Patent Application
20240109689
The present subject matter, generally directed to containers for collecting water, is more particularly directed to a container for reclaiming, and thereafter using, water not otherwise used.
Known water reclamation systems tend to be complex. U.S. Pat. No. 9,849,409 to Jones, e.g., discloses a water reclaiming system comprising two containers. An inner container captures liquids destined for drainage and an outer reclaims the water. A screen on the inner container enables ice to be filtered from liquid drinks, since the ice is fresh water, often thrown away in cups into the trash can. The ice goes to the outer liquid container where it is melted into usable water.
Another example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,168,586 to Small, discloses a system for reclaiming shower waste water for flushing toilets and watering gardens. A plurality of fluid-recovering reservoirs is arranged, prior to showering, between a shower basin and the feet of the person standing upon them. An upper surface forms a sloped recess, designed to collect water, and an open inlet port, at a recessed end, is designed to allow the collected water to drain into a reservoir. The weight of a person standing upon the upper surface is supported by an internal array of posts projecting upwardly from a bottom surface. A dispenser is used in conjunction with an outlet to retain and release the collected water. When a full reservoir is placed in an upright position on top of a toilet set with the outlet at a lowermost position, the dispenser can be manually actuated, resulting in a release of water through the outlet with sufficient flow rate to flush a toilet. A shoulder strap and sprinkler accessory may be attached for use as a portable watering container in, e.g., one's garden. A stand with plural compartments provides upright storage for plural reservoirs.
As can be appreciated, by people wanting to reclaim and thereafter use water that would be wasted, it would be desirable that a simple article of manufacture be commercially available.
The present subject matter discloses an article to recover water, very simply, that would otherwise go to waste. Since most people won't begin showering while shower water is still cold and may run shower water to a drain until the water is warm, the present subject matter solves this problem. Fresh water is one of the most precious resources on our planet. The present invention enables users, in an environmentally conscious way, to reduce wasting that precious resource. The present subject matter is therefore particularly useful during a drought or when water use is limited.
The concept of this invention is to combine the aspects of a water catcher and a watering can. The watering container has a concave and slatted rotating opening that allows for water to enter the container while the container is laying on its side. A knob (5) connects to the slatted opening (10) to facilitate opening and closing the container.
This slatted design also allows for the container to be sealed and carried vertically to where the water will be reused.
The water container also has stands or feet (15) that allow for overflow water to reach the drain below the water source. The stands or feet a hollow for additional water capacity.
The container has a handle (20) for easy carrying and screw-on cap (25) which allows for the water to either be poured directly out or allows for a smooth sprinkle out of the slatted opening and prevents water from pouring out when on its side. The handle is hollow for additional water capacity.
It should also be understood that the water saving container can be made of plastic, metal, or any other suitable material for holding water.
It should also be understood that the screw-on cap could consist of any other standard way to seal a container such as a cap, valve, or spigot.
The drawings are of illustrative embodiments. They do not illustrate all embodiments. Other embodiments may be used in addition to or instead. Details that may be apparent or unnecessary may be omitted to save space or for more effective illustration. Some embodiments may be practiced with additional components or steps and/or without all the components or operations that are illustrated. When the same numeral appears in different drawings, it refers to the same or like components or operations.
The waste water container (100) has a concave surface (120) which helps facilitate the water from the shower spray (240) into the water container for later use.
The waste water container (100) has a plurality of apertures (130) which can be closed to seal the water into the container for transportation.
The waste water container (100) has an integral handle (20) which is hollow for additional water storage and to provide a place to grip during transportation.
The waste water container (100) has a cap (25) which allows for the water to either be poured directly out or allows for a smooth sprinkle out of the slatted opening.
The waste water container (100) has a knob (5) connects to the slatted opening (10) to facilitate opening and closing the container.
The waster water container (100) has a first spaced-apart pair of integral feet (15) which are hollow for additional water storage and to allow the container to sit vertically while not in use.
The waste water container (100) has a second spaced-apart pair of integral feet (160) which are hollow for additional water storage and allow the container to sit horizontally above the drain without obstructing.
An aperture is an opening. Structural components such as a “cover” to provide a fluid-tight seal over an aperture and a mechanism, connected to the cover and operable by a user, enable the user: (1) to cover all the apertures to “recover” the water that would otherwise have been wasted and (2) to uncover all the apertures for enabling the container to be put into use to capture water otherwise “wasted” down a drain.
The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present teachings have been presented for purposes of illustration but are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments.
The terminology used herein was chosen to best explain the principles of the embodiments, the practical application or technical improvement over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.
While various advantages have been discussed herein, it will be understood that not all embodiments necessarily include all advantages. Unless otherwise stated, all measurements, values, ratings, positions, magnitudes, sizes, and other specifications that are set forth in this specification, including in the claims that follow, are approximate, not exact. They are intended to have a reasonable range that is consistent with the functions to which they relate and with what is customary in the art to which they pertain.
Numerous other embodiments of the disclosure are also contemplated. There are also embodiments of the disclosure in which the components and/or operations are arranged and/or ordered differently than described and shown herein.
What has been illustrated and described in this patent specification is a water reclamation container. While the present subject matter has been described in connection with a current embodiment, illustrated herein, the present subject matter is not limited to the current embodiment. On the contrary, many alternatives, changes, and/or modifications will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the field of the present subject matter after this application has been read. Therefore, all such alternatives, changes, and modifications are to be viewed as part of the present subject matter insofar as they fall within the spirit and scope of the following claims.
