LAVATORY SYSTEM

• US 20100168926A1
• Filed: 12/31/2008
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bradley Fixtures Corporation (Bradley Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bradley Fixtures Corporation (Bradley Corporation)
• Inventors: Bayley, Graeme S., Kline, Kevin B.
• Granted Patent: US 7,952,233 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/282
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/02 Plumbing installations for fresh water
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/057 touchless, i.e. using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells

Abstract

A lavatory system having at least one wash station and at least one electrically operated fixture is disclosed. The lavatory system includes a control system for operating the at least one electrically operated fixture and a power supply system for powering the at least one electrically operated fixture. According to one embodiment, the power supply system includes a plurality of power sources and a switch device. The plurality of power sources are electrically coupled to each other and configured to provide an output voltage for powering the at least one fixture. The electrical coupling of the power sources is selectively adjustable between a first arrangement in which the power sources are electrically coupled to each other in parallel and a second arrangement in which the power sources are electrically coupled to each other in series. The first switch device configured to adjust the electrical coupling of the power sources between the first arrangement and the second arrangement.

Claims

1. A lavatory system comprising:

at least one fixture;

a control system configured to control a flow of fluid to the at least one fixture;

a first power source electrically coupled to a second power source, the first power source and the second power source electrically coupled to the control system to provide power to the at least one fixture; and

a power management system electrically coupled to the first power source and the second power source to control the power provided to the control system, the power management system comprising;

a switch configured to change the electrical coupling of the first power source and the second power source between a first arrangement in which the first power source and the second power source are electrically coupled to each other in parallel and a second arrangement in which the first power source and the second power source are electrically coupled to each other in series.

2. The lavatory system of claim 1 wherein the lavatory system provides at least one hand cleansing area and the at least one fixture includes at least one faucet.

3. The lavatory system of claim 1 wherein each of the first power source and the second power source comprises at least one photovoltaic cell configured to convert ambient light energy into an output voltage.

4. The lavatory system of claim 3 further comprising a detector configured to monitor a power output of the photovoltaic cells, wherein the switch receives a signal from the detector indicating whether to adjust the electrical coupling of the photovoltaic cells between the first arrangement and the second arrangement.

5. The lavatory system of claim 1 wherein the photovoltaic cells are in the first arrangement upon a start-up period of the lavatory system and moved to the second arrangement upon completion of the start-up period.

6. The lavatory system of claim 1 further comprising a third power source electrically coupled to the first power source and the second power source, the switch being configured to change the electrical coupling of the first power source, the second power source and the third power source between a first arrangement in which the first power source, the second power source and the third power source are electrically coupled to each other in parallel, a second arrangement in which the first power source, the second power source and the third power source are electrically coupled to each other in series, and an intermediate arrangement in which includes both series and parallel connections.

7. A power supply system for powering at least one fixture within a lavatory system, the power supply system comprising:

a plurality of power sources electrically coupled to each other and configured to provide an output voltage for powering the at least one fixture, the electrical coupling of the power sources being selectively adjustable between a first arrangement in which the power sources are electrically coupled to each other in parallel and a second arrangement in which the power sources are electrically coupled to each other in series; and

a first switch device configured to adjust the electrical coupling of the power sources between the first arrangement and the second arrangement.

8. The power supply system of claim 7 wherein each power source is at least one photovoltaic cell configured to convert ambient light energy into an output voltage.

9. The power supply system of claim 8 wherein each at least one photovoltaic cell is an array of photovoltaic cells.

10. The power supply system of claim 8 further comprising a first detector configured to monitor a power output of the photovoltaic cells.

11. The power supply system of claim 10 wherein the first switch is configured to adjust the coupling of the power sources between the first arrangement and the second arrangement depending at least in part the power output of the photovoltaic cells monitored by the first detector.

12. The power supply system of claim 9 further comprising a second detector and a second switch, the second detector being configured to monitor the output voltage of the photovoltaic cells, the second switch being configured to electrically disconnect the photovoltaic cells from the at least one fixture when the output voltage of the photovoltaic cells drops below a predetermined value.

13. The power supply system of claim 12 further comprising an energy storage element electrically coupled between the photovoltaic cells and the second switch for storing the output voltage generated by the photovoltaic cells.

14. The power supply system of claim 13 wherein the energy storage element is a capacitor.

15. The power supply system of claim 7 further comprising a second switch, the second switch being configured to electrically disconnect the power sources from the at least one fixture when the output voltage of the power sources drops below a predetermined value.

16. The power supply system of claim 7 wherein the electrical coupling of the power sources is configured to be further adjustable to an intermediate position that includes both parallel and series connections.

17. A method of supplying electrical power within a lavatory system, the method comprising:

electrically coupling a plurality of power sources to each other;

electrically coupling the power sources to a control system for operating at least one fixture within the lavatory system; and

switching the electrical coupling of the power sources to each other between a first arrangement in which the power sources are coupled to each other in parallel and a second arrangement in which the power sources are coupled to each other in series.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising providing an energy storage element that stores power generated by the power sources.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising using the first arrangement to provide power to the energy storage element during a start up period of the lavatory system and using the second arrangement to provide power to the energy storage element after the start up period.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising switching the electrical coupling of the power sources to each other to an intermediate arrangement that includes both parallel connections and series connections.