Touch free automatic faucet

• US 9,057,183 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2010
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chung-Chia Chen
• Original Assignee: Chung-Chia Chen
• Inventors: Chen, Chung-Chia
• Primary Examiner(s): Elve, M. Alexandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): CRENSHAW, HENRY T
• Application Number:
  US12/815,281
• Publication Number:
  US 20110185493A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,828 Days
• Field of Search: 236/12.12, 236/12.15, 606/9, 459/7, 137/15.17
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/057 touchless, i.e. using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 2001/026 with flow restricting devices
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1927 using a plurality of sensors G05D23/1902, G05D23/1917, and G05D23/1919 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87096 Valves with separate, correlated, actuators
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/9464 Faucets and spouts

Abstract

A touch free automatic faucet is provided. The faucet includes a faucet housing including many sensors for controlling water flow and water temperature. A processor is connected to the sensors. A first control valve assembly is connected to the processor. A second control valve assembly is connected to the processor. A power source is connected to the processor, the first control valve assembly and the second control valve assembly. Water flow and water temperature are controlled by the sensors without touching of the faucet housing.

Claims

1. A method for providing touch-free control over the flow of water from a spout including storing parameters for the flow of water without using touch-based controls, the method comprising:

receiving, at an electronic logic processor, a first sensor signal responsive to a first activation motion;

transmitting, from the logic processor, in response to the receipt of the first sensor signal, a first valve signal instructing a water-control valve to cause water to flow from a spout at a first temperature;

receiving, at the logic processor, a second sensor signal responsive to a second activation motion;

transmitting, from the logic processor, in response to the receipt of the second sensor signal, a second valve signal instructing the temperature-control valve to change the temperature of the flowing water to a second temperature;

receiving, at the logic processor, a third sensor signal responsive to a third activation motion, wherein a characteristic of the third sensor signal indicates a period of time associated with the corresponding activation motion of the third sensor signal;

storing data corresponding to the second temperature in an electronic memory, in response to the receipt of the third sensor signal;

receiving, at the logic processor, a fourth sensor signal responsive to a fourth activation motion, wherein a characteristic of the fourth sensor signal indicates a period of time associated with the corresponding activation motion of the fourth sensor signal;

retrieving, from the electronic memory, the data corresponding to the second temperature; and

transmitting, from the logic processor, in response to the receipt of the fourth sensor signal, a third valve signal instructing the water-control valve to cause water to flow from the spout at the second temperature, wherein the second temperature is based on the data retrieved from the electronic memory;

wherein each activation motion is related to a presence of an object in front of a touch-free sensor.

2. The method of claim 1:

wherein the first valve signal instructs the water-control valve to cause water to flow from the spout at the first temperature and at a first flow rate;

further comprising;

receiving, at the logic processor, a first flow-sensor signal responsive to an activation motion corresponding to changing flow rate of water from the spout;

transmitting, from the logic processor, in response to the receipt of the first flow-sensor signal, a first flow-valve signal instructing the water-control valve to change the flow rate of the flowing water to a second flow rate;

storing data corresponding to the second flow rate in the electronic memory in response to the receipt of the third sensor signal; and

retrieving, from the electronic memory, the data corresponding to the second flow rate; and

wherein the third valve signal further instructs the water-control valve to cause water to flow from the spout at the second flow rate, wherein the second flow rate is based on the data retrieved from the electronic memory.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, at the logic processor, a fifth sensor signal responsive to a fifth activation motion;

transmitting, from the logic processor, in response to the receipt of the fifth sensor signal, a fourth valve signal instructing the temperature-control valve to change the temperature of the flowing water to a third temperature;

receiving, at the logic processor, a sixth sensor signal responsive to a sixth activation motion;

storing data corresponding to the third temperature in the electronic memory, in response to the receipt of the sixth sensor signal, without replacing the data corresponding to the second temperature stored in the electronic memory;

receiving, at the logic processor, a seventh sensor signal responsive to a seventh activation motion, wherein the seventh sensor signal is received from a touch-free sensor that is not the touch-free sensor associated with the fourth sensor signal;

retrieving, from the electronic memory, the data corresponding to the third temperature; and

transmitting, from the logic processor, in response to the receipt of the seventh sensor signal, a fifth valve signal instructing the water-control valve to cause water to flow from the spout at the third temperature, wherein the third temperature is based on the data retrieved from the electronic memory.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the logic processor is configured to receive a signal to retrieve the data corresponding to the second temperature stored in the electronic memory, and is configured to receive a separate signal to receive the data corresponding to the third temperature stored in the electronic memory.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein:

the step of receiving, at the logic processor, the first sensor signal comprises receiving the first sensor signal generated from a first touch-free preset setting sensor and the method further comprising associating an electronic representation of a preset mode with a first preset mode in response to receiving the first sensor signal, wherein the first touch-free preset setting sensor is associated with the first preset mode; and

wherein the data corresponding to the second temperature is stored in the electronic memory as being associated with the first preset mode in response to the electronic representation of the preset mode being associated with the first preset mode.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein storing data corresponding to the second temperature in the electronic memory is performed in response to the receipt of the third sensor signal substantially simultaneously with the receipt of a companion sensor signal indicating the presence of an object in front of a touch-free sensor that is located within a hand'"'"'s width from the sensor associated with the third sensor signal such that the logic processor receives both the third sensor signal and the companion sensor signal in response to the presence of the same object.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sensor signal indicates the presence of an object in front of a touch-free sensor facing a sink basin.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein instructing the water-control valve to cause water to flow from a spout at a first temperature comprises sending a signal to a solenoid valve.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein instructing the temperature-control valve to change the temperature of the flowing water to a second temperature comprises sending a signal to a motorized gear valve.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sensor signal is associated with a different touch-free sensor than the touch-free sensor associated with the second sensor signal.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second sensor signal is associated with a different touch-free sensor than the touch-free sensor associated with the third sensor signal.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the third sensor signal is associated with a different touch-free sensor than the touch-free sensor associated with the fourth sensor signal.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch-free sensor comprises an infrared touch-free sensor.

14. An electronic logic processor configured to provide touch-free control over the flow of water from a spout including storing parameters for the flow of water without using touch-based controls, the logic processor configured to:

receive a first sensor signal responsive to a first activation motion;

transmit, in response to the receipt of the first sensor signal, a first valve signal instructing a water-control valve to cause water to flow from a spout at a first temperature;

receive a second sensor signal responsive to a second activation motion;

transmit, in response to the receipt of the second sensor signal, a second valve signal instructing the temperature-control valve to change the temperature of the flowing water to a second temperature;

receive a third sensor signal responsive to a third activation motion, wherein a characteristic of the third sensor signal indicates a period of time associated with the corresponding activation motion of the third sensor signal;

store data corresponding to the second temperature in an electronic memory, in response to the receipt of the third sensor signal;

receive a fourth sensor signal responsive to a fourth activation motion, wherein a characteristic of the fourth sensor signal indicates a period of time associated with the corresponding activation motion of the fourth sensor signal;

retrieve, from the electronic memory, the data corresponding to the second temperature; and

transmit, in response to the receipt of the fourth sensor signal, a third valve signal instructing the water-control valve to cause water to flow from the spout at the second temperature, wherein the second temperature is based on the data retrieved from the electronic memory

wherein each activation motion is related to a presence of an object in front of a touch-free sensor.

15. The logic processor of claim 14:

wherein the first valve signal instructs the water-control valve to cause water to flow from the spout at the first temperature and at a first flow rate;

the logic processor further configured to;

receive a first flow-sensor signal responsive to an activation motion corresponding to changing flow rate of water from the spout;

transmit, in response to the receipt of the first flow-sensor signal, a first flow-valve signal instructing the water-control valve to change the flow rate of the flowing water to a second flow rate;

store data corresponding to the second flow rate in the electronic memory in response to the receipt of the third sensor signal; and

retrieve, from the electronic memory, the data corresponding to the second flow rate; and

wherein the third valve signal further instructs the water-control valve to cause water to flow from the spout at the second flow rate, wherein the second flow rate is based on the data retrieved from the electronic memory.

16. The logic processor of claim 14, further configured to:

receive a fifth sensor signal responsive to a fifth activation motion;

transmit, in response to the receipt of the fifth sensor signal, a fourth valve signal instructing the temperature-control valve to change the temperature of the flowing water to a third temperature;

receive a sixth sensor signal responsive to a sixth activation motion;

store data corresponding to the third temperature in the electronic memory, in response to the receipt of the sixth sensor signal, without replacing the data corresponding to the second temperature stored in the electronic memory;

receive a seventh sensor signal responsive to a seventh activation motion, wherein the seventh sensor signal is received from a touch-free sensor that is not the touch-free sensor associated with the fourth sensor signal;

retrieve, from the electronic memory, the data corresponding to the third temperature; and

transmit, in response to the receipt of the seventh sensor signal, a fifth valve signal instructing the water-control valve to cause water to flow from the spout at the third temperature, wherein the third temperature is based on the data retrieved from the electronic memory.

17. The logic processor of claim 16, further configured to receive a signal to retrieve the data corresponding to the second temperature stored in the electronic memory, and is configured to receive a separate signal to receive the data corresponding to the third temperature stored in the electronic memory.

18. The logic processor of claim 16, wherein the logic processor is further configured to:

receive the first sensor signal from a first touch-free preset setting sensor;

associate an electronic representation of a preset mode with a first preset mode in response to receiving the first sensor signal indicating the presence of an object in front of a first touch-free preset setting sensor, wherein the first touch-free preset setting sensor is associated with the first preset mode; and

store the data corresponding to the second temperature in the electronic memory as being associated with the first preset mode in response to the electronic representation of the preset mode being associated with the first preset mode.

19. The logic processor of claim 14, wherein the logic processor is configured to store data corresponding to the second temperature in the electronic memory in response to the receipt of the third sensor signal substantially simultaneously with the receipt of a companion sensor signal indicating the presence of an object in front of a touch-free sensor that located within a hand'"'"'s width from the sensor associated with the third sensor signal such that the logic processor is configured to receive both the third sensor signal and the companion sensor signal in response to the presence of the same object.

20. The logic processor of claim 14, wherein the first sensor signal is associated with a touch-free sensor facing a sink basin.

21. The logic processor of claim 14, wherein the logic processor is configured to instruct the water-control valve to cause water to flow from a spout at a first temperature by sending a signal to a solenoid valve.

22. The logic processor of claim 14, wherein the logic processor is configured to instruct the temperature-control valve to change the temperature of the flowing water to a second temperature by sending a signal to a motorized gear valve.

23. The logic processor of claim 14, wherein the first sensor signal is associated with a different touch-free sensor than the touch-free sensor associated with the second sensor signal.

24. The logic processor of claim 14, wherein the second sensor signal is associated with a different touch-free sensor than the touch-free sensor associated with the third sensor signal.

25. The logic processor of claim 14, wherein the third sensor signal is associated with a different touch-free sensor than the touch-free sensor associated with the fourth sensor signal.

26. The logic processor of claim 14, wherein the touch-free sensor comprises an infrared touch-free sensor.