Solenoid operated faucet

• US 4,915,347 A
• Filed: 05/18/1989
• Issued: 04/10/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kohler Company
• Original Assignee: Kohler Company
• Inventors: Schwartz, Carl R., Kreutzer, Jeffery J., Iqbal, Muhammad
• Primary Examiner(s): Walton, George L.
• Application Number:
  US07/353,569
• Time in Patent Office: 327 Days
• Field of Search: 4/304, 4/305, 4/623, 137/606, 137/607, 137/801, 137/605, 250/221, 250/341, 222/63, 251/129.03, 251/129.04, 251/129.11, 251/30.02, 251/30.03, 251/30.04, 251/30.05, 251/45, 251/46, 251/38
• US Class Current: 251/30.03
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/057 touchless, i.e. using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87676 With flow control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/9464 Faucets and spouts

Abstract

A faucet has a body with a hollow inner cavity and a spout which opens into the inner cavity. A valve assembly is located within the inner cavity to control the flow of water from a source into the spout. The valve assembly comprises a housing with an inlet chamber which opens into a ring-shaped channel, an outlet chamber having an opening centrally located with respect to the ring of the channel, and a diaphragm to selectively close the communication of the inlet and outlet chambers. A solenoid includes a plunger that is biased by a spring against the diaphragm and an electromagnetic coil to pull the plunger away from the diaphragm. A proximity sensor is included to detect the presence of an object adjacent the faucet and energize the coil. A safeguard alarm mechanism is provided to deenergize the coil after a given interval if the object continues to be detected and thereafter periodically briefly energize the solenoid until the object is removed.

Claims

1. A faucet comprising:

a faucet body having an inner chamber and a spout which opens into the inner chamber at an aperture through an inner wall of said body;

a valve housing, mounted substantially entirely within the inner chamber of said faucet body and separable therefrom, having a inlet chamber opening transversely into an external annular channel and an outlet chamber having a first opening centrally located relative to said annular channel, said valve housing having an annular surface between the channel and the outlet chamber first opening thereby defining a valve seat, said valve housing a first portion slidably disposed in the aperture and a second portion secured to said faucet body;

a resilient diaphragm having a first surface that releasably engages the valve seat and has a periphery which sealably engages said valve housing, said diaphragm including a central aperture and including a metering aperture communicating with the inlet chamber;

a tapered pin extending from said valve housing into the metering aperture;

a diaphragm retainer in the central aperture of said diaphragm and having an aperture therethrough which communicates with the outlet; and

a solenoid assembly mounted on said valve housing to form a cavity between said diaphragm and said solenoid assembly into which the metering aperture communicates, said solenoid assembly including a plunger biased against said diaphragm retainer to releasably seal the aperture of said diaphragm retainer, and including a electrical coil around the plunger.

2. The faucet as recited in claim 1 wherein said first portion engages the inner wall of said faucet body thereby sealing the inner chamber from the spout with the portion of the valve housing having an aperture therethrough to provide a passage between the outlet chamber and the spout.

3. The faucet as recited in claim 1 wherein said first portion extends into the aperture of said faucet body thereby sealing the inner chamber from the spout with the portion of the valve housing having an aperture therethrough to provide a passage between the outlet chamber and the spout.

4. The faucet as recited in claim 1 wherein said valve housing is mounted within said faucet body with the outlet chamber positioned above the inlet chamber.

5. The faucet as recited in claim 1 further comprising a proximity sensing means for detecting the presence of an object adjacent the faucet and in response thereto for energizing the electrical coil.

6. The faucet as recited in claim 5 wherein said proximity sensing means comprises means for deenergizing the electrical coil if the presence of the object continues to be sensed for a predefined interval of time, and thereafter periodically energizing the electrical coil for a second predefined interval of time until the presence of the object is no longer sensed.

7. A faucet comprising:

a housing having an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber communicating with the inlet chamber at an opening;

a solenoid valve assembly mounted adjacent said housing which releasably seals the inlet chamber from the outlet chamber for controlling fluid flow therebetween;

means for sensing the presence of an object in the proximity of said faucet and emitting a signal indicative of that presence;

means, responsive to the signal from said means for sensing, for energizing said solenoid valve assembly to permit fluid flow when the presence of an object is sensed;

first means for deenergizing the solenoid valve assembly to prevent fluid flow if after the presence of an object is detected, that presence is not detected for a first interval of time; and

second means for deenergizing said solenoid valve assembly after the solenoid valve assembly to prevent fluid flow has been continuously energized for a second interval, notwithstanding the continued presence of the object being sensed, and thereafter periodically energizing said solenoid valve assembly to permit fluid flow for a third interval of time until the presence of the object is no longer sensed.

8. A faucet comprising:

a base member;

a faucet body, attached to said base member, having an inner chamber and a spout which opens into the inner chamber at an aperture;

a valve housing, within the inner chamber of said faucet body and separable therefrom, having a inlet chamber opening into an external annular channel and an outlet chamber having a first opening centrally located relative to said annular channel, said housing having an annular surface between the channel and the outlet chamber first opening thereby defining a valve seat, said valve housing also having a first end portion extending into the aperture of said faucet body thereby sealing the inner chamber from the spout with the first end portion having a aperture therethrough to provide a passage between the outlet chamber and the spout, and having a second end portion;

a tube attached to the second end portion of said valve housing in communication with the inlet chamber;

one of said valve housing and said tube abutting said base thereby retaining said valve housing within said faucet body and holding said first end portion in the aperture of said faucet body;

a resilient diaphragm having a first surface that releasably engages the valve seat and has a periphery which sealably engage said valve housing, said diaphragm including a central aperture and a metering aperture communicating with the inlet chamber;

a tapered pin extending from said valve housing into the metering aperture;

a diaphragm retainer in the central aperture of said diaphragm and having an aperture therethrough which communicates with the outlet chamber;

a solenoid assembly mounted on said valve housing to form a cavity between said diaphragm and said solenoid assembly into which the metering aperture communicates, said solenoid assembly including a plunger biased by a spring against said diaphragm retainer to releasably seal the aperture in said diaphragm retainer and including a electrical coil around the plunger; and

a means for sensing the presence of a user adjacent the faucet and in response thereto for energizing said electrical coil.

9. The faucet as recited in claim 8 further comprising a first means for deenergizing the solenoid valve assembly if after the presence of an object is detected, the presence is not detected for a first interval of time.

10. The faucet as recited in claim 9 further comprising a second means for deenergizing said solenoid valve assembly after the solenoid valve assembly has been continuously energized for second interval, notwithstanding the continued presence of the object being sensed, and thereafter periodically energizing said solenoid valve for a third interval of time until the presence of the object is no longer sensed.