Body heat responsive control apparatus

• US 6,178,572 B1
• Filed: 03/07/1997
• Issued: 01/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/1989
• 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): Fetsuga, Robert M.
• Application Number:
  US08/813,107
• Time in Patent Office: 1,425 Days
• Field of Search: 462/3, 462/4, 4DI/G 3, 250/342, 251/129.01, 251/129.04, 361/92, 307/130
• US Class Current: 4/623
• 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: E03C 1/057 touchless, i.e. using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/02 electric F16K31/004 takes precedence; magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 4/03 Electric flushing

Abstract

A low voltage battery energized passive detection system generates a control signal in response to radiated heat from a human body part to energize, for settable periods of time water flow valves and ancillary equipment that may be associated with the act of washing. To minimize power demand, a programmable microchip may be employed as a control unit and have external settable parameters.

Claims

1. A control system for automatically controlling operation of a flow control bi-stable valve and for automatically preventing operation of the flow control valve under low battery voltage conditions, said control system comprising in combination:

(a) a battery for supplying power to the bi-stable valve;

(b) a passive detector for producing a detection signal in response to the presence of an object of interest in a predetermined region;

(c) a first power driver circuit having a control input and an output capable of being coupled to the bi-stable valve to provide power to the bi-stable valve for opening the bi-stable valve;

(d) a second power driver circuit having a control input and an output capable of being coupled to the bi-stable valve to provide power to the bi-stable valve for closing the bi-stable valve;

(e) an alarm device for generating an alarm signal in the immediate vicinity of said control system;

(f) a third circuit having a control input for producing a warning signal to energize said alarm device only once upon the presence of the object of interest in the predetermined region for a predetermined period in the range of about 1 to about 60 seconds and having an output coupled to said alarm device;

(g) control circuitry enabled by the detection signal produced by said passive detector and having an input, said control circuit being adapted to

i. produce a first control signal on the control input of said first power driver circuit in response to the detection signal if the voltage of said battery equals or exceeds a first determined threshold voltage and to enable said first power driver circuit to provide power to the bi-stable valve to cause opening of the bi-stable valve; and

ii. produce a second control signal on the control input of said second power driver circuit after the bi-stable valve has been opened to enable said second power driver circuit to provide power to the bi-stable valve to cause closing of the bi-stable valve;

(h) a battery testing circuit enabled by the detection signal produced by said passive detector and indicative of the presence of an object of interest in the predetermined region, said battery testing circuit being adapted to;

i. compare the voltage of said battery to the first predetermined threshold voltage and to a second predetermined threshold voltage greater than the first predetermined threshold voltage;

ii. produce a third control signal on the input of said control circuitry to cause said control circuitry to produce the first control signal if the voltage of said battery is greater than or equal to the first predetermined threshold voltage;

iii. produce a fourth control signal if the voltage of said battery is below the second predetermined threshold voltage and to apply the fourth control signal to the control input of said third circuit to produce on its output the warning signal to repeatedly energize said alarm device to produce a plurality of alarm signals for each predetermined period while the object of interest is present within the predetermined region and indicative of a low charge condition of said battery; and

iv. produce a fifth control signal if the voltage of said battery is below the first predetermined threshold voltage and apply the fifth control signal to cause the bi-stable valve to be maintained closed until said battery is replaced.

2. The control system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the object of interest is a human body part.

3. The control system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the detector is an infrared detector.

4. The control system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the detector is a passive heat detector.

5. The control system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the detector is a temperature difference detector.

6. The control system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said alarm device comprises a buzzer.

7. The control system as set forth in claim 1 comprising:

(a) a further alarm device for generating a further alarm signal;

(b) a fourth circuit having a control input and an output coupled to said further alarm device for producing a further warning signal to energize said further alarm device for a further predetermined period;

(c) said battery testing circuit being further adapted to;

i. produce the fifth control signal if the voltage of the battery is below the first predetermined threshold voltage indicative of a further low charge condition of said battery; and

ii. to apply the fifth control signal to the control input of said fourth circuit to cause said fourth circuit to produce on its output the further warning signal for energizing said further alarm device to produce the further alarm signal for the further predetermined period and indicating that the bi-stable valve will not be opened due to the further low charge condition of said battery.

8. The control system as set forth in claim 7, wherein said further alarm device comprises a buzzer for producing the further alarm signal different from the alarm signal.

9. The control system as set forth in claim 7 wherein said alarm device includes a buzzer for emitting the alarm signal having a first frequency and wherein said further alarm device includes a further buzzer for emitting the further alarm signal having a second frequency.

10. A battery operated passive control system for controlling operation of a bi-stable valve and for preventing flow through the valve under a low voltage condition of the battery, said control system comprising in combination:

(a) a battery for supplying power to the valve, said battery being the sole source of electrical power for said control system;

(b) a passive detector for producing a detection signal in response to detection of the presence of an object of interest within a predetermined region, said passive detector being adapted to operate in a quiescent state until detection of an object of interest in order to reduce consumption of power from said battery;

(c) a first power driver circuit having a control input and an output capable of being coupled to the valve to provide power to the valve to open the valve;

(d) a second power driver circuit having a control input and an output capable of being coupled to the bi-stable valve to provide power to the valve to close the valve;

(e) an alarm device for generating an alarm signal in the immediate vicinity of said control system and indicative of a low charge condition of the battery;

(f) a third circuit having a control input for producing a warning signal to energize said alarm device only once upon the presence of the object of interest in the predetermined region for a predetermined period of less than a minute and having an output coupled to said alarm device;

(g) a fourth control circuit enabled by the detection signal and having an input, said fourth control circuit being adapted;

i. to produce a first control signal on the control input of said first power driver circuit in response to the detection signal if the voltage of said battery equals or exceeds a first determined threshold voltage and to enable said first power driver circuit to provide power to the valve to cause the valve to open; and

ii. to produce a second control signal on the control input of said second power driver circuit after the valve has been opened to enable said second power driver circuit to provide power to the valve to cause the valve to close;

(h) a fifth battery testing circuit enabled by the detection signal, said fifth battery testing circuit being adapted;

i. to compare the voltage of said battery to the first predetermined threshold voltage and to a second predetermined threshold voltage greater than the first predetermined threshold voltage;

ii. to produce a third control signal on the input of said fourth control circuit to cause said fourth control circuit to produce the first control signal if the voltage of said battery is greater than or equal to the first predetermined threshold voltage;

iii. to produce a fourth control signal if the voltage of said battery is below the second predetermined threshold voltage and to apply the fourth control signal to the control input of said third circuit to produce on its output the warning signal to repeatedly energize said alarm device and generate the alarm signal;

iv. to produce a fifth control signal if the voltage of said battery is below the first predetermined threshold voltage and apply the fifth control signal to cause the valve to be maintained closed and inoperative until said battery is replaced.

11. The control system as set forth in claim 10 wherein the object of interest is a human body part.

12. The control system as set forth in claim 10 wherein said passive detector is a passive heat detector.

13. The control system as set forth in claim 10 wherein said passive detector is a temperature difference detector.

14. The control system as set forth in claim 10 wherein said alarm device comprises a buzzer.

15. The control system as set forth in claim 10 comprising:

(a) a further alarm device for repeatedly generating a further alarm signal of a configuration different from the alarm signal of said alarm device;

(b) a sixth circuit having a control input and an output coupled to said further alarm device for producing a further warning signal to repeatedly energize said further alarm device for further predetermined periods of less than a minute upon the presence of the object of interest in the predetermined region;

(c) said fifth battery testing circuit being further adapted;

i. to produce a sixth control signal if the voltage of said battery is below the first predetermined threshold voltage and indicative of a further low charge condition of said battery; and

ii. to apply the sixth control signal to the control input of said sixth circuit to cause said sixth circuit to produce on its output the further warning signal to energize said further alarm device for the further predetermined period and to indicate that the valve will not be opened due to the further low charge condition of said battery.

16. The control system as set forth in claim 15, wherein said further alarm device comprises a buzzer for producing the further alarm signal.

17. The control system as set forth in claim 15 wherein said alarm device includes a buzzer for emitting the alarm signal having a first frequency for the predetermined period of time and wherein said further alarm device includes a further buzzer for emitting the further alarm signal having a second frequency for the further predetermined periods of time.

18. A control system for automatically controlling operation of a flow control bi-stable valve and for automatically preventing operation of the flow control valve under low battery voltage conditions, said control system comprising in combination:

(a) a battery for supplying power to the bi-stable valve;

(b) a detector for producing a detection signal in response to the presence of an object of interest in a predetermined region;

(c) a first power driver circuit having a control input and an output capable of being coupled to the bi-stable valve to provide power to the bi-stable valve for opening the bi-stable valve;

(d) a second power driver circuit having a control input and an output capable of being coupled to the bi-stable valve to provide power to the bi-stable valve for closing the bi-stable valve;

(e) a first buzzer for generating a first alarm signal in the immediate vicinity of said control system and having a first frequency;

(f) a third circuit having a control input for producing a warning signal to energize said first buzzer for a limited time period in the range of about 1 to about 60 seconds and having an output coupled to said first buzzer;

(g) a second buzzer for generating a second alarm signal in the immediate vicinity of said control system and having a second frequency different from said first frequency;

(h) a fourth circuit having a control input for producing a further warning signal to energize said second buzzer for a further limited time period in the range of about 1 to about 60 seconds and having an output coupled to said second buzzer;

(i) control circuitry enabled by the detection signal produced by said detector and having an input, said control circuit being adapted to;

i. produce a first control signal on the control input of said first power driver circuit in response to the detection signal if the voltage of said battery exceeds a first determined threshold voltage and to enable said first power driver circuit to provide power to the bi-stable valve to cause opening of the bi-stable valve; and

ii. produce a second control signal on the control input of said second power driver circuit after the bi-stable valve has been opened to enable said second power driver circuit to provide power to the bi-stable valve to cause closing of the bi-stable valve;

(j) a battery testing circuit enabled by the detection signal produced by said detector and indicative of the presence of an object of interest in the predetermined region, said battery testing circuit being adapted to;

i. compare the voltage of said battery to the first predetermined threshold voltage and to a second predetermined threshold voltage greater than the first predetermined threshold voltage;

ii. produce a third control signal on the input of said control circuitry to cause said control circuitry to produce the first control signal if the voltage of said battery is greater than the first predetermined threshold voltage;

iii. produce a fourth control signal if the voltage of said battery is below the second predetermined threshold voltage but above the first predetermined threshold voltage and to apply the fourth control signal to the control input of said third circuit to produce on its output the warning signal to energize said first buzzer only once to produce said first alarm signal for said limited time period upon continuing detection of the presence of the object of interest in the predetermined region and indicative of a low charge condition of said battery;

iv. produce a fifth control signal if the voltage of said battery is below the first predetermined threshold voltage indicative of a too low charge condition of said battery;

v. apply the fifth control signal to cause the bi-stable valve to be maintained closed until said battery is replaced;

vi. apply the fifth control signal to the control input of said fourth circuit to cause said fourth circuit to produce on its output the further warning signal for energizing said second buzzer to produce the second alarm signal for said further limited time period and indicating that the bi-stable valve will not be opened due to the further low charge condition of said battery; and

vii. to repeat producing the fifth control signal and applying said fifth control signal to the control input of said fourth circuit to repeatedly energize said second buzzer to produce said second alarm signal upon continuing detection of the presence of the object of interest in the predetermined region.