Automatic flow-control device
First Claim
Patent Images
1. For controlling the flow of fluid through a faucet, a flow-control device comprising:
- A. a housing having a device inlet and a device outlet;
B. a fluid conduit disposed in the housing for conducting fluid from the inlet to the outlet;
C. mounting means on the housing for mounting the device on the faucet with the device inlet in fluid communication with the faucet outlet and the conduit disposed outside the faucet;
D. sealing means for sealing the device inlet to the faucet outlet when the mounting means mounts the housing on the faucet so that fluid can flow from the faucet only by flowing through the flow-control device;
E. an electric valve interposed in the conduit and operable by application of control signals thereto to switch between an open state, in which the valve permits fluid flow through the conduit, and a closed state, in which the valve prevents flow through the conduit;
F. a sensor circuit for sensing the presence of objects in a target region near the device and for applying control signals to the valve to control flow of fluid through the conduit in response to at least one predetermined characteristic of the sensed object.
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Abstract
An add-on device (10) for converting a conventional manual faucet to an automatic faucet includes a body (12) that includes an adapter (14) by which the add-on device is mounted onto the outlet of the manual faucet. A conduit (32) provides a fluid path from the faucet outlet to a device outlet (18), and an electrically operable valve (30) is interposed in the conduit (32). A control circuit (26) operates an ultrasonic transducer (20) to sense objects in a target region near the device outlet 18, and it operates the valve (30) to permit water to flow out the device outlet (18) when the transducer detects a moving object in the target region.
197 Citations
36 Claims
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1. For controlling the flow of fluid through a faucet, a flow-control device comprising:
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A. a housing having a device inlet and a device outlet; B. a fluid conduit disposed in the housing for conducting fluid from the inlet to the outlet; C. mounting means on the housing for mounting the device on the faucet with the device inlet in fluid communication with the faucet outlet and the conduit disposed outside the faucet; D. sealing means for sealing the device inlet to the faucet outlet when the mounting means mounts the housing on the faucet so that fluid can flow from the faucet only by flowing through the flow-control device; E. an electric valve interposed in the conduit and operable by application of control signals thereto to switch between an open state, in which the valve permits fluid flow through the conduit, and a closed state, in which the valve prevents flow through the conduit; F. a sensor circuit for sensing the presence of objects in a target region near the device and for applying control signals to the valve to control flow of fluid through the conduit in response to at least one predetermined characteristic of the sensed object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An automatic flow-control device comprising:
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A. a fluid conduit, having an inlet and an outlet, for conducting fluid from its inlet to its outlet; B. an electrical valve interposed in the conduit and operable by application of control signals thereto to switch between an open state, in which the valve permits fluid flow through the conduit, and a closed state, in which the valve prevents flow in the conduit; C. a sensor circuit for sensing the presence of objects in a target region near the device outlet and for applying control signals to the valve to permit flow of fluid through the conduit in response to at least presence of an object within a predetermined presence-mode region within the target region; and D. a flag movably mounted for manual movement between an automatic position, in which it is disposed outside of the presence-mode region, and a manual position, in which it is disposed within the presence-mode region, whereby the valve permits fluid flow while the flag is in its manual position. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. An automatic flow-control device comprising:
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A. a fluid conduit, having an inlet and an outlet, for conducting fluid from its inlet to its outlet; B. an electric valve interposed in the conduit and operable by application of control signals thereto to switch between an open state, in which the valve permits fluid flow through the conduit, and a closed state, in which the valve prevents flow through the conduit; C. a sensor circuit for sensing the presence of objects in a target region near the device outlet and for applying control signals to the valve means to control flow of fluid through the conduit in response to at least one predetermined characteristic of the sensed object; and D. an electrical generator, electrically connected to the sensor circuit and adapted to be driven mechanically, for generating electric power when it is driven mechanically and applying the electric power to the sensor circuit; and E. a drag turbine disposed in the conduit for driving of the turbine by flow of water through the conduit, the drag turbine being mechanically coupled to the generator to drive it mechanically when the drag turbine is driven by the water flow.
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23. An automatic flow-control device comprising:
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A. a fluid conduit, having an inlet and an outlet, for conducting fluid from its inlet to its outlet; B. an electric valve interposed in the conduit and operable by application of control signals thereto to switch between an open state, in which the valve permits fluid flow through the conduit, and a closed state, in which the valve prevents flow through the conduit; C. a sensor circuit for sensing the presence of objects in a target region near the device outlet and for applying control signals to the valve means to control flow of fluid through the conduit in response to at least one predetermined characteristic of the sensed object; and D. solar cells, electrically connected to the sensor circuit, for converting light to electrical power and supplying the electrical power to the sensor circuit.
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24. An automatic flow-control device comprising:
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A. a fluid conduit, having an inlet and an outlet, for conducting fluid from its inlet to its outlet; B. an electric valve interposed in the conduit and operable by application of control signals thereto to switch between an open state, in which the valve permits fluid flow through the conduit, and a closed state, in which the valve prevents flow through the conduit, the valve being a latching valve, which requires power only to change state so that it remains in its open state when no power is applied to it in its open state, and it remains in its closed state when no power is applied to it in its closed state; and C. a sensor circuit for sensing the presence of objects in a target region near the device outlet and for applying control signals to the valve means to control flow of fluid through the conduit in response to at least one predetermined characteristic of the sensed object.
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25. An automatic flow-control device comprising:
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A. a fluid conduit, having an inlet and an outlet, for conducting fluid from its inlet to its outlet; B. an electric valve interposed in the conduit and operable by application of control signals thereto to switch between an open state, in which the valve permits fluid flow through the conduit, and a closed state, in which the valve prevents flow through the conduit; and C. a sensor circuit means for sensing objects in a target region by converting electric power into sensing signals and for applying control signals to the valve to control flow of fluid through the conduit in response to at least one characteristic of the sensed object, wherein the sensor circuit operates in at least two modes; i. a first, active mode, in which the sensor circuit means converts a first, relatively high average level of power into a sensor signal and senses objects throughout a first, relatively long range; and ii. a second, passive mode, in which the sensor circuit means converts a second, relatively low average level of power into a sensor signal and senses objects throughout a second, relatively short range; and the sensor circuit means converts from the active mode to the passive mode when it has sensed the absence of an object having a first predetermined characteristic for a predetermined length of time in the first range and converts back to the active mode when it has sensed an object having a second predetermined characteristic in the second range. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. An automatic flow-control device comprising:
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A. a fluid conduit, having an inlet and an outlet, for conducting fluid from its inlet to its outlet; B. an electric valve interposed in the conduit and operable by application of control signals thereto to switch between an open state, in which the valve permits fluid flow through the conduit, and a closed state, in which the valve prevents flow through the conduit; C. a sensor circuit for sensing the presence of objects in a target region near the device outlet and for applying control signals to the valve means to control flow of fluid through the conduit in response to at least one predetermined characteristic of the sensed object; D. a generator housing that provides an air chamber that is substantially fluid tight above a lower generator level therein so as to prevent air from escaping from the chamber, the air chamber containing a volume of air above the lower generator level; E. an electrical generator, electrically connected to the sensor circuit and adapted to be driven mechanically, for generating electric power when it is driven mechanically and applying the electric power to the sensor circuit, the generator being disposed in the air chamber above the lower generator level in the volume of air therein; and F. a turbine disposed in the conduit for driving of the turbine by flow of water through the conduit, the turbine being mechanically coupled to the generator to drive it mechanically when the turbine is driven by the water flow, the turbine being disposed below the generator, whereby the generator is protected from water contact by the pressure of the air surrounding it.
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32. An automatic flow-control device comprising:
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A. a fluid conduit, having an inlet and an outlet, for conducting fluid from its inlet to its outlet; B. an electric valve interposed in the conduit and operable by application of control signals thereto to switch between an open state, in which the valve permits fluid flow through the conduit, and a closed state, in which the valve prevents flow through the conduit; C. a sensor circuit for sensing the presence of objects in a target region near the device outlet and for applying control signals to the valve means to control flow of fluid through the conduit in response to at least one predetermined characteristic of the sensed object; D. a turbine disposed in the conduit for driving of the turbine of flow of water through the conduit; and E. a submersible electrical generator, mechanically connected to the turbine for driving thereby and electrically connected to the sensor circuit to supply power thereto, for generating electric power and applying the power to the sensor circuit when the turbine is driven by water flow.
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33. For controlling the flow of fluid through a faucet, a flow-control device comprising:
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A. a housing having a device inlet and first and second device outlets; B. a first fluid conduit disposed in the housing for conducting fluid from the inlet to the outlet; C. a second fluid conduit disposed in the housing for conducting fluid from the inlet to the second device outlet; D. mounting means on the housing for mounting the device on the faucet with the device inlet in fluid communication with the faucet outlet; E. sealing means for sealing the device inlet to the faucet outlet when the mounting means mounts the housing on the faucet so that fluid can flow from the faucet only by flowing through the flow-control device; F. an electric valve interposed in the conduit and operable by application of control signals thereto to switch between an open state, in which the valve permits fluid flow through the first conduit, and a closed state, in which the valve prevents flow through the first conduit; G. a filter element interposed in the second conduit and presenting enough flow resistance so that fluid does not flow through the second conduit when the valve permits fluid flow in the first conduit, the filter element permitting fluid flow therethrough when the valve is closed so that filtered water flows through the second outlet; and H. a sensor circuit for sensing the presence of objects in the vicinity of the second outlet and to close the valve when it senses an object near the second outlet, the flow-control device thereby permitting flow of unfiltered water through the first-mentioned outlet when no object is sensed near the first outlet and directing fluid flow through the filter element so that filtered water issues through the second outlet when an object is near the second outlet. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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36. For controlling the flow of fluid through a faucet, a flow-control device comprising:
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A. a housing having a device inlet and a device outlet; B. a fluid conduit disposed in the housing for conducting fluid from the inlet to the outlet; C. mounting means on the housing for mounting the device on the faucet with the device inlet in fluid communication with the faucet outlet; D. sealing means for sealing the device inlet to the faucet outlet when the mounting means mounts the housing on the faucet so that fluid can flow from the faucet only by flowing through the flow-control device; E. an electric valve interposed in the conduit and operable by application of control signals thereto to switch between an open state, in which the valve permits fluid flow through the conduit, and a closed state, in which the valve prevents flow through the conduit; F. a sensor circuit for sensing the presence of objects in a target region near the device and for applying control signals to the valve to control flow of fluid through the conduit in response to at least one predetermined characteristic of the sensed object; and G. solar cells, electrically connected to the sensor circuit, for converting light to electrical power and supplying the electrical power to the sensor circuit.
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Specification