Electronic faucet with spout position sensing means

• US 4,762,273 A
• Filed: 05/04/1987
• Issued: 08/09/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stephen O. Gregory
• Original Assignee: Stephen O. Gregory
• Inventors: Wolf, James L., West, Michael W., Gregory, Stephen O., Sallis, Daniel V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wayner, William E.
• Application Number:
  US07/046,064
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• Field of Search: 236/12.12, 236/93 R, 4/623, 4/192, 137/615, 137/801, 251/89, 251/129.04
• US Class Current: 236/93.00R
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/057 touchless, i.e. using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/9464 Faucets and spouts

Abstract

An electronic water faucet is disclosed, including means for detecting the presence of an object near an outlet of said faucet and determining whether or not noise or reflected light is being sensed. The faucet includes a swivelable spout relative to a main body. Position sensing means for sensing the angular position of the spout are included. The angular positions which the spout can assume are designed to various zones, and those zones are programmed to be active or not active in an automatic mode of operation of the faucet. A rotary mixing valve for supplying and mixing hot and cold water using a cam and deformable seal is used to partially seal hot and cold water inlets.

Claims

1. A water faucet having a spout swivelably connected to a body for controlling a water supply of hot and cold water comprising in combination:

detection means for sensing the presence of an object near an outlet of said spout;

a water flow control valve operative on said detection means for opening and closing a water flow passageway in fluid communication with said water supply; and

spout position sensing means for enabling or disabling said detection means in an automatic mode when said spout is in any one of a plurality of predetermined angular positions, said spout position sensing means for determining the augular position of said spout, said faucet operating in an automatic mode operative on said detection means when said detection means is enabled and in a manual mode, operative on an on/off input signal, when said detection means is disabled.

2. The invention is defined in claim 1 wherein said detection means furhter includes emitter means for periodically transmitting a signal and sensor means for receiving a reflected signal transmitted by said emitter means, said emitter means turned on at times when said sensor means is on, said sensor means turned on and off for preselected periods of time during a cycle of time and, if a signal is sensed by said sensor means when said emitter means is off, said detection means preventing the water flow control valve from turning on, and, if no signal is sensed by said sensor means when said emitter means is off and the reflected signal is sensed by said sensor means when said emitter means is on, said detection means then turning on the water flow control valve.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1 further including a rotary mixing valve providing for selective communication between said water flow passageway and hot and cold water lines, said rotary mixing valve rotatable about an axis and in sliding contact with an interior surface of a deformable seal, an exterior surface of said deformable seal in sealing contact with hot and cold inlet passageways in a first position and upon rotation of the cam, said deformable seal moving away from one of said inlet passageways to admit a greater flow of hot or cold water to said water flow passageway.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein a spray wash line is in communication with said water flow passageway at a point between the mixing valve and the water flow control valve, said faucet further including back flow prevention means for preventing back water flow of said spray wash, said back flow prevention means including said deformable seal of said rotary mixing valve operative on negative pressure in said water faucet to seal said water supply from back flow, a standpipe extending into said body above a maximum water height in a sink associated with said water faucet, and a relief cavity into which said standpipe projects, said relief cavity being vented to atmospheric pressure through a diaphragm in the water flow control valve which is normally open under low water pressure.

5. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said water faucet further includes means for comparing a water supply temperature to a predetermined temperature and forcing said water flow control valve off if said water suppy temperature is greater than said predetermined temperature.

6. The invention as defined in claim 5 wherein said means for comparing a water supply temperature to a predetermined temperature further includes means for supplying audio and visual indications if said supply temperature exceeds said predetermined temperature.

7. The invention as defined in claim 6 wherein a pushbutton input signal turns on the water flow control valve.

8. The invention as defined in claim 5 wherein a pushbutton input signal turns said water flow control valve on whatever the water supply temperature.

9. In an automatic water flow control device having control means for sensing an object near a water outlet of said device, said outlet moveable through an arc, said control means activating water flow in an automatic mode through said device if an object is sensed, the improvement comprising outlet position sensing means for activating or deactivating automatic water flow dependent upon the angular position of said outlet within said arc, said position sensing means further including programmable input means to said control means for selectively changing the angular position of said outlet within said arc in which water flow in the automatic mode occurs.

10. The invention as defined in claim 9 wherein said programmable input means further includes a push-button input for turning on the water flow control device regardless of the angular position of said outlet.

11. The invention as defined in claim 9 wherein said detection means further includes emitter means for periodically transmitting a signal and sensor means for receiving a reflected signal transmitted by said emitter means, said emitter means turned on at times when said sensor means is on, said sensor means turned on and off for preselected periods of time during a cycle of time and, if a signal is sensed by said sensor means when said emitter means is off, said detection means preventing the water flow control device from turning on, and, if no signal is sensed by said sensor means when said emitter means is off and the reflected signal is sensed by said sensor means when said emitter means is no, said detection means then turning on the water flow control valve.

12. The invention as defined in claim 9 further including a rotary mixing valve providing for selective communication between a water flow passageway through said device and hot and cold water lines, said rotary mixing valve rotatable about an axis and in sliding contact with an interior surface of a deformable seal, an exterior surface of said deformable seal in sealing contact with hot and cold inlet passageways in a first position and upon rotation of the cam, said deformable seal moving away from one of said inlet passageways to admit a greater flow of hot or cold water to said water flow passageway.

13. The invention as defined in claim 12 wherein a spray wash line is in communication with said water flow passageway at a point between the mixing valve and a water flow control valve, said device further including back flow prevention means for preventing back water flow of said spray wash, said back flow prevention means including said deformable seal of said rotary mixing valve operative on negative pressure in said water faucet to seal said water supply, a standpipe extending into said body above a maximum water height in a sink associated with said water faucet, and a relief cavity into which said standpipe projects, said relief cavity being vented to atmospheric pressure through a diaphragm in the water flow control valve which is normally open under low water pressure.

14. The invention as defined in claim 9 wherein said control device further includes means for comparing a water supply temperature to a predetermined temperature and forcing said water flow control device off if said water suppy temperature is greater than said predetermined temperature.

15. The invention as defined in claim 14 wherein said means for comparing a water supply temperature to a predetermined temperature further includes means for supplying audio and visual indications if said supply temperature exceeds said predetermined temperature.

16. The invention as defined in claim 15 wherein a pushbutton input signal turns on the control device.

17. The invention as defined in claim 14 wherein a pushbutton input signal turns said water flow control valve on whatever the water supply temperature.

18. An electronic water faucet comprising in combination:

a body having a spout swivelably connected thereto, said body receiving water from a water supply through a passageway, said passageway communicating with a second passageway formed in said spout and terminating at an outlet;

control means for sensing an object near said outlet and activating water flow through said faucet in an automatic mode, water flow deactivated in said automatic mode if a water supply temperature is greater than a predetermined water temperature, said faucet operable in a manual mode selected by a signal generated from programmable input means for less than a first preselected time, said signal operative through said control means to activate water flow, generation of a second signal lasting more than said first predetermined time and less than a second predetermined time by said input means activating water flow when the water supply temperature is greater than the predetermined value, and generation of a third signal lasting more than the second predetermined time, operating through said control means to disable the automatic mode when the spout is in a predefined, angular position.

19. The invention as defined in claim 18 wherein said control means further includes spout position sensing means for first reading the angular position of said spout and then providing a coded input to said control means for determining whether said automatic mode will be enabled or disabled for the particular angular position of the spout.

20. The invention as defined in claim 19 wherein said spout position sensing means further includes a coded bar graph stationarily mounted with respect to said body, said bar graph including indicia thereon for reflecting or not reflecting a signal transmitted thereto by a emitter angled with respect to a surface of said coded graph, said emitter signal being reflected off said coded graph to be received by a sensor, said sensor generating said coded input to said control means a high or a low signal depending upon the indicia upon said coded graph.

21. The invention as defined in claim 20 wherein said coded graph is divided into seven coded zones wherein the faucet can be programmed to be on in the automatic mode and a zone wherein the faucet is always off, and where there are three sensor-emitter pairs superimposed over each other to read three rows of said coded graph to thereby generate a three-bit coded input to said control means.

22. The invention as defined in claim 18 further including a rotary mixing valve providing for selective communication between said first passageway and hot and cold water lines, said rotary mixing valve rotatable about an axis and in sliding contact with an interior surface of a deformable seal, an exterior surface of said deformable seal in sealing contact with hot and cold inlet passageways in a first position and upon rotation of the cam, said deformable seal moving away from one of said inlet passageways to admit a greater flow of hot or cold water to said first passageway.

23. The invention as defined in claim 18 wherein a spray wash line is in communication with said first passageway downstream of the mixing valve, said faucet further including back flow prevention means for preventing back water flow of said spray wash, said back flow prevention means including said deformable seal of said rotary mixing valve operative on negative pressure in said water faucet to seal said water supply from back flow, a standpipe extending into said body above a maximum water height in a sink associated with said water faucet, and a relief cavity into which said standpipe projects, said relief cavity being vented to atmospheric pressure through a diaphragm in the faucet which is normally open under low water pressure.

24. An electronic faucet comprising in combination:

a body for receiving a water supply, which water supply is turned on or off by a water flow control device, said body having a spout swivelably connected thereto in fluid communication with said water supply, an outlet of said spout for discharging water flow; and

control means for turning said water flow control device on and off said control means including detection means for sensing an object near said outlet and spout position sensing means for reading the angular position of the spout and enabling or disabling the water flow control device in an automatic mode dependent upon the angular position of said spout as sensed by the spout position sensing means, said spout position sensing means including a coded graph mounted stationarily with respect to said body and an emitter and sensor pair mounted for rotational movement with said spout, said emitter generating a signal to be reflected on said graph to be received by said sensor, said sensor generating an input signal to said control means dependent upon the signal generated by said sensor and reflected off said graph, enabling or disabling the automatic mode for a given spout position.

25. The invention as defined in claim 24 wherein there are three superimposed emitter and sensor pairs, each emitter and senor pair associated with a distinct row on said coded graph, said coded graph further divided into zones corresponding to angles of arc of rotation of the spout.

26. The invention as defined in claim 25 wherein said coded graph includes seven zones of equal arc length wherein the automatic mode can be enabled or disabled and a O zone where no automatic mode operation can occur.