Patent Application
20130160200
This relates to bathtubs, henceforth called tubs. Indoor tubs, once filled, cool down, like any object at a higher temperature than its surroundings. The conventional way to make the tub warm again is to add some hot water to the tub or to drain some of the tub water and then add some hot water to the tub. In the conventional method of keeping a tub warm, new hot water is wasted trying to maintain a constant temperature tub (CTT). This invention keeps the temperature of the bathtub constant, using electricity to replace the energy lost to the surroundings. The principle implementation of the constant temperature tub (CTT) will be built into the bathtub.
The CTT invention uses an electric heating element to maintain constant temperature (isothermal) of the water in a bathtub. It draws its energy from the house, using electricity to efficiently heat up and recirculate the water in a bathtub. This keeps the water in an indoor bathtub at a constant temperature throughout the duration of its use. The invention is not limited to indoor tub usage.
This is a device and method to keep the temperature of the water in a bathtub at constant temperature throughout the duration of its use. The invention runs off of the electricity supplied to a home. It provides a system that conserves water and energy. The invention only replaces the energy lost to the environment and recycles the water.
Tub 4 is initially filled with water at the desired temperature of the user, utilizing standard hot and cold water faucets. The faucets are not shown in
Attached to pipe 6 is an electrical heating element 2. This at the heating element allows the heating control system 3 to heat the water temperature flowing in pipe 6 and thus raise the temperature of the circulatory tub water. The water is reheated and recirculates back into tub 4. The heating control system 3 has a microprocessor that is programmed to detect the difference between the initial preset temperature and the current temperature of the water flowing through pipe 5.
The thermal sensor 7 is used to measure the temperature of the water flowing in pipe 5. Once the temperature difference is reduced below the threshold of approximately one degree Celsius, the electrical power to heating element 2 is shut off. Thus the heating element 2 is continually cycled on and off to maintain a constant temperature (isothermal) tub.
In operation, the CTT keeps the temperature of the water in a bathtub constant. It is turned on or calibrated to the temperature the user feels is comfortable. A thermal sensor reads the temperature, and sends that information to the microprocessor. Once set the invention memorizes the initial water temperature and maintains that temperature. The microprocessor computes the temperature difference and supplies electrical power to a heater, to achieve a stable temperature.
The tub is set to its initial temperature in the conventional way. Once the temperature is set the CTT efficiently maintains that temperature without the use of additional water.
