A plumbing fixture

Abstract

The present invention provides a plumbing fixture for discharging heated water to a user from at least one water supply The fixture includes at least a pair of waterways for receiving water from the at least one water supply. Each waterway terminates proximate an upstream end of an intermediate chamber. An outlet port is located proximate a downstream end of the intermediate chamber. The fixture further includes a heater element for heating the water contained in one of the waterways such that water discharged from the outlet port can be heated. The present invention also provides a system for discharging heated water to a user from at least one water supply using the plumbing fixture.

Description

A PLUMBING FIXTUREField of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to water discharge fixtures and particularly the hygienic delivery of warm water through water discharge fixtures.

[0002] The invention has been developed primarily as a plumbing system and plumbing fixture for discharging immediate warm water to a user and will be described hereinafter with reference to these applications. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this particular field of use.Background

[0003] The following discussion of the prior art is intended to place the invention in an appropriate technical context and enable the associated advantages to be fully understood. However, any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should not be considered as an admission that such art is widely known or forms part of the common general knowledge in the field.

[0004] The hygienic delivery of water from water discharge devices is of increasing concern throughout the world due to potential user cross contamination. A variety of water discharge devices have been designed to minimize cross contamination by removing the need for direct hand contact for water discharge operation. This type of water discharge device is often referred to as a "hands-free tap". Examples of hands-free taps include arm-operated faucet levers, and foot operated valves.

[0005] Increasingly, however, sensor actuated taps are being used in water discharge devices so that users need only place their hands near the sensor to begin water discharge, rather than physically contacting any components of the device. The function of a user placing their hands in front of a sensor and triggering the flow of water from a tap is well known in prior art. Further, the ability to touchlessly change the temperature of the water being discharged from a sensor tap is also known to prior art.

[0006] However, the user experience of an automatic devices such as a sensor actuated tap reveals an expectation of performance that was previously tolerated in a mechanical tap, but no longer tolerated in an automatic product. That is, when a sensor tap is first activated there is usually an initial period to wait while the water warms. During this period, the user must retain one or both hands in the flow of water because to withdraw their hands would result in the flowstopping. During colder periods of the day or in colder climates, this exposes the user’s hands to cold water flow for an uncomfortable period of time. Indeed, when using automatic sensor tap, there is an expectation that the water to be discharged is instantly at a warm temperature, if so desired.

[0007] Those familiar with the art will understand that the reason for the delay in achieving a warm temperature is that the source of heated water in a plumbing installation for automatic devices is typically remote and may even be several meters from the tap. Users will therefore experience a “temperature change lag” while the cold water in the hot line is flushed and while the water heats at the water supply. In some cases, warm water can take longer to arrive than the amount of time it takes a user to wash their hands.

[0008] There is therefore a need for an automatic tap device that can deliver water to user at a warm heated temperature almost instantly.

[0009] It is an object of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least one of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative.Summary of Invention

[0010] According to one aspect, the present invention provides a plumbing device for discharging heated water to a user, the device being connectable to at least one water supply, the device including: at least a pair of waterways for receiving water from the at least one water supply, each waterway terminating at an upstream end of an intermediate chamber; an outlet port disposed at a downstream end of the intermediate chamber; and a heater element for heating the water contained in one of the waterways such that water discharged from the outlet port can be heated.

[0011] Preferably, the heater element is substantially submerged while water is being discharged from the outlet port.

[0012] In one embodiment, the at least a pair of waterways includes a pair of waterways. Preferably, the pair of water waterways are parallelly extending. More preferably, the pair of water waterways are elongate and extend more than half the length of the device. The heater element is preferably located proximate the outlet port to minimise temperature loss while water is being discharged from the outlet port.

[0013] The device may include a pair of water inlet ports, each water inlet port being upstream of one of the waterways. In one embodiment, the one water inlet port is connectable to anambient water supply and one water inlet port is connectable to a hot water supply. In one embodiment, each water inlet port is connectable to an ambient water supply.

[0014] Preferably, the plumbing device includes a first temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the water to be discharged from the outlet port.

[0015] Preferably, the plumbing device includes a contactless activation sensor configured to activate the discharge of water from the outlet port when a user places a body in front of the outlet port.

[0016] Preferably, the plumbing device includes a contactless temperature selection sensor for changing the temperature of the water being discharged from the device.

[0017] The plumbing device is preferably connectable to a control system for activating the heater element. More preferably, the control system is configured to control the flow of water from the at least one water supply to the least a pair of waterways.

[0018] One waterway is preferably connectable to a bottle drain trap for recovering heat energy from water stored in the bottle drain trap. More preferably,

[0019] In one embodiment, the plumbing fixture is a spout.

[0020] In one aspect, the present invention provides a system for discharging heated water to a user, the system including: the plumbing fixture as described above; and a hot water supply and ambient water supply, each water supply being fluidly connected to one or more waterways.

[0021] In one aspect, the present invention provides a system for discharging heated water to a user, the system including: the plumbing fixture in accordance as described above; and an ambient water supply fluidly connected to each waterway.Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment”, “some embodiments” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment”, “in some embodiments” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment but may. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner, as would be apparent to one ofordinary skill in the art from this disclosure, in one or more embodiments. Brief Description of Drawings

[0022] Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0023] Figure 1 is schematic view of a plumbing system including a plumbing fixture in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the invention;

[0024] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the plumbing fixture of Figure 1 ;

[0025] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the plumbing fixture of Figure 2;

[0026] Figure 4 is further schematic view of a plumbing system including the plumbing fixture of Figures 2 and 3, in accordance with a further preferred embodiment of the invention; and

[0027] Figure 5 is a schematic view of a bottle drain trap with heat exchanger used with the plumbing fixture of Figures 2 and 3, and the systems of Figures 1 and 4.Description of Preferred Embodiments

[0028] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout. In the following description, detailed descriptions of known functions and configurations incorporated herein have been omitted for conciseness and clarity.

[0029] With reference to the accompanying drawings and initially to Figure 1, there is provided a plumbing fixture 1 for discharging heated and ambient water to a user. In the illustrated first embodiment, plumbing fixture 1 is a tap 10 for discharging heated and ambient water from one or more water supplies to a user. The tap 10 may be installed on a bathroom basin in either a domestic or commercial application. In other applications, the plumbing fixture may be configured as a bath spout, a kitchen tap, laundry tap, or a shower head without departing from the essence of the invention.

[0030] In the schematic view of Figure 1, tap 10 is shown fluidly connected to a first water supply 12 and a second water supply 14. Consequently, tap 10 may discharge water from the first water supply, the second water supply, or a mix from both of these supplies. In other not shown embodiments, the tap may be fluidly connected to only one, or any number of water supplies, through water junctions and the like.

[0031] In the illustrated embodiment, the first water supply 12 is a cold or ambient temperature water supply, and the second water supply 14 is a hot water supply. As the tap is proposed to discharge water to a user, the term ‘hot’ should be understood to normally not exceed 50-55 degrees Celsius, being the normal maximum temperature for hot water supplies. Cold or an ambient temperature will normally be in the range of between 0 to 25 degrees Celsius depending on the ambient conditions at the point of supply. In some hot climate locations, the ambient water temperature may be in excess of 25 degrees Celsius, and whereby the tap 10, of the present embodiment will still be useable.

[0032] As shown in Figure 1 , the first water supply is fluidly connected to tap 10 by way of first supply piping 16 and second supply piping 18. A first remote actuated valve 20 is provided to interrupt the first supply piping 16 and control the flow of water from the first water supply 12 to the tap 10. The second water supply 14 is fluidly connected to the tap 10 by way of second supply piping 18, and second remote actuated valve 22 interrupts the second supply piping 18 to control the flow of water from the second water supply 14. A control box 24, remote from the tap 10, houses the first remote activated valve 20 and second remote activated valve 22 as well as a computer control system 26. The control box 24 is connected to the tap 10 and the water supplies by way of the piping and also electrical wiring, which is not shown in this view. A first temperature sensor 28 measures the temperature of the water leaving the first water supply 12 and a second temperature sensor 29 measures the temperature of the water leaving the second water supply 14.

[0033] Referring now to Figure 2, which depicts an outside view of the tap 10, at one end there is provided a pair of water inlet ports for connection to the one or more water supplies. More specifically, tap 10 includes a first water inlet port 30 for connection to the first water supply 12 and a second water inlet port 32 for connection to the second water supply 14. At the other end of tap 10, a water outlet port 34 is provided for discharging the water from the tap 10 to the user. As is commonly known in the art but not shown in these Figures, water outlet 34 would normally also include an aerator proximate its exit point to aerate the water flow.

[0034] With additional reference now to the cross-sectional view in Figure 3, tap 10 further includes a pair of internal waterways in the form of a first waterway 36 and a second waterway 38. A intermediate chamber 40 is also provided having an upstream end 40A and a downstream end 40B. Each waterway terminates at the upstream end 40A of the intermediate chamber 40, and the outlet port 34 forms part of the downstream end 40B of the intermediate chamber. As should be understood, the first waterway 36 receives water from the first water inlet port 30, and the second waterway 38 receives water from the second water inlet port 32. By way of this configuration, water received in each waterway will flow generally uninterrupted to theintermediate chamber 40 and then out through the outlet port 34. Similarly, if water flows through both the first inlet port 30 and the second water inlet port 32, after flowing through each waterway, the separate water flows will mix in the intermediate chamber 40 before being discharged from the outlet port 34. In other not shown embodiments, there may be additional waterways feeding into the intermediate chamber 40, which may be supplied by further water inlet ports. Moreover, while the intermediate chamber 40 may have a uniform cross section, in other embodiments, the intermediate chamber may be of irregular cross section or may include multiple discrete sections without departing from the essence of the invention. If the two or more waterways are able feed into a downstream common chamber, it should be considered an intermediate chamber in this context. Similarly, each waterway can be of any cross-sectional shape to perform the function of a waterway.

[0035] According to one aspect of the invention, a heater element 42 is embedded in one of the waterways. In the illustrated embodiment, heater element 42 is embedded in the second waterway 38 so that, upon use, the element remains predominantly submerged while the tap 10 is discharging water entering the second water inlet port 32 thereby selectably imparting heat energy to the water within the second waterway. That heated water is then delivered to the intermediate chamber 40 and then discharged to the user through the outlet port 34. In the present embodiment, the heater element is a conventional electrical heater element that develops heat due to electrical resistance, however in other embodiments, the heater element may be any type of heater element.

[0036] The heater element primarily heats the water to achieve a warm temperature of around 30 to 35 degrees Celsius ideal for hand washing. However, this temperature may be adjusted as per user requirements. The warm water temperature may also vary depending on ambient conditions, location of use, user preference, flow rate and desired application. As discussed in further detail below, the heater element 42, first remote actuation valve 12, and second remote actuation valve 14 are all activated by the computer control system 26. In the present embodiment, the heater element is generally tubular in shape so that it fits within the second waterway 38. However, in other embodiments, the heater element may be in any shape and may even be in the form of a coil.

[0037] In addition to warm water discharge, the tap 10 of the present invention is also able to discharge water to the user at a cooler ambient temperature by water entering the first waterway 36 from the first water supply 12, whereby the first waterway is not heated.

[0038] Advantageously, due to the relative size of the first and second waterways compared to the intermediate chamber, the water being heated in the second waterway 38 is always inrelatively close proximity to the water outlet port 34. As such, there is minimal heat loss after the water has left the second waterway 38 to enter the intermediate chamber and then discharged through the outlet port 34.

[0039] While in the present case it is proposed that warm water being discharged to the user is supplied from the second waterway only, which in the present application is supplied by the hot water supply 14, the parallel arrangement between the first and second waterways allows the ambient water from the first waterway to be introduced into the intermediate chamber 40, as discussed earlier. This may be if the user selects ambient water to be discharged or if the water in the second waterway 38 exceeds a desired operating temperature such that there is a risk of water reaching the user that is too warm. In the latter case, ambient water from the first waterway 36 is mixed with the hot water exiting the second water 38 in the intermediate chamber 40 if a temperature limit is reached, before it is discharged. As discussed in more detail by way of example below, this would be achieved by actuating the first actuation valve 20 to allow immediate flow of ambient water from the first water supply into the first waterway 36. It is also proposed the tap 10 of the present invention include a thermal breaker device 43 to cut power to the heater element 42 if an overload condition occurs or an excess temperature is reached. As best seen in Figure 3, the thermal breaker 43 is located in the present embodiment proximate to the inlet ports, however, in other embodiments it may located in any position within the tap 10.

[0040] In a further mode of use, if the user selects the cool temperature after initially selecting a higher temperature, ambient water is introduced into the intermediate chamber at the same time as heater element 42 and second remote actuated valve 22 are deactivated. By way of this configuration, water discharged to the user may be quickly cooled rather than waiting for the heater element to cool down. In this regard, it should be noted that in the present embodiment, it is proposed that only two temperature settings are available to be selected by the user. The method of temperature selection is discussed further below.

[0041] To monitor the temperature of water in the intermediate chamber 40, a third temperature sensor 44 and optionally a fourth temperature sensor 45 are provided. According to the illustrated embodiment, the third temperature 44 is positioned in the intermediate chamber 40, and the optional fourth temperature sensor 45 (shown in Figure 1) is positioned proximate to the water outlet port 34 for sensing the temperature of the water being discharged from the tap 10. In should be understood, however, that while the third temperature sensor is shown positioned in the middle of the intermediate chamber 40, it may also be positioned at various points within the intermediate chamber 40 or even at the exit of the second waterway 38 to perform the same function, that being, measuring the temperature of the warmed water.

[0042] The first, second, third and fourth temperature sensors send temperature signals to the computer control system 26, which in turn, selectably activates the heater element 42, the first remote actuated valve 20, and / or the second remote actuated valve 22 to achieve the required warm water temperature, or cooler ambient water temperature to be discharged. In accordance with a further use, each temperature sensor is also able to sense the flow of water at that point.

[0043] It is important to note that the unlike prior art taps, the tap 10 of the present invention includes no selectable internal valving and the flow of water being discharged through the tap is completely dependent on the flow of water from the one or more water supplies, which are remote from the tap itself. That is, where the tap is typically used, the first remote actuation valve 20 and the second remote actuation valve 22, which are each housed in control box 24, may be located under the hand basin, behind a wall, or even in the ceiling space. In that sense, tap 10 may be technically characterized as a spout. However, in the context of the present invention, the inventors have found that these terms are interchangeably used by persons skilled in the art.

[0044] In some applications, the control box 24 may be several meters away. In this respect, the volumetric flow of the water outlet port 34 is dependent on actuation of the first remote actuated valve 20 and second remote actuated valve 22 to respectively control the flow of water from the first and second water supplies.

[0045] In this present embodiment, the first control valve 20 and the second control valve 22 perform a simple on / off function. However, in other embodiments, the first and second control valves are able to gradually reduce or increase the flow rate of water from the first and second water supplies. By doing so, the heating effect of heater element 42 may be reduced with an increased flow rate or increased by a slower flow rate. In commercial applications where there may be two or more taps in a single room, common cold and / or hot water supplies may feed several taps of the present invention through a manifold arrangement with respective remote activation valves for each tap.

[0046] As mentioned earlier, in the illustrated embodiment, the first water supply 12 is a cold or ambient water supply, and the second water supply 14 is a hot water supply. Therefore, in normal operation, when a warm temperature is selected, the activation of the second remote actuation valve 38 will deliver hot water to second waterway 38 through the second water inlet port 32. If there has not been a recent use of the tap 10, it may take some time for the water flowing from the second water supply to increase in temperature so that water being discharged from the outlet port 34 is at the warm desired temperature. There may also be cooler water from previous use in the second supply piping 18. This will result in cooled water being flushedbefore the warmer water is discharged to the user. According to the present invention, however, the heater element 42 addresses these concerns by heating the water in the second waterway 38 upon actuation of the tap 10, allowing for warm water to be almost instantly available to be discharged.

[0047] To allow user flow activation, a contactless activation sensor 46 is provided on a forward portion of the tap 10 proximate the outlet port 34. As is known in the art, the contactless activation sensor 46 is activated by presence of a body in front of the sensor such as the user’s hand. In this case, the user simply places their hands in front of the outport port 34 to activate the sensor 46 and flow of water.

[0048] The contactless activation sensor is configured to send signals to the computer control system 26, which in turn activates the first remote activated valve 20 and / or second remote activated valve 22, and / or the heater element 42 based on additional readings from first to third (and optionally fourth) temperature sensors and the temperature setting. As best shown in Figure 2, to select the temperature setting, the tap 10 further includes a temperature actuation sensor 47 to allow the user to choose between a warm water setting or a cool ambient water setting. The temperature actuation sensor 47 is positioned on the upper forward point of tap 10. To select between the two temperature setting alternatives available in this embodiment, a user places their hand in front of sensor 47 to select one of the temperature settings. The user’s hand only must be momentarily in place to change the temperature from cool to warm or warm to cool. The change in setting may even be achieved by a wave of the user’s hand in front of the sensor. For example, a first wave of the user’s hand will select the warm water setting and a second wave will select the second cooler ambient water setting. A further wave will return to the warm water setting and so on. To indicate the current temperature setting to the user, a temperature LED 49 has been provided proximate to or surrounding the sensor 47, and will illuminate to indicate which setting is currently selected. In one example, the LED may illuminate amber or yellow to indicate the warm water setting and may illuminate blue to indicate the cool ambient setting. It is proposed, however, LED 49 will not illuminate unless the water flow has been activated or when a user activates the temperature actuation sensor 47. In other embodiments, more temperature selections may be available.

[0049] In one example of operation, a user approaches the contactless activation sensor 46 to activate the flow of water by placing their hand under the outlet port 34. The temperature LED 49 will then indicate if the tap 10 is set to discharge warm water or cool ambient water. If, for example, warm water is desired and the LED 49 illuminates blue to indicate that the tap is set for cool water, the user can then place their other hand over the temperature actuation sensor 47 to change the setting to warm water. The LED 49 will then illuminate amber in thisembodiment, and warm water will be set to discharge. Alternatively, a user may simply approach and activate the temperature actuation sensor 47 as a first step to set or confirm the temperature setting and then place their hand(s) under the outlet port 34 to start the flow of water at the desired setting. In one application, the tap may default to the warm setting after a period of non-use.

[0050] In more detail and with particular reference to operation of each component, a user approaches the tap 10 and places their hand in front of the activation sensor 46 to trigger the flow of water at a desired temperature using the above-mentioned procedure. Assuming warm water is selected and the second and third temperature sensors sense the water to be discharge to lower than the set warm temperature, the following actions will occur simultaneously: (1) the second remote activated valve 22 will open to begin the water flow from the second water supply 14; and (2) the heater element 42 will activate. The second temperature sensor 29, third temperature sensor 44, and optionally, fourth temperature sensor, will be constantly sensing the temperature of the second water supply, and the temperature of any water contained in the second waterway 38. Water will then flow to the second waterway 38 from the second water supply 14 by way of the second inlet port 32. The water in the second waterway will be heated by heater element 42 to enter the intermediate chamber 40 and then discharged through the outlet port 34. It is proposed that the heating action of the heating element 42 within the second waterway is such that it heats cooler water almost instantly to a warm temperature so that advantageously, no cool water flow is felt by the user when a warm temperature is set.

[0051] Water from the second water supply 14 continues to enter the second waterway to be delivered to the outlet port 34 via the intermediate chamber 40. During this time, the heater element 42 will continue to heat the water in the second waterway. However, since the water from the second water supply will now begin to warm over an initial period, the heating action from the heater element 42 can gradually reduce until it can be deactivated as it no longer becomes necessary. In this regard, it should be appreciated that the degree of heat provided by the heater element 42 will be controlled by the computer control system 26 based on a maximum temperature as measured by the third temperature sensor 44 and optionally, the water being discharged from the water outlet port 34, as measured by the fourth temperature sensor 45. That is, a feedback loop between the third temperature sensor 44, the fourth temperature sensor 45 and the control system 26 will maintain the temperature at the exit of the second waterway 38 at an ideal warm temperature of around 35 degrees by increasing or decreasing the power to the heater element 42.

[0052] In the event that the water flowing into the second waterway 38 becomes too hot despite complete deactivation of the heater element 42, the first remote activation valve 20 will open to allow cooler ambient temperature water from the first water supply 12 to flow into the first waterway 36 to be mixed in the intermediate chamber 40 with the hot water from the second waterway 38, thereby cooling the water discharged from the outlet port 34 to achieve the required temperature. Similarly, if because of recent use, the water being supplied to the second water inlet port 32 is already at a warm temperature as determined by the temperature sensors, the heat supplied by the heater element may only be minimal and may not activate all. In some cases, the water may need to be cooled by activation of the first remote activation valve 20.

[0053] If the user then selects the cool temperature after the initial discharge of warmer water by using the method discussed previously, the heater element 42 and the second remote activation valve 22 are deactivated to stop the flow of hot water from the second water supply 14. At the same time, flow of cold or ambient water from the first water supply 12 begins by activating the first remote water valve 20. This results in an immediate flow of ambient water into the first waterway 36 and cool water into the intermediate chamber 40. The user then receives an immediate decrease in the temperature of the water discharged. Once the user is finished, they simply remove their hands away from the tap 10 to be sensed by the contactless activation sensor 46 and the water discharge is stopped by deactivating the first remote activation valve 20 or the second remote activation valve 22 if the cool setting was not selected.

[0054] In a further not shown embodiment of the invention, the tap 10 may include a heat exchanger 70 located in the intermediate chamber 40. This heat exchanger 70 may include a cylindrical body 72 sized to be complementary to the intermediate chamber 40, and a plurality of inwardly directed radially fins 74 for imparting or receiving heat on / from the water in the intermediate chamber. While the tap 10 is discharging warm water to the user, heat exchanger 70 will absorb and store heat from the water in the intermediate chamber 40. The intermediate chamber 40 will then be warmer and can transfer heat to the water prior to being discharged through the outlet port 34, so less energy will be used by the heater element 42 in future use.

[0055] Referring now to Figure 4, tap 10 is shown in a further application where it is connected to a single ambient water supply 12 only. As can be seen, piping from the single water supply 12 will be split so that it feeds both the first water inlet port 30 and the second water inlet port 32 and the heating of the water is only sourced from the heater element 42. More specifically, in this application, ambient temperature water feeds both the first waterway 36 and the second waterway 38 via a third remote actuation valve 64 on the supply feeding the first water inlet port 30, and a fourth actuation valve 66 feeding the second inlet port 32. The heater element 42 isagain embedded in the second waterway to be activated by the computer control system 26 once a signal from the contactless activation sensor 46, and temperature actuation sensor 47 is received. In this regard, it will be appreciated that in this application, the internal components of tap 10 are the same as the first application shown in Figure 1. However, in this use, the heater element 42 will remain activated until the user deactivates water discharge by moving their hands away from the outlet port 34 because there is no hot water supply.

[0056] Again, a user approaches the tap 10 to activate the flow of water using the same method as previously discussed. Assuming the warm water setting is again selected, the heater element 42 and the fourth activation valve 66 activate such that water is pumped through the second inlet port 32 and into second waterway 38. The water in the second waterway is heated to a degree as determined by the control system using temperature reading from the third and fourth temperature sensors. The heated water is then discharged to the user through outlet port 34 after entering the intermediate chamber 40.

[0057] Unlike the earlier application in Figure 1 , in this application, the heater element 42 will stay activated until the user completes their use of the tap 10 instead of deactivating when hot water is received from the hot water supply. Computer control system 24 regulates the power to the heater element 42 such that the temperature of the discharged water does not go beyond a maximum temperature based on the temperature of water sensed using the third temperature sensor. In a similar way to the earlier application, if the water in the second waterway becomes too hot, cool water may be introduced into the intermediate chamber 40 by activating the third remote activation valve 64. If the user moves their hands away from the from tap 10, the discharge of water from the outlet port 34 will cease by deactivation of the fourth actuation valve 66, the third actuation valve 64, or both. Advantageously, in this embodiment, no hot water supply is required.

[0058] In a variation of the above application, according to a further embodiment, the tap of the present invention may have the additional functionality of being configured to provide water at temperatures higher than 65 degrees Celsius for making hot beverages such as tea, instant coffee, or soup. This is achieved by adding a third waterway connected to a boiler, or by increasing the heat energy imparted by the heater element 42 on to the water in the second waterway 38. In the latter case, it is proposed that the flow of water through the second waterway is slowed to increase the amount of heat being imparted by the heater element. It should be understood that to achieve this mode of operation would require the user to maintain constant contact with one portion of the tap 10, such as a lockout switch, so as to minimize the possibility of burns. Further, it is proposed that the tap 10 would include a supplement digital display to show the user the actual temperature of the water being supplied. This variation oftap 10 of the present invention would be especially advantageous in hotel rooms where space is at a premium and whereby one tap may serve for hand washing and for making hot beverages.

[0059] With particular reference to the second application of tap 10 shown in Figure 4, where a single ambient water supply feeds both the first and second water inlet ports, a further aspect of the invention is shown in Figure 5. For context, when multiple taps 10 using only a single water supply are installed in a public bathroom such as in a hotel or airport, at peak times, the electrical supply to that bathroom may exceed design constraints due to the additional electrical current required to power multiple heater elements 42 simultaneously. Under these circumstances, the inventors have found it beneficial to recover some of the heat energy of the warm water being discharged. As mentioned earlier, one way to achieve this energy recovery is to use a heat exchanger 70 installed in the intermediate chamber 40. A further way to reduce the electrical loads from multiple heater elements is to recover some of the heater energy from wastewater.

[0060] Accordingly, there is shown a cross sectional view of a modified bottle trap drain 50 proposed to be connected to a wash basin drain where the tap 10 is installed. The bottle trap 50 includes a reservoir 52 that fills with wastewater from the drain prior to being discharged to the main sewage connection. The wastewater enters through waste inlet port 54 to then exit through waste outlet port 56. As is known in the art, the water held in the reservoir for bottle trap drains act as a barrier to insects that might crawl up the waste pipe and also traps unpleasant odours that come from the sewage downstream. When using the tap 10 of the present invention where the water discharged is instantly warm, the water contained in the reservoir 52 is also instantly warm and therefore holds heat energy. With this in mind, the inventors have found that some of this heat energy may be recovered by diverting water supplying the second waterway 38 through the bottle trap 50 to then be connected to the second water inlet port 32. In this way, the water in the second waterway 38 becomes pre-heated thereby reducing some of the electrical load supplied to the heater element 42.

[0061] To achieve heat exchange required between the water in the reservoir 52 and the water supply feeding the second water inlet port 32, the bottle trap 50 according to this aspect of the invention, includes a heat exchange cavity 58 substantially surrounding reservoir 52. After the water supply is split as discussed above, water to be fed to the second inlet port 32 is diverted into the heat exchange cavity 58 through heat exchange inlet port 60 and out through heat exchange outlet port 62. From the heat exchange outlet port 62, water, which is now partially heated, is piped to the second water inlet port 32 to then feed into the second waterway 38, or alternately, piped through to a manifold to feed all the second inlet ports 32 in the bathroom. By passing through the bottle drain, some of the heat energy stored in the reservoir will transfer tothe water flowing the second water inlet port 32. As mentioned, drain water enters the reservoir 52 through waste inlet port 54 and then exits through waste exit port 56 to then flow to the main building sewage drain. Since both the heat exchange cavity 58 and reservoir 52 are sealed with respect to each other, there is no risk of contamination intermediate between the drain water and water feeding the tap 10. Without wishing to limit the invention to any expected performance, the inventors have found that by recovering some of the heat energy using the illustrated bottle trap 50, the electrical power drawn by the heater element 42 may be reduced by up to a half. Of course, the same heat recovery is possible for single taps 10 of the present invention or other applications and embodiments.

[0062] Advantageously, the plumbing device of the invention is able to instantly discharge heated water to a user. Further, the water supply for the device may be remote and therefore the plumbing fixture can be installed in areas where installation area is minimal and connected to the water supply through rigid and / or flexible piping. Further, in some applications, a common water supply may feed several plumbing fixtures of the present invention. Electrical energy to power the plumbing device can also be ideally offset by recovering some of the heat energy from water temporarily stored in the drain and previously discharged through the device. The plumbing device is made of conventional materials as is commonly known in the art and therefore relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

[0063] It should be appreciated that in the above description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, various features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, Figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of one or more of the various inventive aspects. This method of disclosure, however, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following the Detailed Description are hereby expressly incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of this invention.

[0064] In the description provided herein, numerous specific details are set forth. However, it is understood that embodiments of the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure an understanding of this description.

[0065] While there has been described what are believed to be the preferred embodiments of the invention, those skilled in the art will recognize that other and further modifications may bemade thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is intended to claim all such changes and modifications as falling within the scope of the invention. For example, any formulas given above are merely representative of procedures that may be used. Functionality may be added or deleted from the block diagrams and operations may be interchanged among functional blocks. Steps may be added or deleted to methods described within the scope of the present invention.Feature List: plumbing fixture 10, spout 10, first water supply 12, second water supply 14, first supply piping 16, second supply piping 18, first remote actuated valve 20, second remote actuated valve 22, control box 24, computer control system 26, first temperature sensor 28, second temperature sensor 29, first water inlet port 30, second water inlet port 32, water outlet port 34, first waterway 36, second waterway 38, intermediate chamber 40, heater element 42, third temperature sensor 44, fourth temperature sensor 45, contactless activation sensor 46, temperature sensor 47, temperature LED 49, bottle trap 50, reservoir 52, waste inlet port 54, waste outlet port 56, heat exchange cavity 58, heat exchange inlet port 60, heat exchange drain outlet port 62, third remote activation valve 64, fourth actuation valve 66

Claims

CLAIMS1. A plumbing device for discharging heated water to a user, said device being connectable to at least one water supply, said device including: at least a pair of waterways for receiving water from said at least one water supply, each waterway terminating proximate an upstream end of an intermediate chamber; an outlet port disposed proximate a downstream end of said intermediate chamber; and a heater element for heating the water contained in one of the waterways such that water discharged from said outlet port can be heated.

2. A plumbing device according to claim 1, wherein said heater element is substantially submerged while water is being discharged from said outlet port.

3. A plumbing device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said heater element is an electrical heater element.

4. A plumbing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said at least a pair of waterways includes a pair of waterways.

5. A plumbing device according to claim 4, wherein said pair of water waterways are parallelly extending.

6. A plumbing device according to claim 4 of claim 5, wherein said pair of water waterways are elongate and extend more than half the length of said device.

7. A plumbing device according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein said heater element is located proximate said outlet port to minimise temperature loss while water is being discharged from said outlet port.

8. A plumbing device according to any one of claims 4 to 7, including a pair of water inlet ports, each water inlet port being upstream of one of said waterways.

9. A plumbing device according to claim 8, wherein one water inlet port is connectable to an ambient water supply and one water inlet port is connectable to a hot water supply.

10. A plumbing device according to claim 8, wherein each water inlet port is connectable to an ambient water supply.

11. A plumbing device according to any one of the preceding claims, including a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the water to be discharged from the outlet port.

12. A plumbing device according to any one of the preceding claims, including a contactless activation sensor configured to activate said discharge of water from said outlet port when a user places a body in front of the outlet port.

13. A plumbing device according to any one of the preceding claims, including a contactless temperature selection sensor for changing the temperature of the water being discharged from the device.

14. A plumbing device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said device is connectable to a control system for activating said heater element.

15. A plumbing device according to claim 14, wherein said control system is configured to control the flow of water from said at least one water supply to said least a pair of waterways.

16. A plumbing device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein one waterway is connectable to a bottle drain trap for recovering heat energy from water stored in said bottle drain trap.

17. A plumbing device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said plumbing fixture is a tap.

18. A system for discharging heated water to a user, said system including: the plumbing fixture in accordance with any one of the preceding claims; and a hot water supply and an ambient water supply, each water supply being fluidly connected to one or more waterways.

19. A system for discharging heated water to a user, said system including: the plumbing fixture in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 17; and an ambient water supply fluidly connected to each waterway.

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