Electronic faucets for long-term operation

• US 20100269923A1
• Filed: 04/05/2010
• Published: 10/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fatih Guler, Gregory P. Greene, Kay Herbert, Natan E. Parsons, Xiaoxiong Mo
• Original Assignee: Fatih Guler, Gregory P. Greene, Kay Herbert, Natan E. Parsons, Xiaoxiong Mo
• Inventors: Mo, Xiaoxiong, Parsons, Natan E., Herbert, Kay, Guler, Fatih, Greene, Gregory P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,496,025 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/488
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/05 Arrangements of devices on wash-basins, baths, sinks, or the like for remote control of taps remote control of taps or the like per se F16K
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/057 touchless, i.e. using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/10 Devices for preventing contamination of drinking-water pipes, e.g. means for aerating self-closing flushing valves vacuum-breakers in general F16K, F16L
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 2201/40 Arrangement of water treatment devices in domestic plumbing installations
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 3/02 Self-closing flushing valves self-closing valves in general F16K21/04
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 5/105 touchless, e.g. using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/402 acting on a diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7758 Pilot or servo controlled
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7762 Fluid pressure type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86389 Programmer or timer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/9464 Faucets and spouts

Abstract

An electronic faucet (10) mounted on a countertop (12) includes a housing, at least one fluid inlet line (24a, 24b) extending into the housing, a fluid outlet (46) from the housing, a solenoid (142, 143) for operating a valve controlling the fluid flow between at least one inlet line and the outlet, and a control circuit (206) for controlling the opening and closing of the valve.

Claims

1-18. -18. (canceled)

19. An electronic faucet comprising

a housing;

at least one fluid inlet line flowing extending into the housing;

a fluid outlet from the housing;

a solenoid valve in the housing controlling the fluid flow between said at least one inlet line and the outlet, and

a controller constructed and arranged to control opening and closing of the valve, said controller including

a power supply, and

a control circuit for controlling the delivery from the power supply means to the valve, said control circuit comprising

a touch pad accessible from outside the housing,

a detector connected to the touch pad for producing a touch signal when the touch pad is touched, and responsive to the touch signal for delivering power to the valve so as to open the valve for a selected time duration.

20. The faucet defined in claim 19 wherein the controller includes means in the housing for adjusting said time duration.

21. An electronic faucet comprising

a housing;

at least one fluid inlet line extending into the housing;

a fluid outlet from the housing;

a solenoid valve in the housing controlling the fluid flow between said at least one inlet line in the outlet, and

a control circuit for controlling the opening and closing of the valve.

22. A valve device, comprising:

a fluid input port and a fluid output port;

a valve body defining a valve cavity and including a valve closure surface; and

a fram assembly providing two pressure zones and being movable within said valve cavity with respect a guiding member;

said fram assembly being constructed to move to an open position enabling fluid flow from said fluid input port to said fluid output port upon reduction of pressure in a first of said pressure zones; and

being constructed to move to a closed position, upon increase of pressure in said first pressure zone, creating a seal at said valve closure surface.

23. The valve device of claim 22, wherein said two pressure zones include two chambers separated by said fram assembly and wherein said first pressure zone includes a pilot chamber.

24. The valve device of claim 23 including an operator constructed and arranged to release pressure in said pilot chamber and thereby initiate movement of said fram member from said closed position to said open position.

25. The valve device of claim 24, wherein said operator includes a latching actuator.

26. The valve device of claim 24, wherein said operator includes a non-latching actuator.

27. The valve device of claim 24, wherein said operator includes an actuator having an isolation membrane for containing fluid inside a plunger cavity of said actuator.

28. The valve device of claim 22 wherein said fram assembly includes a pliable member and a stiff member, said pliable member being constructed to come in contact with said valve closure surface to form said seal in said closed position.

29. The valve device of claim 28, wherein said valve closure surface includes a lip providing said seal in said closed position.

30. The valve device of claim 22 including a bias member.

31. The valve device of claim 30 wherein said bias member is constructed and arranged to assist movement of said fram member from said open position to said closed position.

32. The valve device of claim 30 wherein said bias member includes a spring.

33. The valve device of claim 30 wherein said guiding member includes a pin.

34. The valve device of claim 33 wherein said pin includes a grove.

35-46. -46. (canceled)