Electronic faucet

• US 10,267,022 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2016
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Delta Faucet Company (Masco Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Delta Faucet Company (Masco Corporation)
• Inventors: Veros, Michael J., Thomas, Kurt J., Galambus, Mark, DeVries, Adam M., Tyner, Anthony E., Sawaski, Joel D., Davidson, Kyle Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Skubinna, Christine J
• Application Number:
  US15/224,430
• Publication Number:
  US 20160333556A1
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 4677
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/0404 Constructional or functional features of the spout
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/055 Electrical control devices, e.g. with push buttons, control panels or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 2001/026 with flow restricting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/074 with flat sealing faces
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/043 characterised by mechanical means between the motor and the valve, e.g. lost motion means reducing backlash, clutches, brakes or return means
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 37/0041 for measuring valve parameters F16K37/0033 takes precedence

Abstract

An electronic faucet assembly includes a mixing valve and a user interface in communication with a controller. Input to the user interface illustratively causes the controller to operate in a flow control mode or a temperature control mode. In the flow control mode the mixing valve provides flow control of water at a constant temperature, while in the temperature control mode the mixing valve provides temperature control of water at a constant flow. A memory device may be secured to a faucet component to store identification data related thereto.

Claims

1. An electronic faucet comprising:

an upper faucet component configured to be coupled above a sink deck, the upper faucet component including a user interface;

an electrically operable valve configured to be supported below the sink deck;

the upper faucet component including a component memory device, the component memory device storing identification data associated with the upper faucet component, wherein different identification data is associated with different types of upper faucet components; and

a controller in electrical communication with the user interface, the electrically operable valve and the component memory device, the controller configured to receive the identification data from the component memory device, the identification data representative of a control configuration of the user interface;

wherein different sets of instructions are associated with different identification data, the controller selecting one of the sets of instructions based upon the control configuration, the selected one set of instructions controlling operation of the electrically operable valve in response to input from the user interface.

2. The electronic faucet of claim 1, wherein the different types of upper faucet components include at least one of a delivery spout and a valve handle, the user interface being supported on the upper faucet component.

3. The electronic faucet of claim 1, wherein the identification data includes information on the type of user interface, and the set of instructions based upon the control configuration associates signals received by the controller from the user interface and the desired position of a valve member of the electrically operable valve.

4. The electronic faucet of claim 3, wherein the user interface comprises a rotary sensor, and the controller utilizes the control configuration to associate voltage from the rotary sensor with the desired position of the valve member.

5. The electronic faucet of claim 3, wherein the user interface comprises a capacitive sensor, and the controller utilizes the control configuration to establish a threshold voltage for valve activation.

6. The electronic faucet of claim 1, where the electrically operably valve comprises:

a mixing valve including;

a hot water inlet;

a cold water inlet spaced from the hot water inlet;

an outlet spaced from the hot water inlet and the cold water inlet; and

a valve member supported for movement relative to the hot water inlet and the cold water inlet to control the flow of water from the hot water inlet and the cold water inlet to the outlet;

an actuator operably coupled to the valve member for moving the valve member;

the controller being operably coupled to the actuator for selectively providing a flow control mode of operation and a temperature control mode of operation by causing the actuator to move the valve member; and

wherein input to the user interface within a first input range causes the controller to operate in the flow control mode, and input to the user interface within a second input range causes the controller to operate in the temperature control mode, the flow control mode positioning the valve member to provide variable flow rate of water through the cold water inlet to the outlet while preventing the flow of water through the hot water inlet to the outlet, and the temperature control mode positioning the valve member to provide substantially constant flow rate of water through the outlet and variable mixing of water from the hot water inlet and the cold water inlet to adjust the temperature of water at the outlet.

7. The electronic faucet of claim 6, further comprising:

a temperature sensor in communication with the controller and fluidly coupled to the outlet for measuring the temperature of water supplied to the outlet; and

a light supported by the input member for providing an indication of water temperature measured by the temperature sensor.

8. The electronic faucet of claim 1, wherein the component memory device comprises an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory.

9. An electronic faucet assembly comprising:

a faucet component including a component memory device;

the component memory device storing identification data associated with the faucet component, wherein different identification data is associated with different types of faucet components; and

a controller in electrical communication with the component memory device, the controller determining a control configuration based upon the identification data received from the component memory device, different control configurations being based on different identification data, and operating the faucet based upon the determined control configuration.

10. The electronic faucet of claim 9, further comprising:

a user interface supported by the faucet component; and

an electrically operable valve in electrical communication with the controller;

wherein the controller selects a set of instructions based upon the control configuration, the set of instructions controlling operation of the electrically operable valve in response to input from the user interface.

11. The electronic faucet of claim 10, wherein the different types of faucet components include at least one of a delivery spout and a valve handle, the user interface being supported on the faucet component.

12. The electronic faucet of claim 10, wherein the identification data includes information on the type of user interface, and the set of instructions based upon the control configuration associates signals received by the controller from the user interface and the desired position of a valve member of the electrically operable valve.

13. The electronic faucet of claim 12, wherein the user interface comprises a rotary sensor, and the controller utilizes the control configuration to associate voltage from the rotary sensor with the desired position of the valve member.

14. The electronic faucet of claim 12, wherein the user interface comprises a capacitive sensor, and the controller utilizes the control configuration to establish a threshold voltage for valve activation.

15. The electronic faucet of claim 9, wherein the component memory device comprises an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory.

16. An electronic faucet assembly comprising:

a faucet component including a component memory device storing identification data associated with the faucet component;

a controller in electrical communication with the component memory device, the controller determining a control configuration based upon the identification data received from the component memory device, and operating the faucet based upon the determined control configuration;

a user interface supported by the faucet component; and

an electrically operable valve in electrical communication with the controller;

wherein the controller selects a set of instructions based upon the control configuration, the set of instructions controlling operation of the electrically operable valve in response to input from the user interface; and

wherein the identification data includes information on the type of user interface, and the set of instructions based upon the control configuration associates signals received by the controller from the user interface and the desired position of a valve member of the electrically operable valve.

17. The electronic faucet of claim 16, wherein the faucet component comprises one of a delivery spout and a valve handle, the user interface being supported on the faucet component.

18. The electronic faucet of claim 16, wherein the user interface comprises a rotary sensor, and the controller utilizes the control configuration to associate voltage from the rotary sensor with the desired position of the valve member.

19. The electronic faucet of claim 16, wherein the user interface comprises a capacitive sensor, and the controller utilizes the control configuration to establish a threshold voltage for valve activation.

20. The electronic faucet of claim 16, wherein the component memory device comprises an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory.