Universal capacitance-type touch inductive switch assembly for faucet

• US 9,284,724 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2014
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guang Zhou Seagull Kitchen And Bath Products Co.,Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Zhuhai Edison Ecotech Corporation Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yang, Yuanhong
• Primary Examiner(s): JELLETT, MATTHEW WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US14/165,605
• Publication Number:
  US 20150129060A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 462/3, 251/129.03, 251/129.04, 137/603
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/055 Electrical control devices, e.g. with push buttons, control panels or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/057 touchless, i.e. using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 19/006 Specially adapted for faucets
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/02 electric F16K31/004 takes precedence; magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8158 With indicator, register, recorder, alarm or inspection means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/9464 Faucets and spouts

Abstract

The present invention relates to a universal capacitance-type touch inductive switch assembly for a faucet, comprising: an adjustable locking component, which is formed by a conductive metallic material and is locked to a faucet spout; a control circuit board, which is provided with a capacitance-type touch unit, wherein touch electrodes of said capacitance-type touch unit are connected with said adjustable locking component through a touch circuit; a solenoid valve, which is arranged in a water supply line of the faucet, wherein said control circuit board controls opening and closing of said solenoid valve according to a touch signal from the capacitance-type touch unit; and a power supply module, which supplies power to said control circuit board and said solenoid valve. The switch assembly of the present invention can be installed in a manner compatible with all existing metal faucets.

Claims

1. A universal capacitance-type touch inductive switch assembly for a faucet, characterized in that the switch assembly comprises:

an induction component, which is formed by a conductive metallic material;

a control circuit board, which is provided with a capacitance-type touch unit, wherein touch electrodes of said capacitance-type touch unit are connected with said induction component through a touch circuit;

a cold water solenoid valve and a hot water solenoid valve, which are arranged in a cold water feed line and a hot water feed line respectively, wherein said cold water feed line and hot water feed line are both arranged upstream with respect to a water mixing valve in the water supply line of the faucet, and said control circuit board controls opening and closing of said cold water solenoid valve and said hot water solenoid valve according to a touch signal from the capacitance-type touch unit; and

a power supply module, which supplies power to said control circuit board and said solenoid valves,

in case said hot water solenoid valve and said cold water solenoid valve are both closed, a touch is an effective touch if its duration exceeds a time delay which is selected by a time delay select unit, and if a continuous time elapses after the end of the effective touch during which there is no effective touch, said control circuit board opens both the hot water solenoid valve and cold water solenoid valve,

if a second effective touch occurs in a continuous time after a first effective touch, then these two effective touches form a continuous effective touch, and if the times of continuous effective touch are two or more, said control circuit board closes the hot water solenoid valve and only opens the cold water solenoid valve.