Automatic fluid flow control apparatus

• US 5,915,417 A
• Filed: 09/15/1997
• Issued: 06/29/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: T&S Brass & Bronze Works Incorporated
• Original Assignee: T&S Brass & Bronze Works Incorporated
• Inventors: Roush, Ronald L., Diaz, Alexander R.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, KEVIN L
• Application Number:
  US08/929,998
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 251/129.04, 4/623, 4/304, 4/DIG. 3, 137/624.11
• US Class Current: 137/624.11
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/057 touchless, i.e. using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86389 Programmer or timer

Abstract

A water faucet assembly includes a faucet operatively connected to a water source, an energy storage element, and a valve in operative communication with the faucet and the water source to selectively permit water flow from the water source to the faucet. A light detector mechanism is configured to detect ambient light. A control mechanism is powered by the energy storage element and is in operative communication with the light detector mechanism and the valve. The control mechanism is configured to activate the valve to permit water flow from the water source to the faucet responsively to the level of ambient light detected by the light detector mechanism.

Claims

1. A water faucet assembly, said assembly comprising:

a faucet operatively connected to a water source;

an energy storage element;

a valve in operative communication with said faucet and said water source to selectively permit water flow from said water source to said faucet;

a light detector mechanism configured to detect ambient light; and

a control mechanism powered by said energy storage element and in operative communication with said light detector mechanism and said valve, said control mechanism configured to activate said valve to permit water flow from said water source to said faucet responsively to whether the level of ambient light detected by said light detector mechanism differs from a stored prior ambient light level by more than a threshold amount.

2. The assembly as in claim 1, including a sensor mechanism configured to emit a signal into an area proximate said faucet when said detected ambient light level differs from said prior ambient light level by more than said threshold amount and to receive a return signal reflected by an object within the area, and wherein said control mechanism is configured to activate said valve when said return signal indicates an object within said area.

3. The assembly as in claim 2, wherein said sensor mechanism is configured to emit infrared signals.

4. The assembly as in claim 1, wherein said control mechanism is configured

in an active state, to control said valve,

in an inactive state, to reduce energy consumption by said assembly for said energy storage element and to maintain said valve in a deactivated condition,

to enter said inactive state from said active state upon failure to activate said valve for a predetermined period,

to monitor ambient light detected by said light detector mechanism during said inactive state, and

to enter said active state from said inactive state responsively to said detected ambient light.

5. The assembly as in claim 4, wherein said control mechanism is configured to enter said inactive state from said active state following activation of said valve for a predetermined period.

6. The assembly as in claim 4, including a sensor mechanism configured to emit a signal into an area proximate said faucet when said detected ambient light level differs from said prior ambient light level by more than said threshold amount and to receive a return signal reflected by an object within the area, and wherein said control mechanism is configured to activate said valve when said return signal indicates an object within said area.

7. The assembly as in claim 6, wherein said sensor mechanism is configured to emit infrared signals.

8. The assembly as in claim 7, wherein in said inactive state, said control mechanism disables said sensor mechanism.

9. The assembly as in claim 2, wherein said control mechanism is configured to activate said valve when said return signal exceeds a predetermined level.

10. The assembly as in claim 1, wherein said energy storage element is a battery.

11. The assembly as in claim 2, wherein said control mechanism is configured to activate said valve when said return signal indicates an object within said area before said object reaches said faucet.

12. The assembly as in claim 1, wherein said control mechanism includes a microprocessor.

13. The assembly as in claim 2, wherein said control mechanism is configured to replace said stored prior ambient light value when said return signal fails to indicate an object within said area.

14. The assembly as in claim 2, wherein said control mechanism is configured to replace said stored prior ambient light value upon deactivation of said valve.

15. The assembly as in claim 13, wherein said replaced value is equal to the average of said stored prior value and a current ambient light level detected by said light detector mechanism.

16. A water faucet assembly, said assembly comprising:

a faucet operatively connected to a water source;

an energy storage element;

a valve in operative communication with said faucet and said water source to selectively permit water flow from said water source to said faucet;

a light detector mechanism configured to detect ambient light; and

a control mechanism powered by said energy storage element and in operative communication with said light detector mechanism and said valve, said control mechanism configured to activate said valve to permit water flow from said water source to said faucet responsively to the level of ambient light detected by said light detector mechanism,

wherein said control mechanism is configured

in an active state, to control said valve,

in an inactive state, to reduce energy consumption by said assembly from said energy storage element and to maintain said valve in a deactivated condition, and

to monitor ambient light detected by said light detector mechanism during said inactive state, and

wherein said control mechanism includes a passive energy storage element to provide energy to activate said valve, said passive energy storage element being charged by said energy storage element, and wherein said control mechanism is configured to intermittently exit said inactive state to charge said passive energy storage element so that said passive energy storage element maintains sufficient energy to activate said valve.

17. A water faucet assembly, said assembly comprising:

a faucet operatively connected to a water source;

an energy storage element;

a valve in operative communication with said faucet and said water source to selectively permit water flow from said water source to said faucet;

a sensor circuit, said sensor circuit including

a light detector mechanism configured to detect ambient light,

a signal source configured to emit a signal into an area proximate said faucet, and

a signal receiver configured to receive a return signal reflected by an object within the area;

a control circuit, said control circuit including

a signal acquisition circuit in operative communication with said light detector mechanism and said signal receiver, said signal acquisition circuit outputting signals from said light detector mechanism corresponding to ambient light detected by said detector mechanism and outputting signals from said signal receiver corresponding to said return signals,

a valve control circuit in operative communication with said valve and configured to activate and deactivate said valve,

a processor circuit in operative communication with said energy storage element, said signal source, said signal acquisition circuit and said valve control circuit, said processor circuit configured to receive said ambient light signals from said signal acquisition circuit to cause said signal source to emit a signal into said area responsively to said received ambient light signals, to receive said return signals from said signal acquisition circuit and to cause said valve control circuit to activate said valve when said received return signals indicate an object within said area,

wherein said control circuit is also configured

in an active state, to operate said valve with said valve control circuit,

in an inactive state, to reduce energy consumption by said assembly from said energy storage element and to maintain said valve in an deactivated condition,

to enter said inactive state from said active state upon failure to activate said valve for a predetermined period,

to monitor said ambient light signals output by said signal acquisition circuit during said inactive state, and to enter said active state from said inactive state responsively to said ambient light signals.

18. The assembly as in claim 17, wherein said processor circuit includes a microprocessor.

19. The assembly as in claim 17, wherein said light detector mechanism and said signal receiver comprise a unitary sensor.

20. The assembly as in claim 17, wherein said signal source is configured to emit infrared signals and said signal receiver is configured to receive infrared signals.

21. The assembly as in claim 17, wherein said processor circuit is configured to cause said signal source to emit said signal into said area when said ambient light signals differ from a stored prior ambient light level by more than a threshold amount.

22. The assembly as in claim 17, wherein said control circuit is configured to monitor said ambient light signals and to exit said inactive state when said light detector mechanism detects ambient light differing from a stored prior ambient light level by more than a predetermined amount.

29. The assembly as in claim 17, wherein said processor is configured to cause said valve control circuit to activate said valve when said received return signals indicate an object within said area before said object reaches said faucet.

23. A water faucet assembly, said assembly comprising:

a faucet operatively connected to a water source;

an energy storage element;

a valve in operative communication with said faucet and said water source to selectively permit water flow from said water source to said faucet;

a sensor mechanism configured to emit a signal into an area proximate said faucet and to receive a return signal reflected by an object within the area; and

a control mechanism powered by said energy storage element and in operative communication with said sensor mechanism and said valve, said control mechanism being configured

in an active state, to activate said valve when said return signal indicates an object within said area,

in an inactive state, to reduce energy consumption by said assembly from said energy storage element and to maintain said valve in a deactivated condition, and

to enter said inactive state from said active state upon failure to activate said valve for a predetermined period.

24. The assembly as in claim 23, wherein said wherein said sensor mechanism is configured to emit infrared signals.

25. The assembly as in claim 23, wherein said control mechanism is configured to activate said valve when said return signal exceeds a predetermined level.

26. The assembly as in claim 25, wherein said energy storage element is a battery.

27. The assembly as in claim 23, wherein said control mechanism includes a microprocessor.

28. The assembly as in claim 23, wherein said control mechanism includes a passive energy storage to provide energy to activate said valve, said passive energy storage element being charged by said energy storage element, and wherein said control mechanism is configured to intermittently exit said inactive state to charge said passive energy storage element so that said passive energy storage element maintains sufficient energy to activate said valve.

30. The assembly as in claim 23 including a light detector mechanism in communication with said control mechanism and being configured to detect ambient light and wherein said control mechanism is configured to exit said inactive state when said light detector mechanism detects ambient light differing from a stored prior ambient light level by more than a predetermined amount.

31. A water faucet assembly, said assembly comprising:

a faucet operatively connected to a water source;

an energy storage element;

a valve in operative communication with said faucet and said water source to selectively permit water flow from said water source to said faucet;

a sensor mechanism including

a light detector mechanism configured to detect ambient light,

a signal source configured to emit a signal into an area proximate said faucet, and

a signal receiver configured to receive a return signal reflected by an object within the area; and

a control mechanism powered by said energy storage element and in operative communication with said sensor mechanism and said valve, said control mechanism being configured

in an active state, to cause said signal source to emit said signal into said area when said ambient light detected by said light detector differs from a stored prior ambient light level by more than a threshold amount and to activate said valve when said return signal indicates an object within said area,

in an inactive state, to reduce energy consumption by said assembly from said energy storage element and to maintain said value in a deactivated condition, and

to enter said inactive state from said active state upon failure of said detected ambient light to differ, for a predetermined period, from said prior ambient light value by more than said threshold amount.

32. A water faucet assembly, said assembly comprising:

a faucet operatively connected to a water source;

an energy storage element;

a valve in operative communication with said faucet and said water source to selectively permit water flow from said water source to said faucet;

a light detector mechanism configured to detect ambient light; and

means for activating said valve to permit water flow from said water source to said faucet responsively to whether the level of ambient light detected by said light detector mechanism differs from a stored prior ambient light level by more than a threshold amount.