ACOUSTICALLY ACTIVATED PROXIMITY SENSOR SWITCH

• US 3,863,196 A
• Filed: 01/31/1972
• Issued: 01/28/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Massa Products Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lewis M. Hilles
• Inventors: Hilles, Lewis M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Farley, Richard A.
• Application Number:
  US05/222,182
• Time in Patent Office: 1,093 Days
• Field of Search: 340/1R,15,1T,16C,278,280,421,258B
• US Class Current: 367/96
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/04 Systems determining presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 367/901 Noise or unwanted signal reduction in nonseismic receiving system

Abstract

An ultrasonic system detects the presence of a target only after it has remained in a specified target zone for a predetermined period of time. Then after the recognized target is removed a function is performed. Thus, when the target is a person, a system may be automated to operate only after the person has remained fairly stationary within a defined zone of a prescribed period of time, but the system will not be operated responsive to a stream of pedestrian traffic passing through the zone.

Claims

1. A sonically operated urinal flushing system comprising means for sonically detecting a sonic energy reflecting target in a predetermined zone, means for measuring a predetermined time period after said detection of said target in said zone, means for detecting the removal of said target from said zone, and means responsive jointly to said detection of the removal of said sonic energy reflecting target from said predetermined zone and to said time measuring means for flushing said system after said target has been in said zone for said predetermined time period.

2. The system of claim 1 and means for inhibiting response to targets which are not in said zone for said predetermined time period.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein there are a plurality of said flushing systems, and common control means for selectively operating individual ones of said flushing systems.