Touch sensor

• US 8,243,040 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2011
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Delta Faucet Company (Masco Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Masco Corporation Of Indiana (Masco Corporation)
• Inventors: Koottungal, Paul D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZUBAJLO, JENNIFER L
• Application Number:
  US13/337,775
• Publication Number:
  US 20120092298A1
• Time in Patent Office: 231 Days
• Field of Search: 345/169, 345/173, 137/801, 178/18.06, 251/129.03, 251/129.04, 462/3, 210/282, 360/97.02, 701/2
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/975 using a capacitive movable element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/9464 Faucets and spouts

Abstract

A sensor is disclosed. The sensor may be a touch sensor. The sensor may be incorporated into a water delivery system.

Claims

1. A user interface of a water delivery system, the user interface comprising:

a cover having an exterior surface and an interior surface;

a capacitive sensor positioned adjacent the interior surface of the cover, the capacitive sensor including a rigid base member having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a side surface, the side surface positioned adjacent the interior surface of the cover and at least two spaced apart conductors positioned proximate the side surface of the rigid base member; and

a controller operatively coupled to the capacitive sensor, the controller being configured to determine a location of a user'"'"'s finger proximate the exterior surface of cover relative to the at least two spaced apart conductors positioned proximate the side surface of the capacitive sensor, the controller configured to control one of a temperature of water provided by the water delivery system and a flow rate of water provided by the water delivery system based on the location of the user'"'"'s finger relative to the side surface of the capacitive sensor.

2. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the rigid base member is a printed circuit board and the side surface is an edge of the printed circuit board.

3. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the side surface includes a non-linear surface, the at least two spaced apart conductors positioned proximate the side surface of the capacitive sensor generally following the non-linear surface.

4. The user interface of claim 3, wherein the non-linear surface is curved.

5. The user interface of claim 4, wherein the non-linear surface has a profile which matches a profile of a cover, the profile of the exterior surface of the cover being convex.

6. The user interface of claim 1, wherein a first one of the at least two spaced apart conductors is positioned proximate to a first shared edge of the top surface and the side surface and a second one of the at least two spaced apart conductors is positioned proximate to a second shared edge of the bottom surface and the side surface.

7. The user interface of claim 6, wherein the first one and the second one of the at least two spaced apart conductors are positioned on the side surface.

8. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the capacitive sensor is a slider sensor.

9. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the water delivery system includes a spout, the rigid base member of the capacitive sensor being supported by the spout.

10. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the temperature of water provided by the water delivery system based on the location of the user'"'"'s finger relative to the side surface of the capacitive sensor.

11. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the flow rate of water provided by the water delivery system based on the location of the user'"'"'s finger relative to the side surface of the capacitive sensor.

12. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to detect a rapid touch of the user'"'"'s finger on the exterior surface of the cover.

13. The user interface of claim 12, wherein the cover is supported by a spout of the water delivery system.

14. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to detect a movement of the user'"'"'s finger along the exterior surface of the cover.

15. The user interface of claim 14, wherein the cover is supported by a spout of the water delivery system.

16. The user interface of claim 1, further comprising a second capacitive sensor operatively coupled to the controller, the capacitive sensor corresponding to the temperature of the water provided by the water delivery system and the second capacitive sensor corresponding to the flow rate of the water provided by the water delivery system.

17. The user interface of claim 16, wherein the second capacitive sensor is positioned adjacent the interior surface of the cover.

18. The user interface of claim 1, further comprising a second capacitive sensor operatively coupled to the controller, the second capacitive sensor corresponding to the temperature of the water provided by the water delivery system and the capacitive sensor corresponding to the flow rate of the water provided by the water delivery system.

19. The user interface of claim 18, wherein the second capacitive sensor is positioned adjacent the interior surface of the cover.

20. The user interface of claim 1, further comprising visual indicator devices providing an indication of a selected parameter of the capacitive sensor.