Sanitary proximity valving

• US 6,321,785 B1
• Filed: 06/09/1999
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ideal-Standard GmbH
• Original Assignee: Ideal-Standard GmbH
• Inventors: Bergmann, Konrad
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, KEVIN L
• Application Number:
  US09/319,251
• Time in Patent Office: 902 Days
• Field of Search: 137/606, 137/605, 137/607, 137/624.11, 137/624.12, 462/3, 251/129.04
• US Class Current: 137/606
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/057 touchless, i.e. using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 2001/0418 having temperature indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1393 characterised by the use of electric means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87684 Valve in each inlet

Abstract

The invention relates to a sanitary proximity valving (1) having an associated control device (8) with a sensor device (9) and a valve device (10) coupled with the control device (8), whereby the control device (8), after detection of a signal by the sensor device (9), activates the valve device (10) to release water. The aim of the invention is to provide a sanitary proximity valving (1) which can be used also in the private sphere without major inconvenience, and is thus characterized in that the control device (8), after detection of a signal from one side, activates the valve device (10) to release cold water, whilst the control device (8), after detection of a signal from the other side, activates the valve device (10) to release warmer water.

Claims

1. Sanitary proximity fixture with an assigned control means which has a sensor means and a valve means which is coupled to the control means, after acquisition of a signal by the sensor means the control means triggering the valve means to release water, wherein the sensor means has at least two sensors including a first sensor for acquiring a signal from one side of the fixture, and a second sensor for acquiring a signal from the other side of the fixture;

wherein the control means, after acquisition of a signal from said one side of the fixture, triggers the valve means for release of colder water, while the control means, after acquisition of a signal from the other side of the fixture, triggers the valve means for release of warmer water wherein the control means is made such that the valve position of the valve means which was set at first after acquiring the first signal regardless of the acquisition of other signals in the first time interval is preserved for a given first time interval, wherein the set first valve position is preserved for another given time interval, if shortly before or after the first or another time interval has expired a signal from one side or the other is acquired by the sensor means, and wherein a change of the valve position is possible by acquiring signals via the sensor means only if the valve means has been reset into the closed position after the first or another time interval has expired.

2. Proximity fitting as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least two sensors are sealed in a body of the proximity fixture and are located at a bottom side of a drain arm.

3. Proximity fitting as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least two sensors are located pointed downward in a body of the fixture such that in the installation state of the proximity fixture, a wash basin produces a signal which is acquired by the sensor means and which is used by the control means for compensation of the relative sensitivity of the at least two sensors with respect to each other, and wherein balancing of the at least two sensors takes place at stipulated time intervals.

4. Proximity fitting as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least two sensors are made as infrared sensors and wherein there are two receiving diodes and only one transmitting diode which is located between the receiving diodes.

5. Proximity fitting as claimed in claim 1, wherein two controls are provided on a body of the fixture, in the area of the at least two sensors on a bottom side of the drain arm, said two controls being pressure switches coupled to the control means, and wherein when one control is activated, the valve means is triggered to open cold water valve for a stipulated time interval, while when the other control is activated the valve means is triggered for opening at least a hot water valve.

6. Proximity fitting as claimed in claim 5, wherein by actuating one of said two controls within the time interval, the valve means is reset into the closed position.

7. Proximity fitting as claimed in claim 5, wherein with simultaneous activation of the two controls the sensor means is deactivated and wherein, after deactivation of the sensor means, the sensor means can be turned on again after a stipulated time interval or by actuating at least one control.

8. Proximity fitting as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is at least one other control, said at least one other control being a switch for setting at least one of the amount of water and the temperature of the warm water.

9. Proximity fitting as claimed in claim 1, wherein a fixture housing is made in at least two parts including a housing part which is open to the top and a cover which can be placed thereon, and wherein the sensor means and the control means are located in a drain arm.

10. Proximity fitting as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is a display means which has light-emitting diodes for display of the set water temperature.

11. Proximity fitting as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control means is made such that the valve position of the valve means which was set at first after acquiring the first signal regardless of the acquisition of other signals in the first time interval is preserved for a given time interval, if shortly before or after the first or another time interval has expired a signal from one side is acquired by the sensor means, and wherein a change of the valve position is possible by acquiring signals via the sensor means only if the valve means has been reset into the closed position after the first or another time interval has expired.

12. Proximity fitting as claimed in claim 2, wherein the sensors are located pointed downward in the body of the fixture such that, in the installation state of the proximity fixture the wash basin produces a signal which is acquired by the sensor means and which is used by the control means for compensation of the relative sensitivity of the at least two sensors relative to each other, and wherein balancing of the at least two sensors takes place at stipulated time intervals.

13. Proximity fitting as claimed in claim 6, wherein with simultaneous activation of the two controls the sensor means is deactivated and wherein, after deactivation of the sensor means, the sensor means can be turned on again after a stipulated time interval or by actuating at least one control.

14. Sanitary proximity fixture with an assigned control means which has a sensor means and a valve means which is coupled to the control means, after acquisition of a signal by the sensor means the control means triggering the valve means to release water, wherein the sensor means has at least two sensors, including a first sensor for acquiring a signal from one side of the fixture, and a second sensor for acquiring a signal from the other side of the fixture;

wherein the control means, after acquisition of a signal from said one side of the fixture, triggers the valve means for release of colder water, while the control means, after acquisition of a signal from the other side of the fixture, triggers the valve means for release of warmer water; and

wherein a signal acquired by the sensor means is relayed from the control means to the valve means for the valve actuation only when a stipulated signal threshold value is exceeded, and the signal threshold value is greater than the signal value generated by the water jet of a proximity figure.

15. Proximity fitting as claimed in claim 14, wherein the at least two sensors are sealed in a body of the proximity fixture and are located at a bottom side of a drain arm.

16. Proximity fitting as claimed in claim 14, wherein the at least two sensors are located pointed downward in a body of the fixture such that, in the installation state of the proximity fixture, a wash basin produces a signal which is acquired by the sensor means and which is used by the control means for compensation of the relative sensitivity of the sensors with respect to each other, and wherein balancing of the at least two sensors takes place at stipulated time intervals.

17. Proximity fitting as claimed in claim 14, wherein the at least two sensors are made as infrared sensors and wherein there are two receiving diodes and a transmitting diode located between the two receiving diodes.

18. Proximity fitting as claimed in claim 14, wherein two controls are provided on a body of the fixture, in the area of the at least two sensors on a bottom side of the drain arm, said two controls being pressure switches coupled to the control means, and wherein when one control is activated, the valve means is triggered to open a cold water valve for a stipulated time interval, while when the other control is activated the valve means is triggered for opening at least a hot water valve.

19. Proximity fitting as claimed in claim 18, wherein by actuating one of said two controls within the time interval, the valve means is reset into the closed position.

20. Proximity fitting as claimed in claim 18, wherein with simultaneous activation of the two controls the sensor means is deactivated and wherein, after deactivation of the sensor means, the sensor means can be turned on again after a stipulated time interval or by actuating at least on e control.

21. Proximity fitting as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a third control, including a switch for setting at least one of the amount of water and the temperature of the warm water.

22. Proximity fitting as claimed in claim 14, wherein a fixture housing is made in at least two parts including a housing part which is open to the top and a cover which can be placed thereon, and wherein the sensor means and the control means are located in a drain arm.

23. Proximity fitting as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a display means including light-emitting diodes for displaying the set water temperature.

24. Proximity fitting as claimed in claim 14, wherein the control means is made such that the valve position of the valve means which was set at first after acquiring the first signal regardless of the acquisition of other signals in the first time interval is preserved for a given time interval, if shortly before or after the first or another time interval has expired a signal from one side is acquired by the sensor means, and wherein a change of the valve position is possible by acquiring signals via the sensor means only if the valve means has been reset into the closed position after the first or another time interval has expired.

25. Proximity fitting as claimed in claim 15, wherein the at least two sensors are located so as to point downwardly in the body of the fixture such that, in the installation state of the proximity fixture, the wash basin produces a signal which is acquired by the sensor means and which is used by the control means for compensation of the relative sensitivity of the at least two sensors relative to each other, and wherein balancing of the at least two sensors takes place at stipulated time intervals.

26. Proximity fitting as claimed in claim 19, wherein with simultaneous activation of the two controls the sensor means is deactivated and wherein, after deactivation of the sensor means, the sensor means can be turned on again after a stipulated time interval or by actuating at least one control.