Capacitive coupling arrangement for a faucet
First Claim
1. A faucet comprising:
- a spout;
a passageway that conducts fluid flow through the spout;
a electrically operable valve located within the passageway;
a manual valve located within the passageway in series with the electrically operable valve;
a manual handle that controls the manual valve;
an insulator located between the spout and the manual handle so that the spout is electrically isolated from the manual handle;
a first touch sensor on the manual valve handle;
a second touch sensor on the spout;
a capacitive sensor directly coupled to one of the first and second touch sensors and capacitively coupled to the other of the first and second touch sensors without a direct electrical connection through a conductor to the capacitive sensor, the capacitive sensor providing an output signal; and
a controller coupled to the capacitive sensor, the controller being configured to monitor the output signal from the capacitive sensor and to distinguish between a user tapping one of the spout and the manual valve handle, a user grabbing the spout, and a user grabbing the manual valve handle, the controller also being coupled to the electrically operable valve to control the electrically operable valve is response to the output signal from the capacitive sensor.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A faucet (10) includes a spout (12), a passageway that conducts fluid flow through the spout (12), a electrically operable valve (22) located within the passageway, a manual valve (20) located within the passageway in series with the electrically operable valve, and a manual handle (14) that controls the manual valve (20). The faucet (10) also includes a first touch sensor (26) on the manual valve handle (14), a second touch sensor (28) on the spout (12), a capacitive sensor (30) directly coupled to one of the first and second touch sensors (26, 28) and capacitively coupled to the other of the first and second touch sensors (26, 28), and a controller (24) coupled to the capacitive sensor (30). The controller (24) is configured to monitor the output signal from the capacitive sensor (30) and to distinguish between a user tapping one of the spout (12) and the manual valve handle (14), a user grabbing the spout (12), and a user grabbing the manual valve handle (14). The controller (24) is also coupled to the electrically operable valve (22) to control the electrically operable valve (22) is response to the output signal from the capacitive sensor (30).
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A faucet comprising:
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a spout; a passageway that conducts fluid flow through the spout; a electrically operable valve located within the passageway; a manual valve located within the passageway in series with the electrically operable valve; a manual handle that controls the manual valve; an insulator located between the spout and the manual handle so that the spout is electrically isolated from the manual handle; a first touch sensor on the manual valve handle; a second touch sensor on the spout; a capacitive sensor directly coupled to one of the first and second touch sensors and capacitively coupled to the other of the first and second touch sensors without a direct electrical connection through a conductor to the capacitive sensor, the capacitive sensor providing an output signal; and a controller coupled to the capacitive sensor, the controller being configured to monitor the output signal from the capacitive sensor and to distinguish between a user tapping one of the spout and the manual valve handle, a user grabbing the spout, and a user grabbing the manual valve handle, the controller also being coupled to the electrically operable valve to control the electrically operable valve is response to the output signal from the capacitive sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 33)
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18. A faucet comprising:
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a spout; a passageway that conducts fluid flow through the spout; an electrically operable valve located within the passageway; a manual valve located within the passageway in series with the electrically operable valve; a manual handle that controls the manual valve; a first touch sensor on the manual valve handle; a second touch sensor on the spout; a capacitive sensor directly coupled to one of the first and second touch sensors and capacitively coupled to the other of the first and second touch sensors, the capacitive sensor providing an output signal; and a controller coupled to the capacitive sensor, the controller being configured to monitor the output signal from the capacitive sensor and to distinguish between a user tapping one of the spout and the manual valve handle, a user grabbing the spout, and a user grabbing the manual valve handle, the controller also being coupled to the electrically operable valve to control the electrically operable valve in response to the output signal from the capacitive sensor, wherein the controller determines an amplitude of the output signal (SIG) and compares the amplitude to an upper threshold (UT), a middle threshold (MT) and a lower threshold (LT) and to a minimum tap time (TTAP — MIN) and an maximum tap time (TTAP— ), the controller being configured to control the electrically operable valve as follows;
MAX(a) if |SIG|>
|UT| for a period tR, and tR≧
TTAP— MIN, and the electrically operable valve is closed, the controller opens the electrically operable valve;(b) if |SIG|>
|MT| for a period tR, and TTAP— ≦
MIN
tR<
TTAP— MAX, the controller closes the electrically operable valve if it was previously open and opens the electrically operable valve if it was previously closed;(c) if |SIG|>
|MT| for a period tR and the electrically operable valve is open, and tR>
TTAP— MAX, no action is taken; and(d) if |SIG|>
|MT|, no action is taken, regardless of whether the electrically operable valve is open or closed.
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19. A method of controlling fluid flow in a faucet having a spout, a passageway that conducts fluid flow through the spout, an electrically operable valve located within the passageway, a manual valve located within the passageway in series with the electrically operable valve, and a manual handle that controls the manual valve, the method comprising:
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electrically isolating the spout from the manual valve handle with an insulator located between the spout and the manual valve handle; providing a first touch sensor on the manual valve handle; providing a second touch sensor on the spout; providing a capacitive sensor; directly coupling one of the first and second touch sensors to the capacitive sensor; capacitively coupling the other of the first and second touch sensors to the same capacitive sensor without a direct electrical connection through a conductor to the capacitive sensor; monitoring an output signal from the capacitive sensor to detect touches of both the first and second touch sensors by a user; and controlling the electrically operable valve in response to the monitoring step. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 34)
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Specification