Faucet including a capacitance based sensor

• US 9,797,119 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2015
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Delta Faucet Company (Masco Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Delta Faucet Company (Masco Corporation)
• Inventors: Belz, Jeffrey J., Burke, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bastianelli, John
• Application Number:
  US14/942,271
• Publication Number:
  US 20160069053A1
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 25112901, 25112903-12904, 4623, 4619, 137 1, 137801
• 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: E03C 2001/026 with flow restricting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/0644 One-way valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes

Abstract

An electronic faucet is provided that includes a spout having a passageway configured to conduct fluid flow through the spout, an electrically operable valve coupled to the passageway, and a capacitive sensor coupled to the faucet. A controller may dynamically change on/off thresholds and monitor a stability signal to determine when to turn off the electrically operable valve.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an electronic faucet, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a faucet including a spout having a passageway configured to deliver fluid through the spout, a valve positioned in the passageway, and a capacitive sensor coupled to the faucet and defining a detection area;

positioning the valve in an open position;

detecting movement of an object in the detection area based on a capacitive signal provided with the capacitive sensor; and

maintaining the valve in the open position when the movement of the object is detected in the detection area wherein the valve is positioned in the open position upon a measure of the capacitive signal provided with the capacitive sensor reaching a threshold value.

2. The method of claim 1, further including the step of closing the valve when substantially no movement of the object is detected in the detection area and the measure of the capacitive signal is less than a second threshold value, the second threshold value being greater than the threshold value.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the movement of the object is detected based on a variation of the capacitive signal provided with the sensor being outside a predetermined range.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the predetermined range is between about a zero percent variation and about a 20 percent variation.

5. An electronic faucet comprising:

a spout having a passageway configured to deliver fluid through the spout;

an electrically operable valve positioned in the passageway;

a capacitive sensor coupled to the faucet and defining a detection area; and

a controller in electrical communication with the capacitive sensor, wherein the controller defines a threshold, the capacitive sensor is configured to send a capacitive signal to the controller, and the controller opens the valve when a measure of the capacitive signal reaches the threshold, and the controller is configured to maintain the valve in an open position when an object is moving within the detection area.

6. The faucet of claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the threshold in response to at least one environmental factor.

7. The faucet of claim 5, wherein the controller defines a first threshold and a second threshold greater than the first threshold, and the controller is configured to open the valve when the measure of the capacitive signal exceeds the first threshold.

8. The faucet of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to maintain the valve in the open position when the measure of the capacitive signal exceeds the second threshold.

9. The faucet of claim 7, wherein the controller is configured to close the valve when substantially no movement of the object is detected within the detection area and the measure of the capacitive signal is less than the second threshold.

10. The faucet of claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to detect a movement of the object within the detection area based on a variation of the capacitive signal being outside a predetermined range.

11. The faucet of claim 10, wherein the predetermined range is between about a zero percent variation and about a 20 percent variation.

12. The faucet of claim 5, wherein the electrically operable valve comprises a solenoid valve.

13. An electronic faucet comprising:

a spout having a passageway configured to deliver fluid through the spout;

an electrically operable valve positioned in the passageway;

a capacitive sensor coupled to the faucet and defining a detection area;

a controller in electrical communication with the capacitive sensor and defining an open threshold and a close threshold greater than the open threshold, the capacitive sensor being configured to send a capacitive signal to the controller;

the controller being configured to move the valve to an open position when a measure of the capacitive signal exceeds the open threshold;

the controller being configured to maintain the valve in the open position when the measure of the capacitive signal exceeds the close threshold; and

the controller being configured to maintain the valve in the open position when the measure of the capacitive signal exceeds the open threshold and an object is moving within the detection area.

14. The faucet of claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to close the valve when substantially no movement of the object is detected within the detection area and the measure of the capacitive signal is less than the close threshold.

15. The faucet of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to detect a movement of the object within the detection area based on a variation of the capacitive signal being outside a predetermined range.

16. The faucet of claim 15, wherein the predetermined range is between about a zero percent variation and about a 20 percent variation.