Water tap (2) or water valve assembly is provided which has biometric recognition means (20) provided on or associated with the same. The biometric recognition means (20) are arranged such that operation of the water tap (2) or water valve assembly and/or operation of one or more functions of the water tap (2) or water valve assembly takes place only upon recognition or a positive match of one or more biometric features of a user.

A method of manufacturing a tap body and a tap is disclosed together with a tap body and a tap made by the process. The present techniques may relate to domestic water taps or faucet. According to the method, first and second hollow body parts are made. The first body part comprises a first pair of apertures. The second body part comprises opposed open ends. The second body part also comprises at least one aperture between the opposed open ends. The method further comprises the steps of inserting the first body part into the at least one aperture on the second body part to make a tap outer body, and aligning the first pair of apertures of the first body part with the opposed open ends to define a channel through the tap outer body.

A system for producing a cooled liquid and a heated liquid. Such a system may be embodied in the form of a unitary apparatus configured to dispense chilled water and near boiling water for human consumption. In one form, there is provided a system for heating and cooling a liquid, the system including: a liquid cooling unit having a heat output component, and a first liquid heater configured to hold and heat a liquid. The first liquid heater is configured to retain a first body of the liquid about the heat output component such that the liquid is heated, and furthermore that a temperature gradient is formed and maintained within the first body of the liquid.

A jet regulator for a fitting for dispensing boiling water is provided. The jet regulator includes a substantially cylindrical housing with an inlet opening and an outlet opening, and a swirl creating portion, arranged in the region of the inlet opening, with a substantially helically extending flow guide for rotationally accelerating a stream of water flowing through, an expansion zone, following the swirl creating portion, in which the rotationally accelerated stream of water can flow under the action of centrifugal force in the region of the housing inner wall, and a guide portion, in which the rotational movement of the stream of water is decelerated and the latter is guided in a longitudinal direction.

This disclosure relates to a sanitary fitting for dispensing prepared liquids, for example, for beverages. A disclosed system includes a first control element for setting a quantity of the prepared liquid to be dispensed and an actuating element for providing the quantity of prepared liquid set by means of the first control element, wherein at least one second control element is configured to select a type of preparation, for example, from at least two different types of preparation, of non-prepared liquid, wherein the first and the at least one second control element are actuatable independently of one another.

A jet regulator for a fitting for dispensing boiling water is provided. The jet regulator includes a substantially cylindrical housing with an inlet opening and an outlet opening, and a swirl creating portion, arranged in the region of the inlet opening, with a substantially helically extending flow guide for rotationally accelerating a stream of water flowing through, an expansion zone, following the swirl creating portion, in which the rotationally accelerated stream of water can flow under the action of centrifugal force in the region of the housing inner wall, and a guide portion, in which the rotational movement of the stream of water is decelerated and the latter is guided in a longitudinal direction.

In an immediate hot water supply operation mode in which a circulation pump is activated while a hot water supply faucet is closed, a water heating apparatus forms an immediate hot water supply circulation path by an inner path and an outer path as being combined, the inner path including a heating mechanism including a combustion mechanism and a heat exchanger, the outer path bypassing the hot water supply faucet outside the water heating apparatus. The outer path includes a crossover valve. In the immediate hot water supply operation mode, a controller introduces intermittent combustion to control a detection temperature detected by the temperature sensor to a set temperature. In intermittent combustion, a minimum combustion state and a combustion stop state are alternately provided. In the minimum combustion state, a quantity of heat output from the combustion mechanism is reduced to a minimum value.

In an immediate hot water supply operation mode in which a circulation pump is activated while a hot water supply faucet is closed, a water heating apparatus forms an immediate hot water supply circulation path by an inner path including a water entry path, a heat exchanger, and a hot water output path and an outer path bypassing the hot water supply faucet, as being combined. A controller stores as an actual flow rate value for each immediate hot water supply operation mode, a flow rate detection value by a flow rate sensor at predetermined timing, and calculates a flow rate learning value based on a plurality of stored actual flow rate values. When the flow rate detection value becomes larger than a criterion value set in accordance with the flow rate learning value, use of the hot water supply faucet is detected and the circulation pump is deactivated.

A domestic water tap (1000) is disclosed. The present application relates to a tap and an inner body for routing liquid within a tap, for example, a domestic water tap or faucet. The domestic water tap (1000) comprises an outer body (1010, 1012) and an inner body (100). The inner body (100) is housed within the outer body (1010, 1012). The outer body (1010, 1012) comprises at least one flow channel (1020, 1022) in which water can flow through the tap (1000) without contacting the outer body (1010, 1012). The inner body (100) is made from plastics and comprises at least one non-threaded bore for securely receiving a connector for delivering water from a source into the inner body (100).

A heated and chilled water dispenser comprising: a housing; an input port fast with the housing for connection to a mains pressure water supply; at least one chilled water container arranged to receive water from the input port; a water chilling assembly arranged to cool said at least one chilled water container; at least one hot water tank including a heating element and a water receiving arrangement to receive water from the input port, the water receiving arrangement including an inlet valve responsive to water level; an inlet plenum associated with the inlet valve, the plenum being coupled with the input port to receive water, the plenum further comprising a fill pipe coupled to the hot water tank for supplying water to the hot water tank; a thermostat coupled to said at least one hot water tank for controlling the heating element and thus temperature of water within the hot water tank; a two way outlet tap configured for dispensing hot water from the hot water supply or chilled water from the chilled water container in accordance with a user's selection; a liquid delivery device coupled to said at least one hot water tank for supplying hot water from the hot water tank, said device being arranged to be actuated by the outlet tap.