Automatic faucet

• US 5,224,509 A
• Filed: 10/29/1990
• Issued: 07/06/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toto Limited
• Original Assignee: Toto Limited
• Inventors: Morita, Koji, Nakano, Koji, Muroya, Yukihiro, Tanaka, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hepperle, Stephen M.
• Application Number:
  US07/576,488
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 137/607, 137/801, 137/315, 251/129.04
• US Class Current: 137/315.03
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/057 touchless, i.e. using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/5987 Solenoid or electromagnetically operated valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6014 Faucet type [e.g., domestic water use, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87692 With common valve operator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/9464 Faucets and spouts

Abstract

An automatic faucet according to the present invention is characterized in that a protective cover for a sensor or the like is removably mounted in a superposed state on the inner surface of a spout body integrally formed with a discharge water flow path within the wall to constitute a spout, and a sensor or the like fitting space for storing a manual sensor, a sensor cord and the like is formed between the spout body and the protective cover for the sensor or the like. That is, the spout constituting the principal portion of the automatic faucet is substantially formed by assembling the mutually independent spout body having formed therein the discharge water flow path and protective cover for the sensor or the like. Accordingly, the spout of the automatic faucet can be assembled easily. When any trouble occurs with the manual sensor or the like or the sensor cord is broken, the protective cover for the sensor or the like can be removed rapidly from the spout body and the broken portion can be fixed or replaced easily.

Claims

1. In an automatic faucet comprising a spout body fixedly mounted on a mounting surface and provided with a discharge water port at one end thereof, and a sensor for sensing an object which approaches a region adjacent said discharge port, the improvement wherein

said faucet has a drive portion unit for supplying water to said sprout body in response to a sensor output from said sensor, said drive portion unit integrally housing therein an electromagnetic closing valve and a control device for opening and closing said electromagnetic closing valve in response to a sensor output from said sensor, said electromagnetic closing valve and said control device being electrically connected via a contact, said electromagnetic closing valve and said control device being separable from one another in a manner that terminates said electrical connection via said contact, said control device being encased in a box-shaped water-tight protective cover which forms a separable part of said drive portion unit, said protective cover being removably fitted into an opening of said drive portion unit so that simultaneous with the removal of said protective cover encasing said control device from said drive portion unit, said electrical connection via said contact is terminated.

2. The automatic faucet of claim 1 comprising a dry cell case for storing a dry cell, said case being integrally connected to a control base plate fitting bracket forming a part of said control device to constitute an assembly, said assembly being incorporated in said drive portion unit.

3. The automatic faucet of claim 2 comprising a contact for said dry cell connected to said control base plate, said dry cell contact being mounted on said control base plate fitting bracket, said dry cell and control base plate being electrically connected via said dry cell contact when said dry cell is mounted in said dry cell case.

4. The automatic faucet of claim 2 comprising a contact for said dry cell connected to said control base plate and being mounted on said control base plate fitting bracket, said dry cell and said control base plate being electrically connected via said dry cell contact upon mounting said dry cell in said dry cell case, and when said dry cell is not mounted in said dry cell case, both poles of a power source input terminal of said control base plate of said control device being short circuited to discharge said control device.

5. The automatic faucet of claim 1 wherein said sensor comprises a sealed box disposed in a sensor mounting space formed within the spout, the sealed box being molded of resin mold agent to form a sensor block enclosing a projection element and a light receiving element, a sensor base plate having one end of a sensor cord connected thereto, and a rubber bushing mounted on a leading portion from the sealed box for the sensor cord.

6. The automatic faucet of claim 1 comprising a water discharge flow path connecting pipe, the upper end of which is connected to the lower portion of the spout, said water discharge flow path connecting pipe extending downwardly through a spout fitting opening provided in a spout fitting plate, a lower fitting washer and a fastening nut mounted in a vertically superposed state around the outer peripheral surface of an extended portion below the discharge water flow path connecting pipe, said fastening nut being threaded on an external thread portion provided on the extended portion below the discharge water flow path connecting pipe to press the lower fitting washer to the spout fitting plate, and said lower fitting washer having an approximately horse-shoe shape to form a cutaway space in the outer peripheral edge thereof, sensor cord means connected to the manual sensor mounted on the spout inserted into said cutaway space, a downwardly extending guide pin for guiding the washer below the spout, and a pin insert hole for inserting the guide pin in the lower washer.

7. The automatic faucet of claim 1 wherein the drive portion unit is interiorly integrally provided with an electromagnetic closing valve, a control device for opening and closing the electromagnetic closing valve in response to a sensor output from said sensor, and a water stop valve, said drive portion unit being separably connected to a leg having a base end connected to a wall.

8. The automatic faucet of claim 7 wherein said leg comprises a hot water supply side pipe and a cold water supply side pipe secured to the wall.

9. The automatic faucet of claim 1 wherein a pipe leading opening for leading a pipe for supplying hot water and cold water from the electromagnetic closing valve to the spout is provided in a top plate of the drive portion unit, the drive portion unit is interiorly provided with the electromagnetic closing valve and the control device for opening and closing the electromagnetic closing valve in response to a sensor output from said sensor, and a dew drop preventing weir plate is provided for preventing outflow of dew water into the control portion is provided in the peripheral edge of the pipe leading opening.

10. The automatic faucet of claim 1 wherein the drive portion unit encloses the electromagnetic closing valve and the control device for opening and closing the electromagnetic closing valve in response to a sensor output from said sensor, power is fed from a dry cell to the electromagnetic closing valve, the control device and said sensor, a power-off display lamp is connected to be actuated when a feed voltage of said dry cell drops to a level below a set voltage, and a transparent window is provided at a part of the peripheral wall of the drive portion unit and at a location facing the power-off display lamp.

11. The automatic faucet of claim 1 wherein a how-to-use display plate is mounted on the surface of the spout at a location capable of being viewed by the user.

12. The automatic faucet of claim 1 wherein the drive portion unit encloses a temperature setting screw of said mixing valve therein and said screw is exposed to the front surface of a front panel of a casing for encasing said mixing valve, a collar ring is fitted over said temperature setting screw, a cover ring is formed in its inner peripheral surface with a projection and a notch extending from the surface to the inside is fitted on the outside of the collar ring, the cover ring is secured to the temperature setting screw with interference of the temperature setting screw and the projection, and a part of the collar ring can be externally viewed through said notch.

13. An automatic faucet comprising:

a) an elongated spout body having a base plate and being fixed to a mounting plate surface, said spout body having a discharge water port at a first end thereof;

b) a discharge water flow path extending internally through the full length the spout body, said flow path having a second opening at a second end thereof adapted to be connected to hot water and cold water supply pipes, and a first opening at said first end in communication with the water discharge port;

c) a protective cover for the sensor is removably mounted on the inner surface of the spout body, said cover cooperating with the spout body to form a spout and forming a fitting space for a storing a sensor, and a sensor cord is provided extending between the inner surface of the spout body and the protective cover;

d) a drive portion unit for supplying mixed hot and cold water to said flow path at a moderate temperature from hot and cold water supply pipes;

e) said drive portion unit being housed in said spout body, said drive portion unit comprising a hot water and cold water mixing valve, wherein the upstream side of said valve is in communication with the hot water and cold water supply pipes, and further comprising an electromagnetic closing valve having an upstream side coupled to said mixing valve, the downstream side of said closing valve being connected to a discharge port, and further comprising a controller for controlling the driving of at least the electromagnetic closing valve, a sensor for sending an output signal to the controller, and a battery type power source for feeding power to at least the electromagnetic closing valve, the controller and the sensor.

14. An automatic faucet comprising:

a) an elongated spout body having a base plate and being fixed to a mounting plate surface, said spout body having a discharge water port at a first end thereof;

b) a discharge water flow path extending internally through the full length the spout body, said flow path having a second opening at a second end thereof adapted to be connected to hot water and cold water supply pipes, and a first opening at said first end in communication with the water discharge port;

c) a protective cover for the sensor is removably mounted on the inner surface of the spout body, said cover cooperating with the spout body to form a spout and forming a fitting space for a storing a sensor, and a sensor cord is provided extending between the inner surface of the spout body and the protective cover;

a

d) a drive portion unit for supplying mixed hot and cold water to the flow path at a moderate temperature from hot and cold water supply pipes in response to a sensor output from said sensor, said drive portion unit enclosing an electromagnetic closing valve and a control device for opening and closing the electromagnetic closing valve in response to a sensor output from said sensor;

e) a dry cell case for storing a dry cell therein integrally connected to a control base plate fitting bracket forming a part of the control device to constitute an assembly, said assembly being incorporated into the drive portion unit; and

f) a contact for the dry cell connected to the control base plate being mounted on the control base plate fitting bracket, wherein the dry cell and the control base plate are electrically connected via the contact for the dry cell when the dry cell is mounted in the dry cell case.

15. An automatic faucet comprising:

a) an elongated spout body having a base plate and being fixed to a mounting plate surface, said spout body having a discharge water port at a first end thereof;

b) a discharge water flow path extending internally through the full length the spout body, said flow path having a second opening at a second end thereof adapted to be connected to hot water and cold water supply pipes, and a first opening at said first end in communication with the water discharge port;

c) a protective cover for the sensor is removably mounted on the inner surface of the spout body, said cover cooperating with the spout body to form a spout and forming a fitting space for a storing a sensor, and a sensor cord is provided extending between the inner surface of the spout body and the protective cover;

d) a drive portion unit for supplying mixed hot and cold water to the flow path at a moderate temperature from hot and cold water supply pipes in response to a sensor output from said sensor, said drive portion unit enclosing an electromagnetic closing valve and a control device for opening and closing the electromagnetic closing valve in response to a sensor output from said sensor;

e) a dry cell case for storing a dry cell therein integrally connected to a control base plate fitting bracket forming a part of the control device to constitute an assembly, said assembly being incorporated into the drive portion unit; and

f) a contact for the dry cell connected to the control base plate being mounted on the control base plate fitting bracket, wherein the dry cell and the control base plate are electrically connected via the contact for the dry cell when the dry cell is mounted in the dry cell case, the poles of the power source input terminal of the control base plate of the control device being short circuited when the dry cell is not mounted in the dry cell case, to thereby erase a change on the control device.

16. An automatic faucet comprising:

a) an elongated spout body having a base plate and being fixed to a mounting plate surface, said spout body having a discharge water port at a first end thereof;

b) a discharge water flow path extending internally through the full length the spout body, said flow path having a second opening at a second end thereof adapted to be connected to hot water and cold water supply pipes, and a first opening at said first end in communication with the water discharge port;

c) a protective cover for the sensor is removably mounted on the inner surface of the spout body, said cover cooperating with the spout body to form a spout and forming a fitting space for a storing a sensor, and a sensor cord is provided extending between the inner surface of the spout body and the protective cover;

d) a drive portion unit for supplying mixed hot and cold water to the flow path at a moderate temperature from hot and cold water supply pipes in response to a sensor output from said sensor;

e) a discharge water flow path connecting pipe having an upper end connected to a lower portion of said spout body, said discharge water flow path extending downwardly through a spout fitting in a spout fitting plate; and

f) a lower fitting washer and a fastening nut mounted in a vertically superposed state around the outer peripheral surface of an extended portion below the discharge water flow path connecting pipe, said fastening nut being threaded on an external threaded portion on said extended portion below the discharge water flow path connecting pipe to press the lower fitting washer to the spout fitting plate, said lower fitting washer being approximately in the shape of a horse-shoe to form a cutaway space in the outer peripheral edge thereof, sensor cords being connected to the sensor on the spout and being inserted into said cutaway space;

g) a downwardly extending guide pin for guiding the washer being provided below the spout; and

h) a pin insert hole for inserting a guide pin being provided in the lower washer.

17. An automatic faucet comprising:

a) an elongated spout body having a base plate and being fixed to a mounting plate surface, said spout body having a discharge water port at a first end thereof;

b) a discharge water flow path extending internally through the full length the spout body, said flow path having a second opening at a second end thereof adapted to be connected to hot water and cold water supply pipes, and a first opening at said first end in communication with the water discharge port;

c) a protective cover for the sensor is removably mounted on the inner surface of the spout body, said cover cooperating with the spout body to form a spout and forming a fitting space for a storing a sensor, and a sensor cord is provided extending between the inner surface of the spout body and the protective cover; and

d) a drive portion unit for supplying mixed hot and cold water to the flow path at a moderate temperature from hot and cold water supply pipes in response to a sensor output from said sensor, said drive portion unit enclosing an electromagnetic closing valve, a control device for opening and closing the electromagnetic closing valve in response to a sensor output from said sensor, and a thermostat type mixing valve;

e) a temperature setting screw on said mixing valve, said setting screw being exposed to the front surface of a front panel of said casing for said mixing valve, a collar ring fitted over said temperature setting screw, a cover ring having an internal surface with a projection and a notch extending from the surface to the inside being fitted on the outside of the collar ring, the cover ring being secured to the temperature setting screw with interference of the temperature setting screw and the projection, and a part of the collar ring being viewable from externally of said faucet through said notch.