Automatic faucet

• US 6,393,634 B1
• Filed: 11/18/1999
• Issued: 05/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: URO Denshi Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: URO Denshi Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Kodaira, Makoto, Kaneko, Mitsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Eloshway, Charles R.
• Application Number:
  US09/442,484
• Time in Patent Office: 922 Days
• Field of Search: 4/623,668,675-678
• US Class Current: 4/623
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/057 touchless, i.e. using sensors

Abstract

An automatic faucet, wherein the reference value can be reset in accordance with the state of a sink, without requiring further adjustment. The automatic faucet includes a faucet; a sink which receives water emitted from the faucet; a light generator for radiating infrared rays toward the bottom of the sink; a light receiver for receiving infrared rays, reflected from the bottom of the sink, and detecting an amount of light thereby received; a flush output portion for comparing the detection output from the light receiver with a reference value, and creating a flush output when the detection output exceeds a predetermined value; and a faucet controller for opening and closing the faucet in accordance with the output of the flush output portion.

Claims

1. An automatic faucet, comprising

a faucet;

a light generator for radiating infrared rays toward the bottom of a sink;

a light receiver for receiving infrared rays reflected from the bottom of said sink, and detecting an amount of light thereby received;

a flush output portion for comparing the detection output from said light receiver with a reference value, and creating a flush output when the detection output exceeds a predetermined value; and

a faucet controller for opening and closing said faucet in accordance with an output of said flush output portion;

the automatic faucet further comprising;

a command device for generating a command signal to correct the reference value;

a detection device for detecting a maximum amount of light, received by said light receiver, when a signal has been supplied by said command device;

a reference value correction device for correcting the reference value in said flush output portion, based on the maximum amount of light detected and a predetermined tolerance added thereto; and

a timer for providing an output to said command device when a predetermined time has passed, the predetermined time being more than twelve hours and less than one day.

2. The automatic faucet according to claim 1, wherein said command device generates the command signal when a reset operation is performed.

3. The automatic faucet according to claim 1, wherein said command device generates the command signal each time a predetermined period of time has elapsed.

4. The automatic faucet according to claim 1, wherein the reference value correction device performs correction by selecting one of a plurality of predetermined correction levels.

5. The automatic faucet of claim 1, wherein said reference value correction device corrects the reference value in the event of a reflected light exceeding a predetermined amount for a predetermined length of time, and then said faucet controller closes said faucet in the event that a reflected light exceeds a predetermined amount for a predetermined length of time, and after a time shorter than the predetermined length of time said reference value correction device corrects the reference value.

6. The automatic faucet of claim 1, wherein said detection device detects a maximum value among a predetermined number of inputs.