ELECTRONIC PLUMBING FIXTURE FITTING

• US 20160076233A1
• Filed: 11/23/2015
• Published: 03/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Moen, Inc. (Canada) (Fortune Brands Innovations, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Moen, Inc. (Canada) (Fortune Brands Innovations, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wallerstorfer, Kurt, Parikh, Harshil, Song, Inho
• Application Number:
  US14/948,902
• Publication Number:
  US 20160076233A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/04 Water-basin installations specially adapted to wash-basins or baths valves, faucets, mixing valves, taps F16K
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/0401 Fixing a tap to the sanitary appliance or to an associated mounting surface, e.g. a countertop
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/0402 with mounting from only one side
• 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 1/055 Electrical control devices, e.g. with push buttons, control panels or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/057 touchless, i.e. using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 2001/026 with flow restricting devices
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 2001/0415 having an extendable water outlet
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 19/006 Specially adapted for faucets
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 8/10 Detecting, e.g. by using light barriers by reflection from the object G01S17/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7737 Thermal responsive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87281 System having plural inlets
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87338 Flow passage with bypass
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87507 Electrical actuator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87579 Faucet attachment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87692 With common valve operator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87917 Flow path with serial valves and/or closures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/9464 Faucets and spouts

Abstract

The present invention provides an electronic plumbing fixture fitting, such as an electronic faucet.

Claims

1. An electronic plumbing fixture fitting, comprising:

a discharge outlet, the discharge outlet being operable to deliver water;

an electronic valve, the electronic valve being operable to permit flow of water through the discharge outlet when the electronic valve is activated and to prevent flow of water through the discharge outlet when the electronic valve is deactivated;

a sensor, the sensor being operable to send a signal when the sensor is triggered; and

a control for the sensor, the control being operable to receive the signal from the sensor when the sensor is triggered and, in response, send a signal to the electronic valve to activate the electronic valve, a portion of the control not being unique to the sensor and a portion of the control being unique to the sensor;

wherein the portion of the control that is not unique to the sensor is stored separate from the portion of the control that is unique to the sensor.

2. The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of 1, wherein the portion of the control that is not unique to the sensor is stored outside a portion of the fitting that houses the sensor.

3. The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of 1, wherein the portion of the control that is unique to the sensor is stored inside a portion of the fitting that houses the sensor.

4. The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of 1, wherein the portion of the control that is not unique to the sensor is stored in an electronics module that is outside a spout of the fitting.

5. The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of 1, wherein the portion of the control that is unique to the sensor is stored inside a spout of the fitting.

6. The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of 1, wherein an inner diameter of a spout of the fitting is less than or equal to one inch.

7. An electronic plumbing fixture fitting, comprising:

a discharge outlet, the discharge outlet being operable to deliver water;

an electronic valve, the electronic valve being operable to permit flow of water through the discharge outlet when the electronic valve is activated and to prevent flow of water through the discharge outlet when the electronic valve is deactivated;

a sensor, the sensor being operable to send a signal when the sensor is triggered; and

a control for the sensor, the control being operable to receive the signal from the sensor when the sensor is triggered and, in response, send a signal to the electronic valve to activate the electronic valve, the control including a control program and control data, the control program not being unique to the sensor, the control data being unique to the sensor;

wherein the control for the sensor is stored in more than one location.

8. The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of 7, wherein the control program is stored outside a portion of the fitting that houses the sensor.

9. The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of 7, wherein the control data is stored inside a portion of the fitting that houses the sensor.

10. The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of 7, wherein the control program is stored in an electronics module that is outside a spout of the fitting.

11. The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of 7, wherein the control data is stored inside a spout of the fitting.

12. The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of 7, wherein an inner diameter of a spout of the fitting is less than or equal to one inch.

13. An electronic plumbing fixture fitting, comprising:

a discharge outlet, the discharge outlet being operable to deliver water;

an electronic valve, the electronic valve being operable to permit flow of water through the discharge outlet when the electronic valve is activated and to prevent flow of water through the discharge outlet when the electronic valve is deactivated;

a first sensor, the first sensor being operable to send a first signal when the first sensor is triggered;

a second sensor, the second sensor being operable to send a second signal when the second sensor is triggered;

a first control for the first sensor, the first control being operable to receive the first signal from the first sensor when the first sensor is triggered and, in response, send a third signal to the electronic valve to activate the electronic valve, the first control including a first control program and first control data, the first control program not being unique to the first sensor, the first control data being unique to the first sensor; and

a second control for the second sensor, the second control being operable to receive the second signal from the second sensor when the second sensor is triggered and, in response, send a fourth signal to the electronic valve to activate the electronic valve, the second control including a second control program and second control data, the second control program not being unique to the second sensor, the second control data being unique to the second sensor;

wherein the first control for the first sensor is stored in more than one location; and

wherein the second control for the second sensor is stored in more than one location.

14. The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of 13, wherein the first control program and the second control program are stored outside a portion of the fitting that houses the first sensor and the second sensor.

15. The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of 13, wherein the first control data is stored inside a portion of the fitting that houses at least one of the first sensor and the second sensor.

16. The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of 13, wherein the second control data is stored inside a portion of the fitting that houses at least one of the first sensor and the second sensor.

17. The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of 13, wherein the first control program and the second control program are stored in an electronics module that is outside a spout of the fitting.

18. The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of 13, wherein the first control data is stored inside a spout of the fitting.

19. The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of 13, wherein the second control data is stored inside a spout of the fitting.

20. The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of 13, wherein the first control data is stored in the same location as the second control data.