Faucet system
OwnerStephen A. Hillinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sensing and valve operating mechanism for remotely controlling a faucet can be used with an anti-scald faucet valve and can be provided on a faucet by a kit. The mechanism senses the presence of an object near a faucet outlet, energizes a solenoid in response to the presence of an object, and calculates the time when the solenoid is energized. Energy is removed from the solenoid after a predetermined time interval notwithstanding that the presence of an object is still being sensed. The solenoid cannot be re-energized until after the object is removed from near the faucet outlet.
Claims13
A sensing and valve operating means for remotely controlling a faucet, comprising:
- (a) means to sense the presence of an object near a faucet outlet,
- (b) means to energize a solenoid in response to the presence of the object,
- (c) means to calculate the time when the solenoid is energized,
- (d) means to remove the energy from the solenoid after a predetermined time interval, notwithstanding that the means to sense the presence of an object is sensing an object, and
- (e) means for rendering inoperative said means to energize until after the object is removed from near the faucet outlet.
A sensing and valve operating means for remotely controlling a faucet, comprising:
- (a) means to sense the presence of an object near a faucet outlet, the sensing means including a light emitting diode (LED) driven by a pulse generator, and a light detector driven in synchronism with said LED to detect only pulses reflected by the object from the LED,
- (b) means to energize a solenoid in response to the presence of the object,
- (c) means to calculate the time when the solenoid is energized, and
- (d) means to remove the energy from the solenoid after a predetermined time interval, notwithstanding that the means to sense the presence of an object is still operative.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.