Device for controlling a series of washroom appliances

• US 6,000,429 A
• Filed: 02/25/1997
• Issued: 12/14/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Sanitary Ware Manufacturing CY SA
• Original Assignee: International Sanitary Ware Manufacturing CY SA
• Inventors: Van Marcke, Karel Carl
• Primary Examiner(s): RIVELL, JOHN A
• Application Number:
  US08/805,293
• Time in Patent Office: 1,022 Days
• Field of Search: 137/624.11, 137/624.13, 137/624.15, 137/624.18, 137/624.2, 251/129.04, 4/623, 4/624, 4/628, 4/DIG. 3
• US Class Current: 137/624.11
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/05 Arrangements of devices on wash-basins, baths, sinks, or the like for remote control of taps remote control of taps or the like per se F16K
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 5/105 touchless, e.g. using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86389 Programmer or timer

Abstract

A device for automatically controlling the operation of a washroom appliance such as a water faucet, soap dispenser, shower, urinal, etc., comprising means for actuating said appliance, means for deactuating said appliance, a remote control arranged for emitting a signal, a receiver arranged for receiving said signal and for generating a maintenance signal in response to receipt of the signal from the remote control, and means responsive to the maintenance signal for generating an overruling signal for disabling said actuation means. The device comprises in a first aspect of the invention means for intermittently actuating and deactuating said receiver to reduce the power consumption thereof. In a second aspect, the invention relates to a device for automatically controlling flow of water in a wash fountain, including a maintenance function which enable to deactivate the wash fountain except for at least one valve to permit supply of water for cleaning the wash fountain.

Claims

1. A device for automatically controlling the operation of at least one washroom appliance, such as a water faucet, soap dispenser, shower, and urinal, in particular, the operation of a flow control valve of such an appliance, comprising

at least one sensor provided for sensing the presence of a user in a close neighbourhood of said appliance and for generating a presence signal upon sensing the presence of a user;

a control unit having an input for receiving said presence signal, which control unit is provided for generating a control signal on the basis of the received presence signals and for transmitting said control signal to means for actuating said appliance;

means for deactuating said appliance;

a remote control arranged for emitting a signal;

a receiver arranged for receiving said signal and for generating a maintenance signal in response to receipt of said signal from said remote control; and

means responsive to said maintenance signal for generating an overruling signal for disabling said actuation means;

characterised in that said device comprises means for intermittently actuating and deactuating said receiver to reduce the power consumption thereof.

2. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that said receiver is actuated at least once per second.

3. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that said receiver is intermittently actuated and deactuated under the control of an enabling signal generated by said control unit, said receiver being in particular each time only active for the duration of said enabling signal.

4. A device according to claim 1 wherein the at least one appliance comprises a series of water nozzles in a wash fountain and connected to separate water supply valves, said device comprising in combination;

a series of sensors assigned to said nozzles, which sensors are provided for sensing the presence of a user in close neighbourhood to the nozzle they are assigned to and for generating a presence signal upon sensing said presence;

said control unit being provided for generating a control signal upon receipt of said presence signal and for transmitting said control signal to valve actuation means arranged to open the water valve of said corresponding nozzle in response to receipt of said control signal; and

valve deactivation means for closing said water valve again, characterised in that said receiver of said device further includes maintenance means for generating said maintenance signal and means responsive to said maintenance signal for generating an overruling signal for preventing opening of all but at least one of said water valves during a predetermined period of time and for allowing opening of said water valves again after said predetermined period of time has lapsed.

5. A device according to claim 4, characterised in that said maintenance means includes further means responsive to said maintenance signal for opening said at least one water valve within said predetermined period of time and for closing said at least one water valve again.

6. A device according to claim 5, characterised in that said further means are provided for closing said at least one water valve again within said period of time after a predetermined delay period of time has lapsed.

7. A device according to claim 4, characterised in that said maintenance means includes further means responsive to said maintenance signal for preventing opening of said at least one water valve of said series within said period of time and switching means for either actuating or deactuating these means.

8. A device according to claim 7, including adjustable switching means for enabling said further means to open said at least one valve or to prevent opening of said at least one water valve.

9. A device according to claim 4, characterised in that said maintenance means includes further means responsive to said maintenance signal for preventing opening of said at least one water valve of said series within said period of time but only after a predetermined delay period of time has lapsed.

10. A device according to claim 4 including means for automatically controlling flow of soap in said wash fountain through a series of soap nozzles connected to separate soap supply valves, characterised in that said overruling signal is also provided for preventing opening of said soap supply valves during said predetermined period of time.

11. A device according to claim 10, characterised in that said maintenance means includes moreover means responsive to generation of a next maintenance signal within said period of time for allowing opening of said water and optionally said soap valves again before said predetermined period of time has lapsed.

12. A device according to claim 4, characterised in that said maintenance means comprise at least one buzzer and means responsive to said maintenance signal for actuating said buzzer a first time upon generation of said maintenance signal and a second time when opening of said water valves is allowed again.

13. A device according to claim 1 wherein the at least one appliance comprises a series of water nozzles in a wash fountain and connected to separate water supply valves, and wherein said device comprises a series of sensors assigned to said nozzles, which sensors are provided for sensing the presence of a user in a close neighbourhood to the nozzle they are assigned to and for generating a presence signal upon sensing said presence;

said control unit being provided for generating said control signal upon receipt of said presence signal and for transmitting said control signal to valve actuation means arranged to open the water valve of said corresponding nozzle in response to receipt of said control signal;

said means for deactuating said appliance being valve deactivation means arranged for closing said water valve again; and

said overruling signal being arranged for preventing opening of all but at least one of said water valves during a predetermined period of time and for allowing opening of said water valves again after said predetermined period of time has lapsed.

14. A device for automatically controlling the operation of at least one fluid flow control valve of a washroom appliance, said device comprising:

(a) at least one sensor for sensing the presence of a user in proximity to the appliance and for generating a presence signal upon sensing the presence of the user;

(b) a control unit having an input for receiving the presence signal, said control unit being provided to generate a control signal in response to the received presence signal and for transmitting the control signal;

(c) means for actuating the appliance in response to the transmitted control signal;

(d) means for deactuating the appliance;

(e) a remote control adapted for emitting a remote signal;

(f) a receiver adapted for receiving the remote signal and for generating a maintenance signal in response to receipt of the remote signal; and

(g) means responsive to the maintenance signal for generating an overruling signal for disabling said actuating means.

15. The device as set forth in claim 14 wherein said receiver is actuated at least once per second.

16. The device as set forth in claim 14 wherein said control unit generates an enabling signal for intermittently actuating and deactuating said receiver and wherein said receiver is active only for the duration of said enabling signal.