Device for controlling a series of washroom appliances

• US 6,189,163 B1
• Filed: 10/07/1999
• Issued: 02/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Karel Carl Van Marcke
• Original Assignee: Karel Carl Van Marcke
• Inventors: Van Marcke, Karel Carl
• Primary Examiner(s): Fetsuga, Robert M.
• Application Number:
  US09/413,966
• Time in Patent Office: 502 Days
• Field of Search: 462/3, 462/8, 4DI/G 3
• 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: 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 flow of water in a wash fountain through each water nozzle of a series of water nozzles connected to separate water valves, said device comprising in combination:

(a) each sensor of a series of sensors assigned to one nozzle of said series of nozzles for sensing the presence of a user in close proximity to the respective nozzle of said series of nozzles and for generating a presence signal upon sensing the presence of a user;

(b) a control unit for generating a control signal upon receipt of a presence signal from one sensor of said series of sensors and for transmitting said control signal to valve actuation means adapted to open the water valve of the nozzle assigned to said sensor generating said presence signal in response to receipt of said control signal;

(c) valve deactuation means for closing the actuated water valve; and

(d) maintenance means comprising means for generating a maintenance signal and means responsive to said maintenance signal to prevent opening of all but at least one water valve 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.

2. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said maintenance means includes means responsive to said maintenance signal for opening said at least one water valve within the predetennined period of time and means for closing said at least one water valve.

3. The device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said closing means closes said at least one water valve within said predetermined period of time after a predetermined delay period of time has lapsed.

4. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said maintenance means includes means responsive to said maintenance signal for preventing opening of said at least one water valve of said series of water valves within said predetermined period of time and switching means for either actuating or deactuating said preventing means.

5. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said maintenance means includes means responsive to said maintenance signal for opening said at least one water valve within the predetermined period of time and means for closing said at least one water valve, and means responsive to said maintenance signal for preventing opening of said at least one water valve of said series of water valves within said predetermined period of time and switching means for either actuating or deactuating said preventing means said switching means being adjustable for enabling either said opening means to open said at least one valve or said preventing means to prevent opening of said at least one water valve.

6. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said maintenance means includes means responsive to said maintenance signal for preventing opening of said at least one water valve of said series of water valves within said predetermined period of time but only after a predetermined delay period of time has lapsed.

7. The device as set forth in claim 1 including a source of soap, a series of soap nozzles and each of a series of soap supply valves interconnecting each soap nozzle of said series of soap nozzles with said source of soap, means for automatically controlling flow of soap into said wash fountain from each nozzle of said series of nozzles including means for preventing opening of each soap supply valve of said soap supply valves during said predetermined period of time.

8. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said maintenance means include means responsive to generation of a next maintenance signal within said predetermined period of time for allowing opening of said series of water valves before said predetermined period of time has lapsed.

9. A device as set forth in claim 7 wherein said maintenance means include means responsive to generation of a next maintenance signal within said predetermined period of time for allowing opening of said series of soap valves before said predetermined period of time has lapsed.

10. A device as set forth in claims 1 wherein said maintenance means comprises at least one buzzer and means responsive to said maintenance signal for actuating the buzzer a first time in response to the maintenance signal and a second time when opening of said water valves is again allowed.

11. The device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said maintenance means includes means responsive to said maintenance signal for preventing opening of said at least one water valve of said series of water valves within said predetermined period of time and adjustable switching means for enabling either said opening means to open said at least one valve or said preventing means to prevent opening of said at least one water valve.