Valve body assembly with electronic switching

• US 7,537,023 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2006
• Issued: 05/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Delta Faucet Company (Masco Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Masco Corporation Of Indiana (Masco Corporation)
• Inventors: Marty, Garry Robin, Jonte, Patrick B., Sailors, Timothy Jay Jr., Moore, Jeffrey Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Kevin L
• Application Number:
  US11/326,986
• Publication Number:
  US 20060130908A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,237 Days
• Field of Search: 137/553, 137/554, 137/801, 137/613, 137/624.11, 251/129.04, 462/3, 116/277
• US Class Current: 137/554
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/055 Electrical control devices, e.g. with push buttons, control panels or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/087 with spherical plug
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 37/0033 using a permanent magnet, e.g. in combination with a reed relays
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 37/0041 for measuring valve parameters F16K37/0033 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8242 Electrical
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87917 Flow path with serial valves and/or closures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/9464 Faucets and spouts

Abstract

A valve body assembly including a valve member coupled to a handle for adjusting the position of the valve member. The valve assembly includes a sensor for detecting the position of the valve member to determine whether the handle is in an OFF position and/or an ON position.

Claims

1. A valve assembly for use with an electronic faucet, the valve assembly comprising:

a valve housing having a cavity;

a magnetic field sensor supported by the valve housing;

a valve member disposed within the cavity and including a hot water inlet and a cold water inlet, the valve member configured to control the mixture and flow rate of water from the hot water inlet and the cold water inlet delivered to a mixed water outlet, the valve member further including a magnet, the valve member being movable between a first position relative to the sensor to generate a first signal, and a second position relative to the sensor to generate a second signal, wherein the magnet is positioned farther from the sensor when the valve member is in the second position than when the valve member is in the first position; and

wherein the sensor is in electrical communication with a controller configured to control operation of an actuator driven valve.

2. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the valve member is movable between an OFF position wherein the magnet is positioned adjacent the sensor to generate the first signal, and a plurality of ON positions wherein the magnet is positioned farther from the sensor than when the valve is in the OFF position to generate the second signal.

3. The valve assembly of claim 1, further comprising a capacitive sensor supported by the valve housing, the capacitive sensor configured to generate a third signal when the valve housing is in electrical communication with a user.

4. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the valve member comprises a ball, said ball forming the hot water inlet, the cold water inlet, the mixed water outlet and a connecting passageway providing fluid communication between the hot water inlet, the cold water inlet, and the mixed water outlet.

5. The valve assembly of claim 4, further comprising a holder supported within the connecting passageway of the ball and including a retaining member operably coupled to the magnet.

6. The valve assembly of claim 5, wherein the holder includes a body and a spring operably coupled to the body and configured to bias the body into engagement with an interior surface of the ball.

7. The valve assembly of claim 1, further comprising a handle extending upwardly from the valve member to facilitate movement thereof.

8. The valve assembly of claim 1, wherein the magnetic field sensor comprises a Hall-effect sensor.

9. The valve assembly of claim 1, further comprising a gasket configured to electrically isolate the valve housing from a sink deck.

10. The valve assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a trim dome operably coupled to the valve member;

an outer sleeve received around the valve housing; and

a seal positioned intermediate the trim dome and the outer sleeve, the seal including a gasket portion configured to provide a wear surface for the trim dome, and an annular ring configured to provide a lip seal with the trim dome.

11. An electronic faucet assembly comprising:

a water inlet conduit;

a delivery spout;

a valve body in fluid communication with the water inlet conduit and the delivery spout;

a manual valve member supported by the valve body and configured to move between an open position and a closed position for controlling fluid flow from the water inlet conduit to the delivery spout;

a sensing element supported by the manual valve member and configured to move with the manual valve member;

a position sensor located in spaced relation to the sensing element and configured to detect the relative position of the sensing element and in response thereto provide a signal indicative of the position of the manual valve member;

an actuator driven valve in fluid communication with the manual valve member;

a proximity sensor having a detection zone, the proximity sensor being configured to generate a proximity signal when the proximity sensor detects the presence of an object within the detection zone; and

a controller in electrical communication with the position sensor, the actuator driven valve, and the proximity sensor, the controller being configured to deactivate the proximity sensor when the position sensor indicates that the manual valve member is in the closed position.

12. The electronic faucet assembly of claim 11, wherein the sensing element comprises a magnet.

13. The electronic faucet assembly of claim 12, wherein the position sensor comprises a Hall-effect sensor.

14. The electronic faucet assembly of claim 12, wherein the manual valve member is movable between an OFF position wherein the magnet is positioned adjacent the position sensor to generate a first signal, and a plurality of ON positions wherein the magnet is positioned farther from the position sensor than when the valve is in the OFF position to generate a second signal.

15. The electronic faucet assembly of claim 11, wherein the manual valve member includes a ball having a hot water inlet, a cold water inlet, a mixed water outlet and a connecting passageway providing fluid communication between the hot water inlet, the cold water inlet, and the mixed water outlet.

16. The electronic faucet assembly of claim 11, further comprising a gasket configured to electrically isolate the valve body from a sink deck.

17. The electronic faucet assembly of claim 11, further comprising:

a trim dome operably coupled to the manual valve member;

an outer sleeve received around the valve body; and

a seal positioned intermediate the trim dome and the outer sleeve, the seal including a gasket portion configured to provide a wear surface for the trim dome and an annular ring configured to provide a lip seal with the trim dome.

18. A valve assembly for use with an electronic faucet, the valve assembly comprising:

a valve housing having a cavity;

a movable valve member disposed within the cavity, the valve member including a ball having a hot water inlet, a cold water inlet, a mixed water outlet and a connecting passageway providing fluid communication between the hot water inlet, the cold water inlet, and the mixed water outlet;

a holder supported within the connecting passageway of the ball; and

a magnet operably coupled to the holder.

19. The valve assembly of claim 18, further comprising a magnetic field sensor supported by the valve housing, wherein the valve member is movable between a first position relative to the sensor to generate a first signal, and a second position relative to the sensor to generate a second signal, wherein the magnet is positioned further from the sensor when the valve member is in the second position than when the valve member is in the first position.

20. The valve assembly of claim 19, wherein the magnetic field sensor comprises a Hall-effect sensor.

21. The valve assembly of claim 19, wherein the sensor is in electrical communication with a controller configured to control operation of an actuator driven valve.

22. The valve assembly of claim 18, wherein the holder includes a body and a spring operably coupled to the body and configured to bias the body into engagement with an interior surface of the ball.

23. The valve assembly of claim 18, further comprising a handle operably coupled to a stem of the ball to facilitate movement thereof.

24. A valve assembly for use with an electronic faucet, the valve assembly comprising:

a valve housing;

a valve member received within the housing;

a handle extending outside of the valve housing and operably coupled to the valve member to manually move about a first axis and a second axis positioned in non-parallel relation to the first axis, the valve member movable between a closed position and an open position in response to movement of the handle about the first axis; and

a magnetic field sensor configured to detect when the valve member is in the closed position.

25. The valve assembly of claim 24, wherein the magnetic field sensor comprises a Hall-effect sensor.

26. The valve assembly of claim 24, further comprising a magnet supported for movement with the valve member.

27. The valve assembly of claim 24, wherein the sensor is in electrical communication with a controller configured to control operation of an actuator driven valve.

28. The valve assembly of claim 24, wherein the valve member includes a hot water inlet and a cold water inlet, the valve member being configured to control the mixture and flow rate of water from the hot water inlet and the cold water inlet delivered to a mixed water outlet.

29. A valve assembly for use with an electronic faucet, the valve assembly comprising:

a valve housing;

a valve member received within the valve housing and configured to be fluidly coupled to a hot water source and a cold water source;

a mixed water outlet in selective fluid communication with the hot water source and the cold water source;

wherein the valve member is movable in a first direction to control the flow rate of water delivered to the mixed water outlet and movable in a second direction to control the temperature of water delivered to the mixed water outlet;

a magnet supported for movement with the valve member; and

a magnetic field sensor configured to generate a first signal when the valve member is in a first position relative to the sensor.

30. The valve assembly of claim 29, wherein the magnetic field sensor is configured to generate a second signal when the valve member is in a second position relative to the sensor, the magnet being farther from the sensor when the valve member is in the second position than when the valve member is in the first position.

31. The valve assembly of claim 29, wherein the valve member includes a hot water inlet fluidly coupled to the hot water source and a cold water inlet fluidly coupled to the cold water source.

32. The valve assembly of claim 31, wherein the valve member comprises a ball including a connecting passageway providing fluid communication between the hot water inlet, the cold water inlet, and the mixed water outlet.

33. The valve assembly of claim 29, wherein the sensor is in electrical communication with a controller to control operation of an actuator-driven valve fluidly coupled to the valve member.