Apparatus for discharging water with passage selection sensor

• US 5,171,429 A
• Filed: 06/24/1991
• Issued: 12/15/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: INAX Corporation (LIXIL Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: INAX Corporation (LIXIL Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yasuo, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Dawson, Robert A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DRODGE, JOSEPH W
• Application Number:
  US07/700,160
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• Field of Search: 137/551, 137/553, 137/555, 137/557, 137/559, 210/85, 210/94, 210/96.1, 210/418, 210/433.1, 210/449, 362/32, 362/276, 362/800, 116/202, 116/216, 116/264, 358/901
• US Class Current: 210/94
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/0404 Constructional or functional features of the spout
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 2001/0418 having temperature indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 2200/10 of light guides of the optical fibres type
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/004 Sanitary equipment, e.g. mirrors, showers, toilet seats or paper dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/268 using optical fibres G01D5/28 - G01D5/38 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 13/02 for measuring temperature of moving fluids or granular materials capable of flow
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/18 Water
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/1813 specific cations in water, e.g. heavy metals electrochemical analysis G01N27/26; detection of ions by colorimetry G01N31/22
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/1853 hardness of water
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 13/0006 of fluids or of granulous or powder-like substances
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8158 With indicator, register, recorder, alarm or inspection means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8259 Selection from plural branches

Abstract

The present invention provides an apparatus for discharging water wherein light is emitted to the output water so as to visually identify kinds of water and like. The apparatus includes sensors (9, 29, 134) for sensing characteristics of water, such as the temperature, flow, pressure, pH and hardness of water, passages as selected by a passage selection valve, or integrated flow of water flowing through a filtering element, a light emitting device (7, 31, 150) such as LED for emitting light to the passage or region downstream of the passage in response to the characteristics as sensed, and an optical fiber (11, 12, 36, 37, 152).

Claims

1. An apparatus for discharging water comprising,

a water outlet device having a water passageway therein and an outlet communicating with the passageway for ejecting water,

sensor means for sensing characteristics of water flowing through the water passageway, and

light emitting means associated with the sensor means and having a light emitting device, an optical fiber for guiding light from the light emitting device and a light emitting portion located inside the water outlet device, said light emitting portion being situated adjacent to the water passageway near the outlet to orient toward the outlet through a part of the water passageway so that when light is emitted through the light emitting portion, light passes through water flowing through the water passageway and is seen outside the outlet.

2. An apparatus for discharging water as claimed in claim 1, wherein said light emitting device is a light emitting diode.

3. An apparatus for discharging water as claimed in claim 1, wherein water ejected from the outlet has a columnar shape without spreading outwardly from the outlet.

4. An apparatus for discharging water as claimed in claim 1, wherein said water outlet device is a faucet.

5. An apparatus for discharging water comprising,

a water outlet device having a water passageway therein and an outlet communicating with the passageway for ejecting water,

sensor means for sensing characteristics of water flowing through the water passageway, and

light emitting means associated with the sensor means and having a light emitting device, an optical fiber for guiding light from the light emitting device and a light emitting portion located inside the outlet of the water outlet device without extending outwardly from the water outlet device, said light emitting portion being oriented outwardly along the water passageway so that when light is emitted through the light emitting portion, light is directly ejected into water and is seen outside the outlet.

6. An apparatus for discharging water as claimed in claim 5, wherein said light emitting device is a light emitting diode.

7. An apparatus for discharging water as claimed in claim 5, wherein water ejected from the outlet has a columnar shape without spreading outwardly from the outlet.

8. An apparatus for discharging water comprising,

a water outlet device having a water passageway therein and an outlet communicating with the passageway for ejecting water in a form of water column,

sensor means for sensing characteristics of water flowing through the water passageway, and

light emitting means associated with the sensor means and having a light emitting device, optical fibers for guiding light from the light emitting device and a plurality of light emitting portions located inside the water outlet device to surround the outlet, said light emitting portions being directed toward water ejected from the outlet so that when light is emitted from the light emitting portions, light hits water ejected from the outlet and is seen outside the outlet.

9. An apparatus for discharging water as claimed in claim 8, wherein said light emitting device is a light emitting diode.

10. An apparatus for discharging water comprising,

a water outlet device having a water passageway therein and a plurality of outlets communicating with the water passageway for ejecting and spreading water in a form of shower,

sensor means for sensing characteristics of water flowing through the water passageway, and

light emitting means associated with the sensor means and having a light emitting device, optical fibers for guiding light from the light emitting device and a plurality of light emitting portions located inside the water outlet device to surround all the outlets, said light emitting portions being directed toward water ejected from the outlets so that when light is emitted from the light emitting portions, light hits water ejected from the outlets and is seen outside the outlets.

11. An apparatus for discharging water as claimed in claim 10, wherein said light emitting device is a light emitting diode.

12. An apparatus for discharging water comprising,

a water outlet device having a plurality of water passageways therein, passage selection means for selecting one of the water passageways, and an outlet communicating with the passageways for ejecting water,

sensor means for sensing characteristics of water flowing through the water passageways and communicating with the passage selection means, and

light emitting means associated with the sensor means, said sensor means showing a condition of the passage selection means at the light emitting means, said light emitting means having a light emitting portion located inside the water outlet device, said light emitting portion being situated adjacent to the water passageway near the outlet to orient toward the outlet through a part of the water passageway so that when light is emitted through the light emitting portion, light passes through water flowing through the water passageway and is seen outside the outlet.

13. An apparatus for discharging water as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a filtering element disposed in one of said feed water passageways.

14. An apparatus for discharging water comprising,

a water outlet device having a water passageway therein and an outlet communicating with the passageway for ejecting water,

sensor means for sensing characteristics of water flowing through the water passageway, said characteristics sensed being water concentration of at least one of pH and hardness, and

light emitting means associated with the sensor means and having a light emitting portion located inside the water outlet device, said light emitting portion being situated adjacent to the water passageway near the outlet to orient toward the outlet through a part of the water passageway so that when light is emitted through the light emitting portion, light passes through water flowing through the water passageway and is seen outside the outlet.