ON DEMAND ELECTRONIC FAUCET

• US 20080078019A1
• Filed: 09/27/2007
• Published: 04/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sloan Valve Company
• Original Assignee: Sloan Valve Company
• Inventors: ALLEN, Charles, Zosimadis, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 7,979,928 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 4/623
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/057 touchless, i.e. using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87579 Faucet attachment

Abstract

An on-demand electronic faucet system for providing a faucet with a flow of water in response to a stimulus. A sensor unit is positioned remote from the faucet and in wireless communication with a wireless valve control unit. The wireless valve control unit controls a valve in the water supply line that feeds the faucet. In response to a stimulus, the sensor signals the wireless valve control unit to change the status of the valve in the water supply line from open to closed or closed to open and other states affecting flow and temperature.

Claims

1. A wireless apparatus for controlling water flow to a faucet fed by a water line having a water supply valve with an open state and a closed state, the wireless apparatus comprising:

a sensor unit having a housing with a sensor for detecting at least one stimulus and a sensor wireless communication device, the digital sensor unit located remote from the faucet;

at least one wireless control valve device comprising a valve control wireless communication device and in operative communication with the water supply valve and in wireless communication with the sensor unit wireless communication device;

wherein upon detection of one of the at least one stimulus, a signal is transmitted from the sensor unit wireless communication device to the wireless control valve device thereby triggering a change in the state of the water supply valve.

2. The wireless valve control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the water supply valve comprises a hot water valve and a cold water valve and the at least one wireless control valve device comprises two wireless control valve devices, in operative communication with the hot water valve and cold water valves, respectively.

3. The wireless apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one stimulus comprises a first stimulus and a second stimulus that are distinguishable by the sensor unit.

4. The wireless apparatus of claim 3, wherein if the sensor unit detects the first stimulus, a first signal is transmitted to the hot water valve device and if the sensor detects the second stimulus, a second signal is transmitted to the cold water valve device.

5. The wireless apparatus of claim 3, wherein if the sensor detects the first stimulus, a first signal is transmitted to the at least one wireless control valve device and the state of the hot water valve is changed and if the sensor detects a second stimulus, a second signal is transmitted to the at least one wireless control valve device and the state of the cold water valve is changed.

6. The wireless apparatus of claim 2, wherein the sensor wireless communication device comprises a sensor transceiver and the control valve wireless communication device also comprises a control valve transceiver, the transceivers being in wireless send/receive communication with each other.

7. The wireless apparatus of claim 3 wherein the sensor transceiver, upon transmitting data, verifies that the control valve transceiver received the data.

8. The wireless apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor unit wireless communication and the control valve wireless communication device have paired frequencies for wireless communication.

9. The wireless apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor wireless communication device comprises a transmitter and the flow valve wireless communication device comprises a receiver, the transmitter and receiver in wireless communication with each other.

10. The wireless apparatus of claim 1, wherein the valve is a variable control valve allowing for plurality of state, and thus their associate flow volumes, between the open state and the closed state, and further wherein in response to one of the plurality of stimuli, the sensor unit wireless communication device transmits a signal to the wireless control valve device, which alters the valve to selectively control the flow volume of the water flow.

11. The wireless apparatus of claim 1, wherein the faucet is positioned on a vanity and the sensor unit is positioned remotely therefrom on another portion of the vanity.

12. The wireless apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor unit wireless communication device transmissions have an identification code and the control valve wireless communication device responds only to transmissions bearing the identification code.

13. The wireless apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmitter and receiver communication via radio frequency transmissions.

14. The wireless apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a light positioned in the sensor unit.

15. The wireless apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one manual activation button positioned on the sensor unit and in operative communication with the sensor unit wireless communication device for signaling the control valve.

16. An on-demand faucet system comprising:

a faucet in fluid communication with a water supply line formed from a hot water supply line and a cold water supply line;

a hot water valve operatively positioned on the hot water supply line for controlling the volume of hot water supplied to the water supply line;

a wireless hot water valve receiver in operative communication with the hot water valve such that the wireless hot water valve receiver selectively controls the volume of hot water supplied to the water supply line;

a cold water valve operatively positioned on the cold water supply line for controlling the volume of cold water supplied to the water supply line;

a wireless cold water valve receiver in operative communication with the cold water valve such that the wireless cold water valve receiver selectively controls the volume of cold water supplied to the water supply line; and

a sensor unit positioned remote from the faucet and comprising a housing with a wireless transmitter and a sensor for presence detection, the transmitter of the sensor unit in wireless communication with the wireless hot water valve receiver and the wireless cold water valve receiver;

wherein upon presence detection, the flow of water supplied from the cold water supply line and the hot water supply line to the water supply line is altered.

17. The on-demand faucet system of claim 16, wherein the sensor has a zone of detection in which it is capable of detecting presence and wherein the zone of detection is movable in relation to the faucet.

18. The on-demand faucet system of claim 16, wherein the sensor is able to discern at least a first and second type of presence.

19. The on-demand faucet system of claim 18, wherein upon detection of the first type of presence, a first transmission is made to the hot water valve device triggering a change in state of the hot water valve and upon detection of a second type of presence, a second signal is transmitted to the cold water valve device triggering a change in state of the cold water valve, thus allowing for independent control of the hot water supply line and the cold water supply line.

20. The on-demand faucet system of claim 16, further comprising a temperature sensor positioned in thermal contact with the water supply line and in wireless communication with the sensor unit, the sensor unit comprising a display for indicating the temperature of the water.

21. The on-demand faucet system of claim 20, further comprising a temperature triggered water shut-off switch positioned on the water supply line and in communication with the temperature sensor, wherein the flow of water to the faucet is stopped when the temperature sensor detects a temperature above a predetermined limit.

22. The on-demand faucet system of claim 18, further comprising an automatic shut-off timer, activated when the control valve device is switched from closed to open and which changes the state from open to closed after a predetermined period.

23. The on-demand faucet system of claim 18, further comprising a manual actuator positioned on the sensor unit and in communication with the sensor unit wireless transmitter wherein actuation of the actuator initiates a transmission of a signal to one or both of the hot and cold control valve receivers.

24. An wireless communication apparatus for controlling the on/off state of a water control valve supplying a faucet, the wireless apparatus comprising:

a communication system comprising a wireless transmitter and a wireless receiver in wireless communication;

a sensor unit having a housing with a presence sensor for detecting the presence of a user, the sensor unit located remote from the faucet and including the wireless transmitter in operative communication with the presence sensor;

the wireless receiver being in operative communication with the water control valve such that it controls the function of the valve;

wherein upon indication of a presence, the presence sensor signals the wireless transmitter which communicates the indication of presence to the wireless receiver which actuates the valve in accordance with a predetermined scheme based on the presence indication;

the sensor unit to the wireless control valve device thereby triggering a change in the state of the valve.