I. Field of the Invention
This invention is in the general field of fluid delivery systems;
The invention is more particularly in the field of fluid delivery systems for commercial, residential, and industrial buildings;
The invention is most particularly in the field of fluid delivery systems which provide fluid at a point of use which has instantaneous control of characteristics of the fluid being delivered for use at a point of service.
II. Description of the Prior Art
I am familiar with existing water systems directed at assuring that a characteristic of the water, particularly, but not necessarily exclusively the temperature is always immediately available at points of use such as a wash basin, shower, kitchen sink, and the like. These systems are generally of two types.
In one type is an instantaneous hot water system a high power water heating device is located directly at a point of use and so configured as to immediately heat cold water coming from a supply line at the point of use. Such systems can be difficult to install and costly, particularly in existing buildings and the like.
The second system for providing temperature control such as instantaneous hot water at a point of use is the installation of a small size conduit along side a main hot water supply line, connected to the main hot water supply line adjacent the point of use and running along side the main hot water supply line back and into to a hot water storage tank with a pump provided to establish a constant recirculation of a small amount of hot water in order to maintain the availability of hot water at the point of use during times when the hot water is not being used. These systems are difficult and costly when installed in existing buildings which previously had no such system.
I have searched literature, available commercial products, and patent data and have found no prior art which incorporates or suggests the new, novel, unique, and useful characteristics of my present invention which is described below.
It is frequently desirable to have instantaneous flow of hot water for bathing, dish washing, and many other purposes. Frequently this is not possible as many water heaters and tanks of hot water are located at some distance from the points of use of hot water. When the hot water stands in the supply line from a hot water tank of the like for some period of time it cools, and when a valve or the like is opened at the point of use all of the cooled water in the line must pass through before hot water appears for use.
I have described above the system used in some installations where a return recirculation line is provided alongside a main hot water supply system. In many buildings it may be very costly to attempt to install such systems since it may require extensive structural alteration and the like as is known to those skilled in the art.
After considerable thought and work I have now conceived and developed an inexpensive system to achieve the desired result of providing water having constant and instantaneous characteristics such as hot water at points of use without the necessity of the expense and inconvenience of providing the recirculation arrangements existing prior to my present invention. I have accomplished this by a new, unique, novel, and useful system of installation of a recirculation line from a point of use of hot water to a hot water tank within an existing hot water supply conduit. It is to be noted that throughout this document I may refer primarily to hot water, the characteristic being temperature. However, this invention is also of use where it is desired to maintain other water or other fluid characteristics. For example, it may be desired to maintain a certain level of chlorine in a water system. However, when a line is idle for some time the chlorine level within the line can diminish.
It is object of this invention to provide a system for constant and instantaneous delivery of fluid having specific characteristics at points of use or service of the fluid without extensive structural or plumbing alterations;
Another object of this invention is to provide an enhanced system for instantaneous deliver of fluid with desired characteristics, such as temperature or the like at points of use of the water.
Another object of this invention is to provide an inexpensive system of delivery of fluid to points of use of the fluid wherein characteristics of the fluid will remain uniform through an entire fluid system;
Another object is to assure that fluid delivered to a point of use in a water system will always be delivered with consistent characteristics.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following description of a preferred embodiment in conjunction with a review of the appended drawings.
An inventory of items bearing reference numerals on the drawings is:
The figs. may be viewed together or independently.
Because the pump 22 is pulling part of the water back from the point of service there may be less than full pressure at the shower head. Therefore, when desired the pump 22 can be reversed and it will then force hot water from the tank through conduit 21 where it will mix with the rest of the water in conduit 17 and will cause a slight backflow into the main supply in conduit 17 thus maintaining the system in the condition of always having instantaneous hot water to the shower head at full pressure when valve 19 is opened.
An additional feature of my new invention and system is that by running a flexible conduit inside a cold water line in a building or the like in a cold water conduit freezing of the conduit in extremely cold areas such as a basement, crawl space, or the like can be eliminated. It is unnecessary to illustrate this, since one skilled in the art will understand the principle without the need of an illustration. A water chamber or tank can be provided in a normal hot or cold water line in an area which is normally not subject to the possibility of freezing such as adjacent a normally heated upper level room. A water chamber or tank or the like can also be provided with an inlet and outlet into the water conduit. The water chamber or tank or the like can be independently heated or treated to a predetermined level if desired to provide complete assurance of the integrity of the system. A flexible hose can be run through the conduit for whatever length may be necessary to assure that an end will be in the water conduit in a position not normally subject to freezing. The other end of the flexible conduit will be connected to a submersible pump in the water chamber. With the pump running continuously the water will circulate constantly thus preventing freezing at the most vulnerable areas. In a reversal of the direction of circulation, the water chamber with a submersible pump can be located adjacent in the area which will not normally freeze and end of the flexible conduit terminating in the lowest and/or coldest area of the water line. in which there is a water conduit with. All of the foregoing will be understood by those skilled in the art. While I have made reference to water chambers and submersible pumps, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that an exterior pump with appropriate connections to the flexible conduit and the main water conduits could also be used to accomplish the desired ends. It is the inventor's belief the submersible pumps and the like discussed above are preferable. In either event, the teachings of this invention are the same.
It is intended that a part of this invention will, when a new istallation is being made, include a hot water tank with a pre-installed submersible pump suitable to operate in the manner previously described, and a supply of normal water conduits with pre-installed recirculation conduits, so that in an initial installation the first length of hot water conduit with the interior recirculation conduit in place will be installed to the hot water tank or the like. The second length of hot water conduit will be installed in the following manner: the interior length of recirculation conduit in the second length of hot water conduit will be connected to the interior recirculation conduit in the first length of hot water conduit after which the first and second lengths of hot water conduit are connected together. This procedure will continue for the entire installation, as will be understood by thos skilled in the art.
While I have shown and described one or more ways to move, pull, and guide the recirculation conduits, it is to be understood that I am merely showing one workable way. For example, the movement of the recirculation conduits could be by a plumber's snake inserted into the tank outlet conduit or another way which may occur to one skilled in the art without departing from the teaching of this disclosure. Also, guiding of the recirculation conduits might be accomplished with ultra sonic means or otherwise.
I have referred to “flexible” conduit for the interior conduits of this invention. By the term “flexible” I mean any conduit which can be run inside a main water conduit to accomplish the advantages desired in practicing the methods and constructing the apparatus of this invention. For example if an entire system is in a straight line, it is not necessary for the inner conduit to bend, or curve, or the like. In a system where there might be ninety degree (or even more acute) angles it will be necessary to have easily contorted conduits on the interior. Therefore, in interpreting this document it is to be understood that “flexible conduit” means only that the conduit will be capable of carrying fluids within another condit carrying the similar fluids.
By this reference I restate the claims and abstract which follow as a part of the description of a preferred embodiment at this point the same as though they were repeated at length here.
In the event I fail to claim a properly patentable feature in the claims which follow it shall be due to inadvertence and not due to any desire to dedicate or abandon such feature. Upon learning of any such failure to claim I shall take any proper step to correct the situation.
While the preferred embodiments of this invention shown and described are fully capable of achieving the objects and advantages desired, it is to be understood that such disclosures, teachings, descriptions, and showings are for purposes of illustration only and not for purposes of limitation.
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3229683 | Russell et al. | Jan 1966 | A |
3688839 | Kirschner et al. | Sep 1972 | A |
4142515 | Skaats | Mar 1979 | A |
4750472 | Fazekas | Jun 1988 | A |
4917142 | Laing et al. | Apr 1990 | A |
5105846 | Britt | Apr 1992 | A |
6000424 | Christopher et al. | Dec 1999 | A |