Automatic Liquid Handling and Temperature Control for a Spa

Abstract

A spa includes a housing forming a vessel, an opening formed in the vessel, a valve fluidly coupled to the opening, a liquid sensor configured to measure an amount of liquid in the vessel, and a controller operatively connected to the valve and the liquid sensor. The controller operates the valve to drain liquid the vessel through the opening, and operates the valve to fill the vessel with liquid from a liquid source when a predetermined amount of liquid has drained from the vessel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A spa comprising:
 a housing forming a vessel;   an opening formed in the vessel;   a valve fluidly coupled to the opening;   a liquid flow sensor configured to measure liquid flow through the opening in the vessel; and   a controller operatively connected to the valve and the liquid flow sensor, the controller being configured to:
 operate the valve to place the opening in fluid communication with a drain to enable liquid within the vessel to drain from the vessel; 
 operate the valve to place the opening in fluid communication with a water source to enable liquid to enter the vessel through the opening with reference to a signal from the liquid flow sensor, that indicates a predetermined volume of liquid has drained from the vessel; and 
 operate the valve to remove the opening from fluid communication with the drain and the water source in response to the controller identifying that the predetermined volume of liquid has entered the vessel. 
   
     
     
         2 . The spa of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a fluid conduit having an inlet formed in the housing in fluid communication with the vessel and an outlet formed in the housing in fluid communication with the vessel; 
 a pump operatively connected to the fluid conduit; 
 an infrared heater positioned proximate to the fluid conduit to heat liquid in the fluid conduit; and 
 the controller being operatively connected to the pump and the infrared heater and further configured to:
 activate the pump to draw liquid from the vessel through the inlet of the fluid conduit and emit the liquid into the vessel through the outlet of the fluid conduit; and 
 activate the infrared heater in response to the pump activating. 
 
 
     
     
         3 . The spa of  claim 2  wherein the infrared heater is located within the fluid conduit. 
     
     
         4 . The spa of  claim 2  wherein the infrared heater engages an outer circumference of the fluid conduit. 
     
     
         5 . The spa of  claim 1 , the predetermined volume of the liquid being less than a total volume of liquid held in the vessel. 
     
     
         6 . The spa of  claim 5 , the predetermined volume of the liquid being approximately one half of the total volume of liquid held in the vessel. 
     
     
         7 . The spa of  claim 1  further comprising:
 an infrared heater located in the housing proximate to the vessel and configured to heat liquid in the vessel; and 
 the controller being operatively connected to the infrared heater and further configured to:
 activate the infrared heater in response to the valve placing the opening in fluid communication with the water source. 
 
 
     
     
         8 . The spa of  claim 7 , the controller being further configured to:
 deactivate the infrared heater in response to the valve placing the opening in fluid communication with the drain.   
     
     
         9 . A spa comprising:
 a housing forming a vessel;   an opening formed in the vessel;   a valve fluidly coupled to the opening;   a liquid level sensor positioned proximate to the opening and configured to generate a first signal in response to a level of liquid in the vessel being below a first predetermined level and a second signal in response to a level of liquid in the vessel being above a second predetermined level, the second predetermined level being greater than the first predetermined level; and   a controller operatively connected to the valve and the liquid level sensor, the controller being configured to:
 operate the valve to place the opening in fluid communication with a drain enable liquid within the vessel to drain from the vessel; 
 operate the valve to place the opening in fluid communication with a water source to enable liquid to enter the vessel through the opening in response to the first signal from the liquid level sensor; and 
 operate the valve to remove the opening from fluid communication with the drain and the water source in response to the second signal from the liquid level sensor. 
   
     
     
         10 . The spa of  claim 9  further comprising:
 a fluid conduit having an inlet formed in the housing in fluid communication with the vessel and an outlet formed in the housing in fluid communication with the vessel; 
 a pump operatively connected to the fluid conduit; 
 an infrared heater positioned proximate to the fluid conduit to heat liquid in the fluid conduit; and 
 the controller being operatively connected to the pump and the infrared heater and further configured to:
 activate the pump to draw liquid from the vessel through the inlet of the fluid conduit and emit the liquid into the vessel through the outlet of the fluid conduit; and 
 activate the infrared heater in response to the pump activating. 
 
 
     
     
         11 . The spa of  claim 10 , the infrared heater being located within the fluid conduit. 
     
     
         12 . The spa of  claim 10 , the infrared heater engaging an outer circumference of the fluid conduit. 
     
     
         13 . The spa of  claim 9 , the liquid level sensor being a pressure sensor. 
     
     
         14 . The spa of  claim 9  further comprising:
 an infrared heater located in the housing proximate to the vessel and configured to heat the liquid in the vessel; and 
 the controller being operatively connected to the infrared heater and further configured to:
 activate the infrared heater in response to the valve placing the opening in fluid communication with the water source. 
 
 
     
     
         15 . The spa of  claim 14 , the controller being further configured to:
 deactivate the infrared heater in response to the valve placing the opening in fluid communication with the drain.   
     
     
         16 . The spa of  claim 9  further comprising:
 an infrared heater located in the housing proximate to the vessel and configured to heat the liquid in the vessel; and 
 the controller being operatively connected to the infrared heater and further configured to:
 activate the infrared heater in response to the valve placing the opening in fluid communication with the water source. 
 
 
     
     
         17 . A liquid management device for a spa comprising:
 a housing;   an inlet fluid coupling formed in the housing and configured to be fluidly coupled to a liquid source;   an outlet fluid coupling formed in the housing and configured to be fluidly coupled to a drain;   a bidirectional fluid coupling formed in the housing and configured to be fluidly coupled to a tub in a spa;   a valve located in the housing and fluidly connected to the inlet fluid coupling, the outlet fluid coupling, and the bidirectional fluid coupling; and   a controller operatively connected to the valve and configured to:
 operate the valve to place the inlet fluid coupling in fluid communication with the bidirectional fluid coupling to enable liquid from the liquid source to flow into the tub; 
 operate the valve to place the outlet fluid coupling in fluid communication with the bidirectional fluid coupling to enable liquid from the tub to flow to the drain; and 
 operate the valve to remove both the inlet fluid coupling and outlet fluid coupling from fluid communication with the bidirectional fluid coupling to prevent liquid from flowing through the valve. 
   
     
     
         18 . The liquid management device of  claim 17  further comprising:
 a first solenoid configured to open and close a first stopper in the valve at the outlet fluid coupling; 
 a second solenoid configured to open and close a second stopper in the valve at the inlet fluid coupling; and 
 the controller being operatively connected to the first solenoid and the second solenoid and further configure to:
 operate the first solenoid to place the outlet fluid coupling in fluid communication with the bidirectional fluid coupling; 
 operate the second solenoid to place the inlet fluid coupling in fluid communication with the bidirectional fluid coupling; and 
 operate the first and second solenoid to remove both the inlet fluid coupling and outlet fluid coupling from fluid communication with the bidirectional fluid coupling. 
 
 
     
     
         19 . The liquid management device of  claim 17  further comprising:
 a pressure sensor positioned in the bidirectional fluid coupling and configured to generate a pressure signal corresponding to an amount of liquid in the tub; and 
 the controller being operatively connected to the pressure sensor and further configured to:
 identify an amount of liquid in the tub as liquid drains from the tub and as liquid flows into the tub; 
 operate the valve to place the outlet fluid coupling in fluid communication with the bidirectional fluid coupling to drain liquid from the tub; 
 operate the valve to place the inlet fluid coupling in fluid communication with the bidirectional fluid coupling to enable liquid from the liquid source to flow into the tub in response to the identified amount of liquid in the tub reaching a first predetermined threshold; and 
 operate the valve to remove both the inlet fluid coupling and outlet fluid coupling from fluid communication with the bidirectional fluid coupling in response to the amount of liquid in the tub reaching a second predetermined threshold. 
 
 
     
     
         20 . The liquid management device of  claim 19 , the first predetermined threshold corresponding to the tub being half filled with liquid and the second predetermined threshold corresponding to the tub being filled with liquid. 
     
     
         21 . The liquid management device of  claim 17 , the controller further comprising:
 a wireless communication module configured to receive a command signal from a remote wireless device, the controller being configured to operate the valve with reference to the command signal.   
     
     
         22 . A spa comprising:
 a housing forming a vessel;   a first opening formed in the vessel;   a second opening formed in the vessel and fluidly coupled to the first opening through a fluid conduit;   a pump fluidly coupled to the fluid conduit;   a valve fluidly coupled to the first opening and the second opening through the fluid conduit; and   a controller operatively connected to the valve and the pump, the controller being configured to:
 operate the valve to place the first opening in fluid communication with a drain and to operate the pump to pump liquid from the vessel through the first opening to the drain; 
 operate the valve to place the second opening in fluid communication with a water source to enable liquid to enter the vessel through the second opening; and 
 operate the valve to remove the first opening from fluid communication with the drain and the second opening from fluid communication with the water source and to operate the pump to pump liquid from the vessel through the first opening through the conduit and into the vessel through the second opening. 
   
     
     
         23 . The spa of  claim 22  further comprising:
 a liquid level sensor fluidly coupled to the vessel and configured to generate a first signal in response to a level of liquid in the vessel being below a first predetermined level and a second signal in response to a level of liquid in the vessel being above a second predetermined level, the second predetermined level being greater than the first predetermined level; and 
 the controller being connected to the liquid level sensor and further configured to:
 operate the valve to place the second opening in fluid communication with the water source in response to receiving the first signal from the liquid level sensor; and 
 operate the valve to remove the first opening from fluid communication with the drain and the second opening from fluid communication with the water source and to operate the pump in response to receiving the second signal from the liquid level sensor. 
 
 
     
     
         24 . The spa of  claim 22  further comprising:
 an infrared heater located in the housing proximate to the vessel and configured to heat the liquid in the vessel; and 
 the controller being operatively connected to the infrared heater and further configured to:
 activate the infrared heater in response to the valve placing the second opening in fluid communication with the water source. 
 
 
     
     
         25 . The spa of  claim 22 , the controller being further configured to:
 deactivate the infrared heater in response to the valve placing the opening in fluid communication with the drain.   
     
     
         26 . The spa of  claim 22  further comprising:
 an infrared heater positioned proximate to the fluid conduit to heat liquid in the fluid conduit; and 
 the controller being further configured to:
 activate the infrared heater to heat liquid in the fluid conduit only when the valve removes the first opening from fluid communication with the drain and the second opening from fluid communication with the water source and the pump pumps liquid from the vessel through the first opening through the conduit and into the vessel through the second opening.