Automatic bathroom flushers

• US 9,169,626 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2010
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sloan Valve Company
• Original Assignee: Amy Parsons
• Inventors: Guler, Fatih, Herbert, Kay, Chen, Qiaohong, Mo, Xiaoxiong, Jin, Wei, Allen, James Counaghton, Wilson, John R., Marcichow, Martin, Parsons, Natan E., Daher, Jean F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fristoe, Jr., John K
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rost, Andrew J
• Application Number:
  US12/655,696
• Publication Number:
  US 20100252759A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,122 Days
• Field of Search: 251/129.03, 251/129.04, 251 3001- 3005, 251/45, 251/28, 430/2, 430/4, 430/5, 431/3, 440/6, 340/3.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 3/06 with diaphragm valve and pressure chamber for retarding the valve-closing movement
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 5/105 touchless, e.g. using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/02 electric F16K31/004 takes precedence; magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/40 using a wireless architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

An automatic bathroom flusher includes a flusher body, a valve assembly, an electronic control system, and a flusher cover. The flusher body includes an inlet and an outlet, and is designed to accommodate the valve assembly that controls water flow between the inlet and the outlet. The valve assembly includes a valve member movable with respect to a valve seat providing a sealing action. The bathroom flusher may include a user sensor, and one or more photovoltaic cells for supplying electrical power to the electronic control system. The bathroom flusher enables two or multiple flush volumes in automatic or manual modes, depending on a user action. The bathroom flusher may include a user interface including a button and visible LEDs.

Claims

1. An automatic bathroom flusher, comprising:

a valve having a valve body including an inlet and an outlet and a valve seat inside said body;

a valve member cooperatively arranged with said valve seat, said valve member being constructed and arranged to control water flow between said inlet and said outlet, movement of said valve member between open and closed positions being controlled by water pressure inside a pilot chamber;

an external cover designed for enclosing an electronic control module comprising a sensor constructed and designed to detect a user, and a controller providing signals to initiate an actuator for controlling operation of said valve by controlling said water pressure, said controller being constructed and programmed to communicate with and control operation of said sensor and execute a target detection algorithm to detect said user, said controller being constructed to initiate an automatic flush cycle after detecting departure of said user; and

a photovoltaic cell, sensitive to wavelengths of visible light, for providing electrical power to a rechargeable device and said photovoltaic cell providing a signal used by said controller as supplemental data in addition to signals from said sensor for controlling operation of said valve member based on said target detection algorithm and said supplemental data.

2. The flusher of claim 1 wherein said actuator includes a solenoid actuator receiving current from a solenoid driver and including a DC to DC converter connected to receive electrical power from said rechargeable device and provide constant voltage to said solenoid actuator.

3. The flusher of claim 1 wherein said sensor comprises an IR transmitter and an IR receiver.

4. The flush valve of claim 1 wherein said sensor comprises a passive optical sensor.

5. The flusher of claim 1 including an external switch, located on said external cover, for triggering a manual flush of said flush valve.

6. The flusher of claim 1 including two external switches for triggering manual flush cycles of said flush valve having different water volumes.

7. The flusher of claim 1 wherein said external cover includes said removable cover parts forming a main cover body, a front cover and a top cover, said front cover including a sensor window.

8. The flusher of claim 7 wherein said main cover body provides overall rigidity to said external cover.

9. The flusher of claim 7 wherein said top cover is removable while maintaining said front cover including a sensor window located in place with respect to said main cover body.

10. The flusher of claim 7 wherein said sensor includes an optical sensor comprising an IR transmitter and an IR receiver, and said sensor window in an optical window.

11. The flusher of claim 10 further constructed to adjust detection sensitivity of said optical sensor while maintaining said optical window located on said main cover body.

12. The flusher of claim 7 wherein said top cover includes two external switches for triggering manual flush cycles of said flush valve having different water volumes.

13. The flusher of claim 12 wherein said external switches provide a user interface for communicating with a controller of said flusher.

14. The flusher of claim 7 wherein said photovoltaic cell is associated with said top cover.

15. The flusher of claim 1 wherein said controller of said flush valve initiates automatic flush cycles having different water volumes depending on input from said sensor.

16. The flusher of claim 1 wherein said valve member includes a piston.

17. The flusher of claim 1 wherein said valve member includes a flexible diaphragm.

18. The flusher of claim 17 wherein said flexible diaphragm includes a relief passage controlled by said actuator and in communication with said outlet, said flexible diaphragm being retained with respect to said valve body by a pressure cap defining said pilot chamber.

19. The flusher of claim 18 including a bypass orifice in said diaphragm connecting said inlet with said pilot chamber, said orifice having a cross section area smaller than that of said relief passage.

20. The flusher of claim 1 further including a battery for providing electrical power and a power switch coupled to said battery and said rechargeable device receiving power from said photovoltaic cell said controller executing a power management algorithm including controlling said power switch.

21. The flusher of claim 1, wherein said photovoltaic cell provides said signal used by said controller to determine light or dark conditions.

22. The flusher of claim 1, wherein said rechargeable device includes a capacitor.

23. An automatic bathroom flusher, comprising:

a valve having a valve body including an inlet and an outlet and a valve seat inside said body;

a valve member cooperatively arranged with said valve seat, said valve member being constructed and arranged to control water flow between said inlet and said outlet, movement of said valve member between open and closed positions being controlled by water pressure inside a pilot chamber;

an external cover designed for enclosing an electronic control module comprising a sensor constructed and designed to detect a user, and a controller providing signals to a solenoid driver to initiate a solenoid actuator for controlling operation of said valve member by controlling said water pressure, said solenoid driver receiving battery power from a DC to DC converter designed to provide constant voltage, said controller being constructed and programmed to initiate an automatic flush cycle depending on a signal from said sensor; and

a manual override sensor constructed to be activated manually by a user and then provide said signals received by said solenoid driver initiating said solenoid actuator, said controller being constructed and programmed to scan said manual override sensor at a frequency depending on a mode of operation of said controller.

24. The flusher of claim 23, wherein said manual override sensor includes a pushbutton.

25. The flusher of claim 23, wherein said manual override sensor includes a capacitive sensor.

26. The flusher of claim 25, wherein said capacitive sensor is associated with a cover of the flusher.

27. The flusher of claim 25, wherein said capacitive sensor is located on a cover of the flusher.

28. The flusher of claim 23 further including a second manual override sensor, wherein said first-mentioned manual override sensor, and said second manual override sensor are constructed and designed to activate manual flush cycles of said flush valve having different water volumes, and said controller is constructed and programmed to scan both said manual override sensors.

29. The flusher of claim 23 wherein said sensor includes an optical sensor comprising an IR transmitter and an IR receiver.

30. The flusher of claim 23 wherein said sensor includes a passive optical detector comprising an IR receiver.

31. The flusher of claim 23 wherein said sensor includes an ultrasonic sensor.

32. An automatic bathroom flusher, comprising:

a valve having a valve body including an inlet and an outlet and a valve seat inside said body;

a valve member cooperatively arranged with said valve seat for control water flow between said inlet and said outlet by movement of said valve member between open and closed positions with respect to said valve seat;

an electronic control module comprising a sensor constructed and designed to detect a user and a controller providing signals to an actuator for controlling operation of said valve member and thus initiating an automatic flush cycle depending on a signal from said sensor;

a battery for providing electrical power; and

a photovoltaic cell sensitive to wavelengths of visible light, said photovoltaic cell being constructed and connected to provide electrical power to a storage capacitor;

a power switch coupled to said battery and said storage capacitor; and

said controller executing power management including controlling said power switch to optimize power usage from said battery and said storage capacitor and optimize power to said battery.

33. The flusher of claim 32, wherein said photovoltaic cell provides said signal used by said controller to control operation of said actuator.

34. The flusher of claim 32, wherein said photovoltaic cell provides said signal used by said controller to determine light or dark conditions.

35. The flusher of claim 32, wherein said sensor includes an optical sensor.

36. The flusher of claim 35 wherein said optical sensor includes an IR transmitter and an IR receiver.

37. The flusher of claim 32, wherein said optical sensor includes a passive sensor.

38. The flusher of claim 32 wherein said actuator includes a solenoid actuator receiving current from a solenoid driver and including a DC to DC converter connected to receive electrical power from said power switch and provide constant voltage to said solenoid actuator.