| US 7,593,789 B2 | ||
| Water flow detection system for a bathing unit | ||
| Florent Gougerot, Quebec (Canada); Daniel Gaudreau, St-Jean Chrysostome (Canada); Benoit Laflamme, Quebec (Canada); Christian Brochu, Quebec (Canada); and Jean Bizouard, Quebec (Canada) | ||
| Assigned to Gecko Alliance Group Inc., Quebec, Quebec (Canada) | ||
| Filed on Mar. 27, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/389,185. | ||
| Application 11/389185 is a continuation in part of application No. 10/998537, filed on Nov. 30, 2004, granted, now 7,440,820. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2006/0162719 A1, Jul. 27, 2006 | ||
| This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer. | ||
| Int. Cl. G06F 19/00 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 700—275 [700/299; 392/471; 219/497; 219/501; 219/506; 219/481; 219/483; 219/412; 374/102; 374/103; 374/107] | 40 Claims |
| 1. A method for measuring a sufficiency of water flow through a heating module of a bathing unit, the heating module having
a body defining a passage through which water can flow and a heating device for heating the water that flows through the body,
the heating device being adapted for acquiring a heating state and a non-hearing state, the method comprising:
a) obtaining a first temperature measurement associated with a thermal element mounted in thermally conductive communication
with water flowing through the body of said heating module, the first temperature measurement being distinct from a water
temperature associated to the water that flows through the body of the heating module;
b) activating the thermal element to cause it to acquire a certain temperature condition for a predetermined time interval;
c) deactivating the thermal element following the predetermined time interval;
d) obtaining a subsequent temperature measurement associated with the thermal element, the subsequent temperature measurement:
i) being taken a certain time interval after deactivating the thermal element; and
ii) being distinct from a water temperature associated to the water that flows through the body of the heating module:
e) processing the first temperature measurement and the subsequent temperature measurement to derive information associated
to the sufficiency of water flow through the heating module;
f) causing the device to acquire a selected one of the heating state and the non-heating state based at least in part on the
information associated to the sufficiency of water flow derived in step e).
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