Portable Recirculating Bath Tub Water Heater

TECHNICAL FIELD

The application relates generally to a bath tub water heater, and more particularly to a portable bath tub water heater that recirculates existing water within the bath tub.

BACKGROUND

One common issue with bath tubs is that the temperature of the water in a bath tub may quickly drop, even if the water is initially hot. Some individuals may desire to take hot baths for longer periods of time. Such individuals may be forced to either take shorter baths while the water is still hot or periodically add more hot water to the bath tub. The average heat loss for water in a bath tub may be approximately one degree Fahrenheit every 10 minutes, for example. However, this temperature loss may be accelerated when a person is within the water, further reducing the amount of time the water remains hot.

There are a number of different types of existing devices that may be used to heat the water in the bath tub. For example, an air pump including a heating element may be used to introduce hot air into the bath water. However, these types of devices do not heat the water directly and typically lack sufficient heat capacity to heat the water effectively. Submersible water heaters also exist; however, these types of devices are intended for smaller volumes of water (e.g., 5 gallons or less) and may not be safe for use while a person is in the bath tub because the surface temperature of the devices may be too high and could burn the person.

It would be desirable to provide new and improved bath tub water heaters capable of maintaining a comfortable warm water temperature over an extended period without the need to add fresh hot water to the bath tub, and preferably with a relatively compact, portable, easy-to-use heating system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A-1C depict an embodiment of a portable bath tub heater, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure.

FIGS. 2A-2C depict another embodiment of a portable bath tub heater, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure.

FIGS. 3A-3C depict another embodiment of a portable bath tub heater, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure.

FIGS. 4A-4C depict another embodiment of a portable bath tub heater, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure.

FIGS. 5A-5B depict another embodiment of a portable bath tub heater, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure.

FIGS. 6A-6B are graphs depicting examples of bath water temperature over time.

FIGS. 7A-7B depict components of the portable bath tub heater, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 8 depicts another embodiment of a portable bath tub heater, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure.

FIGS. 9A-9D depict various use cases for a portable bath tub heater, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 10 depicts an accessory for a portable bath tub heater, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 11 depicts another embodiment of a portable bath tub heater, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 12 depicts another embodiment of a portable bath tub heater, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 13 is a flow diagram exemplifying operations associated with a portable bath tub heater, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 14 is a block flow diagram of a method of operating bath tub heater in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 15 is a schematic of a computing device, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure.

The detailed description is set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings are provided for purposes of illustration only and merely depict example embodiments of the disclosure. The drawings are provided to facilitate understanding of the disclosure and shall not be deemed to limit the breadth, scope, or applicability of the disclosure. The use of the same reference numerals indicates similar but not necessarily the same or identical components; different reference numerals may be used to identify similar components as well. Various embodiments may utilize elements or components other than those illustrated in the drawings, and some elements and/or components may not be present in various embodiments. The use of singular terminology to describe a component or element may, depending on the context, encompass a plural number of such components or elements and vice versa.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This disclosure relates to, among other things, a portable recirculating bath tub water heater. Particularly, the portable recirculating bath tub water heater may be a single-package unit housing a water pump and a heating element and including one or more inlet and outlet tubes. The water heater is activated to suction water from the bath tub into the portable bath tub heater through the inlet tube, which then heats the water using the heating element. The heated water is then returned into the bath tub using the outlet tube. This configuration forms a water recirculation loop used to heat and recirculate water present in the bath tub. In this manner, none of the water in the bath tub is wasted and no additional hot water is required to be introduced in order to re-warm the water in the bath tub.

In addition to automatically maintaining the temperature of the water in the bath tub above a minimum water temperature threshold, the bath tub water heater may also be configured to maintain the water temperature below a maximum water temperature threshold. Specifically, the bath tub water heater may be configured to maintain the water temperature below approximately 140° F. (60° C.). Beyond this temperature, some soaps present in the bath water may begin to experience “gelling.” However, the maximum water temperature threshold may also be set to any other temperature as well.

Given that the portable bath tub heater described herein heats the water in the bath tub using flowing liquid to transfer energy, the water heating may be accomplished without exposing a user to higher surface temperatures produced by other types of water heating devices, such as submersible surface heating devices.

The portable bath tub heater may also be configured to self-purge most or all of water remaining within the bath tub water heater after usage, for example so that the water heater can be stored substantially water-free. This self-purging may be accomplished in a number of different ways. For instance, after a usage of the portable bath tub heater, the water pump may be configured to pump any remaining water out of the portable bath tub heater and/or water-conduit components within the portable bath tub heater (e.g., the water pump and the heating element) may be oriented within the body of the portable bath tub heater to facilitate drainage of water by gravity.

The components of the portable bath tub heater may be arranged in a number of different configurations and may be configured to interface with a bath tub in a number of different ways. In terms of the portable bath tub heater itself, in one or more embodiments, the portable bath tub heater may also include a power source, such as an electric cable, which may plug into an existing wall outlet, or a battery pack. The portable bath tub heater may also include a user interface, such as a touchscreen display and/or one or more buttons. The user interface may allow the user to power on/off the portable bath tub heater, to activate/deactivate certain components of the portable bath tub heater (e.g., the water pump or the heating element), and/or to select operational settings (e.g., water temperature set point, timer, etc.). In addition, the user interface may display information to the user (e.g., a water temperature set point, timer, etc.) and/or may provide any other functionality. Additional details about components included within the portable bath tub heater are described with respect to at least FIG. 8A.

Additionally, in one or more embodiments, the portable bath tub heater may be controllable via a separate device, such as a smartphone. An application may be installed on the smartphone through which the user may manage the various settings and provide any other types of command instructions to the portable bath tub heater (for example, activate, deactivate, etc.). The portable bath tub heater may have network connectivity capabilities and may transmit and/or receive wired and/or wireless communications to and/or from the separate device. The separate device is not necessarily limited to a smartphone and may include any other type of device capable of transmitting signals to the portable bath tub heater.

In terms of configuration options for interfacing the portable bath tub heater to the bath tub, the portable bath tub heater may be removeably mountable to a surface of the bath tub using flexible inlet and outlet tubes that may be used to support the weight of the portable bath tub heater as it hangs from the bath tub. As another example, the portable bath tub heater may be configured to be placed on any supporting surface that is near to or on the bath tub, for instance on the floor, a shelf, or on an edge/ledge of the bath tub. As yet another example, the portable bath tub heater may be removeably mounted to a separate surface, such as a wall. Additional examples of configurations are illustrated in additional detail below in at least FIGS. 1-14.

While reference is made herein to a “bath tub” water heater, it is noted that the presently disclosed portable water heater may be used to heat water in other environments as well. For example, the portable water heater may also be used to heat other containers of water, such as those that might be outdoors or in unheated spaces. Non-limiting examples include outdoor water troughs for animals, ornamental ponds or fountains, sinks, or other small bodies of water that may be prone to freezing during cold seasons. The portable water heater may also be used in any other context. Further, while certain embodiments of the portable bath tub heater are shown are being provided in particular shapes and/or sizes, these are merely exemplary and the portable bath tub heater may be provided in any other number of suitable shapes and/or sizes as well.

Turning to the figures, FIGS. 1A-1C depict one embodiment of a portable bath tub heater 102. Beginning with FIG. 1A, a portable bath tub heater 102 is shown mounted to a bath tub 101. A further perspective view of the portable bath tub heater 102 is shown in FIG. 1B. The portable bath tub heater 102 may include a body 103 in the form of a single-package unit housing elements such as a water pump, heating element, etc. (these elements are shown in additional detail in FIG. 7A). In the illustrated embodiment, an inlet tube 104 and an outlet tube 106 are connected to the body 103.

The portable bath tub heater 102 may also include a power cable 108 which may lead to an electrical outlet (not shown). Thus, the portable bath tub heater 102 may, in one or more embodiments, draw power from an external power source. In some instances, the portable bath tub heater 102 may be powered using an external battery the battery that may be transported along with the portable bath tub heater. However, the power source may be any other type of wired or wireless power source. Additionally, in one or more embodiments, the portable bath tub heater 102 may operate without necessarily requiring an external power source. For example, the portable bath tub heater 102 may include an internal battery .. The battery pack may have a power output of 500-1000 W, for example (or any other power output). By not requiring an external power source, the portable bath tub heater 102 may be used even in environments in which external power may not be accessible (for example, an environment without electrical outlets, such as at a campsite or other outdoor environment).

In one or more embodiments, the inlet tube 104 and outlet tube 106 may be disposed within the bath tub and may be used to circulate water in the bath tub 101, pulling water into the body 103 through the inlet tube 104 and returning heated water into the bath tub 101 through outlet tube 106. Within the body 103, the flowing water is heated by a heating element (for example, heating element 716 of FIG. 7A) housed within the body 103. The shape, length, and locations of the inlet tube 104 and outlet tube 106, relative to the bath tub and/or relative to the body 103, may have a number of different configurations. FIGS. 1-14 illustrate some of these other embodiments, for example.

The inlet tube 104 and outlet tube 106 may include, and be formed from, a variety of suitable rigid or flexible materials, including polymeric, metal, and composite materials (and/or any other types of materials). In some embodiments, the inlet tube 104 and outlet tube 106 may include tubing or piping having dimensional and mechanical properties such that the inlet tube 104 and outlet tube 106 are effective to serve as mounting mechanisms to secure the portable bath tub heater 102 to the bath tub 101 as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1C. That is, the inlet tube 104 and outlet tube 106 may be configured to be disposed over a side of the bath tub 101 such that the portable bath tub heater 102 may “hang” from the bath tub 101. In this manner, the inlet tube 104 and outlet tube 106 may be configured to support the weight of the body 103 and the components included within the body 103, such as the water pump, heating element, etc. Given that the inlet tube 104 and outlet tube 106 may be formed of a flexible material, the inlet tube 104 and outlet tube 106 may be physically modified to accommodate any size and/or shape of bath tub 101. For example, the inlet and outlet tubes 104, 106 may be configured to be alternatively positionable in a variety of mounting positions, such as via the material forming the tubes themselves (e.g., shape memory material) or through an ancillary material associated with the tubes (e.g., a shape memory wire extending along a length of the tube). The inlet tube 104 and outlet tube 106 being flexible also allows the portable bath tub heater 102 to be “collapsed” into a smaller form factor for storage purposes. The position of the inlet tube 104 and outlet tube 106 on the portable bath tub heater 102 is merely exemplary and is not intended to be limiting. The shape of the inlet tube 104 and the outlet tube 106 shown in the figures is also not intended to be limiting.

FIG. 1C shows another perspective view of the bath tub 101 with the portable bath tub heater 102 mounted to the bath tub 101. Particularly, the figure shows an interior of the bath tub 101 and the inlet tube 104 and outlet tube 106 extending over a sidewall of the bath tub 101 and extending into the interior of the bath tub 101 toward the bottom of the bath tub. In this manner, once water is added to the interior of the bath tub 101, the inlet tube 104 and outlet tube 106 may be at least partially submerged under the water such that the portable water tub heater 102 may then circulate water through the inlet tube 104 and outlet tube 106 using the water pump housed within the body 103.

FIGS. 2A-2C depict another embodiment of a portable bath tub heater 202. Similar to the portable bath tub heater 102 of FIGS. 1A-1C, the portable bath tub heater 202 may include a body 203. The portable bath tub heater 202 may also include inlet tube 204 and outlet tube 206, which are depicted as flexible tubing in the figure. In contrast with the portable bath tub heater 102, the portable bath tub heater 202 also includes a mechanism other than the inlet and outlet tubes to secure the portable bath tub heater 202 onto a side of the bath tub 202. In the illustrated embodiment, the portable bath tub heater 202 includes suction cups 208 disposed on an exterior surface 209 of the portable bath tub heater 202. The portable bath tub heater 202 may be mounted on the bath tub 201 such that the interior side 209 is facing an outer wall of the bath tub 201. In this manner, the suction cups 208 may engage with the outer wall of the bath tub 201 to removeably affix the portable bath tub heater 202 to the bath tub 201. Although the figure depicts the mechanisms for securing the portable bath tub heater 202 to the bath tub 201 as being suction cups 208, any other suitable mechanism may also be used (e.g., adjustable clamp or bracket designed to be positioned over the upper edge of the bath tub wall). While reference is made to affixing the portable bath tub heater 202 to an outer wall of the bath tub 201, the portable bath tub heater 202 may similarly be affixed to any other surface of the bath tub 201 or an adjacent wall or fixed surface.

The portable bath tub heater 202 may also include one or more handles 210 and one or more arms 212. The one or more handles 210 may be used to allow for more effective handling of the portable bath tub heater 202. For example, a user may be able to grasp the one or more handles 210 to carry and mount the portable bath tub heater 202. The handles 210 may have any suitable design, size and position on the heater 202. The one or more arms 212 may be configured such that the portable bath tub heater 202 may be more effectively mounted to a bath tub with angled sides.

FIG. 2C depicts control elements that may be included on the portable bath tub heater 202. For example, the figure shows a user interface of the portable bath tub heater 202 including a display 216 and one or more buttons (for example, button 214 and buttons 218). The button 214 may be a power button that may allow a user to turn the portable bath tub heater 202 on and off. The display 216 may be configured to provide information to a user. For example, the figure illustrates that the display shows a temperature set point for the portable bath tub heater 202. The set point may be the desired water temperature for the water in the bath tub 101. This set point may be adjusted, for example, using the buttons 218. The display may also present any other information, such as a current temperature of the water in the bath tub 201, a remaining battery life of the portable bath tub heater 202, and/or any other type of useful information about the portable bath tub heater or the water in contact therewith.

In one or more embodiments, the display 216 may also be configured to allow a user to provide inputs to the user interface. The display 216 may be configured as a touchscreen display (for example, a capacitive or resistive touchscreen) that may allow a user to provide input commands through the display 216 itself rather than through any separate buttons. In some cases, the display 216 may also present various other settings that the user may be able to configure. For example, a user may indicate a schedule including times at which the portable bath tub heater 202 should automatically turn on and/or off, a water flow rate generated by the water pump, a noise level of the portable bath tub heater 202, as well as any other settings. In other embodiments, the water heater may have various pre-programmed modes that a user may select, corresponding to certain temperature and time profiles that are pre-defined by the device and/or by the user. For example, a “pregnancy bath” mode may provide a temperature set point and bath duration profile in accordance with the recommended bathing parameters during pregnancy (e.g., a set point at 100, 102, or 104° F. and a duration of 10, 15, or 20 minutes).

While the example user interface shown in FIG. 2C includes a display and two buttons, this configuration is not intended to be limiting and the user interface may also be configured in any other manner. Additionally, the positioning and/or size of any of the elements of the user interface may vary in any suitable manner. In another example, the display 216 may encompass a surface of the portable bath tub heater 202 and include no buttons. In other embodiments, the portable bath tub heater 202 may be remotely controlled by an associated remote device or by a computer application accessible via a mobile phone or other device with wired or wireless network access capabilities. In further embodiments, the portable bath tub heater 202 may be controlled by a separate remote control device configured to communicate with the portable bath tub heater 202 through infrared signals (in a similar manner to which a remote control for a television functions) and/or any other type of wired or wireless communication signals.

FIGS. 3A-3C depict another embodiment of a portable bath tub heater 302. In contrast with the portable bath tub heater 102 and the portable bath tub heater 202, the portable bath tub heater 302 may be configured to securely rest on, or mount onto, an upper surface of the bath tub 301, rather than relying on the inlet tube 304 and the outlet tube 306 as supporting mechanisms for hanging the portable bath tub heater 302 from the bath tub 301. For example, suction cups 208 (or any other mechanism used to secure the portable bath tub heater 302 to the bath tub 300) may engage with the upper surface of the bath tub 301 to removeably affix the portable bath tub heater 302 to the bath tub 301 (this is not intended to be limiting and the portable bath tub heater 302 may be provided on the top surface of the bath tub 301 in any other manner using or not using any other types of mechanism to secure the portable bath tub heater 302 to the top surface). This configuration may also beneficially provide easier user access to controls and/or displays on body 303 of the portable bath tub heater 302 while the user is seated within the bath tub 301. The portable bath tub heater 302 also may include a power a power cable 308 which may lead to an electrical outlet (not shown).

FIGS. 4A-4C depict another embodiment of a portable bath tub heater 402. The portable bath tub heater 402 illustrates an embodiment in which the body 403 of the portable bath tub heater 402 is configured to securely sit on the floor or another surface outside of the bath tub 401, rather than hang from the bath tub 401 by the inlet tube 402 and the outlet tube 406.

However, even in this embodiment, the inlet tube 402 and the outlet tube 406 may be adjusted such that the portable bath tub heater 402 may be raised and supported by the inlet tube 402 and the outlet tube 406 as shown in FIGS. 1A-1C. Additionally, the portable bath tub heater 402 may include mechanisms to directly secure the portable bath tub heater 402 to a side of the bath tub 401 as shown in FIGS. 2A-2C. The embodiments shown in any of FIGS. 1-4 are not necessarily fixed configurations, but may be variations of the same portable bath tub heater that are modified by a user based on user preference and the particular application.

FIGS. 5A-5B depict another embodiment of a portable bath tub heater 502 in which the portable bath tub heater 502 includes a body 503 and circulation tubing 511 (which may be the same as, or similar to, the inlet and outlet tubing) that is disposed on the interior of the bath tub 501. The circulation tubing 511 may include apertures 513 that may allow water warmed by the portable bath tub heater 502 to be introduced into the water in the bath tub at various intervals corresponding to the locations of the apertures (shown through the arrows extending outwards from the circulating tubing 511 in FIG. 5B). The circulation tubing 511 may optionally include an associated headrest 520 for the user.

The illustrated arrangement of the circulation tubing 511 within the bath tub 501 is merely exemplary and is not intended to be limiting. The circulation tubing 511 may also be disposed within the bath tub 501 in other suitable lengths and positions. For example, the entirety of the circulation tubing 511 may be provided toward an upper region of the bath tub 501. As another example, the entirety of the circulation tubing 511 may be provided at the bottom of the bath tub 501. Portions of the circulation tubing 511 may also be arranged at any other suitable position within the bath tub 501. In some embodiments, the circulation tubing 511 is rigid and fixed in a particular arrangement, and in some other embodiments, the circulation tubing 511 is flexible, such that a user may adjust the position configuration of the circulation tubing 511 as desired. In embodiments in which the circulation tubing 511 is flexible, the material comprising the circulation tubing 511 may be manually plastically deformable such that the user may be able to adjust the position of the circulation tubing 511 and have the circulation tubing 511 remain substantially in the position set by the user.

The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5A-5B beneficially may allow a user to experience a “blanket” effect from the warm water rather than simply experiencing warmer bath tub water. Additionally, in some embodiments, the user may be able to configure specific apertures along the circulation tubing 511 that direct the warmed water into the bath. For example, the user may select a first segment of the apertures, in which case only those apertures would provide the warm water to the bath tub. The remaining apertures that are not selected by the user may be closed or otherwise prevented from providing warm water to the bath tub. However, in some instances, all of the apertures may be open at all times. The user may be able to select the specific apertures using the user interface of the portable bath tub heater 502 as depicted in FIG. 2C. The user may also be able to select specific apertures in any other suitable manner, such as through a smart phone application, a remote control associated with the portable bath tub heater 502, etc. In some instances, the portable bath tub heater 502 may be configured such that specific apertures may be used in a pre-determined pattern.

Furthermore, the specific locations of the one or more apertures 511 as shown in the figures are merely exemplary, and the apertures 511 may also be disposed on the circulation tubing 511 at any other number of intervals. For example, the circulation tubing 511 may include more or less apertures than those depicted in the figures.

FIGS. 7A-7B depict components in one embodiment of portable bath tub heater 700. Any of the components shown in FIGS. 7A-7B may similarly be included in any of the other portable bath tub heaters described herein (for example, any of the portable bath tub heaters may include a controller 722, etc.). FIG. 7A shows an interior of a body 703 of a portable bath tub heater 700 in which the body 703 house a water pump 720, a heating element 716, a bump converter 718, and a controller 722. The body 703 also houses an inlet sensor 708 and a flow rate adjustment valve 710. The figure also shows buttons on the exterior of the portable bath tub heater 700, including heating element switch 702, water pump switch 704, and a main power switch 706. The portable bath tub heater 700 includes an inlet connector 712 connected to an inlet tube (not shown in the figure) and an outlet connector 714 connected to an outlet tube (not shown in the figure). The arrangement of the components within the body 703 and on the external surface of the portable bath tub heater 700 is merely exemplary, and the components may be arranged in any suitable configuration.

The water pump 720, when activated, is configured to suction water from the bath tub, through the inlet tube, into the portable water bath tub heater 700, and return the water to the bath tub through the outlet tube. The water pump 720 may be any suitable type of water pump. Examples include electric centrifugal pumps and diaphragm pumps. In some embodiments, the pump is selected to pump from, e.g., from 0.25 to 2.5 GPM, e.g., 0.5 to 1.0 GPM. Other flowrates are also possible.

The water pump 720 may be activated in any number of different ways. For example, the water pump 720 may be activated based on a user pressing a button on the portable bath tub heater 700, such as water pump switch 704. The water pump 720 may also be manually turned on by a user in any other suitable manner. For example, a user may interact with a display of the user interface to activate the water pump 720 rather than pressing a button. The water pump 720 may also be activated automatically by the controller 722 based on the portable bath tub heater 700 being turned on (for example, by the user pressing a button or automatically based on an automated schedule or mode stored within the controller).

In some embodiments, the water pump 720 is configured to purge any remaining water in the portable bath tub heater 700 after usage. For example, once the portable bath tub heater 700 has been used, the water pump 720 may expel any remaining water from the portable bath tub heater 700 before the water pump 720 is turned off.

The heating element 716 may be an indirect heating element. In some embodiments, the heating element 716 includes a cast-in element that includes one or more forms of electrical resistances (for example, Nichrome wire and/or any other type of resistive element) embedded in a metal material (for example, aluminum, steel, brass, bronze or cupronickel alloy, and/or any other type of metal). The bath tub water may flow through or otherwise near the heating element 716 and be indirectly heated through the thermal conductivity of the heating element 716. However, this is not intended to be limiting and the heating element 716 may be configured in any other manner. For example, the heating element 716 may comprise a heat-wrapped pipe. The heating element 716 may also comprise an inductive heating element. The use of these indirect heating components may serve to reduce the risk of direct contact between an electrical component and the bath water.

The heating element 716 may not necessarily automatically be turned on at the same time as the water pump 720. In some instances, a delay may be provided between the water pump 720 being turned on and the heating element 716 being turned on. This delay may be used to ensure that the water pump 720 is generating sufficient water flow through the portable bath tub heater 700 before the heating element 716 is turned on (for example, to prevent the heating element from “burning out”). The heating element 716 may be activated through any similar methods by which the water pump 720 may be turned on. For example, the user may press the water pump switch 704, interact with the display of the user interface, the heating element 716 may be automatically turned on by the controller 722, and/or the heating element 716 may be turned on in any other suitable manner.

The power input provided to the heating element 716 may also be modulated. This modulation may be performed to modify the rate at which the bath tub water is heated based on various factors, such as the starting temperature of the bath tub water. For example, if the starting temperature of the bath tub water is higher, then the heating element 716 may not necessarily need to be heating the bath tub water at a maximum rate of heating. However, if the starting temperature of the bath tub water is lower, then the power provided to the heating element 716 may be increased such that the bath tub water may be more quickly heated to the established set point temperature. In one or more embodiments, power modulation may be performed using pulse width modulation signals generated using a triode for alternating current (TRIAC) and/or solid state relay. However, modulation may also be performed in any other manner as well.

Additionally, it should be noted that while the figure shows three separate buttons for turning on the portable bath tub heater, the water pump, and the heating element, any other number of buttons may also be provided on the portable bath tub heater 700. In one or more embodiments, the portable bath tub heater 700 may not include any of these physical buttons, but may instead only include the display, which may serve as the sole mechanism by which the user provides inputs to the portable bath tub heater 700.

The inlet sensor 708 may be a sensor that is used to determine the flow rate of the water through the portable bath tub heater 700. This data may be used by the controller 722 to determine the appropriate time at which to activate the heating element 716 after the water pump 720 is activated and water begins to flow through the portable bath tub heater 700. The flow rate adjustment valve 710 may be a component that is used to regulate the flow rate of the water through the portable bath tub heater 700. For example, a size of an aperture included within the flow rate adjustment valve 710 may be increased or decreased to increase or decrease the water flow rate. In some cases, the flow rate adjustment valve 710 may be adjusted automatically by the controller 722. However, the flow rate adjustment valve 710 may also be manually adjusted as well.

The controller 722 may be a computing device that is configured to perform any of the operations described herein or otherwise associated with the portable bath tub heater 700. For example, the controller 722 may turn on the portable bath tub heater 700, including any of the individual components, such as the water pump 720, the heating element 716, the bump converter 718, etc. The controller 722 may automatically turn these components on and/or off and/or may turn any of the components on and/or off based on user inputs (for example, the user pressing one of the buttons or interacting with a user interface of the portable bath tub heater 700. The controller 722 may also be configured to provide information to the display associated with the user interface and/or process inputs provided by a user. The controller 722 may also be configured to perform any other functionality described herein (such as the operations associated with FIGS. 13-14, for example). The controller 722 may include at least one or more processor(s) 724 and memory 726. The controller 722 may also include any of the elements included within the computing device 100 of FIG. 10. While the controller is depicted as being disposed within the portable bath tub heater 700, the controller 722 may similarly be provided on the exterior of the body 703.

Turning to FIG. 7B, a configuration of the water pump 720 and the heating element 716 within the body 703 of the portable bath tub heater 700 is shown. Specifically, the water pump 720 and the heating element 716 are shown as being provided within the body 703 at an angle. This configuration may be used to allow for more effective purging of any remaining water within the portable bath tub heater 700 after usage. In this configuration, water purging may be accomplished leveraging gravity based on the angle of the components. Thus, water within the portable bath tub heater 700 may naturally flow back downwards through the components and out of the portable bath tub heater 700. While the figure shows the water pump 720 as being configured at a lower position than the heating element 716, this is merely exemplary. That is, the components may also be angled so that the water pump 720 is positioned above the heating element 716.

FIG. 8 depicts another embodiment of a portable bath tub heater 800 that is provided in a configuration including a table tray 802. In this manner, the portable bath tub heater 800 may be placed on top of the bath tub 801 and provide a surface on which various objects may rest. For example, a user may use the table tray 802 to hold a glass, a candle, a book, or any other type of object that the user may wish to have while they take a bath in the bath tub 801. The table tray 802 may allow the object to be used by the user proximate to the bath tub 801 while reducing the risk that the object becomes wet and/or damaged from the water within the bath tub 801.

In one or more embodiments, the inlet and/out outlet tubes 804 may be routed through an interior cavity of the table tray 802, underneath the table tray 802, or in any other suitable manner. In some embodiments, the inlet and/or outlet tubes 804 may be routed directly from the portable bath tub heater 800 into the internal volume of the bath tub 801 (without being routed through or underneath the table tray 802, for example). The shape and size of the table tray 802 is merely exemplary and any other shape and/or size may be used as well.

FIGS. 9A-9D depict various use cases for a portable bath tub heater 900. The portable bath tub heater 900 may be similar to, or the same as, any portable bath tub heater described herein. Beginning with FIG. 9A, a use case is shown in which a portable bath tub heater 900 is used to heat water provided within a portable pool 903. FIG. 9B shows a use case in which the portable bath tub heater 900 is used to heat water in a smaller container 905 used to soak the feet of a user. FIG. 9C shows a use case in which a portable bath tub heater 900 is used to provide warm water to wash a pet, such as a dog. FIG. 9D shows a use case in which a portable bath tub heater 900 is used to provide warm water to an outdoor shower 907 located at a campsite. The use cases of FIGS. 9A-9D illustrate that the portable bath tub heater 900 may be used in applications other than bath tubs as well and should not be limited to use with only bath tubs. That is, the portable bath tub heater 900 (including any other portable path tub heater described herein or otherwise) may be used to provide warm water in a variety of different contexts in which it may otherwise not be readily available or easily accessible. These are a few example applications of the portable bath tub heater 900 and the bath tub heater 900 may also be used to provide warm water in a variety of other contexts as well.

FIG. 10 depicts an accessory for a portable bath tub heater (not shown in the figure). Particularly, FIG. 10 shows a water mat 1000 that may be provided within a bath tub 1001 (or any other context in which the portable bath tub heater may be used). The water mat 1000 may be provided in fluid communication with the inlet and/or outlet tubes 1002 of the portable water heater (not shown in the figure). The water mat 1000 may have an internal cavity such that water may flow through the water mat 1000 by way of the portable water heater. The water mat 1000 may be provided underneath, on top of, and/or in any other position with respect to a user within the bath tub 1001 (or any other environment). The portable water heater may provide warm water into the water mat 1000, such that a concentrated area of warm water may be provided to the user. The water mat 1000 may be used for a number of purposes, such as stress relief and/or relaxation, physical therapy regiments (for example, providing warm or cool water to a particular portion of a user's body, point massage pulsing, etc.).

The water mat 1000 may also be provided in a modular form and may include a combination of different sections. By providing the water mat 1000 in this modular form, a user may selectively determine which portions of their body to warm to a particular temperature. For example, if the user only wishes to warm their back, the back portion of the modular water mat 1000 may be connected to the portable bath tub heater to receive warm water. However, the water mat 1000, in one or more embodiments, may also be provided in the form of a single mat, rather than a combination of different sections. The water mat 1000 may also be provided in any other suitable size and/or shape. The water mat 1000 may include a silicone material and/or any other type of material.

FIG. 11 depicts another embodiment of a portable bath tub heater 1100. The portable bath tub heater 1100 may be similar to, or the same as, any other portable bath tub heater described herein or otherwise. FIG. 11 shows that the portable bath tub heater 1100 may be mounted to a surface separate from a bath tub 802, such as a wall 1104 of a bathroom 1103 in which the portable bath tub heater 1100 is provided. The mounting may be effectuated through any suitable mechanism, such as an adhesive, etc. The portable bath tub heater 1100 may also be mounted to any other surface as well, including any surface of the bath tub 1101. The portable bath tub heater 1100 may also rest on the floor or on the bath tub 1101 as described herein.

FIG. 12 depicts another embodiment of a portable bath tub heater 1200. The portable bath tub heater 1200 includes an aperture 1202 that may be used by a user to grip and carry the portable bath tub heater 1200 (for example, as an alternative or in addition to the handles shown in FIG. 2C). In one or more embodiments, the aperture 1202 may also be provided at any other location on the portable bath tub heater 1200. Additionally, more than one aperture may be provided such that the user may grip the portable bath tub heater 1200 in multiple locations for transport.

The portable bath tub heater 1200 also includes one or more apertures 1203-1205 into which any of the inlet and/or outlet tubes may be inserted. In this manner, the inlet and/or outlet tubes may be removed from the portable bath tub heater 1200 for ease of storage and transportation. The portable bath tub heater 1200 also includes a charging cable 1206. The charging cable 1206 may be inserted into an external battery 1207 or may be inserted into a wall outlet such that the portable bath tub heater 1200 may be charged for later usage (or current usage). The portable bath tub heater 1200 may also be equipped with one or more internal batteries that may allow the portable bath tub heater 1200 to be used without plugging the charging cable 1206 into a wall outlet or external battery 1207. The size and shape of the portable bath tub heater as shown in FIGS. 2B-2C and FIG. 12 are merely exemplary and the portable bath tub heaters as described herein may be provided in any other suitable configuration, including any number of different types of shaped and sizes, etc.

FIG. 13 is a flow diagram 1300 exemplifying operations associated with a portable bath tub heater, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure.

Operation 1302 involves the bath tub heater being turned on by a user. For example, the user may press a power button on the bath tub heater or otherwise interact with a user interface of the bath tub heater in order to turn the bath tub heater on. As another non-limiting example, the user may interact with a touchscreen display of the user interface. In other embodiments, the user interface may be associated with a remote control or application of a smart phone or web-based platform. In some instances, the bath tub heater may also turn on without requiring user input. The bath tub heater may include a controller (for example, controller 722 of FIG. 7A) that is configured to automatically turn the bath tub heater on based on various parameters. For example, the bath tub heater may be configured to automatically turn on at particular times. As another example, the bath tub heater may be configured to automatically turn on when water is detected within the tub and the water is determined to be below a minimum threshold water temperature. These are all merely examples of ways in which the bath tub heater may be turned on and the bath tub heater may be manually or automatically turned on in any other suitable manner.

Operation 1304 involves activating the water pump of the portable bath tub heater. For example, the water pump may be activated based on the user pressing a button and/or interacting with a touchscreen display. The water pump may also be activated automatically based on the controller. The water pump may also be activated in any other suitable manner.

Following operation 1304, operation 1306 involves an optional delay period before the heating element is turned on. This delay may be used to prevent the heating element from burning out if the water flow through the bath tub heater is insufficient. Once activated, the heating element may also be deactivated at any time based on the water flow being below a threshold flow value.

Following operations 1302-1306, condition 1308 involves the determination as to whether the water flow rate through the bath tub heater is greater than or equal to a threshold value. If condition 1308 is true (that is, if the flow rate is greater than or equal to the threshold value), then the flow diagram 1300 proceeds to condition 1312. If condition 1308 is false (that is if the flow rate is less than the threshold value), then the flow diagram 1300 proceeds to operation 1310. Operation 1310 involves displaying an error message indicating insufficient flow. For example, the error message may be displayed on the user interface of the bath tub heater. The error indication may also be provided to the user in any other manner, such as an auditory alert emitted from the bath tub heater. Following operation 1310, the flow diagram 1300 proceeds to operation 1320, in which the portable bath tub heater is turned off.

Condition 1312 involves a determination as to whether a temperature of the water in the bath tub (and/or within the portable bath tub heater) is less than a minimum water temperature threshold (which may also be referred to herein as a “set point”). If condition 1312 is true (that is, the temperature of the water is less than the minimum water temperature threshold), then the flow diagram 1300 proceeds to operation 1314. Operation 1314 involves turning the heating element on. Following operation 1314, the flow diagram 1300 loops back to condition 1312. If condition 1312 is false (that is, the temperature of the water is greater than or equal to the minimum water temperature threshold), then the flow diagram 1300 proceeds to operation 1316. The loop including condition 1312 and operation 1314 effectively involves using the bath tub heater to heat the water in the bath tub until the temperature reaches the minimum water temperature threshold. In some instances, even after the water in the bath tub reaches the minimum water temperature threshold, the heating element may remain on in order to maintain the temperature at the minimum water temperature threshold.

Operation 1316 involves turning the heating element off. Operation 1318 involves turning the pump off. Operation 1320 involves turning the portable bath tub heater off.

FIG. 14 is an example method 1400, in accordance with one or more examples of the disclosure. The method 1400 may be performed by any of the controllers described herein (for example, controller(s) 722 illustrated in FIG. 7A) and/or any other device and/or system described herein or otherwise.

At block 1402, the method 1400 may include determining, using one or more processors associated with a controller of a portable bath tub heating device, that a first temperature of the water in the bath tub is below a minimum water temperature threshold.

At block 1404, the method 1400 may include activating, using the one or more processors and based on the determination that the first temperature is below the minimum water threshold temperature, a water pump of the portable bath tub heating device, wherein the water pump is housed within a body of the portable bath tub heating device.

At block 1406, the method 1400 may include determining, using the one or more processors, that a second water temperature the bath tub (and/or within the portable bath tub heater) is greater than or equal to a maximum water temperature threshold.

At block 1408, the method 1400 may include deactivating, using the one or more processors and based on the determination that the second water temperature is greater than or equal to the maximum water threshold temperature, the water pump.

One or more operations of the methods, process flows, or use cases of FIGS. 1-14 may have been described above as being performed by a user device, or more specifically, by one or more program module(s), applications, or the like executing on a device. It should be appreciated, however, that any of the operations of the methods, process flows, or use cases of FIGS. 1-14 may be performed, at least in part, in a distributed manner by one or more other devices, or more specifically, by one or more program module(s), applications, or the like executing on such devices. In addition, it should be appreciated that processing performed in response to execution of computer-executable instructions provided as part of an application, program module, or the like may be interchangeably described herein as being performed by the application or the program module itself or by a device on which the application, program module, or the like is executing. While the operations of the methods, process flows, or use cases of FIGS. 1-14 may be described in the context of the illustrative devices, it should be appreciated that such operations may be implemented in connection with numerous other device configurations.

The operations described and depicted in the illustrative methods, process flows, and use cases of FIGS. 1-14 may be carried out or performed in any suitable order, such as the depicted orders, as desired in various example embodiments of the disclosure. Additionally, in certain example embodiments, at least a portion of the operations may be carried out in parallel. Furthermore, in certain example embodiments, less, more, or different operations than those depicted in FIGS. 1-14 may be performed.

Although specific embodiments of the disclosure have been described, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that numerous other modifications and alternative embodiments are within the scope of the disclosure. For example, any of the functionality and/or processing capabilities described with respect to a particular device or component may be performed by any other device or component. Further, while various illustrative implementations and architectures have been described in accordance with embodiments of the disclosure, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that numerous other modifications to the illustrative implementations and architectures described herein are also within the scope of this disclosure.

Certain aspects of the disclosure are described above with reference to block and flow diagrams of systems, methods, apparatuses, and/or computer program products according to example embodiments. It will be understood that one or more blocks of the block diagrams and flow diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and the flow diagrams, respectively, may be implemented by execution of computer-executable program instructions. Likewise, some blocks of the block diagrams and flow diagrams may not necessarily need to be performed in the order presented, or may not necessarily need to be performed at all, according to some embodiments. Further, additional components and/or operations beyond those depicted in blocks of the block and/or flow diagrams may be present in certain embodiments.

Accordingly, blocks of the block diagrams and flow diagrams support combinations of means for performing the specified functions, combinations of elements or steps for performing the specified functions, and program instruction means for performing the specified functions. It will also be understood that each block of the block diagrams and flow diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and flow diagrams, may be implemented by special-purpose, hardware-based computer systems that perform the specified functions, elements or steps, or combinations of special-purpose hardware and computer instructions.

FIG. 15 is a schematic block diagram of one or more illustrative computing device(s) 1500 in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the disclosure. The computing device 1500, for example, may be the controller 722. The computing device(s) 1500 may include any suitable computing device including, but not limited to, a server system, a mobile device such as a smartphone, a tablet, an e-reader, a wearable device, or the like; a desktop computer; a laptop computer; a content streaming device; a set-top box; or the like. The computing device(s) 1500 may correspond to an illustrative device configuration for any of the computing systems described herein and/or any other system and/or device.

The computing device(s) 1500 may be configured to communicate via one or more networks. Such network(s) may include, but are not limited to, any one or more different types of communications networks such as, for example, cable networks, public networks (e.g., the Internet), private networks (e.g., frame-relay networks), wireless networks, cellular networks, telephone networks (e.g., a public switched telephone network), or any other suitable private or public packet-switched or circuit-switched networks. Further, such network(s) may have any suitable communication range associated therewith and may include, for example, global networks (e.g., the Internet), metropolitan area networks (MANs), wide area networks (WANs), local area networks (LANs), or personal area networks (PANs). In addition, such network(s) may include communication links and associated networking devices (e.g., link-layer switches, routers, etc.) for transmitting network traffic over any suitable type of medium including, but not limited to, coaxial cable, twisted-pair wire (e.g., twisted-pair copper wire), optical fiber, a hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) medium, a microwave medium, a radio frequency communication medium, a satellite communication medium, or any combination thereof.

In an illustrative configuration, the computing device(s) 1500 may include one or more processor(s) 1502, one or more memory devices 1504 (generically referred to herein as memory 1504), one or more input/output (I/O) interfaces 1506, one or more network interfaces 1508, one or more sensors or sensor interfaces 1510, one or more transceivers 1512, one or more optional speakers 1514, one or more optional microphones 1516, and data storage 1520. The computing device(s) 1500 may further include one or more buses 1518 that functionally couple various components of the computing device(s) 1500. The computing device(s) 1500 may further include one or more antenna(e) 1534 that may include, without limitation, a cellular antenna for transmitting or receiving signals to/from a cellular network infrastructure, an antenna for transmitting or receiving WiFi signals to/from an access point (AP), a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) antenna for receiving GNSS signals from a GNSS satellite, a Bluetooth antenna for transmitting or receiving Bluetooth signals, a Near Field Communication (NFC) antenna for transmitting or receiving NFC signals, and so forth. These various components will be described in more detail hereinafter.

The bus(es) 1518 may include at least one of a system bus, a memory bus, an address bus, or a message bus, and may permit the exchange of information (e.g., data (including computer-executable code), signaling, etc.) between various components of the computing device(s) 1500. The bus(es) 1518 may include, without limitation, a memory bus or a memory controller, a peripheral bus, an accelerated graphics port, and so forth. The bus(es) 1518 may be associated with any suitable bus architecture including, without limitation, an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA), a Micro Channel Architecture (MCA), an Enhanced ISA (EISA), a Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) architecture, an Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) architecture, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) architecture, a PCI-Express architecture, a Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) architecture, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) architecture, and so forth.

The memory 1504 of the computing device(s) 1500 may include volatile memory (memory that maintains its state when supplied with power) such as random access memory (RAM) and/or non-volatile memory (memory that maintains its state even when not supplied with power) such as read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, ferroelectric RAM (FRAM), and so forth. Persistent data storage, as that term is used herein, may include non-volatile memory. In certain example embodiments, volatile memory may enable faster read/write access than non-volatile memory. However, in certain other example embodiments, certain types of non-volatile memory (e.g., FRAM) may enable faster read/write access than certain types of volatile memory.

In various implementations, the memory 1504 may include multiple different types of memory such as various types of static random access memory (SRAM), various types of dynamic random access memory (DRAM), various types of unalterable ROM, and/or writeable variants of ROM such as electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, and so forth. The memory 1504 may include main memory as well as various forms of cache memory such as instruction cache(s), data cache(s), translation lookaside buffer(s) (TLBs), and so forth. Further, cache memory such as a data cache may be a multi- level cache organized as a hierarchy of one or more cache levels (L1, L2, etc.).

The data storage 1520 may include removable storage and/or non-removable storage, including, but not limited to, magnetic storage, optical disk storage, and/or tape storage. The data storage 1520 may provide non-volatile storage of computer-executable instructions and other data. The memory 1504 and the data storage 1520, removable and/or non-removable, are examples of computer-readable storage media (CRSM) as that term is used herein.

The data storage 1520 may store computer-executable code, instructions, or the like that may be loadable into the memory 1504 and executable by the processor(s) 1502 to cause the processor(s) 1502 to perform or initiate various operations. The data storage 1520 may additionally store data that may be copied to the memory 1504 for use by the processor(s) 1502 during the execution of the computer-executable instructions. Moreover, output data generated as a result of execution of the computer-executable instructions by the processor(s) 1502 may be stored initially in the memory 1504, and may ultimately be copied to the data storage 1520 for non-volatile storage.

More specifically, the data storage 1520 may store one or more operating systems (O/S) 1522; one or more database management systems (DBMSs) 1524; and one or more program module(s), applications, engines, computer-executable code, scripts, or the like such as, for example, one or more bath tub heating module(s) 1526. Some or all of these module(s) may be sub-module(s). Any of the components depicted as being stored in the data storage 1520 may include any combination of software, firmware, and/or hardware. The software and/or firmware may include computer-executable code, instructions, or the like that may be loaded into the memory 1504 for execution by one or more of the processor(s) 1502. Any of the components depicted as being stored in the data storage 1520 may support functionality described in reference to corresponding components named earlier in this disclosure.

The data storage 1520 may further store various types of data utilized by the components of the computing device(s) 1500. Any data stored in the data storage 1520 may be loaded into the memory 1504 for use by the processor(s) 1502 in executing computer-executable code. In addition, any data depicted as being stored in the data storage 1520 may potentially be stored in one or more datastore(s) and may be accessed via the DBMS 1524 and loaded in the memory 1504 for use by the processor(s) 1502 in executing computer-executable code. The datastore(s) may include, but are not limited to, databases (e.g., relational, object-oriented, etc.), file systems, flat files, distributed datastores in which data is stored on more than one node of a computer network, peer-to-peer network datastores, or the like.

The processor(s) 1502 may be configured to access the memory 1504 and execute the computer-executable instructions loaded therein. For example, the processor(s) 1502 may be configured to execute the computer-executable instructions of the various program module(s), applications, engines, or the like of the computing device(s) 1500 to cause or facilitate various operations to be performed in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure. The processor(s) 1502 may include any suitable processing unit capable of accepting data as input, processing the input data in accordance with stored computer-executable instructions, and generating output data. The processor(s) 1502 may include any type of suitable processing unit including, but not limited to, a central processing unit, a microprocessor, a reduced instruction set computer (RISC) microprocessor, a complex instruction set computer (CISC) microprocessor, a microcontroller, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), a system-on-a-chip (SoC), a digital signal processor (DSP), and so forth. Further, the processor(s) 1502 may have any suitable microarchitecture design that includes any number of constituent components such as, for example, registers, multiplexers, arithmetic logic units, cache controllers for controlling read/write operations to cache memory, branch predictors, or the like. The microarchitecture design of the processor(s) 1502 may be capable of supporting any of a variety of instruction sets.

Referring now to functionality supported by the various program module(s) depicted in FIG. 15, the module(s) 1526 may include computer-executable instructions, code, or the like that responsive to execution by one or more of the processor(s) 1502 may perform functions including, but not limited to, performing verification of any data produced by a sensor in accordance with the algorithm described herein, sending signals to various components of the furnace to perform functions in association with the verification of the data (for example, a signal to adjust a motor speed of the inducer blower), and/or any other functions described herein.

Referring now to other illustrative components depicted as being stored in the data storage 1520, the O/S 1522 may be loaded from the data storage 1520 into the memory 1504 and may provide an interface between other application software executing on the computing device(s) 1500 and the hardware resources of the computing device(s) 1500. More specifically, the O/S 1522 may include a set of computer-executable instructions for managing hardware resources of the computing device(s) 1500 and for providing common services to other application programs (e.g., managing memory allocation among various application programs). The O/S 1522 may include any operating system now known or which may be developed in the future, including, but not limited to, any server operating system, any mainframe operating system, or any other proprietary or non-proprietary operating system.

The DBMS 1524 may be loaded into the memory 1504 and may support functionality for accessing, retrieving, storing, and/or manipulating data stored in the memory 1504 and/or data stored in the data storage 1520. The DBMS 1524 may use any of a variety of database models (e.g., relational model, object model, etc.) and may support any of a variety of query languages. The DBMS 1524 may access data represented in one or more data schemas and stored in any suitable data repository including, but not limited to, databases (e.g., relational, object-oriented, etc.), file systems, flat files, distributed datastores in which data is stored on more than one node of a computer network, peer-to-peer network datastores, or the like. In those example embodiments in which the computing device(s) 1500 is a mobile device, the DBMS 1524 may be any suitable lightweight DBMS optimized for performance on a mobile device.

The computing device(s) 1500 may further include one or more network interface(s) 1508 via which the computing device(s) 1500 may communicate with any of a variety of other systems, platforms, networks, devices, and so forth. The network interface(s) 1508 may enable communication, for example, with one or more wireless routers, one or more host servers, one or more web servers, and the like via one or more networks.

The sensor(s)/sensor interface(s) 1510 may include or may be capable of interfacing with any suitable type of sensing device such as, for example, inertial sensors, force sensors, thermal sensors, and so forth. Example types of inertial sensors may include accelerometers (e.g., MEMS-based accelerometers), gyroscopes, and so forth.

It should be appreciated that the program module(s), applications, computer-executable instructions, code, or the like depicted in FIG. 15 as being stored in the data storage 1520 are merely illustrative and not exhaustive and that processing described as being supported by any particular module may alternatively be distributed across multiple module(s) or performed by a different module. In addition, various program module(s), script(s), plug-in(s), application programming interface(s) (API(s)), or any other suitable computer-executable code hosted locally on the computing device(s) 1500, and/or hosted on other computing device(s) accessible via one or more networks, may be provided to support functionality provided by the program module(s), applications, or computer-executable code depicted in FIG. 15 and/or additional or alternate functionality. Further, functionality may be modularized differently such that processing described as being supported collectively by the collection of program module(s) depicted in FIG. 15 may be performed by a fewer or greater number of module(s), or functionality described as being supported by any particular module may be supported, at least in part, by another module. In addition, program module(s) that support the functionality described herein may form part of one or more applications executable across any number of systems or devices in accordance with any suitable computing model such as, for example, a client-server model, a peer-to-peer model, and so forth. In addition, any of the functionality described as being supported by any of the program module(s) depicted in FIG. 15 may be implemented, at least partially, in hardware and/or firmware across any number of devices.

It should further be appreciated that the computing device(s) 1500 may include alternate and/or additional hardware, software, or firmware components beyond those described or depicted without departing from the scope of the disclosure. More particularly, it should be appreciated that software, firmware, or hardware components depicted as forming part of the computing device(s) 1500 are merely illustrative and that some components may not be present or additional components may be provided in various embodiments. While various illustrative program module(s) have been depicted and described as software module(s) stored in the data storage 1520, it should be appreciated that functionality described as being supported by the program module(s) may be enabled by any combination of hardware, software, and/or firmware. It should further be appreciated that each of the above-mentioned module(s) may, in various embodiments, represent a logical partitioning of supported functionality. This logical partitioning is depicted for ease of explanation of the functionality and may not be representative of the structure of software, hardware, and/or firmware for implementing the functionality. Accordingly, it should be appreciated that functionality described as being provided by a particular module may, in various embodiments, be provided at least in part by one or more other module(s). Further, one or more depicted module(s) may not be present in certain embodiments, while in other embodiments, additional module(s) not depicted may be present and may support at least a portion of the described functionality and/or additional functionality. Moreover, while certain module(s) may be depicted and described as sub-module(s) of another module, in certain embodiments, such module(s) may be provided as independent module(s) or as sub-module(s) of other module(s).

One or more operations of the methods, process flows, and use cases of FIGS. 1-14 may be performed by a device having the illustrative configuration depicted in FIG. 15, or more specifically, by one or more engines, program module(s), applications, or the like executable on such a device. Additionally, the controller 722 (and/or any other controller, computing device, system, etc. described herein) may include any of the components and/or functionality of the computing device 1500. It should be appreciated, however, that such operations may be implemented in connection with numerous other device configurations.

Program module(s), applications, or the like disclosed herein may include one or more software components, including, for example, software objects, methods, data structures, or the like. Each such software component may include computer-executable instructions that, responsive to execution, cause at least a portion of the functionality described herein (e.g., one or more operations of the illustrative methods described herein) to be performed.

A software component may be coded in any of a variety of programming languages. An illustrative programming language may be a lower-level programming language such as an assembly language associated with a particular hardware architecture and/or operating system platform. A software component including assembly language instructions may require conversion into executable machine code by an assembler prior to execution by the hardware architecture and/or platform.

Another example programming language may be a higher-level programming language that may be portable across multiple architectures. A software component including higher-level programming language instructions may require conversion to an intermediate representation by an interpreter or a compiler prior to execution.

Other examples of programming languages include, but are not limited to, a macro language, a shell or command language, a job control language, a script language, a database query or search language, or a report writing language. In one or more example embodiments, a software component including instructions in one of the foregoing examples of programming languages may be executed directly by an operating system or other software component without having to be first transformed into another form.

A software component may be stored as a file or other data storage construct. Software components of a similar type or functionally related may be stored together such as, for example, in a particular directory, folder, or library. Software components may be static (e.g., pre-established or fixed) or dynamic (e.g., created or modified at the time of execution).

Software components may invoke or be invoked by other software components through any of a wide variety of mechanisms. Invoked or invoking software components may include other custom-developed application software, operating system functionality (e.g., device drivers, data storage (e.g., file management) routines, other common routines, and services, etc.), or third party software components (e.g., middleware, encryption, or other security software, database management software, file transfer or other network communication software, mathematical or statistical software, image processing software, and format translation software).

Software components associated with a particular solution or system may reside and be executed on a single platform or may be distributed across multiple platforms. The multiple platforms may be associated with more than one hardware vendor, underlying chip technology, or operating system. Furthermore, software components associated with a particular solution or system may be initially written in one or more programming languages, but may invoke software components written in another programming language.

Computer-executable program instructions may be loaded onto a special-purpose computer or other particular machine, a processor, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a particular machine, such that execution of the instructions on the computer, processor, or other programmable data processing apparatus causes one or more functions or operations specified in the flow diagrams to be performed. These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium (CRSM) that upon execution may direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable storage medium produce an article of manufacture including instruction means that implement one or more functions or operations specified in the flow diagrams. The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational elements or steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer-implemented process.

Additional types of CRSM that may be present in any of the devices described herein may include, but are not limited to, programmable random access memory (PRAM), SRAM, DRAM, RAM, ROM, electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technology, compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile disc (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to store the information and which can be accessed. Combinations of any of the above are also included within the scope of CRSM. Alternatively, computer-readable communication media (CRCM) may include computer-readable instructions, program module(s), or other data transmitted within a data signal, such as a carrier wave, or other transmission. However, as used herein, CRSM does not include CRCM.

EXAMPLES

In a simple study, a bath tub was filled with heated water (approximately 107.5° F.) and the temperature of the water was measured over time as the water cooled in an ambient temperature environment. FIG. 6A shows that in less than an hour, the water in the bath tub cooled to less than 101° F.

The study was then repeated but with a prototype portable bath tub heater. As shown in FIG. 6B, the water cooled to about 104° F. after about 20 minutes. Then the portable bath tub heater was activated to pump water, at a flow rate of 0.5 GPM, from the bath tub through a heater and returned to the bath tub, as described hereinabove. As illustrated in FIG. 6B, the temperature of the water in the bath tub began increasing and increased to the start temperature within approximately 25 minutes. The study demonstrated the feasibility of a portable bath tub heater, for example with the addition of a thermostat to regulate and maintain a desired temperature.

Although embodiments have been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described. Rather, the specific features and acts are disclosed as illustrative forms of implementing the embodiments. Conditional language, such as, among others, “can,” “could,” “might,” or “may,” unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments could include, while other embodiments do not include, certain features, elements, and/or steps. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements, and/or steps are in any way required for one or more embodiments or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for deciding, with or without user input or prompting, whether these features, elements, and/or steps are included or are to be performed in any particular embodiment.

Portable Recirculating Bath Tub Water Heater

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