Device for controlling and/or regulating the supply of a medium, devices of this type comprising washing or drying units and a corresponding method

• US 20040025248A1
• Filed: 09/22/2003
• Published: 02/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oblamatik AG
• Original Assignee: Edo Lang, Roland Obrist
• Inventors: Lang, Edo, Obrist, Roland
• Granted Patent: US 7,107,631 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 4/623
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/05 Arrangements of devices on wash-basins, baths, sinks, or the like for remote control of taps remote control of taps or the like per se F16K
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/14 Wash-basins connected to the waste-pipe

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (2) for controlling and/or regulating the supply of a medium using a supply unit for an impingement device. Said supply unit comprises at least one shut-off member and each shut-off member can be moved into a closed position and at least one open position by means of an actuating element. The device comprises a sensor unit (50) for determining in a contactless manner the presence of a material that is to be impinged by the medium. The inventive device (2) is characterised in that said sensor unit (50) is additionally configured for the contactless determination of the relative position of the material in relation to the impingement device (10) and for the output of signals, which act on the actuating elements in such a way that the latter moves the shut-off members into a position that corresponds with the presence and the location of the material to be impinged by the medium. The washing and/or drying devices (10) preferably comprise a device (2) of this type for controlling and/or regulating the supply of water and/or warm air for washing and/or drying purposes. The invention also relates to a corresponding method.

Claims

1. A device (2) for controlling and/or regulating a supply of a medium through a supply unit for an impingement device (10), the supply unit including at least one shut-off member and each shut-off member able to be brought into a closed position and/or at least one open position using an actuating element and the device (2) including a sensor device (50) for contactless determination of the presence of material to be impinged using this medium,

characterized in that this sensor device (50) is additionally implemented for contactless determination of the relative position of this material in relation to the impingement device (10) and for outputting signals, which act on the actuating element in such away that they bring the shut-off member into a setting corresponding to the presence and the position of the material to be impinged using this medium.

2. The device (2) according to claim 1,

characterized in that the sensor device (50) includes at least two sensors, at least two of the sensors being positioned to the left and right of a fresh water outlet (21), preferably symmetrically in relation to this fresh water outlet (21).

3. The device (2) according to claim 1 or 2,

characterized in that the medium is a cleaning agent and/or cold water and/or hot water and/or a disinfectant and/or a gas and/or heated air.

4. A washing device and/or drying device (10),

characterized in that it includes a device (2) according to one of claims 1, 2, or 3 for controlling and/or regulating a supply of water and/or hot air for washing and/or drying body parts.

5. The washing device (10) according to claim 4,

characterized in that it includes a basin (12) having a basin wall (14), the device (2) for controlling a supply of a medium being positioned in the basin wall (14).

6. The washing device (10) according to claim 4,

characterized in that it includes a basin (12) having a basin wall (14), the device (2) being positioned separately from the basin wall (14) in a connecting piece (20) or in a component (1) which supports the basin or in a wall.

7. The washing device (10) according to claim 6,

characterized in that the connecting piece (20) is formed by the material of the basin wall (14) and is shaped onto the basin (12).

8. The washing device (10) according to claim 6,

characterized in that the connecting piece (20) is formed by a pipe-like insert positioned in a first opening (16) and has an outlet cross-section (21) in the basin which is positioned essentially flush with the inner surface of the basin wall (14).

9. The washing device (10) according to one of claims 6 to 8,

characterized in that the connecting piece (20) and at least a part of the sensor device (50) are combined into a module (60).

10. The washing device (10) according to one of claims 6 to 9,

characterized in that the connecting piece (20) and the sensor device (50) are positioned in an overflow opening (17) of the basin wall (14).

11. The washing device (10) according to one of claims 4 to 10,

characterized in that a drain armature (19), having a closing member connected to a sensor, which may be actuated by remote control via this sensor, is attached in a second opening (18) of the basin wall (14).

12. The washing device (10) according to claim 11,

characterized in that a drain armature (19), which includes a siphon for ensuring a stench trap positioned downstream from the basin (10), is attached in the second opening (18) of the basin wall (12), a sensor being positioned in the region of the siphon which reacts to falling away of the stench trap, and the sensor being connected to the shutoff device of the supply device, in order to bring this device temporarily out of its closed position into an open position in the event the stench trap falls away and supply a quantity of fresh water, which reproduces the stench trap, to the basin (12).

13. A method of contactless control and/or regulation of a supply of a medium through a supply unit for an impingement device (10), the supply unit including at least one shut-off member and each shut-off member able to be brought into a closed position and/or at least one open position using an actuating element or their combination and the device including a sensor device (50) for contactless determination of the presence of material to be impinged using this medium, using which at least one field is generated,

characterized in that the contactless detection of this at least one field using the sensor device (50) registers the relative position of this material in relation to the impingement device (10) and the sensor device (50) outputs signals which act on the actuating elements in such a way that they bring the shut-off members into a setting corresponding to the presence and the position of the material to be impinged using this medium.

14. The method according to claim 13,

characterized in that this sensor device (50) is used for setting the fresh water temperature and/or quantity, and/or the hot air temperature of washing and/or drying devices (10).