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  Shower installationUSPTO Application #: 20070234474Title: Shower installation Abstract: The present invention provides a shower installation comprising a shower tray (1), in which water is drawn from the shower tray by a peristaltic pump (7) and discharged to drain. In one embodiment, water collects in a sump (4) in the floor (2) of the shower tray, and is withdrawn from the sump by a suction pipe (5) connected to an inlet port (6) of the peristaltic pump. (end of abstract)
Agent: Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP Intellectual Property Department - New York, NY, US Inventor: Antoni Harold Nikolas Gontar USPTO Applicaton #: 20070234474 - Class: 004613000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Baths, Closets, Sinks, And Spittoons, Shower (e.g. Stall, With Walls, Receptor, And Spray), Particular Construction, Of Receptor The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070234474. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] The present invention relates to shower installations, and is particularly concerned with shower installations in which waste water from the shower tray is removed using a pump, rather than by gravity. [0002] In many shower installations, the user stands in a shower tray which is raised above the floor level in order to create a space between the shower tray and the floor to accommodate a waste trap and waste pipe for draining the shower tray. This raising of the shower tray above floor level creates a difficulty for the less mobile, such as wheelchair users, to use the shower due to the presence of a step up into the shower tray. [0003] In order to provide a shower installation which is accessible by the less mobile, the height of the shower tray above floor level must be minimized, preferably with only a small ramped threshold separating the shower tray from the outside floor level. The reduced height of the ramped threshold means that only a small volume of water can be contained within the shower tray, and it is therefore imperative to remove water from the shower tray as rapidly as possible to prevent the water from overtopping the threshold. Furthermore, the lowering of the shower tray level reduces the height through which water from the shower tray waste will fall in order to be discharged, and thus draining the shower tray by gravity has proved insufficient to remove water at the required rate. Yet further, in certain types of shower installation, such as level-access showers, there may be insufficient space to install a waste trap and pipe between the shower tray and the floor. [0004] In these type of shower installations, therefore, a pump is installed to draw water from the shower tray and discharge it to waste. [0005] The pump must be able to remove water at a rate compatible with the flow rate of a typical domestic shower installation, namely a flow rate of from 6 to 8 litres per minute, or up to 20 litres per minute in the case of a so-called "power shower" pumped installation. Accordingly, in conventional shower installations with pumped drainage, water is removed using a diaphragm pump or a centrifugal pump. [0006] The diaphragm pump has an enclosed pumping chamber partially defined by a movable diaphragm, with non-returning inlet and outlet valves to allow water to enter and leave the pumping chamber, respectively. Movement of the diaphragm to increase the volume of the pumping chamber closes the outlet valve and draws water into the pumping chamber through the inlet valve. Movement of the diaphragm to reduce the volume of the pumping chamber closes the inlet valve and forces water out through the outlet valve. One particular problem with diaphragm pumps is that they are noisy in operation and produce high levels of suction noise at the inlet (the shower tray drain), particularly when the pump is dealing with mixtures of air and water. [0007] The centrifugal type of pump usually comprises a simple impeller rotating within a casing, with an inlet opening on the impeller axis and an outlet port arranged radially of the impeller. The centrifugal pump is conventionally chosen for its ability to produce flow rates sufficient to deal with domestic shower installations and because of its simple construction with no valves. However, centrifugal pumps are noisy in operation, and they also produce noise at the inlet opening (the shower tray drain) when the pump is dealing with a mixture of air and water. [0008] The noisy operation of conventional shower pumps is particularly disadvantageous when the shower is installed in a multi-occupancy dwelling, such as an apartment block. [0009] The inventor has realised that the problems of motor noise and suction noise can be addressed by using a peristaltic pump to remove water from the shower tray. [0010] Peristaltic pumps comprise a resiliently deformable tube which is pinched at one or more points along its length. The pinch points are moved along the length of the deformable tube, causing a peristaltic action which carries liquid along the tube. Generally the peristaltic tube is arranged in a circular arc, and pinch points are formed by rollers, mounted on a rotor coaxial with the arc, pressing the tube against a generally cylindrical housing. [0011] The common perception of peristaltic pumps is that they are particularly suited for low flow-rate applications, and most particularly as metering pumps. The inventor has devised a peristaltic pump which is particularly capable of providing the required volumetric flow rate for a domestic shower installation, the increased volumetric flow being achieved by making the peristaltic tube non-circular, with its cross-section elongated in the direction of the rotor axis. The pinching action of the rollers on the tube causes the tube cross-section to alter to a more circular shape, increasing the internal volume of the peristaltic tube and thus increasing the pump's flow rate. This cross-sectional change is most pronounced when the pump rotor comprises a pair of diametrically opposed rollers. [0012] The inventor has, however, also recognised that, if the peristaltic pump rotor has only two rollers, the possibility exists that when the pump is not in operation, the rotor can be positioned such that neither roller completely engages the peristaltic tube to occlude it, and thus there is a free flow path through the peristaltic pump. Such a situation can permit water in the pipe between the shower drain and the pump to flow back through the shower drain and into the shower tray, and as such is not acceptable for a domestic installation. [0013] The inventor has overcome this difficulty by providing a peristaltic pump rotor having three equally angularly spaced rollers. While this arrangement sacrifices some of the flow rate increase achieved by the non-circular cross-section of the peristaltic tube, the three-roller arrangement ensures that the peristaltic tube is occluded at least one location at all times. [0014] According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a shower installation comprising a shower tray, in which water is drawn from the shower tray by a peristaltic pump and discharged to drain. [0015] Preferably, the peristaltic pump has a peristaltic tube that has a cross-section which is non-circular in shape, and is elongated in the direction parallel to the rotor axis of the pump. [0016] In a preferred embodiment, the rotor of the peristaltic pump comprises three equally angularly spaced rollers, each roller being engagable with the peristaltic tube to form an occlusion thereof. [0017] Preferably, the shower tray comprises a floor, a sump extending below the level of the floor, and an inlet port of the peristaltic pump is connected to a suction pipe for withdrawing water from the sump. The suction pipe may extend upwardly out of the sump and lead to the inlet port of the peristaltic pump. [0018] Alternatively, an opening may be formed in the sump, and the suction pipe may draw water through the opening and to the inlet port of the peristaltic pump. [0019] Water sensing means may be provided to detect the presence of water in the sump, and a control means may be provided to cause the peristaltic pump to operate when water is detected in the sump. The water sensing means may comprise a pair of electrical contacts positioned so as to be immersed in water when the sump is filled to a predetermined level. [0020] In a shower installation, water is supplied via a shower head, and a control means may be arranged to operate the peristaltic pump when water flows from the shower head. [0021] Embodiments of the present invention will now be explained in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [0022] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a typical shower tray installation according to an, embodiment; [0023] FIG. 2 illustrates an alternative arrangement for routing the discharge piping in the shower arrangement of FIG. 1; [0024] FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of an alternative shower installation; Continue reading... Full patent description for Shower installation Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Shower installation patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Shower installation or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Apparatus for assisting the movement of invalid and handicapped persons into and out of a bathtub Next Patent Application: Patient transfer system with operating table conversion platform Industry Class: Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Shower installation patent info. 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