Bath arrangement

Abstract

A bath arrangement includes a bath body for bathing in and a tank for storing water separately from the bath body. A fluid connection is provided between the bath body and the tank. A fluid connection valve is provided to control the flow of water between the bath body and the tank. The bath arrangement further includes a main bath water supply for supplying water to the bath body at a main bath supply rate, wherein the fluid connection valve is operable to effect filling of the bath body from the tank either alone or supplementary to filling by means of the main bathwater supply, so that the fill rate of the bath body is higher than the main bath water supply rate.

1 . A bath arrangement comprising:
 a bath body for bathing in and a tank for storing water separately from the bath body;   a fluid connection provided between the bath body and the tank;   a fluid connection valve to control the flow of water between the bath body and the tank; and   a main bath water supply for supplying water to the bath body at a main bath water supply rate;   wherein the fluid connection valve is operable to effect filling of the bath body from the tank either alone or supplementary to filling by means of the main bath water supply, so that the fill rate of the bath body is higher than the main bath water supply rate.   
     
     
         2 . The bath arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the bath body and the tank are both supplied by the main bath water supply. 
     
     
         3 . The bath arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid connection valve is normally closed. 
     
     
         4 . The bath arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid connection valve is normally closed and the valve is a three-way valve, the valve being connected to the tank, the bath body, and the waste water pipe. 
     
     
         5 . The bath arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid connection includes a nonreturn valve to allow the flow of water from the tank to the bath body but prevent the flow of water in the opposite direction. 
     
     
         6 . The bath arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the tank includes a water level detection device, the water level detection device being arranged to stop filling of the tank when a threshold water level has been reached. 
     
     
         7 . The bath arrangement of  claim 6 , wherein the water level detection device is a float valve. 
     
     
         8 . The bath arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the tank is positioned so that the bath body can be filled solely under the influence of gravity. 
     
     
         9 . The bath arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein all water stored in the tank can be emptied into the bath body under the influence of gravity. 
     
     
         10 . The bath arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid connection includes a pump. 
     
     
         11 . The bath arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the bath body includes a seat for the user. 
     
     
         12 . The bath arrangement of  claim 11 , wherein the tank is located inside or beneath the seat. 
     
     
         13 . The bath arrangement of  claim 11 , wherein the filling tank is positioned such that hot water in the tank can be used to warm the seat. 
     
     
         14 . The bath arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein a thermostatic mixing valve is provided between the main bath water supply and the tank. 
     
     
         15 . The bath arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein a testing reservoir is provided between the main bath water supply and the tank, the testing reservoir being accessible to a user, to enable the user to test the water temperature. 
     
     
         16 . The bath arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the bath body is connected to a waste water pipe via at least one flow path, the at least one flow path is arranged to allow a higher flow rate out of the bath body than can be accommodated by a standard waste water pipe, the at least one flow path is arranged to accommodate a sufficient volume of water such that the flow rate of water emptying from the bath body is not limited by the cross sectional area of the waste water pipe. 
     
     
         17 . A bath arrangement comprising a bath body for bathing in, the bath body being connected to a standard waste water pipe via at least one flow path, the at least one flow path configured to provide an increased volume flow rate of water out of the bath than that provided by gravity alone through the standard waste water pipe. 
     
     
         18 . The bath arrangement of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one flow path includes a pump. 
     
     
         19 . The bath arrangement of  claim 17 , wherein the bath body has at least one outlet, the or each outlet being in fluid connection with the at least one flow path. 
     
     
         20 . The bath arrangement of  claim 17 , wherein the total cross sectional area of the at least one outlet is greater than the cross sectional area of a standard waste water pipe. 
     
     
         21 . The bath arrangement of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one flow path is arranged to accommodate a sufficient volume of water such that the volume flow rate of water emptying from the bath body is not limited by the cross sectional area of the waste water pipe. 
     
     
         22 . The bath arrangement of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one flow path is arranged to accommodate a total volume of water substantially the same as or greater than the volume of water the bath body is arranged to hold. 
     
     
         23 . The bath arrangement of  claim 17 , wherein the bath body is connected to a waste water pipe via first and second flow paths, the flow paths being arranged such that water flowing along the second flow path takes longer to reach the waste water pipe than water flowing along the first flow path. 
     
     
         24 . The bath arrangement of  claim 23 , wherein the bath body has at least two outlets, one of the at least two outlets being connected to the first flow path and another of the at least two outlets being connected to the second flow path. 
     
     
         25 . The bath arrangement of  claim 23 , wherein the second flow path is arranged to accommodate a volume of water greater than the first flow path. 
     
     
         26 . The bath arrangement of  claim 23 , wherein the second flow path is arranged to accommodate a volume of water no greater than half the maximum volume of water the bath body is arranged to hold. 
     
     
         27 . The bath arrangement of  claim 23 , wherein the second flow path is arranged such that water does not reach the waste water pipe until the bath body is empty and there is no water flowing along the first flow path. 
     
     
         28 . The bath arrangement of  claim 23 , wherein the second flow path includes a collection area, the collection area being connected to the waste water pipe and the collection area being of greater cross sectional area than the waste water pipe. 
     
     
         29 . The bath arrangement of  claim 23 , wherein the second flow path includes a second flow path valve. 
     
     
         30 . The bath arrangement of  claim 29 , wherein the second flow path valve is located between the collection area and the waste water pipe. 
     
     
         31 . A bath arrangement comprising:
 a bath body for bathing in and a tank for storing water separately from the bath body;   a fluid connection being provided between the bath body and the tank;   a fluid connection valve being provided to control the flow of water between the bath body and the tank; and   a main bath water supply for supplying water to the bath body at a main bath water supply rate;   wherein the fluid connection valve is operable to effect filling of the bath body from the tank either alone or supplementary to filling by the main bath water supply, so that the fill rate of the bath body is higher than the main bath water supply rate, the bath body being connected to a standard waste water pipe via at least one flow path, the at least one flow path configured to provide an increased volume flow rate of water out of the bath than that provided by gravity alone through the standard waste water pipe.   
     
     
         32 . The bath arrangement of  claim 31 , wherein the bath body is connected to a waste water pipe via first and second flow paths, the flow paths being arranged such that water flowing along the first flow path takes longer to reach the waste water pipe than water flowing along the second flow path. 
     
     
         33 . The bath arrangement of  claim 31 , wherein the tank is connected to the second flow path by a second fluid connection. 
     
     
         34 . The bath arrangement of  claim 33 , wherein the second fluid connection includes a valve. 
     
     
         35 . The bath arrangement of  claim 33 , wherein the second fluid connection further includes a nonreturn valve to prevent waste water flowing into the tank.