Wash stations and method of operation

A hand washing station including different modes for placing the station in each of (i) an automatic user friendly hand washing mode, and (ii) a separate and distinct water dispensing mode, the hand washing station comprising:

• a sink;
• a water faucet operably associated with said sink for selectively dispensing water;
• water dispensing mode means for dispensing pre-soap water, and for operation when the station is in said water dispensing mode, said water dispensing mode means including (i) a first sensor having an operating range for detecting the presence of a user;
• (ii) means for dispensing pre-soap water from said water faucet when the station is in the water dispensing mode only so long as the presence of the user is detected within said operating range of said first sensor;
• and (iii) a first electrically operated valve for selectively causing said water faucet to dispense water in response to the user being detected within said operating range of said first sensor;
• means for changing the hand washing station from said water dispensing mode to said user friendly hand washing mode, said means for changing including a second sensor integral with a soap dispensing faucet so that the hand washing station is switched from said water dispensing mode to said automatic hand washing mode when the user leaves the operating range of said first sensor and enters an operating range of said second sensor proximate said soap dispensing faucet;
• hand washing mode means for operation when the station is in said user friendly hand washing mode following the water dispensing mode, said hand washing mode means, in accordance with a preprogrammed sequence, for (a) actuating a first pump, in operable association with a soap supply and said second sensor, to cause a preprogrammed amount of soap to be dispensed through said soap dispensing faucet, without first causing said water faucet to dispense water;
• (b) after said preprogrammed amount of soap has been dispensed, automatically causing said water faucet to dispense water for a preprogrammed period of time;
• and (c) after said preprogrammed period of time has elapsed, dispensing a towel from a towel dispenser;
• wherein when the user desires to wash his or her hands with soap, the user first actuates the water dispensing mode via said first sensor to wet his or her hands and thereafter puts his or her hands proximate said soap faucet in order to actuate said hand washing mode via said second sensor so as to get soap and toweling, and said soap faucet in the hand washing mode dispensing soap before said water faucet dispenses water, thereby rendering the hand washing station more user friendly;
• a push button (320) for causing water to be dispensed from said water faucet for so long as said push button is actuated thereby enabling water to be dispensed from said water faucet for an extended period when the user's hands are not within the operating range of said first sensor or said second sensor;
• and
• a microprocessor-based controller in operative communication with said first sensor, said second sensor, said first valve, said first pump, said push button, and a third sensor located on said towel dispenser, and wherein said controller outputs signals to said towel dispenser, said first valve, and said first pump so that said microprocessor-based controller enables soap, water, and toweling to be dispensed in said modes, and wherein actuation of said second sensor causes soap to be dispensed and causes a signal to be sent to said microprocessor-based controller that causes said controller to switch from said water dispensing mode to said automatic hand washing mode so that the dispensing of soap effects actuation of said hand washing mode.