Faucet Control System

• US 20090044873A1
• Filed: 07/15/2008
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tracy Walter
• Original Assignee: Tracy Walter
• Inventors: Walter, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US12/173,193
• Publication Number:
  US 20090044873A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/606
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/052 Mechanical devices not being part of the tap, e.g. foot pedals
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/055 Electrical control devices, e.g. with push buttons, control panels or the like
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87684 Valve in each inlet

Abstract

An improved faucet control system for reducing water and energy usage in manual washing operations. The faucet control system has a foot pedal that controls the flow of water without the need of operating the faucet. The foot pedal, upon alternate activations, reverses the polarity of an electrical output pulse to the at least one latching solenoid valve, whereby flow through the faucet is controlled in an on/off fashion. At least one battery is present as a power supply and the system consists of at least one latching solenoid valve in at least one faucet supply line.

Claims

1. In a faucet control system of the type having a faucet with an on-off/rate-of-flow manual control valve, at least one faucet supply line, and an additional on-off valve that is solenoid-controlled in the supply line, the improvement comprising:

at least one battery, as a power supply;

a latching solenoid valve in at least one faucet supply line; and

a foot pedal, which, upon alternate activations, reverses the polarity of an electrical output pulse to the solenoid valve, whereby flow through the faucet is controlled in an on/off fashion by pedal activation.

2. The faucet control system of claim 1 wherein the battery and latching solenoid valve are under a sink basin.

3. The faucet control system of claim 1 wherein the at least one latching solenoid valve includes a cold-water solenoid valve and a hot-water solenoid valve, such valves being electrically connected for contemporaneous operation by the foot pedal.

4. The faucet control system of claim 3 wherein the battery and latching solenoid valve are under a sink basin.

5. The faucet control system of claim 3 wherein there is a hot-water shut-off valve and a cold-water shut off valve and wherein the hot-water latching solenoid valve and cold-water latching solenoid valve are downstream of the hot-water shut-off valve and a cold-water shut off valve respectively.

6. The faucet control system of claim 5 wherein the battery and latching solenoid valve are under a sink basin.

7. The faucet control system of claim 6 wherein the hot-water latching solenoid valve and cold-water latching solenoid valve are physically separate modules separately installed in a hot water supply line and a cold water supply line.