Touch-free water-control system

• US 9,551,137 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2014
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• 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): McCalister, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAQUETTE, IAN G
• Application Number:
  US14/479,165
• Publication Number:
  US 20150052677A1
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 251/129.04, 4302-305, 462/3, 700/282
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/04 Water-basin installations specially adapted to wash-basins or baths valves, faucets, mixing valves, taps F16K
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/057 touchless, i.e. using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 19/006 Specially adapted for faucets
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/193 sensing the temperaure in different places in thermal relationship with one or more spaces
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0629 characterised by the type of regulator means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/1842 Ambient condition change responsive

Abstract

A system and method of Touch Free Automatic faucet controlled by electronic sensors provides a Primary-Water-Flow-Mode, a Continue-Water-Flow-Mode, a Temperature-Control-Mode, a Faucet-Pause-Mode, an Adjust-Water-Flow-Mode and a Flow-Temperature-Default-Setting-Mode for users to control faucet water flow and water temperature without touching any parts of faucet body. The system comprises at least three electronic sensors, a logical processor circuit board, an electricity power supply package, a water flow control valve assembly, a temperature control valve assembly, at least one faucet body housing and at least one inlet fluid line. From the outputs of the sensors, the logical processor responds to the flow control valve assembly and to the temperature control valve assembly to control water flow and temperature to the faucet spout.

Claims

1. A method for controlling touch-free operation of a flow of water from a faucet including a first touch-free sensor and a second touch-free sensor, the method comprising:

receiving a first sensor signal in response to a first activation motion;

retrieving a flow state of the second touch-free sensor in response to the received first sensor signal, said flow state indicative of at least one of the following modes;

a pause mode or a non-pause mode, wherein the second touch-free sensor cannot allow the flow of water from the faucet in the pause mode; and

changing the flow state of the second touch-free sensor from the pause mode to the non-pause mode or the non-pause mode to the pause mode based in part on the retrieved flow state and the received first sensor signal,

wherein said first activation motion is related to a presence of an object in front of the first touch-free sensor and wherein at least said retrieving is implemented by a hardware processor.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sensor comprises an infrared sensor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first activation motion comprises bringing an object within a detection zone of the first touch-free sensor for a first time period.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second sensor signal in response to a second activation motion; and

transmitting a first output signal from the hardware processor to a water-flow control valve instructing the water-flow control valve to permit a flow of water through it based at least in part on the received second sensor signal.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said second activation motion is related to a presence of an object in front of a second touch-free sensor.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second sensor signal in response to a second activation motion; and

transmitting a first output signal from the hardware processor to a water-flow control valve instructing the water-flow control valve to stop a flow of water through it based at least in part on the received second sensor signal.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said second activation motion is related to a presence of an object in front of a second touch-free sensor.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second sensor signal in response to a second activation motion;

retrieving a water flow mode in response to the received second sensor signal, said flow state indicative of at least one of the following modes;

a primary-water-flow mode or a continuous-water-flow mode; and

changing the flow state from the primary-water-flow mode to the continuous-water-flow mode or the continuous-water-flow mode to the primary-water-flow mode based in part on the retrieved water flow mode.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said second activation motion is related to a presence of an object in front of a second touch-free sensor.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second sensor signal in response to a second activation motion; and

transmitting a first output signal to a temperature control valve instructing the temperature control valve to vary the ratio of hot and cold water based at least in part on the received second sensor signal.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said second activation motion is related to a presence of an object in front of a second touch-free sensor.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second sensor signal in response to a second activation motion; and

transmitting a first output signal to a water-flow control valve instructing the water-flow control valve to increase or decrease the flow of water based at least in part on the received second sensor signal.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said second activation motion is related to a presence of an object in front of a second touch-free sensor.

14. A water-flow control apparatus for controlling touch-free operation of a flow of water from a faucet comprising:

a first touch-free sensor comprising a first detection zone away from a sink;

a second touch-free sensor positioned in a faucet spout and comprising a second detection zone towards the sink; and

a hardware processor configured to;

receive a first sensor signal in response to a presence of an object to in the first detection zone of the first touch-free sensor;

retrieve a first flow state of the second touch-free sensor comprising at least a pause mode or a non-pause mode from a memory responsive to the presence of the object relative to the first touch-free sensor, said pause mode configured to disable touch free operation in the second detection zone of the second touch-free sensor and prevent flow of water and said non-pause mode configured to enable touch-free operation in the second detection zone of the second touch-free sensor, wherein the first touch-free sensor is enabled during pause mode; and

store a second flow state of the second touch-free sensor in the memory different from the retrieved first flow state responsive to the presence of the object in the first detection zone of the first touch-free sensor.

15. The water-flow control apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first activation motion comprises bringing an object within a detection zone of the first touch-free sensor for a first time period.

16. The water-flow control apparatus of claim 14, wherein the hardware processor is further configured to:

receive a second sensor signal in response to a second activation motion; and

transmit a first output signal from the hardware processor to a water-flow control valve instructing the water-flow control valve to permit a flow of water through it based at least in part on the received second sensor signal.

17. The water-flow control apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a second touch-free sensor and wherein said second activation motion is related to a presence of an object in front of the second touch-free sensor.

18. The water-flow control apparatus of claim 14, wherein the hardware processor is further configured to:

receive a second sensor signal in response to a second activation motion; and

transmit a first output signal from the hardware processor to a water-flow control valve instructing the water-flow control valve to stop a flow of water through it based at least in part on the received second sensor signal.

19. The water-flow control apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a second touch-free sensor and wherein said second activation motion is related to a presence of an object in front of the second touch-free sensor.

20. The water-flow control apparatus of claim 14, wherein the hardware processor is further configured to:

receive a second sensor signal in response to a second activation motion;

retrieve a water flow mode in response to received second sensor signal, said flow state indicative of at least one of the following modes;

a primary-water-flow mode or a continuous-water-flow mode; and

change the flow state from the primary-water-flow mode to the continuous-water-flow mode or the continuous-water-flow mode to the primary-water-flow mode based in part on the retrieved water flow mode.

21. The water-flow control apparatus of claim 20, further comprising a second touch-free sensor and wherein said second activation motion is related to a presence of an object in front of the second touch-free sensor.

22. A computer storage system comprising a non-transitory storage device, said computer storage system having stored thereon executable program instruction that directs a processor, which controls touch-free operation of a flow of water from a faucet, to at least:

receive a first sensor signal from a first touch-free sensor in response to a first activation motion;

retrieve a flow state of a second touch-free sensor in response to received first sensor signal, said flow state indicative of at least one of the following modes;

a pause mode or a non-pause mode, wherein the second touch-free sensor cannot allow the flow of water from the faucet in the pause mode; and

change the flow state of the second touch-free sensor from pause mode to non-pause mode or non-pause mode to pause mode based in part on the retrieved flow state and the received first sensor signal,

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

23. The computer storage system of claim 22, wherein the first activation motion comprises bringing an object within a detection zone of the first touch-free sensor for a first time period.

24. The computer storage system of claim 22, wherein the executable program instruction further directs the processor to:

receive a second sensor signal in response to a second activation motion; and

transmit a first output signal from the hardware processor to a water-flow control valve instructing the water-flow control valve to permit a flow of water through it based at least in part on the received second sensor signal.

25. The computer storage system of claim 24, wherein said second activation motion is related to a presence of an object in front of a second touch-free sensor.

26. The computer storage system of claim 22, wherein the executable program instruction further direct the processor to:

receive a second sensor signal in response to a second activation motion; and

transmit a first output signal from the hardware processor to a water-flow control valve instructing the water-flow control valve to stop a flow of water through it based at least in part on the received second sensor signal.

27. The computer storage system of claim 26, wherein said second activation motion is related to a presence of an object in front of a second touch-free sensor.

28. The computer storage system of claim 22, wherein the executable program instruction further direct the processor to:

receive a second sensor signal in response to a second activation motion; and

retrieve a water flow mode in response to received second sensor signal, said flow state indicative of at least one of the following modes;

a primary-water-flow mode or a continuous-water-flow mode; and

change the flow state from the primary-water-flow mode to the continuous-water-flow mode or the continuous-water-flow mode to the primary-water-flow mode based in part on the retrieved water flow mode.

29. The computer storage system of claim 28, wherein said second activation motion is related to a presence of an object in front of a second touch-free sensor.