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US 6,178,572 B2Granted
Body heat responsive control apparatus
AssigneeInternational Sanitary Ware Manufacturing CY, S.A.
InventorKarel Carl Van Marcke
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A low voltage battery energized passive detection system generates a control signal in response to radiated heat from a human body part to energize, for settable periods of time water flow valves and ancillary equipment that may be associated with the act of washing. To minimize power demand, a programmable microchip may be employed as a control unit and have external settable parameters.
Claims18
A control system for automatically controlling operation of a flow control bi-stable valve and for automatically preventing operation of the flow control valve under low battery voltage conditions, said control system comprising in combination:
- (a) a battery for supplying power to the bi-stable valve;
- (b) a passive detector for producing a detection signal in response to the presence of an object of interest in a predetermined region;
- (c) a first power driver circuit having a control input and an output capable of being coupled to the bi-stable valve to provide power to the bi-stable valve for opening the bi-stable valve;
- (d) a second power driver circuit having a control input and an output capable of being coupled to the bi-stable valve to provide power to the bi-stable valve for closing the bi-stable valve;
- (e) an alarm device for generating an alarm signal in the immediate vicinity of said control system;
- (f) a third circuit having a control input for producing a warning signal to energize said alarm device only once upon the presence of the object of interest in the predetermined region for a predetermined period in the range of about 1 to about 60 seconds and having an output coupled to said alarm device;
- (g) control circuitry enabled by the detection signal produced by said passive detector and having an input, said control circuit being adapted to
- i. produce a first control signal on the control input of said first power driver circuit in response to the detection signal if the voltage of said battery equals or exceeds a first determined threshold voltage and to enable said first power driver circuit to provide power to the bi-stable valve to cause opening of the bi-stable valve;
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- ii. produce a second control signal on the control input of said second power driver circuit after the bi-stable valve has been opened to enable said second power driver circuit to provide power to the bi-stable valve to cause closing of the bi-stable valve;
- (h) a battery testing circuit enabled by the detection signal produced by said passive detector and indicative of the presence of an object of interest in the predetermined region, said battery testing circuit being adapted to:
- i. compare the voltage of said battery to the first predetermined threshold voltage and to a second predetermined threshold voltage greater than the first predetermined threshold voltage;
- ii. produce a third control signal on the input of said control circuitry to cause said control circuitry to produce the first control signal if the voltage of said battery is greater than or equal to the first predetermined threshold voltage;
- iii. produce a fourth control signal if the voltage of said battery is below the second predetermined threshold voltage and to apply the fourth control signal to the control input of said third circuit to produce on its output the warning signal to repeatedly energize said alarm device to produce a plurality of alarm signals for each predetermined period while the object of interest is present within the predetermined region and indicative of a low charge condition of said battery;
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- iv. produce a fifth control signal if the voltage of said battery is below the first predetermined threshold voltage and apply the fifth control signal to cause the bi-stable valve to be maintained closed until said battery is replaced.
13 more elements
A battery operated passive control system for controlling operation of a bi-stable valve and for preventing flow through the valve under a low voltage condition of the battery, said control system comprising in combination:
- (a) a battery for supplying power to the valve, said battery being the sole source of electrical power for said control system;
- (b) a passive detector for producing a detection signal in response to detection of the presence of an object of interest within a predetermined region, said passive detector being adapted to operate in a quiescent state until detection of an object of interest in order to reduce consumption of power from said battery;
- (c) a first power driver circuit having a control input and an output capable of being coupled to the valve to provide power to the valve to open the valve;
- (d) a second power driver circuit having a control input and an output capable of being coupled to the bi-stable valve to provide power to the valve to close the valve;
- (e) an alarm device for generating an alarm signal in the immediate vicinity of said control system and indicative of a low charge condition of the battery;
- (f) a third circuit having a control input for producing a warning signal to energize said alarm device only once upon the presence of the object of interest in the predetermined region for a predetermined period of less than a minute and having an output coupled to said alarm device;
- (g) a fourth control circuit enabled by the detection signal and having an input, said fourth control circuit being adapted:
- i. to produce a first control signal on the control input of said first power driver circuit in response to the detection signal if the voltage of said battery equals or exceeds a first determined threshold voltage and to enable said first power driver circuit to provide power to the valve to cause the valve to open;
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- ii. to produce a second control signal on the control input of said second power driver circuit after the valve has been opened to enable said second power driver circuit to provide power to the valve to cause the valve to close;
- (h) a fifth battery testing circuit enabled by the detection signal, said fifth battery testing circuit being adapted:
- i. to compare the voltage of said battery to the first predetermined threshold voltage and to a second predetermined threshold voltage greater than the first predetermined threshold voltage;
- ii. to produce a third control signal on the input of said fourth control circuit to cause said fourth control circuit to produce the first control signal if the voltage of said battery is greater than or equal to the first predetermined threshold voltage;
- iii. to produce a fourth control signal if the voltage of said battery is below the second predetermined threshold voltage and to apply the fourth control signal to the control input of said third circuit to produce on its output the warning signal to repeatedly energize said alarm device and generate the alarm signal;
- iv. to produce a fifth control signal if the voltage of said battery is below the first predetermined threshold voltage and apply the fifth control signal to cause the valve to be maintained closed and inoperative until said battery is replaced.
12 more elements
A control system for automatically controlling operation of a flow control bi-stable valve and for automatically preventing operation of the flow control valve under low battery voltage conditions, said control system comprising in combination:
- (a) a battery for supplying power to the bi-stable valve;
- (b) a detector for producing a detection signal in response to the presence of an object of interest in a predetermined region;
- (c) a first power driver circuit having a control input and an output capable of being coupled to the bi-stable valve to provide power to the bi-stable valve for opening the bi-stable valve;
- (d) a second power driver circuit having a control input and an output capable of being coupled to the bi-stable valve to provide power to the bi-stable valve for closing the bi-stable valve;
- (e) a first buzzer for generating a first alarm signal in the immediate vicinity of said control system and having a first frequency;
- (f) a third circuit having a control input for producing a warning signal to energize said first buzzer for a limited time period in the range of about 1 to about 60 seconds and having an output coupled to said first buzzer;
- (g) a second buzzer for generating a second alarm signal in the immediate vicinity of said control system and having a second frequency different from said first frequency;
- (h) a fourth circuit having a control input for producing a further warning signal to energize said second buzzer for a further limited time period in the range of about 1 to about 60 seconds and having an output coupled to said second buzzer;
- (i) control circuitry enabled by the detection signal produced by said detector and having an input, said control circuit being adapted to:
- i. produce a first control signal on the control input of said first power driver circuit in response to the detection signal if the voltage of said battery exceeds a first determined threshold voltage and to enable said first power driver circuit to provide power to the bi-stable valve to cause opening of the bi-stable valve;
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- ii. produce a second control signal on the control input of said second power driver circuit after the bi-stable valve has been opened to enable said second power driver circuit to provide power to the bi-stable valve to cause closing of the bi-stable valve;
- (j) a battery testing circuit enabled by the detection signal produced by said detector and indicative of the presence of an object of interest in the predetermined region, said battery testing circuit being adapted to:
- i. compare the voltage of said battery to the first predetermined threshold voltage and to a second predetermined threshold voltage greater than the first predetermined threshold voltage;
- ii. produce a third control signal on the input of said control circuitry to cause said control circuitry to produce the first control signal if the voltage of said battery is greater than the first predetermined threshold voltage;
- iii. produce a fourth control signal if the voltage of said battery is below the second predetermined threshold voltage but above the first predetermined threshold voltage and to apply the fourth control signal to the control input of said third circuit to produce on its output the warning signal to energize said first buzzer only once to produce said first alarm signal for said limited time period upon continuing detection of the presence of the object of interest in the predetermined region and indicative of a low charge condition of said battery;
- iv. produce a fifth control signal if the voltage of said battery is below the first predetermined threshold voltage indicative of a too low charge condition of said battery;
- v. apply the fifth control signal to cause the bi-stable valve to be maintained closed until said battery is replaced;
- vi. apply the fifth control signal to the control input of said fourth circuit to cause said fourth circuit to produce on its output the further warning signal for energizing said second buzzer to produce the second alarm signal for said further limited time period and indicating that the bi-stable valve will not be opened due to the further low charge condition of said battery;
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- vii. to repeat producing the fifth control signal and applying said fifth control signal to the control input of said fourth circuit to repeatedly energize said second buzzer to produce said second alarm signal upon continuing detection of the presence of the object of interest in the predetermined region.
18 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.