The present invention relates to a hot water tap, and to a hot tap water supply system.

Modern water taps are not limited to conventional water taps for warm or cold water, or conventional mixing taps, but may provide water with different characteristics, such as hot water and spariding water.

Hot water is interpreted as water having a temperature that may hurt or even injure a person, such as water having a temperature of at least 70 °C, and in particular water that is boiling at atmospheric pressure.

There may be a plurality of reasons that it may be desirable to prevent a water tap being used by specific people, specifically by children.

For example, sparkling water may use replaceable cartridges, and it may be desired to prevent excessive use or even spilling thereof.

Hot water taps are often applied as kitchen taps in premium kitchens, providing a user with the option to instantly tap hot water. Because hot water is potentially dangerous, accidental and unintentional activation should be prevented, while the hot water is preferably also readily and easy available if activated intentionally. This imposes contradictory demands.

Safety requirements dictate that activation of hot water delivery requires a two step activation process, which according to prior art solutions is often - sometimes even deliberately because of safety concerns - counterintuitive, and takes time.

The international patent application WO 2018/087536 Al , which is considered the closest prior art, discloses a water tap or water valve assembly that comprises biometric recognition means. The biometric recognition means are arranged such that operation of the water tap or water valve assembly and/or operation of one or more functions of the water tap or water valve assembly takes place only upon recognition or a positive match of one or more biometric features of a user. An improved security is obtained, because only authorized or known users are allowed to operate the water tap or water valve assembly. Control means are only operable following positive or successful biometric recognition of a user by the biometric recognition means. Thus, the water tap or water valve assembly requires user recognition by the biometric recognition means, i.e. an authorization of the user, prior to said user being allowed to use safety- critical functions, such as tapping hot or boiling water.

Although very safe, a major disadvantage of using biometric recognition is the need to authorize users beforehand. Even fully capable adult persons that are fully aware of all the risks associated with hot or boiling water may not use a hot or boiling water lap function until they are actively pre-stored as an authorized user to the control unit of the water tap of water valve assembly. This is particularly undesirable for situations wherein multiple persons, including occasional visitors, may want to use the hot or boiling water tap function, such as in a kitchen in an office space, store, or other (semi-)public space.

Moreover, a water tap or water valve assembly using biometric recognition means is relatively complex, requiring a way to input authorizations and associated storage means, as well as dedicated sensors. Setting up the water tap by pre-storing biometric recognition data may a laborious process, especially for elderly persons. Also, biometric recognition data may be classified as privacy-sensitive personal recognition data not all users would be keen to share or store. Finally, the design of the water tap of WO 2018/087536 A1 does not allow simultaneous one handed operation by an adult.

The international patent application WO 2014/111240 A1 relates to a sanitary fitting, and comprises a housing. An operating lever of a mixer tap is arranged on a right side of the housing, and functions as a first actuating element. A second actuating element, which is arranged on a left side of the housing, may be embodied as a control knob that is rotatably mounted relative to the housing. This control knob may be associated with a dedicated boiling water conduit. For safety reasons, a safety slide is mounted in the control knob. The safety slide only allows the control knob to be rotated to a position wherein boiling water is delivered when the safety slide is operated. However, because the safety slide is integrated in the control knob itself, releasing the safety is relatively easy, and may also be done by children.

There is a need for a water tap that offers a solution for the contradictory demands of providing safety on the one hand, and providing, preferably in a simple and robust design, an intuitive and fast use on the other hand.

An objective of the present invention is to provide a water tap, that is improved relative to the prior art and wherein at least one of the above stated problems is obviated.

Such objectives as indicated above, and/or other benefits or inventive effects, are attained according to the present disclosure by the assembly of features in the appended independent claim.

Said objective is in particular achieved with the hot water tap according to the present invention, comprising:

- a housing;

- a hot water input into the housing, wherein said hot water input is connectable to a hot water appliance;

- a hot water output out of the housing;

- a throughput valve that is configured to be selectively opened to allow throughput of hot water;

- a user interface that comprises a safety and an activator; and - wherein the safety comprises a first sensor or switch arranged on the housing;

- wherein the activator comprises a second sensor or switch arranged on the housing,

- wherein the first sensor or switch of the safety and the second sensor or switch of the activator are arranged on opposing sides of the housing; and

- wherein a circumferential distance between the first sensor or switch of the safety and the second sensor or switch of the activator around the housing corresponds with simultaneous operation of both the first sensor or switch of the safety and the second sensor or switch of the activator by an adult grasping around said housing.

The w'aler tap delivers water only when both the safety and the activator are at the same time in an activated state, caused by an operation thereof. The throughput valve is then opened and hot water is allow'ed to flow. The safety is thus released when it is operated by the user. Operation of the sensor or switch of the safety activates the safety. In the activated state, the safety is released to allow the throughput of hot water. The simultaneous operation provides both safety via a two step process, while also providing an intuitive handling and fast delivery of water.

The safety comprises a first sensor or switch arranged on the housing, and the activator comprises a second sensor or sw'itch arranged on the housing. These sensors or switches may be of a binary nature, meaning that they can only be on or“off , while the configuration according to the invention still provides a safe hot water tap that is fast and offers intuitive handling.

According to the invention, the first sensor or switch of the safety and the second sensor or switch of the activator are arranged on opposing sides of the housing. This creates a distance. More in particular, a circumferential distance between the first sensor or switch of the safety and the second sensor or switch of the activator around the housing corresponds with simultaneous operation of both the first sensor or switch of the safety and the second sensor or switch of the activator by an adult grasping around said housing.

Thus, with a simple design, that only comprises two (possibly simple binary low' tech) sensors or switches for the safety and activator respectively, a safe hot w'ater tap is obtained if they are arranged on opposing sides of the housing and at a circumferential distance that is sufficient to guarantee that simultaneous operation of the safety and activator is only possible by an adult grasping around said housing. The use for an adult is in this way extremely intuitive and moreover available for every adult with an adult hand size.

Contrary to the water tap disclosed in the international patent application WO 2018/087536 A 1 , the design is simple and therefore robust. There is no need for complex and vulnerable components, such as biometric sensors and storage for storing of any privacy-sensitive personal data. The hot water tap according to the invention is easy to install and ready to be used by any adult with an adult hand size, while effectively preventing use by children that have small hands. There is also no need for laborious and time-consuming setting-up procedures to pre-store any authorized users. Finally, there is also no need for image processing of e.g. fingerprint data.

According to a preferred embodiment, the first sensor or switch of the safety and/or the second sensor or switch of the activator are radially operable relative to the housing. Thus, when an adult user grasps the housing he or she intuitively operates the activator or switch by radially operating the sensors or switches thereof that are arranged on opposite sides of the housing.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the housing is sized and/or shaped such that said circumferential distance between the first sensor or switch of the safety and the second sensor or switch of the activator around the housing corresponds to the grasp of an adult.

Further preferred embodiments are the subject of the further dependent claims.

The various aspects and features described and shown in the specification can be applied, individually, wherever possible. These individual aspects, and in particular the aspects and features described in the attached dependent claims, may be made subject of divisional patent applications.

In the following description preferred embodiments of the present invention are further elucidated with reference to the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a water tap according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a front view of the housing of the water tap of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a rear view of the housing of the water tap of Figure 1 ; and

Figure 4 is a flow diagram of selecting hot water or a special water type.

The water tap 1 shown in Figure 1 , as an example, is embodied as a hot water tap. Hot water is safety critical, as it may cause injuries. In the shown embodiment, the water source 4 is a hot water appliance. However, for sparkling water, the water source 4 may be a (not shown) cartridge containing a supply of carbon dioxide. For water containing a flavor, the water source 4 may be connected to a container comprising a flavoring.

The hot water tap 1 comprises a housing 2. Said housing 2 comprises a water input 3 into the housing 2, and a water output 5 out of the housing 2, which in the shown embodiment are a hot water input and a hot water output, respectively. Said water input 3 is connectable to a water source 4. For a hot w ater tap 1 , said water source 4 is a hot water appliance. A throughput valve 6 is arranged in said housing 2 between the water input 3 and the water output 5. The hot water tap 1 further comprises a user interface 7 that comprises a safety 8 and an activator 9, w'herein said throughput valve 6 is configured to be selectively opened when said safety 8 and said activator 9 are simultaneously activated. Thus, when both the safety 8 and the activator 9 are at the same time operated to be in an activated state, the throughput valve 6 is opened and water is allowed to flow from the water input 3 to the water output 5. The hot water tap 1 may comprise an outlet pipe 10 that is connected to said housing 2.

Said safety 8 is preferably an element from a group comprising a button, a switch and a touch sensor. A touch sensor may be a sensor arranged in said housing 2 that is configured to sense a change in a dielectric constant of said housing 2, providing a stealth safety.

In order to prevent accidental and unintentional activation of hot water delivery, said throughput valve 6 may be configured to be selectively opened only after a predetermined period after said safety 8 and said activator 9 are simultaneously operated, and thereby activated. For example, delivery of hot water may only start when said safety 8 and activator 9 are both activated at the same time for at least one second, possibly already informing the user that hot water is going to be delivered soon. The user may for example be informed by activation of a light, such as a red light that is arranged on the housing 2.

Prevention of accidental and unintentional activation of hot water delivery may also be obtained if - alternatively or in addition to the safety measure in the previous paragraph - said throughput valve 6 is configured to be selectively opened only when said safety 8 is operated, i.e. when it is activated and released by operation thereof, first and said activator 9 is consecutively operated, i.e. activated, while said safety 8 is still activated, i.e. released. Thus, if said safety 8 is a touch sensor, it may be required that first the safety 8 is touched, i.e. operated, and said touch is maintained while consecutively also activating said activator 9, before the throughput valve 6 is selectively opened. Activating the safety 8 first causes the safety to release, thereby allowing the activator 9 to control activation of hot water delivery in a second step.

In the shown embodiment, said safety 8 and said activator 9 are arranged at a circumferential distance on the housing 2. In this way a user must at least use two fingers to activate hot water output. If said circumferential distance is greater than a distance between a tip of a distal phalanx of a thumb and a tip of a distal phalanx of an index finger of an average child of an age of e.g. ten years old, it is prevented that such a child (or person having a similar hand size) is able to activate hot water output with a single hand. In this way, the chance that a small child may activate output of hot water associated with the safety 8 is greatly reduced. Said circumferential distance is preferably at least 60 mm, more preferably at least 65 mm, and most preferably at least 70 mm.

If one of the safety 8 and the activator 9 is arranged on a front half 11 of the housing 2, and the other of the safety 8 and the activator 9 is arranged on a back half 12 of the housing 2, the circumferential distance may be relatively large relative to the size of the housing 2.

In the preferred embodiment that is showm in Figure 1, the activator 9 is arranged on the front half 11 of the housing 2 that is configured to face the user during use, and the safety 8 is arranged on the back half 12 of the housing 2 that is configured to face away from the user during use. As a result, the back half 12 is directed away from the user and therefore concealed from view by said housing 2. A front view and a rear view of the housing 2 of the (hot) water tap of Figure 1 are shown in Figures 2 and 3, respectively.

The hot water tap 1 may comprise a controller 13 that is at least configured to selectively control the throughput valve 6 based on when said safety 8 and said activator 9 are activated. The hot water tap 1 may be part of a hot tap water supply system 14, wherein the hot water input 3 of said hot water tap 1 is connected to a hot water output 15 of the hot water appliance 4. In such a hot tap water supply system 14, it is advantageous if the controller 13 of the hot water tap l is a controller of said hot water appliance 4, allowing the hot water tap 1 itself to be relatively simple. Preferably, the hot water tap 1 and the hot water appliance 4 are configured to be bi-directionally connected. In this way, a specific state of the hot water appliance 4 may be indicated on the hot water tap 1 , such as a blinking red light indicating that the hot water appliance is heating water, or alternative signs indicating an error stale.

In a further preferred embodiment, the hot water tap 1 comprises at least one further water input 16. Said user interface 7 may further comprise a selector 17, and the controller 13 may be further configured to select one of the hot water or the at least one further water based on a corresponding operation of said selector 17. The at least one further water input 16 may comprise an input from a group comprising a cold water input, a warm water input, a special water input, a fdtered water input, a chilled water input, a spariding water input and an input for water having a flavor.

Hot water, such as boiling water, is potentially dangerous, and therefore accidental and unintentional activation is prevented using safety 8. However, because the at least one further water input 16 is associated to water types that are not dangerous, said controller 13 may further be configured to selectively allow output of the at least one further water via an outlet 18 based on activation of said activator 9 solely without activation of the safety 8. Thus, dependent on a setting in the controller 13, specific water types may be prevented against accidental and unintentional activation using safety 8, whereas further water types may be readily available without requiring an activation of the safety 8. The safety 8 is not restricted to being associated with safety -critical hot water, but may also be associated to further water of which use should be restricted, such as sparkling water, whereas even further water types such as filtered or chilled water may be readily available without activation of the safety 8.

The hot water tap 1 as described is a hot kitchen tap. Hot water is defined as water having a temperature of at least 70 °C, but preferably the hot water is water that is boiling at atmospheric pressure.

The flow diagram of Figure 4 shows how a user may activate either output of hot water or output of a further water, such as filtered water, chilled water, sparkling water, water having a flavor, or combinations thereof. In the example, the water being associated with the safety 8 is hot water, but the invention is not limited thereto.

The hot water tap 1 always starts from a‘Standby Mode ^” (SM). When the safety 8 is activated, the hot water tap 1 will go from the“Standby Mode” (SM) into a“Safety Released mode” (SR), as indicated by arrow 18. In order to prevent accidental and unintentional activation of (hot) water delivery , the“Safety Released mode” (SR) may become activated only when said safety 8 and activator 9 are both activated at the same time for at least a pre-determined period, e.g. one second, possibly already informing the user that hot water is going to be delivered soon.

Once the safety 8 is activated, i.e. released, the user may activate delivery of hot water by simultaneous activation of the activator 9. The mode will then change to“Activator Activated” (AA), as indicated by arrow 19. Thus, only when both the safety 8 and the activator 9 are at the same time in an activated state, the throughput valve 6 is opened and hot water is allowed to flow from the hot water input 3 to the hot water output 5.

If the activation of the activator 9 stops in the“Activator Activated mode” (AA), the hot water tap 1 will go back to the“Safety Released mode” (SR), as indicated by arrow 20. In order to restart output of hot water from the“Safely Released mode” (SR), the user only needs to activate the activator 9 again (arrow 19), because the safety 8 is still released. Thus, hot water remains readily available.

However, if the activation of the safety 8 stops in either one of the“Safety Released mode” (SR) of the“Activator Activated mode” (AA), the (hot) water tap 1 will immediately go back to the“Standby Mode” (SM), as indicated by arrows 21 and 22, respectively.

Please note that the preferred embodiment that is associated with the flow diagram of Figure 4 requires that said safety 8 is released first and that said activator 9 is consecutively activated while said safety 8 is still released. Requiring a specific order provides extra prevention against accidental and unintentional activation of (hot) water delivery, whereas intentional activation of hot water is intuitive, easy and fast.

The hot water is only available as a selection when the safety 8 is released and the hot water tap 1 is in the“Safety Released mode” (SR). However, starting from the“Standby Mode” (SM), a user may operate the selector 17 to select a further water type from one or more than one further types of water. For example, pressing the selector 17 once may bring the water tap 1 into a ^' ‘Further Water Type 1 mode” (FW 1 ), whereas pressing the selector twice may bring the water tap 1 into a“Further Water Type 2 mode” (FW2). The skilled person will understand that the number of special water types that may be selected may be higher than two, and that control of each further water type may perform similar to the further water type 1 that is described below. If the water tap 1 is in the“Further Water Type 1 mode” (FW1), and the activator 9 is activated, the water tap 1 will go into the“Further Water Type 1 Activated mode” (FWl A), as indicated by arrow 23, and start outputting water of a further water type 1.

If the further water type 1 is not dangerous, now several operating modes may be applied.

According to a first mode, delivery of the further water may start when the activator 9 is activated, and may continue being delivered until the activator 9 is pressed again. The water tap 1 thus goes from the“Further Water Type 1 mode” (FWl) to the“Further Water Type 1 Activated mode” (FWl A) when activator 9 is activated, and may remain in the FWl A mode until activator 9 is pressed again. Arrow 24 indicates that the“Further Water Type 1 Activated mode” (FW 1 A) returns to the“Further Water Type 1 mode” (FW 1), from where a user may select another type of further water by operation of the selector 17 or release the safety 8 to be able to select (hot) water.

According to a second mode, delivery of the further water may start when the activator 9 is activated (arrow 23), and may continue as long as activator 9 remains activated. As soon as activator 9 is released, the water tap 1 may return back to the“Further Water Type 1 mode” (FW1), as indicated by arrow' 24.

In either one of the first mode and the second mode, delivery of the further water (mode FW1A) may also be terminated if a predetermined time period has lapsed since start of delivery of the further water.

The above described embodiment is intended only to illustrate the invention and not to limit in any way the scope of the invention. Again, it is explicitly mentioned that the w'ater tap according to the invention is not limited to hot water, but may also be used in relation to other water types, including but not limited to sparkling w _' ater and water having a flavor.

It should be understood that where features mentioned in the appended claims are followed by reference signs, such signs are included solely for the purpose of enhancing the intelligibility of the claims and tire in no way limiting on the scope of the claims. The scope of the invention is defined solely by the following claims.