Automatic faucet

• US 20030213062A1
• Filed: 05/17/2002
• Published: 11/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toto Limited
• Original Assignee: Toto Limited
• Inventors: Nakao, Hitoshi, Kawabata, Takatoshi, Honda, Tadahiro
• Granted Patent: US 6,691,340 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 4/623
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/057 touchless, i.e. using sensors

Abstract

An automatic faucet has a closing valve, a controller of the closing valve, a discharging member connected to the closing valve through a pipe, an optical sensor connected to the controller through an electric wire and a cylindrical faucet body through which the conduit and the electric wire are passed. The discharging member and the optical sensor are directed in the same direction, assembled in a unit, and installed in a single space formed in the front end portion of the faucet body.

Claims

1. An automatic faucet comprising a closing valve, a controller of the closing valve, a discharging member connected to the closing valve through a pipe, an optical sensor connected to the controller through an electric wire and a cylindrical faucet body through which the pipe and the electric wire are passed, wherein the discharging member and the optical sensor are directed in the same direction, assembled in a unit, and installed in a single space formed in the front end portion of the faucet body.

2. An automatic faucet of claim 1, wherein the discharging member and the optical sensor are assembled to be detachable.

3. An automatic faucet of claim 1, wherein the optical sensor surrounds the discharging member.

4. An automatic faucet of claim 1, wherein the discharging member is fixed to the faucet body with a screw upwardly threaded into the discharging member.

5. An automatic faucet of claim 1, wherein the discharging member is screwed into the faucet body to be fixed to the faucet body.

6. An automatic faucet of claim 5, wherein the discharging member is provided with key grooves.

7. An automatic faucet of claim 5, wherein the discharging member is provided with slits at its front end.