Apparatus for controlling the temperature of the water in a kitchen sink

Abstract

Apparatus for use in controlling the temperature of the water in a kitchen sink (including a bathtub and/or other type of sink) for a reasonably extended period of time, without the necessity of adding additional hot water to the basin of the sink itself, to offset the loss of heat in the water as it naturally cools down over time. The invention also applies to the ability to maintain the water in a sink at a cool temperature, as opposed to a warm temperature. The preferred form of the invention provides a temperature controlling apparatus for a kitchen sink that can be integrally incorporated into the design of newly manufactured sink(s), and when activated by the user, automatically maintains the temperature of the water in the basin of a sink at an temperature level determined by the user.

1 . The method of controlling the temperature of liquid in a kitchen sink, which includes the steps: 
 a) providing and locating a local heater proximate the wall of the sink, below liquid top surface level which is upwardly exposed, and    b) controlling conductive heat transfer from said heater to liquid in the sink, establishing and maintaining a selected elevated liquid temperature range in the sink, for a selected time interval enabling efficient washing of kitchen ware during said interval and without requiring addition of hot water from a sink faucet during said interval.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said liquid consists of water.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  including providing heat transfer media circulating to said heater, said controlling effecting controlled heating of said media remotely from said liquid, and outside the sink.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3  including providing a media flow control valve in series with media flow ducting, and providing a sink liquid temperature detector proximate a sink wall and operating said detector for assisting in said controlling.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein said heater includes a jacket proximate at least part of the sink wall, and causing the media to flow between the sink wall and jacket.  
   
   
       6 . The combination of  claim 1  including an edifice central hot water heater, from which hot water flows to said heater, and is then conducted away from the sink.  
   
   
       7 . The combination of  claim 6  wherein the sink has a cold water feed line, there being ducting operating to conduct water from the edifice heater to said line.  
   
   
       8 . The combination of  claim 6  wherein the edifice has recirculation hot water system, and there being ducting operating to conduct water form the edifice heater to the sink.  
   
   
       9 . The combination of  claim 8  including a user interface control valve connected in series with said recirculation hot water system, said control valve being one of the following: 
 i) adjustable flow control valve    ii) temperature controlled valve to control the temperature of water flowing to the heater.    
   
   
       10 . The combination of  claim 8  including a user interface control valve has: 
 i) an inlet connection or connections to both the edifice central heater and to an edifice cold water source    ii) an outlet connection or connections to a spigot that feeds water into the sink, and to the local heater, and to a sink drain or to a return line of the recirculation hot water system.    
   
   
       11 . The combination of  claim 1  including a control for effecting said controlling, and a temperature sensor connected to such control, a user interface connected to the control, and a source of electric power connected to the control, and a heat transfer medium transferring heat from the heater to the contents of the sink.  
   
   
       12 . The combination of  claim 1  including the sink having a wall structure in which the local heater is contained.  
   
   
       13 . The combination of  claim 1  including the sink having a water containing interior in which the local heater placed, and operating to heat the water.  
   
   
       14 . The combination of  claim 3  including the sink having a water containing interior in which the heater is placed to receive said heat transfer media, for heating the water, and a package outside the sink containing a media heating source and said control, there being media flow ducting extending from said package to the local heater in the sink.  
   
   
       15 . The combination of  claim 14  including a pump producing rising air bubbles acting to pump the flowable media effecting its circulation between the media heating source in the package and the local heater.  
   
   
       16 . The combination of  claim 3  including a pump producing rising air bubbles acting to pump the circulating media to flow to the local heater.  
   
   
       17 . The combination of  claim 1  including the sink, and wherein the heater comprises water flow ducting extending into the sink, and including a heating source in a package outside the sink, said ducting communicating with said heating source to heat water flowing to the sink, there being a utility surface outside the sink supporting said package.  
   
   
       18 . The combination of  claim 17  including a water flow pump in series with said ducting, the pump located within the sink.  
   
   
       19 . The combination of  claim 1  including a sink having a water containing interior and a sink wall, the heater located within the sink interior,there being an energy transducer outside the sink, and from which heating energy is transmitted through said wall to the heater.  
   
   
       20 . The combination of  claim 1  including the sink having a water containing interior, said heater located within the sink interior, there being an energy source also within said interior and coupled in energy transmitting relation with the heater.  
   
   
       21 . The combination of  claim 13  wherein the sink is portable, and including a fixed basin into which the portable sink is received.  
   
   
       22 . The combination of  claim 14  wherein the sink is portable, and including a fixed basin into which portable sink is received.  
   
   
       23 . The combination of  claim 1 , including said sink, which is portable, and which is received in or-on a fixed support.  
   
   
       24 . The combination of  claim 15  wherein the sink is portable, and including a fixed basin into which portable sink is received.  
   
   
       25 . The combination of  claim 17  including said sink, which is portable, and which is received in or on a fixed support.  
   
   
       26 . The combination of  claim 1  including said sink having an interior containing liquid to be heated, some local heater received in said interior, there being faucet apparatus associated with the sink to control hot and cold liquid delivery to the sink interior, there being ducting extending from the faucet apparatus to the heater and delivering hot water to the heater, for heat transfer to liquid in the sink, and valve means controlling said delivering.  
   
   
       27 . The combination of  claim 1  including said sink having a wall, and fastener means connecting one of the following to said wall: 
 i) said heater    ii) a liquid sensor    iii) a temperature sensor.