Lavatory system

• US 8,950,019 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2012
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bradley Fixtures Corporation (Bradley Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bradley Fixtures Corporation (Bradley Corporation)
• Inventors: Loberger, John M., Renner, Jason M., Jaworski, Jeffery S., Thielke, Mark A., Meyer, Mark A., Kohlwey, Kevin M., Carpiaux, Douglas, De Lay, Daniel J., Walters, Glenn T., Walters, Richard, Hauser, Jon W. II
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tuan N
• Application Number:
  US13/650,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20130067658A1
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 461/9, 462/3, 462/6, 462/8
• US Class Current: 4/623
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2005/1218 Table mounted; Dispensers integrated with the mixing tap
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/01 for combinations of baths, showers, sinks, wash-basins, closets, urinals, or the like combinations of baths, douches, or the like, A47K4/00; cell-like units for special technical purposes E04B1/34869; panels adapted for locating conduits E04C2/52; ducts for installation lines E04F17/08
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/057 touchless, i.e. using sensors

Abstract

A lavatory system is disclosed including one or more integrated hand washing stations. Each hand washing station includes a basin, a faucet, a solenoid valve configured to control water flow to the faucet, and an electric hand dryer located adjacent the basin and the faucet so that the user of the washing station may use the faucet and the electric hand dryer without leaving the washing station. The electric hand dryer preferably includes an outlet to direct air across the associated basin so that any water that drips from the user'"'"'s hands fall within the basin. A control system may be provided to control activation of the fixtures such as the solenoid valve, the electric hand dryer, and/or soap dispenser. The control system may be configured to inhibit simultaneous activation of the solenoid valve and the hand dryer. A photovoltaic system may be provided to provide power.

Claims

1. A lavatory system comprising:

a first integrated hand washing station including a first basin, a first faucet, a first solenoid valve configured to control water flow to the first faucet, wherein the washing station is capable of receiving a waste receptacle;

a first electric hand dryer located adjacent the first basin and the first faucet so that the user of the first washing station may use the first faucet and the first electric hand dryer without leaving the first washing station;

the hand dryer includes a nozzle adjacent to the first basin and horizontally extending from a front panel of the lavatory to the left or right side of the of the first faucet with a nozzle air outlet angled downwardly, with respect to the front panel, toward the first faucet;

a control system configured to control activation of the first solenoid valve and the first electric hand dryer;

wherein

the control system is configured to control the first solenoid valve and the first hand dryer with a plurality of touch-less sensors providing a sensed zone for the first solenoid valve and a sensed zone for the first hand dryer wherein each respective zone does not overlap another zone.

2. The lavatory system of claim 1, wherein the control system prevents activation of the first solenoid valve when the first electric hand dryer has been activated.

3. The lavatory system of claim 1, wherein the first hand dryer air outlet is located on a first horizontal plane at or above the faucet;

and

wherein the control system prevents activation of the first electric hand dryer when the first solenoid valve has been activated.

4. The lavatory system of claim 1, wherein the control system activates the first solenoid valve and the first electric hand dryer when the touch-less sensors sense a presence of a user'"'"'s hand and maintains activation regardless of continued sensing according to a predetermined timing and sequence.

5. The lavatory system of claim 1, wherein the control system prevents activation of the first electric hand dryer when the first solenoid valve has been activated;

and prevents activation of the first solenoid valve when the first electric hand dryer has been activated.

6. The lavatory system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of touch-less sensors includes a single first sensor configured to sense the presence of a user'"'"'s hands near the first hand washing station and a single second sensor configured to sense the presence of the user'"'"'s hands near the first hand dryer.

7. The lavatory system of claim 6, further comprising an illuminated display configured to display an information regarding amount of soap in a soap dispenser.

8. The lavatory system of claim 1, further comprising a second hand dryer, wherein the first hand dryer is located on a first horizontal plane at or above the first faucet and the second hand dryer is located on a second horizontal plane below the first faucet.

9. The lavatory system of claim 7, further comprising a second integrated hand washing station including a second basin, a second faucet, a second solenoid valve configured to control water flow to the second faucet, and a second electric hand dryer located adjacent the second basin and the second faucet so that the user of the second hand washing station may use the second faucet and the second electric hand dryer without leaving the second washing station;

wherein the control system prevents activation of the second solenoid valve when the second electric hand dryer has been activated;

wherein the control system prevents activation of the second electric hand dryer when the second solenoid valve has been activated.