Control for an automatic plumbing device

• US 7,614,096 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2005
• Issued: 11/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Masco Canada Limited (Masco Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Masco Corporation Of Indiana (Masco Corporation)
• Inventors: Vincent, Raymond A.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, HUYEN D
• Application Number:
  US11/081,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20060207019A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,700 Days
• Field of Search: 462/3, 4DI/G 3, 430/2, 430/4, 431/3, 137/554, 251/129.04, 250/221
• US Class Current: 4/623
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/057 touchless, i.e. using sensors

Abstract

A plumbing device uses electronic control circuitry with two infrared emitters and one infrared receiver to detect objects in a particular region of space. In one embodiment, detection of an object using both sensors (in sequential scans) results in the plumbing device turning on. When no object has been detected for a certain amount of time, the plumbing device is turned off. Also, when the plumbing device has run for another certain amount of time, the plumbing device is turned off regardless of whether an object is still being detected. In another embodiment, the output of the IR emitters is partially blocked by one or more mask elements to tailor the region that is covered by both IR emitters and, hence, the region that triggers the opening of the plumbing device valve.

Claims

1. An automatic plumbing device, comprising:

a plumbing body;

a first emitter oriented to yield emissions in a first region of sensitivity including an inner boundary and an outer boundary diverging from the inner boundary;

a second emitter oriented to yield emissions in a second region of sensitivity that intersects the first region of sensitivity, the second region including an inner boundary and an outer boundary diverging from the inner boundary, wherein the first region of sensitivity and the second region of sensitivity overlap to form a sensitivity volume, and wherein a starting point of the sensitivity volume is defined by the intersection of the inner boundary of the first region of sensitivity and the inner boundary of the second region of sensitivity, and an end point of the sensitivity volume is defined by the intersection of the outer boundary of the first region of sensitivity and the outer boundary of the second region of sensitivity, and the first region of sensitivity and the second region of sensitivity diverge at the end point where the sensitivity volume ends;

a receiver adapted to receive emitted returns from said first region of sensitivity and said second region of sensitivity and to detect an object in the sensitivity volume by comparing the emitted returns to a threshold value; and

a controller in communication with said receiver and said first emitter and said second emitter, said controller operable to open a valve in response to an object detected in the sensitivity volume, and to close the valve in response to a timer or in response to no object being detected in the sensitivity volume.

2. The automatic plumbing device as described in claim 1, wherein said plumbing body is a faucet having a spout section.

3. The automatic plumbing device as described in claim 2, wherein the sensitivity volume extends between the spout section and a housing enclosing the first emitter, the second emitter, and the receiver.

4. The automatic plumbing device as described in claim 2, wherein the first region of sensitivity and the second region of sensitivity diverge past the spout section.

5. The automatic plumbing device as described in claim 1, further comprising a first mask mounted on said plumbing body.

6. The automatic plumbing device as described in claim 5, wherein said emissions of said first emitter are at least partially blocked by said first mask to define said first region of sensitivity.

7. The automatic plumbing device as described in claim 6, further comprising a second mask mounted on said plumbing body.

8. The automatic plumbing device as described in claim 7, wherein said emissions of said second emitter are at least partially blocked by said second mask to define said second region of sensitivity.

9. The automatic plumbing device as described in claim 1, wherein said first emitter and said second emitter yield said emissions in response to instructions received from said controller.

10. The automatic plumbing device as described in claim 1, wherein said controller communicates with a memory device containing instructions executable by said controller to open and close said valve.

11. The automatic plumbing device as described in claim 1, further comprising a solenoid control, said controller communicating with said solenoid control to open and close said valve.

12. The automatic plumbing device as described in claim 1, wherein said first emitter and said second emitter are infrared emitters.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the first emitter and the second emitter are disposed in substantially a same horizontal plane.

14. An automatic plumbing device, comprising:

a plumbing body having a valve;

a first emitter oriented to yield emissions in a first region of sensitivity including an inner boundary and an outer boundary diverging from the inner boundary;

a second emitter oriented to yield emissions that form a second region of sensitivity, the second region including an inner boundary and an outer boundary diverging from the inner boundary, wherein a portion of the first region of sensitivity and a portion of the second region of sensitivity overlap to form a defined sensitivity volume and wherein a starting point of the sensitivity volume is defined by the intersection of the inner boundary of the first region of sensitivity and the inner boundary of the second region of sensitivity, and an end point of the sensitivity volume is defined by the intersection of the outer boundary of the first region of sensitivity and the outer boundary of the second region of sensitivity, and the first region of sensitivity and the second region of sensitivity diverge at the end point where the sensitivity volume ends;

a receiver adapted to receive emitted returns from said first region of sensitivity and said second region of sensitivity and to detect an object in the sensitivity volume by comparing the emitted returns to a threshold value; and

a controller in communication with said receiver and said first emitter and said second emitter, said controller operable to open the valve in response to an object detected in the sensitivity volume, and operable to close the valve in response to no object being detected in the sensitivity volume.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the first emitter and the second emitter are disposed in substantially a same horizontal plane.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein the first emitter and the second emitter are oriented toward each other to form the defined sensitivity volume.

17. The device of claim 14, wherein the defined sensitivity volume has a starting point and an endpoint.

18. The device of claim 14, wherein the controller is also operable to close the valve in response to a timer.

19. The device of claim 14, further comprising a first mask mounted on the plumbing body, and a second mask mounted on the plumbing body, wherein said emissions of said first emitter are at least partially blocked by said first mask to define said first region of sensitivity, and wherein said emissions of said second emitter are at least partially blocked by said second mask to define said second region of sensitivity.

20. The device of claim 14, wherein the plumbing body is a faucet having a spout section, and wherein fluid emitted from the spout section flows across said endpoint.