Faucet including capacitive sensors for hands free fluid flow control
First Claim
1. A faucet comprising:
- a spout including a lower hub and an upper outlet;
a passageway that conducts water flow through the spout;
an electrically operable valve disposed within the passageway and having an opened position, in which water is free to flow through the passageway, and a closed position, in which the passageway is blocked;
a first capacitive sensor coupled to the spout near the upper outlet, the first capacitive sensor having a first detection field that generates a first output signal upon detection of a user'"'"'s hands in the first detection field;
a second capacitive sensor coupled to the lower hub of the spout, the second capacitive sensor having a second detection field that generates a second output signal upon detection of a user'"'"'s hands in the second detection field, the first detection field overlapping the second detection field to define a detection zone; and
a controller coupled to the first and second capacitive sensors and the electrically operable valve, the controller configured to monitor the signal strengths of the first output signal and the second output signal, and to actuate the electrically operable valve in response to detecting the user'"'"'s hands within boundaries of the detection zone defined by amplitudes of the first output signal and the second output signal.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A faucet comprises a spout, a passageway that conducts water flow through the spout, and an electrically operable valve disposed within the passageway. A first capacitive sensor has a first detection field that generates a first output signal upon detection of a user'"'"'s hands in the first detection field, and a second capacitive sensor has a second detection field that generates a second output signal upon detection of a user'"'"'s hands in the second detection field. The first and second detection fields overlap to define a detection zone. A controller is coupled to the first and second capacitive sensors and the electrically operable valve. The controller is programmed to actuate the electrically operable valve in response to detecting the user'"'"'s hands in the detection zone.
62 Citations
8 Claims
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1. A faucet comprising:
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a spout including a lower hub and an upper outlet; a passageway that conducts water flow through the spout; an electrically operable valve disposed within the passageway and having an opened position, in which water is free to flow through the passageway, and a closed position, in which the passageway is blocked; a first capacitive sensor coupled to the spout near the upper outlet, the first capacitive sensor having a first detection field that generates a first output signal upon detection of a user'"'"'s hands in the first detection field; a second capacitive sensor coupled to the lower hub of the spout, the second capacitive sensor having a second detection field that generates a second output signal upon detection of a user'"'"'s hands in the second detection field, the first detection field overlapping the second detection field to define a detection zone; and a controller coupled to the first and second capacitive sensors and the electrically operable valve, the controller configured to monitor the signal strengths of the first output signal and the second output signal, and to actuate the electrically operable valve in response to detecting the user'"'"'s hands within boundaries of the detection zone defined by amplitudes of the first output signal and the second output signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A faucet comprising:
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a spout; a passageway that conducts water flow through the spout; an electrically operable valve disposed within the passageway and having an opened position, in which water is free to flow through the passageway, and a closed position, in which the passageway is blocked; a first capacitive sensor having a first detection field that generates a first output signal upon detection of a user'"'"'s hands in the first detection field; a second capacitive sensor having a second detection field that generates a second output signal upon detection of a user'"'"'s hands in the second detection field, the first detection field overlapping the second detection field to define a detection zone; and a controller coupled to the first and second capacitive sensors and the electrically operable valve, the controller being programmed to actuate the electrically operable valve in response to detecting the user'"'"'s hands in the detection zone; a manual valve disposed within the passageway in series with the electrically operable valve; and a manual handle that controls the manual valve; wherein the first capacitive sensor is coupled to the spout and the second capacitive sensor is coupled to the manual handle to define the detection zone between the spout and the manual handle.
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7. A faucet comprising:
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a spout; a passageway that conducts water flow through the spout; an electrically operable valve disposed within the passageway and having an opened position, in which water is free to flow through the passageway, and a closed position, in which the passageway is blocked; a first capacitive sensor having a first detection field that generates a first output signal upon detection of a user'"'"'s hands in the first detection field; a second capacitive sensor having a second detection field that generates a second output signal upon detection of a user'"'"'s hands in the second detection field, the first detection field overlapping the second detection field to define a detection zone; and a controller coupled to the first and second capacitive sensors and the electrically operable valve, the controller being programmed to actuate the electrically operable valve in response to detecting the user'"'"'s hands in the detection zone; and a third capacitive sensor having a third detection field that generates a third output signal upon detection of a user'"'"'s hands in the third detection field, the thirst detection field overlapping the first and second detection fields to define a plurality of detection zones; and
wherein the controller is also coupled to the third capacitive sensor and programmed to determine when the user'"'"'s hands are in each of the plurality of the detection zones. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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Specification