Control module for battery-operated faucet

• US 5,988,588 A
• Filed: 03/16/1998
• Issued: 11/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sloan Valve Company
• Original Assignee: Asloan Valve Company
• Inventors: Marcichow, Martin E., Nortier, Richard A., Allen, Charles S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rivell, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHOENFELD, MEREDITH HOPE
• Application Number:
  US09/039,673
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 251/129.01, 251/129.04, 4/623, 224/902
• US Class Current: 251/129.04
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/055 Electrical control devices, e.g. with push buttons, control panels or the like

Abstract

A battery-powered faucet control module has a housing, with a base portion and a cover portion. The cover portion is removably attached to the base portion. There is an electric control board mounted in the housing base portion and an electrically-operated control valve is associated with the housing and electrically connected to the control board. There is a cavity in the housing base portion and a removable battery pack is positioned within the cavity. The battery pack has positive and negative contact straps on the exterior thereof. There are positive and negative spring contacts connected to the electric control board and such spring contacts are in engagement with the positive and negative contact straps when the battery pack is positioned within the housing cavity.

Claims

1. A battery-powered faucet control module including a housing, said housing having a base portion and a cover portion, said cover portion being removably attached to said base portion, an electric control board mounted in said housing base portion, an electrically-operated control valve associated with said housing and electrically connected to said control board, a cavity in said housing base portion, a removable battery pack positioned within said cavity and having positive and negative contact straps on the exterior thereof, said battery pack having spaced side walls and a bottom, batteries positioned between said side walls, each of said positive and negative contact straps being in contact with said side walls and extending across said bottom wall, and positive and negative spring contacts extending within said battery pack cavity and connected to said control board, said spring contacts being in mechanical and electrical contact, respectively, with said positive and negative contact straps when said battery pack is positioned within said cavity.

2. The battery-powered faucet control module of claim 1 wherein said spring contacts are in mechanical and electrical contact with said contract straps in the area where said contact straps extend across said bottom wall.

3. The battery-powered faucet control module of claim 2 wherein each of said contact straps has an indentation in the area where said contact straps extend across said battery pack bottom wall.

4. The battery-powered faucet control module of claim 3 wherein each of said spring contacts has a cantilever arm, said cantilever arms being in mechanical and electrical contact with said contact straps at said indentations.

5. The battery-powered faucet control module of claim 1 wherein said battery pack has battery contacts on the inside of said side walls, which battery contacts have portions extending through said side walls and in engagement with said contact straps.

6. The battery-powered faucet control module of claim 1 including a removable retention clip positioned about said battery pack to retain the batteries therein.

7. A battery-powered faucet control module including a housing, said housing having a base portion and a cover portion, said cover portion being removably attached to said base portion, an electric control board mounted in said housing base portion, an electrically-operated control valve associated with said housing and electrically connected to said control board, a cavity in said housing base portion, a removable battery pack positioned within said cavity and having positive and negative contact straps on the exterior thereof, and positive and negative spring contacts connected to said control board and in mechanical and electrical contact, respectively, with said positive and negative contact straps when said battery pack is positioned within said cavity.

8. The battery-powered faucet control module of claim 7 wherein said spring contacts are mounted in said second cavity.

9. The battery powered faucet control module of claim 7 wherein said spring contacts are mounted directly to said control board.

10. A battery-powered faucet control module including a housing, said housing having a base portion and a cover portion, said cover portion having a peripheral sealing gasket attached thereto and said base portion having a peripheral sealing gasket attached thereto, said cover portion being removably attached to said base portion, an electric control board mounted in said housing base portion, an electrically-operated control valve associated with said housing and electrically connected to said control board, a cavity in said housing base portion, a removable battery pack positioned within said cavity and having positive and negative contact straps on the exterior thereof, and positive and negative spring contacts connected to said control board and in mechanical and electrical contact, respectively, with said positive and negative contact straps when said battery pack is positioned within said cavity.