Infrared faucet

• US 5,033,715 A
• Filed: 08/30/1990
• Issued: 07/23/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Chin-Hua Hsieh
• Original Assignee: Chin H. Hsieh, Sing Chiang
• Inventors: Chiang, Sing, Hsieh, Chin H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenthal, Arnold
• Application Number:
  US07/574,745
• Time in Patent Office: 327 Days
• Field of Search: 251/129.04, 251/129.12, 4/623
• US Class Current: 251/129.04
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/057 touchless, i.e. using sensors

Abstract

A faucet includes a sensing/driving assembly having a transmitting/sensing unit electrically connected with a driving device. A driving shaft of the driving device is connected with an actuating device. The actuating device has an actuating stud which depresses a plate having a valve member to control the opening and closing of the faucet.

Claims

1. A faucet comprising an upper casing and a lower casing which together define a chamber therein, an inlet pipe, which communicates with a water source, being attached to a lower end of said lower casing, said upper casing being connected with an outlet pipe through which water is outputted, the improvements comprising:

a valve seat being provided in said chamber above said lower casing and separating said chamber into an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber, said valve seat having an opening through which said inlet chamber communicates with said outlet chamber, a plate being pivotally mounted inside said inlet chamber, a valve member being mounted on said plate directly below said opening and being supported by a valve spring on a bottom surface of said inner chamber;

an actuating means being rotatably mounted in said lower casing with a first end thereof located in said inner chamber and a second end thereof located outside said lower casing, an actuating stud eccentrically protruding from said first end of said actuating means above said plate;

a sensing/driving assembly being attached to said second end of said actuating means, said sensing/driving assembly comprising a trasmitting/sensing unit electrically connected with a driving means, a driving shaft of said driving means being connected with said second end of said actuating means and driving said actuating means, a mount plate being rotatably mounted on said driving shaft and two magnets being diametrically mounted on said mount plate, a magnetic switch being disposed adjacent to an outer periphery of said mount plate to face one of said two magnets and being electrically connected to said driving means, said transmitting/sensing unit being activatable to actuate said driving means, wherein said driving means is turned off by said magnetic switch when said magnetic switch faces the other magnet through 180 degree rotation of said driving shaft;

said opening being blocked by said valve member when said actuating stud is in an uppermost position, said opening is opened when said actuating stud is rotated to a lowest position while depressing said plate together with said valve member.

2. A faucet as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transmitting/sensing unit is an infrared transmitting/sensing unit.

3. A faucet as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transmitting/sensing unit is a radio controllable unit.

4. A faucet as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transmitting/sensing unit is a voice controllable unit.

5. A faucet as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a thrust plate to securely fix said actuating means on said lower casing.