Automatic bathroom flushers

• US 20100252759A1
• Filed: 01/04/2010
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sloan Valve Company
• Original Assignee: Sloan Valve Company
• Inventors: Jin, Wei, Allen, James Counaghton, Chen, Qiaohong, Marcichow, Martin, Parson, Amy, Wilson, John R., Mo, Xiaoxiong, Parsons, Natan E., Herbert, Kay, Guler, Fatih, Daher, Jean F.
• Granted Patent: US 9,169,626 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 251/129.40
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 3/06 with diaphragm valve and pressure chamber for retarding the valve-closing movement
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 5/105 touchless, e.g. using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/02 electric F16K31/004 takes precedence; magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

An automatic bathroom flusher includes a flusher body, a valve assembly, an electronic control system, and a flusher cover. The flusher body includes an inlet and an outlet, and is designed to accommodate the valve assembly that controls water flow between the inlet and the outlet. The valve assembly includes a valve member movable with respect to a valve seat providing a sealing action. The bathroom flusher may include a user sensor, and one or more photovoltaic cells for supplying electrical power to the electronic control system. The bathroom flusher enables two or multiple flush volumes in automatic or manual modes, depending on a user action. The bathroom flusher may include a user interface including a button and visible LEDs.

Claims

1. An automatic bathroom flusher, comprising:

a valve having a valve body including an inlet and an outlet and a valve seat inside said body;

a valve member cooperatively arranged with said valve seat, said valve member being constructed and arranged to control water flow between said inlet and said outlet, movement of said valve member between open and closed positions being controlled by water pressure inside a pilot chamber;

an external cover designed for enclosing an electronic control module comprising a sensor, and for enclosing an actuator for controlling operation of said valve; and

a photovoltaic cell for providing electrical power.

2. The flusher of claim 1 wherein said photovoltaic cell is sensitive to wavelengths of visible light.

3. The flusher of claim 1 wherein said photovoltaic cell is sensitive to wavelengths ranging from approximately 400 nm to 700 nm.

4. The flush valve of claim 1 wherein said photovoltaic cell includes amorphous silicon.

5. The flusher of claim 1 including an external switch, located on said external cover, for triggering a manual flush of said flush valve.

6. The flusher of claim 1 including two external switches for triggering manual flush cycles of said flush valve having different water volumes.

7. The flusher of claim 1 wherein said external cover includes said removable cover parts forming a main cover body, a front cover and a top cover, said front cover including a sensor window.

8. The flusher of claim 7 wherein said main cover body provides overall rigidity to said external cover.

9. The flusher of claim 7 wherein said top cover is removable while maintaining said front cover including a sensor window located in place with respect to said main cover body.

10. The flusher of claim 7 wherein said sensor is an optical sensor and said sensor window in an optical window.

11. The flusher of claim 10 further constructed to adjust detection sensitivity of said optical sensor while maintaining said optical window located on said main cover body.

12. The flusher of claim 7 wherein said top cover includes two external switches for triggering manual flush cycles of said flush valve having different water volumes.

13. The flusher of claim 1 wherein a controller of said flush valve initiates automatic flush cycles having different water volumes depending on input from said sensor.

14. The flusher of claim 1 wherein said external switches provide a user interface for communicating with a controller of said flusher.

15. The flusher of claim 1 wherein said valve member includes a piston.

16. The flusher of claim 1 wherein said valve member includes a flexible diaphragm.

17. The flusher of claim 16 wherein said flexible diaphragm includes a relief passage controlled by said actuator and in communication with said outlet, said flexible diaphragm being retained with respect to said valve body by a pressure cap defining said pilot chamber.

18. The flusher of claim 17 including a bypass orifice in said diaphragm connecting said inlet with said pressure chamber, said orifice having a cross section area smaller than that of said relief passage.

19. An automatic bathroom flusher, comprising:

a valve having a valve body including an inlet and an outlet and a valve seat inside said body;

a valve member cooperatively arranged with said valve seat, said valve member being constructed and arranged to control water flow between said inlet and said outlet, movement of said valve member between open and closed positions being controlled by water pressure inside a pilot chamber;

an external cover designed for enclosing an electronic control module comprising a sensor, and for enclosing an actuator for controlling operation of said valve; and

a manual override sensor constructed to activate manually flushing action of said valve member.

20. The flusher of claim 19, wherein said manual override sensor includes a pushbutton.

21. The flusher of claim 19, wherein said manual override sensor includes a capacitive sensor.

22. The flusher of claim 21, wherein said capacitive sensor is associated with a cover of the flusher.

23. The flusher of claim 21, wherein said capacitive sensor is located on a cover of the flusher.

24-44. -44. (canceled)

45. A data communication system for communicating with several automatic bathroom flushers comprising a valve having a valve body including an inlet and an outlet and a valve seat inside said body;

a valve member being cooperatively arranged with said valve seat and being constructed and arranged to control water flow between said inlet and said outlet, movement of said valve member between open and closed positions being controlled by water pressure inside a pilot chamber, said data communication system comprising an RF transceiver and an antenna constructed to communicate with several automatic bathroom flushers networked fashion.

46. A data communication system of claim 45 constructed to transmit and receive information regarding operation state of a flusher.

47. A data communication system of claim 45 constructed to transmit and receive information regarding a battery voltage of a flusher.

48. A data communication system of claim 45 constructed to transmit and receive information regarding operation fault of a flusher.