 109 or another sensor in the shower pan or elsewhere in the system, which may in implementations be configured for such sensing operations), the controller may close freshwater valve 128 entirely to stop all water flow through the system (or may simply leave it open to the freshwater source, but with a showerhead valve / controller closed automatically or manually to prevent more water from exiting the showerhead). It should be pointed out that, in implementations, there may not be a manual showerhead valve needed or used, and all control of the water flow (including through the showerhead) may be controlled by controller 111. Additionally, in implementations a shower system may include multiple showerheads, such as a static showerhead and a handheld showerhead, both configured for receiving recirculated water as described herein. Even so, in some implementations the shower systems disclosed herein may include / use only a single showerhead.

[0062] In some cases the freshwater purge may include providing freshwater to the recirculation loop for a predetermined amount of time before opening the drain valve. In such instances the freshwater valve may be set by the controller to be in a state in which both freshwater and recirculated water are allowed to pass therethrough to the showerhead (this may be called a “combined state”) or, alternatively, may be set to the freshwater state to only allow freshwater to reach the showerhead. The freshwater purge purges the shared freshwater / recirculated line (the conduits and other system elements that alternate between delivering recirculated water and delivering freshwater to the showerhead), and also purges the showerhead itself (as the recirculated water and freshwater are delivered through the same showerhead), and also allows the user to get the freshwater rinse discussed herein, if desired, after the recirculation mode / stage (this could remove soapy residue from the recirculated greywater, for example). In implementations the use of a shared line / conduit, which sometimes passes recirculated greywater and, at other times, passes freshwater, to the showerhead, reduces or eliminates an otherwise dead volume of recirculated water that would remain in the system at the end of the recirculation cycle (this stagnant water can, for example, lead to unsanitary conditions).

[0063] In some cases the end-of-recirculation mode (providing the freshwater purge / flush) is configured to substantially purge all recirculated water from all water lines of the shower system that provide water flow to the showerhead (for example all freshwater water lines from the freshwater source to the showerhead and, also, all recirculation water lines from the shower pan to the showerhead, including lines shared by the freshwater / recirculated water) or, alternatively, from all water lines of the shower system that carry water flow from the recirculation pump to the showerhead or from the freshwater valve to the showerhead. As used herein, the phrase “substantially purge” may in implementations mean the removal of anywhere from at least 80% of all recirculated water from the corresponding water lines. In other implementations the system may be configured such that the purge removes at least 81%, or at least 82%, or at least 83%, or at least 84%, or at least 85%, or at least 86%, or at least 87%, or at least 88%, or at least 89%, or at least 90%, or at least 91%, or at least 92%, or at least 93%, or at least 94%, or at least 95%, or at least 96%, or at least 97%, or at least 98%, or at least 99%, or 100%, of all recirculated water from the corresponding water lines. The percentages here relate to the volume of recirculated water in the corresponding water lines that has, at some point, previously exited the shower pan.

[0064] As discussed to some extent above, in certain embodiments, core 124 may include a hydronic or pressurized-water heat exchanger. Hot water from any source (including tanked or tankless water heaters, a solar-heated water source, a hydronic heating circuit, a geothermal circuit / source, and so forth) may be routed through the heat exchanger to warm the recirculated water. The heat exchanger (or a portion thereof) may accordingly form part of the recirculation loop, allowing it to transfer heat to some of the recirculated water during recirculation. A single hot-water line and a single hot-water inlet may accordingly service both freshwater and recirculation-heating functions, supplying hot water during freshwater operation and heating up the heat exchanger so that it can, in turn, transfer heat to the recirculated water during recirculation mode. The same configuration allows a single hot-water line to serve both functions efficiently and compactly, reducing plumbing complexity and thermal losses. Such a design may provide seamless integration, reduced plumbing complexity, and safer tempered heating without the risks or maintenance challenges of prior art glycol-based hydronic systems. Although FIG. 1A shows one or more heaters 134 outside of the core 124 area, in some implementations the one or more heaters 134 may be integrated with the core 124 such that it is within (or partially within) a housing of the core, for example.

[0065] In the system of FIG. 1A (and in other systems disclosed / discussed herein and in the drawings) all water may ultimately pass through a single showerhead (without any reservoir tanks that hold water after a shower, for example), ensuring ease of use for the user and minimizing or eliminating stagnant water.

[0066] The configuration 138 of FIG. 1A may be modified in a variety of ways. FIG. 2 shows configuration 140 which is in some ways different. In this configuration the freshwater flow 144 is either allowed or is disallowed by a freshwater valve 142. Freshwater valve 142 may operate in many or in nearly all ways similarly to freshwater valve 128, except freshwater valve 142 in implementations need not be a three-way valve, and recirculated water need not flow through it as in first configuration 138. Freshwater valve 142 may instead be a simple on / off valve, and may be controlled by the controller as with other valves discussed herein. Configuration 140 may allow for more thorough flushing out of the shared line leading to the showerhead and may even help flush out the line forward of the recirculation pump 126, as can be envisioned from FIG. 2. As with other valves, freshwater valve 142 may in some implementations be a ball valve and may be controlled by the controller using a delay timer and / or timer logic or the like, or in response to a sensed trigger event or the like from a sensor, or so forth. In FIG. 2 it may be seen that freshwater valve 142 is external to core 124, though in other cases it could be located internal thereto. Like other figures, FIG. 2 is a simplified drawing, in which pipes / tubes / conduits are not shown, but instead simple lines / arrows show water flow directions / connections. The practitioner of ordinary skill in the art will understand how to assemble the configuration of FIG. 2, and the configurations of all other figures, using conventional water conduits / tubes / pipes formed of known materials (such as polyvinyl chloride or PVC, chlorinated PVC or CPVC, cross-linked polyethylene or PEX, copper or copper alloys, and so forth), conventional connectors such as tees, elbows, and so forth, formed from the same or similar materials, conventional adhesives and / or solders, and so forth, to facilitate the water flow configurations shown in the drawings.

[0067] FIGS. 3-4 show configuration 146 which is in some ways different than other configurations. In this configuration the freshwater valve 150 is again a three-way valve, either allowing freshwater flow 148 therethrough or, alternatively, allowing recirculated flow 154 therethrough, to form flow 152 that reaches the showerhead. In FIG. 3 the freshwater valve 150 has been controlled by the controller to allow the freshwater flow 148 therethrough, whereas in FIG. 4 the freshwater valve 150 has been controlled by the controller to allow the recirculated flow 154 therethrough. It can be seen that freshwater valve 150 is positioned outside of core 124, though in other implementations it could be positioned therein. In FIG. 4 the recirculated flow 154 that passes through the freshwater valve 150 to form flow 152 is filtered flow 123 which is pumped / moved by recirculation pump 126. Accordingly, in FIG. 3 recirculation pump 126 is turned off and the freshwater valve 150 is switched to allow freshwater flow 148 therethrough to form flow 152, and in FIG. 4 recirculation pump 126 is turned on and freshwater valve 150 is switched to allow recirculated flow 154 therethrough to form flow 152. The freshwater valve 150 may have any of the characteristics of other valves disclosed herein, such as being a three-way ball valve controlled by the controller using a control timer or timing logic, or in response to a sensed trigger event or the like from a sensor, or so forth.

[0068] Referring to FIGS. 3-4, these are simplified systems in which there is no heater within the core (or within a housing that defines or at least partially defines the core). In some cases a shower system could, similarly, not include a heater outside of the core. In some cases a shower system could, alternatively or additionally, exclude any filter. This allows for very simple installations, or more complex installations to add filters / heaters etc. for additional functionality.

[0069] In the configurations of FIGS. 1A and 2-4 it is seen that the freshwater valve, in each case, is either within the core or very near it (for example externally mounted to a housing thereof). By locating this valve at or in (or very near) the system core, both water sources (freshwater and recirculated water) share the same downstream line (from the freshwater valve to / through the showerhead), reducing stagnant “dead leg” water. This provides an advantage relative to prior recirculating shower systems, in which separate lines (for freshwater and recirculated water) ran to two separate, corresponding showerheads, creating dead leg or stagnant water in the line which is, for a time, not in use.

[0070] In some cases in which a freshwater valve is controlled based on a timing mechanism (such as timer logic of the controller, for example), it may take about twenty seconds to fill the shower pan sufficiently to facilitate priming of the recirculation mode and continuation of the recirculation mode after priming. In other cases it could take more time or less time, depending on a variety of variables including the flow rate of the shower system, the tilt of the shower pan, the volume within the pipes / tubes / conduits of the shower system (particularly those that are used in the recirculation stage / mode), and so forth, such that the practitioner of ordinary skill in the art can adjust the fill time (or other trigger event, such as a sensed condition by one or more sensors, to determine when the working amount of water has been collected), after which the freshwater valve can be controlled to change orientation to stop freshwater flow and instead allow recirculated flow therethrough.

[0071] FIG. 5A shows an example configuration for a shower system that is in some ways more complex (or shows more detail) relative to the shower system of FIG. 1A. FIG. 5A includes example installation details, and is also useful for explaining methods of use of the shower system. The shower 102 of FIG. 5A is seen to have a showerhead 104 with a flow 106 of water exiting therefrom. Flow 106 may be turned on / off and / or adjusted in terms of water pressure and / or temperature by the user using manual valve 112 (which may include a single valve / handle / knob or multiple valves / handles / knobs). Shower pan 108 collects some water 110 if the transfer device 118 is in the retention state (and / or if the shower system is in a recirculation mode / phase). Conduit 155 allows water to flow in the direction shown by the arrow thereon to junction 116. Along with all other conduits described herein, conduit 155 may be a rigid or flexible tube formed of any of the materials described herein, or may be formed of any other polymer, metal, or composite material. If transfer device 118 is in the drain state then the water flows through conduit 156 in the direction shown by the arrow thereon to the greywater tank 120 or any other waste area / location. Conduit 158 is fluidically coupled with junction 116 using a coupler 157 and is also fluidically coupled with unit 160 using a coupler 159.

[0072] Unit 160 includes a filter 160A and a sterilizer 160B. In some implementations the filter 160A and sterilizer 160B could be in different housings / units and only fluidically coupled together, instead of being formed within (or partially within), or jointly forming, a common unit 160. Although unit 160 is shown in simplified format in FIG. 5A, when the transfer device 118 is switched to the retention state, and when the recirculation pump 126 (not shown in FIG. 5A, but present within core 124) is switched to the on state, water is pulled from junction 116 through the conduit 158 and passes through the filter 160A and sterilizer 160B (in any order, though in FIG. 5A the water passes through filter 160A first and then through sterilizer 160B) before exiting unit 160. In some cases filter 160A is a separate unit that is secured to sterilizer 160B through any type of coupling to, together, form unit 160. Conduit 162 is fluidically coupled with unit 160 using a coupler 161, and is also fluidically coupled with the core 124 using a coupler 163. In some cases the filter 160A and / or sterilizer 160B and / or the joint unit 160 may be mounted in or on the shower system, such as mounted onto a wall or portion of the shower 102 or any other housing or frame element close thereby or in / on an RV, boat, wall of a house or building, etc. In implementations the sterilizer 160B may be an ultraviolet (UV) sterilizer.

[0073] Conduit 166 is fluidically coupled with core 124 using a coupler 164, and is fluidically coupled with conduit 170 using a coupler 168. Conduit 170 in turn is coupled with manual valve 112. Conduit 167 is fluidically coupled with core 124 through coupler 165, and is also fluidically coupled with conduit 171 through coupler 169. Conduit 171 is in turn fluidically coupled with manual valve 112. In implementations conduit 166 and conduit 170 carry cold water and / or are part of a cold line, facilitating the flow of cold water from core 124 to manual valve 112 in the direction shown by the arrow on conduit 170. In implementations conduit 167 and conduit 171 carry hot water and / or are part of a hot line, facilitating the flow of hot water from core 124 to manual valve 112 in the direction shown by the arrow on conduit 171. The user may use manual valve 112 to mix the hot / cold water from the hot / cold lines, and / or may adjust water pressure using manual valve 112, to adjust flow 106 as desired. Conduit 172 may carry the mixed water from manual valve 112 to the showerhead 104 to provide flow 106.

[0074] A freshwater source is seen at the left of FIG. 5A. Conduit 176 fluidically couples the freshwater source with a pump, the pump causing flow within conduit 176 in the direction shown by the arrow thereon.

[0075] Conduit 177 fluidically couples the pump’s output with a manifold 178 labeled “COLD LINE” and, further, fluidically couples the pump’s output with a junction 183 (which in the implementation shown is a three-way tee), facilitating flow of water therein in the directions shown by the arrows on conduit 177. Junction 183 is in turn fluidically coupled with conduit 185. The example shower system of FIG. 5A is an RV shower system, and in freshwater mode, if each valve 182 of the cold line is open, the pump pushes some freshwater into the cold line manifold and through conduit 179 to an outdoor shower, through conduit 180 to a kitchen sink, and through conduit 181 toward the core 124. Manifold 178 may have other output conduits (for example to a dishwasher, a clothes washer, to an external spigot / faucet outside the RV, etc.). Each conduit exiting the manifold 178 of the cold line is shown coupled with a valve 182 to turn the corresponding flow therethrough on / off. In implementations each valve 182 on the cold line may be controlled by the controller to be open in freshwater mode.

[0076] Conduit 181 is seen coupled with a valve 191 which may be controlled by the controller to be open in freshwater mode, and valve 191 may in turn be coupled with a conduit 193 through a coupler 196. Conduit 193 may in turn be coupled with core 124 through a coupler 174.

[0077] Junction 183 is fluidically coupled with conduit 185, which in turn is fluidically coupled with a heater. Conduit 185 facilitates freshwater flow to the heater in the direction shown by the arrow thereon. Junction 183 is also seen fluidically coupled with valve 184 (to receive water from conduit 194). The heater is fluidically coupled with manifold 186 (labeled “HOT LINE”) using a conduit (shown but not numbered in FIG. 5A). In freshwater mode, if each valve 182 of the hot line is open, the pump pushes some water through the heater and into the hot line manifold and, thereafter, through conduit 187 (in the direction shown by the arrows thereon) to the outdoor shower, through conduit 188 (in the direction shown by the arrows thereon) to the kitchen sink, and through conduit 189 toward the core 124. Manifold 186 may have other output conduits (for example to a dishwasher, a clothes washer, to an external spigot / faucet outside the RV, etc.). Each conduit exiting the manifold 186 of the hot line is shown coupled with a valve 182 to turn the corresponding flow therethrough on / off. In implementations each valve 182 on the hot line may be controlled by the controller to be open in freshwater mode. Valve 184 may be controlled by the controller to be open in freshwater mode as well, and may be used to return some of the hot water that enters the core 124 from the hot line which passes through a heat exchanger within the core, exits at coupler 175, and passes through conduit 194A, one-way check-valve 197, conduit 194B, coupler 198, valve 184, and junction 183 through the shown conduits to the cold line and hot line manifolds.

[0078] Conduit 189 is seen coupled with a valve 190 which may be controlled by the controller to be open in freshwater mode, and valve 190 may in turn be coupled with a conduit 192 through a coupler 195. Conduit 192 may in turn be coupled with core 124 through a coupler 173.

[0079] During freshwater mode the cold line freshwater flowing through conduit 193 may be routed through core 124 to conduit 166 and therethrough to manual valve 112, while the hot line freshwater flowing through conduit 192 may be routed through core 124 to conduit 167 and therethrough to manual valve 112. During freshwater mode transfer device 118 facilitates flow of water from the shower pan 108 to greywater tank 120 or to another waste area.

[0080] When the system is switched to water gathering mode (prior to recirculation mode) and / or during recirculation mode, transfer device 118 may be controlled by the controller to be in the retention state, and each valve 182 may be controlled by the controller to be in a closed state except those allowing flow through conduit 181 and conduit 189 (to prevent greywater from entering the outdoor shower, kitchen sink, and other non-shower lines). Once the working volume of water has been collected / gathered in order to prime the recirculation pump, the pump bringing in freshwater from the freshwater source may be controlled by the controller to be in the off state (which may, in effect, prevent freshwater flow, and essentially function as a closed valve when in the off state), and the recirculation pump (not shown but within core 124) may be controlled by the controller to be in the on state, pulling water from the shower pan 108 and moving a portion thereof through the aforementioned heat exchanger and coupler 165, and another portion to coupler 164, each of these flows moving onward through corresponding conduits to manual valve 112, which in implementations the user may still adjust to control pressure and / or temperature of the recirculated flow.

[0081] Referring still to FIG. 5A, in implementations valve 190, valve 191, and valve 184 may be half-inch Male National Pipe Tapered (MNPT) thread on / off valves, though other configurations may be used in other implementations. In implementations the existing drain conduits and / or other elements of a preexisting shower may be modified to fluidically couple the junction 116 and / or transfer device 118 and / or other elements to the drain side, along with other elements, to convert an existing shower to allow a recirculation mode and other modes disclosed herein. In implementations conduit 158, conduit 162, conduit 166, conduit 167, conduit 192, conduit 193, conduit 194A, and conduit 194B may be formed of Female National Pipe Tapered (FNPT) thread stainless-steel braided hose, though other configurations may be used in other implementations (although these conduits may appear to be semi-rigid in the drawings, they may in fact be more flexible, as braided hoses generally are). In implementations coupler 157, coupler 159, coupler 161, coupler 163, coupler 164, coupler 165, coupler 168, coupler 169, coupler 173, coupler 174, coupler 175, coupler 195, coupler 196, and coupler 198 may each have a half-inch MNPT configuration, though other configurations may be used in other implementations. In implementations transfer device 118 may be an electric valve.

[0082] In implementations conduit 156 may be or may include a p-trap. Though FIG. 5A shows conduit 156 as a straight pipe, p-traps are well-known in the plumbing industry and are used to provide some intentional standing water therein when the shower is not in use to prevent gas and other items downstream of the drain from coming up the shower drain, and a person having ordinary skill in the art will know how to implement a p-trap at or near the location of conduit 156 without it being shown in the drawings. In implementations conduit 158 and conduit 162 may be formed of three-eighths inch hoses, though other configurations may be used in other implementations. In implementations coupler 157, coupler 159, coupler 161, and coupler 163 may be formed of gray plastic (which may be CPVC or another polymer) FNPT swivel connections, though other configurations may be used in other implementations.

[0083] FIG. 5B shows example electrical elements used in some shower system implementations, and an example installation order will be described. In a first step, a 12-volt battery is electrically coupled through electrical coupling 199A and through coupler 199B with an electrical interface 199C (which may be an input / output interface or may otherwise be electrically coupled with the recirculation pump, one or more valves, and / or other elements of core 124). Electrical coupling 199A, along with all other electrical couplings described herein, may be formed of copper wiring or any other electrically conductive coupling material or element. In a second step, controller 199E (which may be similar or identical to controller 111) is electrically coupled through electrical coupling 199D and through coupler 199F with electrical interface 199C. In a third step, electrical interface 199C is electrically coupled through electrical coupling 199G and through coupler 199J and ultraviolet (UV) ballast 199H with unit 160 and / or with ultraviolet (UV) sterilizer 160B. In a fourth step, electrical interface 199C is electrically coupled through electrical coupling 199K and through coupler 199L with transfer device 118. This simple power and wiring configuration may facilitate the operation of the controller and, in turn, control by the controller of the various valves, switches, and so forth of elements of the shower systems to accomplish the methods and operating modes disclosed herein. In implementations the couplers 199B, 199F, 199J, and 199L may be AMPHENOL quick connect electrical connectors, and may allow for the electrical elements to be easily disconnected and reconnected electrically. In some implementations one or more portions of an installation of a shower system may be professionally installed by an electrician, but the use of quick-connect connectors for couplers 199B, 199L, 199J, and 199F may allow a non-professional or non-electrician end user to temporarily remove core 124 (such as for winterization) or swap out one core 124 for another (for example to uninstall a non-working core 124 and install a warranty replacement or a newly purchased core), and so forth. In some cases couplers 199B, 199L, 199J, and 199F may have color matching components, for example two portions of a given coupler both being black, or blue, or red, etc., for easily matching the two portions of the coupler for reconnecting.

[0084] FIGS. 6-9 show additional elements that may be relevant to specific versions of shower systems and to specific operating modes thereof, focusing more heavily on the core itself, with arrows shown on the conduits, pumps, and other elements representatively illustrating water flow directions. Not all of the flows shown in FIG. 6 would be present in each mode (freshwater mode, recirculation mode, etc.), but the various flow directions are nevertheless all generally shown in FIG. 6 to give an overall view of system flow. Shower system 200 includes a housing 202 (which may define, or partially define, the core). Cold inlet 204 (which may be coupler 174) may be coupled with conduit 206 to provide cold freshwater flow into the core. Conduit 206 is coupled with three-way valve 208 (which, as with all other three-way valves disclosed herein, may be a ball valve or some other type of valve, and may also be called a cold freshwater valve) and an exit conduit (not numbered) couples three-way valve 208 with a cold outlet 210 (which may be coupler 164). Hot inlet 212 (which may be coupler 173) is coupled with conduit 214 to provide hot freshwater flow (e.g., from the hot line manifold) into the core. Conduit 214 is coupled with three-way valve 216 (which may be called a hot freshwater valve) and an exit conduit (not numbered) couples three-way valve 216 with a hot outlet 218 (which may be coupler 165). It is pointed out here that some of the couplers and other items shown in FIG. 6 may not be in the same positions, relative to the core, where they are shown in other figures, but that the practitioner of ordinary skill in the art will easily understand how to position various conduits, couplers, etc., as required to ensure the proper cold / hot / other flows for the various modes.

[0085] Heat exchanger 234 has openings 232 (which couple with conduits shown overlapping therewith through openings in the respective conduit and / or through couplers coupled with the conduit). Each opening 232 is shown as a circle in one of the corners of heat exchanger 234. Some elements (including conduit, heat exchanger elements, etc.) are shown in see-through in FIG. 6 so as to be able to more easily envision the heat-exchange mechanisms and methods at work. It may be seen that junction 220 (which may be a three-way tee or the like) is coupled with conduit 214, to divert some of the hot freshwater flow during freshwater mode through conduit 222 and through the heat exchanger 234. This diverted flow is facilitated by hydronic pump 236, which may in implementations be controlled to on / off states using the controller. Hot freshwater flows through conduit 222 to the hydronic pump 236 and then out of the hydronic pump through another conduit (not numbered) into the lower-left opening 232, and therethrough inside the heat exchanger 234. Inside the heat exchanger 234 this hot water heats up the heat exchanger 234 as it is carried (following flow 238, through internal cavities of the like of the heat exchanger, not shown but easily envisioned) to the upper-left opening 232 and, therethrough, into conduit 240 and through cold return outlet 242 (which may be coupler 175). As can be understood from the drawings, installation of the pressurized hot-water heat exchanger 234 requires no separate glycol reservoir and no manual air-bleed hardware. In some cases the heat exchanger also requires no separate circulation pump (i.e., no pump apart from the hydronic pump 236). In some cases hydronic pump 236 may be excluded, and conduit 222 could directly couple with the lower-left opening 232, the pressure in the hot water line being sufficient to circulate hot water through the heat exchanger during freshwater mode for heating purposes.

[0086] In implementations each opening 232 may be sized so as to couple (e.g., receive) a common conduit size, such as to receive an elbow or three-way tee, to fluidically couple the conduits 222, 230, 244, etc. therewith. In some cases the openings 232 may be threaded so as to allow conduit(s) to be fluidically coupled therewith using threaded connectors / components.

[0087] Filtered inlet 224 (which may be coupler 163) is coupled with conduit 226 to provide filtered recirculated flow into the core during recirculation mode. Conduit 226 is coupled with the recirculation pump 228 (which may be recirculation pump 126) and conduit 230 carries water from the pump to three-way valve 208, but before the recirculated water reaches three-way valve 208 some of it is diverted through the upper-right opening 232 into the heat exchanger, to pass therethrough following flow 258 (through internal cavities of the heat exchanger not shown, but easily envisioned). The water that passes through the heat exchanger is heated up thereby, and exits the heat exchanger at the bottom-right opening 232 to enter conduit 244 and flow to three-way valve 216, at which point the heated recirculated water flows to hot outlet 218 and onward to the manual valve 112.

[0088] FIG. 6 also shows a plurality of electrical elements, including a power source 246, relay 250, switch 248 (or switch on relay), a busbar 252, a delay timer 254 (for example set to 20 seconds, or to another time as determined by a user or vendor of the shower system), and a plurality of electrical couplings 256 (for example copper wiring or another metallic wiring or electrical coupling element) not all numbered, but all shown in dashed lines, electrically interconnecting various elements to provide power and / or control thereto and including electrical couplings going to the UV sterilizer and to the transfer device (labeled as DRAIN in FIG. 6, though it may also / alternatively be a waste pump). It has been described herein that, in some implementations, the timing element for the water gathering mode and / or for recirculation mode may be controlled by internal timer controls or logic of the controller, though in some implementations a hardware or software timing element may also be included in or coupled with the core 124 and not necessarily be in / on the controller. FIG. 6 may include simplified electronic elements, and the controller may be electrically coupled with the switch 248 and / or the busbar 252 to provide control signals to (and / or receive sensor or other signals from) various elements to perform the functions disclosed herein.

[0089] FIG. 7 includes the electrical elements of FIG. 6 but removes some other elements so that the electrical elements can more easily be seen and understood. Power from power source 246 is routed to relay 250 and may be controlled by switch 248 (i.e., of the controller or a switch controlled by the controller) to relay a signal / power to the busbar 252 and thence to the recirculation pump 228, to the transfer device 118 (labeled DRAIN here but also / alternatively including a waste pump in some implementations), to delay timer 254 to control three-way valve 208 and three-way valve 216 for operation of the various modes, and to sterilizer 160B (labeled UV STERILIZER here).

[0090] FIG. 8 includes some of the elements that are active during freshwater mode, showing cold water flow through cold inlet 204, conduit 206, three-way valve 208, and cold outlet 210, hot water flow through hot inlet 212, junction 220, conduit 214 through three-way valve 216 to hot outlet 218, and also through conduit 222 into hydronic pump 236 and through the bottom-left opening 232 of the heat exchanger 234 and through flow 238 and out the upper-left opening 232 into conduit 240 and out cold return outlet 242. The housing 202 is shown for reference, and recirculation pump 228 is switched off during this mode. It may be envisioned that a fresh only mode may also be utilized by simply using a selection at the controller which initiates causing the hydronic pump 236 to be in the off mode (essentially then operating as a valve in the off position) in which case there is no ongoing hydronic heating of the heat exchanger 234, but cold and hot freshwater flow through the corresponding conduits still, to provide a normal freshwater shower.

[0091] FIG. 9 shows some of the elements of FIG. 6 used during recirculation mode (excluding others for ease of viewing). Water is pulled into the housing 202 or core through filtered inlet 224 and through conduit 226 by recirculation pump 228 which is turned on. A portion of the water is moved through conduit 230 to three-way valve 208 and onward to cold outlet 210, while some of the water from conduit 230 is diverted into the top-right opening 232 and into the heat exchanger 234 where it is heated as it passes within the heat exchanger in flow 258, and then back out the bottom-right opening 232 and into conduit 244, this water then flowing to three-way valve 216 and onward to hot outlet 218. During this recirculation mode the hydronic pump 236 may be off, the heat exchanger 234 being previously heated during the prior freshwater mode.

[0092] In the versions of shower systems that include the heat exchanger, it can be seen that the system simply uses normal pressurized domestic hot water (which may be about 40–100 pounds per square inch or PSI) or hot water from any other heated water source (e.g., a solar heater, tanked heater, tankless heater, hydronic heater, geothermal heater, etc.) as the thermal transfer medium. The hot water flows through a heat exchanger inside the core to warm recirculated water, and a small hydronic pump may be used to facilitate flow through the heat exchanger.

[0093] The example heat exchanger 234 configuration of FIGS. 6-9 has a variety of advantages over prior-art heated shower configurations, including: an integrated heating design that reduces system complexity, e.g., simpler plumbing; use of smaller / shorter hoses than is common; no need for a dedicated glycol loop; temperature safety, e.g., the use of domestic hot water as a heating mechanism provides tempered, non-scalding heat input to the recirculated water—also, all heated water (fresh or recirculated) is pre-mixed before reaching the user, further reducing scald risk; and improved reliability, e.g., the use of pressurized domestic hot water to heat the heat exchanger means there is no need for thermostatic mixing valves, which are used in some recirculated environments but which are prone to failure from soapy water. In the examples shown in the drawings the hot line (or hot-water line) serves dual purposes: feeding the showerhead during freshwater operation; and heating the heat exchanger so that the recirculated water can be heated thereby during recirculation mode. It is also pointed out that heating of the heat exchanger occurs not only during freshwater mode, but also during the freshwater purge / rinse at or after the end of recirculation mode, because during the freshwater purge / rinse both hot and cold freshwater may again pass through the system, including some of the hot freshwater being routed through the heat exchanger. This may serve to preheat (or reheat) the heat exchanger for a subsequent recirculation mode (for example if the user desires multiple recirculation modes during a shower, or for example if multiple users might shower in a row).

[0094] Because of the modular designs of the shower systems, a variety of modifications could be made for different installations. For example in simpler systems the core could exclude the hydronic heating elements (heat exchanger and associated conduits etc.) and return conduits and the check valve could also be excluded. This may be useful for very tight spots where it is desirable to use less plumbing (or where there is no heated freshwater source, but only a cold freshwater source, to begin with). In such instances there may still be a heater added to heat up water after it exits the core (as in FIG. 1A) or, in other implementations, a heater may be excluded altogether (for example in cases where a user desires to minimize power or fuel use such as power / fuel that would be used to provide heating). Accordingly, the modular design allows the user to create a specific shower system configuration for their RV / boat / home / office etc. according to their specific requirements / desires.

[0095] The shower systems shown in the drawings are self-purging in terms of air introduced into the conduits and other elements. The system configurations allow air introduced into the pressurized lines (such as during installation) to automatically vent through other connected plumbing outlets, reducing air pockets that could cause air locks in the pump(s) of the shower systems, and allowing flexible pump placement without the need to position any given pump at the lowest point. Instead, regardless of where the pumps (e.g., freshwater pump, recirculation pump, etc.) are placed, air within the system is cleared when the pumps and / or other elements of the system are operated. For example the pressurized domestic hot-water integration facilitates automatic self-purging of air from the heating elements (heat exchanger and corresponding conduits) any time the user operates the shower system in freshwater mode. The use of other freshwater fixtures (bathroom sink, kitchen sink, outdoor shower, washing machine, dishwasher, outside spigot / faucet, etc.) may similarly serve to automatically bleed / purge air from the corresponding conduits that feed water thereto if any air happens to end up in those lines.

[0096] The shower systems disclosed herein allow for less mess during and after air purging. With the shower systems disclosed herein, the only mess that may result from air purging is water. Water is far less messy and easier to manage than glycol during / after such a purge process, simplifying maintenance and reducing cleanup effort.

[0097] There are other advantages of the shower systems disclosed herein, relative to the prior art. As discussed previously, the shower system automation of the water collection stage prevents shower pan overflow from user error. The single outlet designs (e.g., using a single showerhead) and shared plumbing lines (e.g., some of the same conduits that transfer the recirculated water also, at other times, transfer freshwater) minimize contamination. Additionally, the compact, modular core design of the shower systems is suitable for retrofits of existing shower systems (such as in an RV, boat, home, office, etc.) or for a full initial installation.

[0098] As detailed herein, the freshwater purge / rinse at the end of the recirculation mode / state clears the shared lines / conduits of recirculated water and minimizes contamination. It may also minimize or eliminate a cold burst / influx of water through the showerhead (or may otherwise increase the temperature of that water during a later startup) when the user later starts freshwater mode for another shower, because the freshwater rinse again transfers heated freshwater through the line(s) that reach the manual valve 112.

[0099] The shower systems disclosed herein accordingly automatically switch between freshwater and closed-loop recirculation modes using coordinated control of transfer device (e.g., drain or waste pump) valves and freshwater supply valves, such as under timer or sensor control or in response to timer or sensor signals. The shower systems include a single shared showerhead outlet and may integrate a hydronic or pressurized hot-water heat exchanger within (or proximate to or coupled with or secured to) its core to heat recirculated water. By routing pressurized domestic hot water through the core’s heat exchanger, the shower system achieves tempered heating without glycol loops or thermostatic mixing valves, enabling simpler plumbing, a self-purging installation configuration, and reduced risk of scalding or thermostatic valve fouling and / or fouling of other system elements. The shower systems are accordingly useful for RV, marine, and off-grid installations requiring high water efficiency and compact design, and may in implementations also be used in home, office, and other settings such as for energy efficiency and water conservation.

[0100] In comparison with prior art recirculating showers, the shower systems disclosed herein are less complicated, take up less space, conserve more water, are less prone to failure, and / or exclude elements that are unnecessary for core functions or are otherwise not needed because of the simplified design of the shower systems herein.

[0101] The various devices and / or assemblies disclosed herein and their elements, sub-elements, sub-assemblies, and so forth may be formed from any materials that will feasibly allow, facilitate, and / or otherwise not hinder their respective functions as described herein. For example, any of the devices, elements, or sub-elements may, wherever possible, be formed of metals, polymers, composites, ceramic materials, fabrics, and so forth.

[0102] Furthermore, there are a variety of ways in which the various elements may be directly or indirectly coupled together. Notwithstanding the specific ways in which elements are depicted as being coupled together herein, these same elements could, wherever feasible, be joined together in any of the following ways: manually removably coupled together such as using a friction fit, hook and loop fasteners, snaps, buttons and corresponding holes / slits, zippers, a reusable adhesive, manually removable bolts and nuts or screws or other threaded fasteners, mating threads implemented on any components, screw clamps or any other type of clamp, and any other type of manually removable coupling mechanism; or fixedly / permanently coupled together such as using a permanent adhesive, rivets, welding, melt joining or heat bonding, sewn elements, stitching, seams, and any other type of permanent coupling mechanism that is not manually removable. Manually removable, as defined herein, refers to the ability to remove a coupling using manual force either using hands alone or using non-powered hand tools.

[0103] The above-described elements may in implementations be configured or arranged in a variety of arrangements, each arrangement with its own advantages as will be understood by the practitioner of ordinary skill in the art, notwithstanding the specific example arrangements that are discussed above and representatively illustrated in the drawings.

[0104] While each individual above-described element may be configured as shown in the drawings and / or as discussed above, these are only representative examples and other configurations are possible for any individual element, with various advantages and tradeoffs as will be understood by the practitioner of ordinary skill in the art.

[0105] In places where the phrase “one of A and B” is used herein, including in the claims, wherein A and B are elements, the phrase shall have the meaning “A and / or B.” This shall be extrapolated to as many elements as are recited in this manner, for example the phrase “one of A, B, and C” shall mean “A, B, and / or C,” and so forth. To further clarify, the phrase “one of A, B, and C” would include implementations having: A only; B only; C only; A and B but not C; A and C but not B; B and C but not A; and A and B and C.

[0106] In places where the description above refers to specific implementations of shower systems and related methods, one or more or many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Details of any specific implementation / embodiment described herein may, wherever possible, be applied to any other specific implementation / embodiment described herein. The appended claims are to encompass within their scope all such changes and modifications as are within the true spirit and scope of this disclosure.

[0107] Furthermore, in the claims, if a specific number of an element is intended, such will be explicitly recited, and in the absence of such explicit recitation no such limitation exists. For example, the claims may include phrases such as “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claim elements. The use of such phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of any other claim element by the indefinite article “a” or “an” limits that claim to only one such element, and the same holds true for the use in the claims of definite articles.

[0108] Additionally, in places where a claim below uses the term “first” as applied to an element, this does not imply that the claim requires a second (or more) of that element—if the claim does not explicitly recite a “second” of that element, the claim does not require a “second” of that element. Furthermore, in some cases a claim may recite a “second” or “third” or “fourth” (or so on) of an element, and this does not necessarily imply that the claim requires a first (or so on) of that element—if the claim does not explicitly recite a “first” (or so on) of that element (or an element with the same name, such as “a widget” and “a second widget”), then the claim does not require a “first” (or so on) of that element.

[0109] Method steps disclosed anywhere herein, including in the claims, may be performed in any feasible / possible order. Recitation of method steps in any given order in the claims or elsewhere does not imply that the steps must be performed in that order—such claims and descriptions are intended to cover the steps performed in any order except any orders which are technically impossible or not feasible. However, in some implementations method steps may be performed in the order(s) in which the steps are presented herein, including any order(s) presented in the claims.

Claims

1. A shower system comprising:a transfer device configured to selectively alternate between a drain state, in which water exiting a shower pan of a shower flows to a waste outlet, and a retention state, in which water exiting the shower pan does not flow to the waste outlet;a freshwater valve configured to selectively alternate between a freshwater state, in which freshwater from a freshwater source flows to a showerhead of the shower, and a recirculation state, in which freshwater from the freshwater source is prevented from flowing to the showerhead;a recirculation pump switchable between an on state and an off state and configured to, when in the on state, move water exiting the shower pan to the showerhead;a controller comprising one or more processors; andone or more non-transitory, computer-readable media comprised in the controller or communicatively coupled with the controller;wherein the one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media comprise instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:initiate switching of the transfer device between the drain state and the retention state;initiate switching of the freshwater valve between the freshwater state and the recirculation state; andinitiate switching of the recirculation pump between the on state and the off state.

2. The shower system of claim 1, wherein the one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media comprise instructions facilitating a recirculation mode, which instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:cause the transfer device to be in the retention state; andresponsive to a predetermined trigger event:cause the freshwater valve to be in the recirculation state; andcause the recirculation pump to be in the on state.

3. The shower system of claim 2, wherein the predetermined trigger event is one of: a passage of a predetermined amount of time; and receipt of a signal, initiated by one or more sensors of the shower system, at the one or more processors.

4. The shower system of claim 3, wherein the one or more sensors comprise one of a water level sensor, a flow sensor, and a pressure sensor.

5. The shower system of claim 2, wherein the predetermined trigger event corresponds with the shower system accumulating a working volume of water for recirculation, the working volume amounting to between one half gallon and two gallons of water, inclusive.

6. The shower system of claim 2, wherein the controller comprises one or more selectors and wherein the instructions facilitating the recirculation mode are executed by the one or more processors responsive to one or more user selections at the one or more selectors.

7. The shower system of claim 1, wherein the one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media comprise instructions facilitating an end-of-recirculation mode, which instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:cause the freshwater valve to be in the freshwater state;cause the transfer device to be in the drain state; andcause the recirculation pump to be in the off state.

8. The shower system of claim 7, wherein the instructions facilitating the end-of-recirculation mode cause the one or more processors to cause the transfer device to be in the drain state only after a predetermined amount of time after causing the freshwater valve to be in the freshwater state.

9. The shower system of claim 7, wherein the instructions facilitating the end-of-recirculation mode cause the one or more processors to simultaneously switch the transfer device to the drain state and switch the freshwater valve to the freshwater state.

10. The shower system of claim 7, wherein the end-of-recirculation mode is configured to substantially purge recirculated water from all water lines of the shower system that provide water flow from the freshwater valve to the showerhead.

11. The shower system of claim 1, further comprising one or more filters positioned to filter water flowing from the shower pan to the showerhead.

12. The shower system of claim 1, wherein the shower system further comprises at least one conduit positioned to facilitate flow of freshwater from the freshwater source to the showerhead and further positioned to facilitate water flow from the shower pan to the showerhead.

13. The shower system of claim 1, further comprising a heat exchanger configured to transfer heat to recirculated water flowing to the showerhead.

14. The shower system of claim 13, wherein the heat exchanger is fluidically coupled with a heated freshwater line to receive heated freshwater flow therefrom for heating the heat exchanger, and wherein the showerhead is further coupled with the heated freshwater line to receive heated freshwater flow therefrom.

15. The shower system of claim 1, wherein the shower system moves water from the shower pan to the showerhead without passing the water through a thermostatic mixing valve.

16. The shower system of claim 1, wherein the transfer device comprises a valve.

17. The shower system of claim 1, wherein the transfer device comprises a waste pump.

18. A method of use of a shower system comprising:providing a controller comprising:one or more processors; andone or more non-transitory, computer-readable media comprised in the controller or configured to communicatively couple with the controller;wherein the one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media comprise instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:initiate switching of a transfer device of the shower system between a drain state, in which water exiting a shower pan of a shower flows to a waste outlet, and a retention state, in which water exiting the shower pan does not flow to the waste outlet, wherein the transfer device comprises one of a valve and a waste pump;initiate switching of a freshwater valve between a freshwater state, in which freshwater from a freshwater source flows to a showerhead of the shower, and a recirculation state, in which freshwater from the freshwater source is prevented from flowing to the showerhead; andinitiate switching of a recirculation pump between an on state and an off state, wherein in the on state the recirculation pump moves water exiting the shower pan to the showerhead.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media comprise instructions facilitating a recirculation mode, which instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:cause the transfer device to be in the retention state; andresponsive to a predetermined trigger event:cause the freshwater valve to be in the recirculation state; andcause the recirculation pump to be in the on state;wherein the predetermined trigger event is one of:a passage of a predetermined amount of time; andreceipt of a signal, initiated by one or more sensors of the shower system, at the one or more processors.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media comprise instructions facilitating an end-of-recirculation mode, which instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:cause the freshwater valve to be in the freshwater state;cause the transfer device to be in the drain state; andcause the recirculation pump to be in the off state.

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