User interface for controlling a whirlpool tub

• US 6,879,863 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2003
• Issued: 04/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kohler Company
• Original Assignee: Kohler Company
• Inventors: Thomas, Carter J., Mueller, Carl F., Tempas, Jeffrey F., Swart, Peter W., Bauer, Ronald A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Knight, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARNES-BULLOCK, CRYSTAL JOY
• Application Number:
  US10/410,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20040204779A1
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 700/17, 700/19, 700/20, 700/65, 700/66, 700/75, 700/83, 700/85, 700/302, 417/44.6, 340/524, 340/688, 340/686.1, 200/11.R, 200/13, 200/14, 200/18, 200/42.01, 200/564, 200/565, 200/570, 116/280, 116/284, 116/300, 116/309, 116305-307, 116/316
• US Class Current: 700/85
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2033/007 with capacitors, e.g. proximity switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 33/005 Electrical circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/145 influenced by the relative movement between the Hall device and magnetic fields see G01R33/06
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/106 for selecting a programme, variable or parameter
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23035 Same knob, different functions, turn for pulses, push to enter value
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2025/045 having a rotating dial around the operating member for additional switching functions
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/024 with inductive switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/041 having a generally flat operating member depressible at different locations to operate different controls
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/97 using a magnetic movable element
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/94068 with magnetic detection

Abstract

An apparatus is provided to control a plumbing fixture, such as a whirlpool, that has electrically operated components. The apparatus has a dial that is moveable by the user into a plurality of positions to select a function of the plumbing fixture to be controlled. A unique sensor arrangement detects motion and the direction of the motion and provides a signal to a controller that changes the valve of a pointer that designates which function is presently selected. The user then presses a keypad to indicate whether the selected function is to be activated or deactivated and to control the intensity of the selected function. The signals from the keypad also are applied to the controller.

Claims

1. A user interface which produces electrical signals for controlling plumbing equipment, said user interface comprising:

a dial moveable into a plurality of positions along a path in response to manipulation by a user of the plumbing equipment, wherein X designates the number of those positions;

a plurality of switch operators attached to the dial, wherein Y designates the number of switch operators;

a plurality of first switches positioned along the path wherein each first switch produces an output signal when operated by one of the plurality of switch operators, wherein Z designates the number of first switches, and wherein Z is less than X; and

a controller is connected to the plurality of first switches and determines motion of the dial in response to the output signals from the plurality of first switches.

2. The user interface as recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of switch operators comprises a plurality of magnets;

and the plurality of first switches responds to magnetic fields produced by the plurality of magnets.

3. The user interface as recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of first switches comprises a plurality of Hall effect sensors.

4. The user interface as recited in claim 1 wherein the dial is ring shaped and rotates with respect to the plurality of first switches.

5. The user interface as recited in claim 1 wherein controller determines a magnitude and direction of motion of the dial in response to the output signals.

6. The user interface as recited in claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of positions corresponds to a different function of the plumbing equipment, and controller produces an indication of the position of the dial from the output signals produced by the plurality of first switches.

7. The user interface as recited in claim 6 wherein the controller operates components of the plumbing equipment in response to the position of the dial.

8. The user interface as recited in claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of positions corresponds to a different one of a plurality of functions of the plumbing equipment, and controller responds to the output signals produced by the plurality of first switches by selecting a given function from among the plurality of functions.

9. The user interface as recited in claim 8 further comprising a plurality of second switches operable by the user to produce electrical signals.

10. The user interface as recited in claim 9 wherein an electrical signal produced by the plurality of second switches indicates a desired change of a characteristic of the given function.

11. The user interface as recited in claim 10 further comprising an indicator of a magnitude of the characteristic of the given function.

12. The user interface as recited in claim 11 wherein an electrical signal produced by the plurality of second switches controls activation and deactivation of the given function.

13. The user interface as recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of positions corresponds to a plurality of functions of the plumbing equipment;

and further comprising indicia for the plurality of functions.

14. The user interface as recited in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of light emitters connected to the controller wherein each light emitter corresponds to a different one of a plurality of functions of the plumbing equipment.

15. The user interface as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

a handheld remote control including a plurality of third switches operable by the user to produce an input command for controlling the plumbing equipment, a transmitter connected to the plurality of third switches for producing a wireless signal indicating the input command; and

a receiver connected to the controller to receive the wireless signal and apply the input command to the controller.

16. The user interface as recited in claim 15 wherein the wireless signal is a radio frequency signal.

17. A user interface which produces electrical signals for controlling plumbing equipment, said user interface comprising:

a plurality of switches which are operable by a user of the plumbing equipment to produce a first set of electrical signals;

an annular dial rotatable in two directions into a plurality of positions in a path around the plurality of switches, wherein X designates the number of positions;

a sensor arrangement positioned adjacent the annular dial and producing a second set of electrical signals which indicate movement of the annular dial and a direction of that movement; and

a controller connected to the plurality of switches and the sensor arrangement, and being response to the direction of movement by selecting a given function of the whirlpool to control and responsive to the first set of electrical signals by producing control signals for operating the plumbing equipment.

18. The user interface as recited in claim 17 wherein the sensor arrangement comprises a plurality of magnets attached to the dial, wherein Y designates the number of magnets;

and a plurality of magnetic sensors positioned along the path, wherein Z designates the number of magnetic sensors, and wherein each sensor produces an output signal when one of the plurality of magnets is adjacent thereto, thereby producing the second set of electrical signals, and wherein Z is less than the X.

19. The user interface as recited in claim 18 wherein Y multiplied by Z equals X.

20. The user interface as recited in claim 18 wherein Y equals four and the Z equals three.

21. The user interface as recited in claim 17 wherein each of the plurality of positions corresponds to a different function of the plumbing equipment, and the controller produces an indication of a present position of the dial from the second set of electrical signals.

22. The user interface as recited in claim 17 wherein the first set of electrical signals produced by the plurality of switches indicates that the given function is to be changed in intensity.

23. The user interface as recited in claim 22 further comprising an indicator of an intensity of the given function.

24. The user interface as recited in claim 17 wherein the first set of electrical signals indicates activation and deactivation of the given function.

25. The user interface as recited in claim 17 wherein each of the plurality of positions corresponds to a different function of the plumbing equipment;

and further comprising a plurality of light emitters connected to the controller wherein each light emitter corresponds to a different one of the plurality of functions.

26. The user interface as recited in claim 17 further comprising:

a handheld remote control including a plurality of switches operable by the user to produce an input command for controlling the plumbing equipment, a transmitter connected to the plurality of switches for producing a wireless signal indicating the input command; and

a receiver connected to the controller to receive the wireless signal and apply the input command to the controller.

27. The user interface as recited in claim 26 wherein the wireless signal is a radio frequency signal.

28. A method for controlling plumbing equipment, said method comprising:

moving a dial with a plurality of magnets among a plurality of positions along a path, where X designates the number of positions and Y designates the number of magnets;

receiving output signals produced by a plurality of sensors positioned along the path where Z designates the number of sensors, and wherein each sensor produces an output signal when one of the plurality of magnets is adjacent thereto, and where Z is less than the X;

responding to the output signals by determining occurrence of motion of the dial and a direction of that motion; and

controlling the plumbing equipment in response to the occurrence and direction of the motion of the dial.

29. The method as recited in claim 28 further comprising determining a position of the dial from the output signals.

30. The method as recited in claim 28 wherein controlling the plumbing equipment comprises selecting a given function to be controlled.

31. The method as recited in claim 30 further comprising operating a light emitter to indicate the given function.

32. The method as recited in claim 30 further comprising operating an electrical switch to produce an indication that the given function is desired to be activated.

33. The method as recited in claim 30 further comprising operating an electrical switch to produce a signal indicating that intensity of the given function is desired to be changed.

34. The method as recited in claim 33 further comprising producing a visual indication of the intensity of the given function.

35. An apparatus, for controlling plumbing equipment, comprising:

a plurality of switches which are operable by a user of the plumbing equipment to produce an input command;

a dial moveable into a plurality of positions along a path in response to manipulation by a user of the plumbing equipment, where X designates the number of positions;

a plurality of magnets attached to the dial where Y designates the number of magnets;

a plurality of sensors positioned along the path where Z designates the number of sensors, and wherein each sensor produces a separate output signal when one of the plurality of magnets is adjacent thereto, and wherein Z is less than X; and

an interface controller connected to the plurality of switches and the plurality of sensors and being responsive to the output signals from the plurality of sensors by determining when the dial moves and a direction of that movement, and producing a control command indicating at least one of the direction of dial movement and the input command;

a main controller connected to the interface controller and to a plurality of electrically operated components of the plumbing equipment, the main controller responding to receipt of the control command by selecting a given function of the plumbing equipment to control based on the direction of dial movement, and responding to the an input command by altering operation of those of the plurality of electrically operated components associated with the given function.

36. The apparatus as recited in claim 35 wherein the dial is circular and rotates with respect to the plurality of sensors.

37. The apparatus as recited in claim 35 wherein an electrical signal produced by the plurality of switches indicates that the given function is to be changed in intensity.

38. The apparatus as recited in claim 37 further comprising an indicator of the intensity of the given function.

39. The user interface as recited in claim 35 further comprising a plurality of light emitters connected to the controller wherein each light emitter corresponds to a different one of a plurality of functions of the plumbing equipment and is independently operable to indicate the given function.