US 6,305,663 B1Granted

Handless or footless operation of an electrical automatic water flow control apparatus

OwnerGerald W. Millerinventor

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Abstract

A handless or footless operation of an electrical automatic water flow control apparatus for turning water on and off without touching the faucet lever of a faucet. The electrical water flow control apparatus is installed in line between the water shutoff valves from the wall and the water supply lines that descend from a faucet. The flow control apparatus includes a housing which houses a pair of solenoid operated valves. Each solenoid operated valve has an inlet port and an outlet port, where the ports are protruding through a wall of the housing. The inlet ports are connected to the hot and cold water shutoff valves by flexible hoses. The outlet ports are connected to the water supply lines from the faucet by flexible hoses. The electrical flow control apparatus further comprises an elongated bar switch actuator and a transformer which supplies power to the solenoid operated valves. The bar switch actuator is constructed of micro-switches which are electrically connected together and to the solenoid operated valves. The solenoid operated valves are operated by depressing any part of the elongated bar switch actuator with any part of body of a user, which when depressed energizes the solenoid operated valves to open to allow the flow of water therethrough and when the elongated bar switch actuator is not depressed, closes the solenoid operated valves to stop the flow of water through the flow control apparatus.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A liquid flow control apparatus for controlling the flow of water through a faucet having a hot water inlet, a cold water inlet, a discharge spout and a faucet lever for manually controlling water temperature and water through the discharge spout, the apparatus comprising:

a. a housing;
b. a first solenoid operated valve which starts and stops the flow of hot water through said flow control apparatus and housed within said housing, the first solenoid operated valve having an inlet port and an outlet port, the inlet and outlet ports protruding through a wall of said housing;
c. a second solenoid operated valve which starts and stops the flow of cold water through said flow control apparatus and housed within said housing and parallel to said first solenoid operated valve, the second solenoid operated valve having an inlet port and an outlet port, the inlet and outlet ports protruding through said wall of said housing;
d. means for respectively connecting said inlet ports of said first and second solenoid operated valves to hot and cold water supply means;
e. means for respectively connecting said outlet ports of said first and second solenoid operated valves to said hot and cold water lines of said faucet;
f. at least two micro-switches electrically connected together and housed at opposite ends of an elongated bar switch actuator, the bar switch actuator having a top half housing and a bottom half housing, where the top half housing is depressible by a body part of a user which in turn activates either one of the at least two micro-switches for electrically operating said first and second solenoid operated valves to an open condition, which allow the flow of water therethrough, and when said first and second solenoid valves are deactivated, said first and second solenoid operated valves are in a closed condition which stop the flow of water therethrough;
and
g. a transformer for providing current to operate said first and second solenoid operated valves;
h. whereby said faucet lever is in an open condition and preset to a predetermined water temperature such that when the user depresses on said bar switch actuator which in turn activates either one of said at least two micro-switches which in turn activates said first and second solenoid operated valves to the open condition to allow water flow therethrough, and when said bar switch actuator is not depressed, said at least two micro-switches are deactivated which in turn deactivate said first and second solenoid operated valves to the closed condition to stop water flow therethrough.

6 more elements

a. a housing;
b. first and second in-line solenoid valves which start and stop to allow the flow of water through said flow control apparatus and housed within said housing and parallel to each other, each solenoid valve having an inlet port and an outlet port, the inlet and outlet ports protruding through a wall of said housing;
c. means for respectively connecting said inlet ports of said first and second solenoid valves to hot and cold water supply means;
d. means for respectively connecting said outlet ports of said first and second solenoid valves to said hot and cold water inlets of said faucet;
e. at least two actuating means electrically connected together and housed within an elongated bar switch actuator including a top half housing and a bottom half housing, where the top half housing is depressible by a body part which is above the waist of a user which in turn activates either one of the at least two actuating means for electrically operating said first and second solenoid valves to an open condition, which allow the flow of water therethrough, and when said first and second solenoid valves are deactivated, said first and second solenoid valves are in a closed condition which stop the flow of water therethrough;
and
f. power supply for providing current to operate said first and second solenoid valves;
g. whereby said faucet lever is in an open condition and preset to a predetermined water temperature such that when the user depresses on said bar switch actuator which activates either one of said at least two actuating means which in turn activates said first and second solenoid valves to the open condition to allow water flow therethrough, and when said bar switch actuator is not depressed, said at least two actuating means are deactivated which in turn deactivate said first and second solenoid valves to the closed condition to stop water flow therethrough.

5 more elements

A fluid flow control apparatus for controlling the flow of water through a faucet having a hot water inlet, a cold water inlet, a discharge spout and a faucet lever for manually controlling water temperature and water through the discharge spout, the apparatus comprising:

a. a pair of in-line solenoid valves which start and stop the flow of hot and cold water through said flow control apparatus, each solenoid valve having an inlet port and an outlet port;
b. means for respectively connecting said inlet ports of said pair of solenoid valves to hot and cold water supply means;
c. means for respectively connecting said outlet ports of said pair of solenoid valves to said hot and cold water inlets of said faucet;
d. an elongated bar switch actuator depressible by a body part which is above the waist of a user for operating said pair of solenoid valves to an open condition, which allow the flow of water therethrough, and when said bar switch actuator is not depressed, said pair of solenoid valves are deactivated and in a closed condition which stop the flow of water therethrough;
and
e. power supply for providing current to operate said pair of solenoid valves;
f. whereby said faucet lever is in an open condition and preset to a predetermined water temperature such that when the user depresses said bar switch actuator which in turn activates said pair of solenoid valves to the open condition to allow water flow therethrough, and when said bar switch actuator is not depressed, which deactivates said pair of solenoid valves to the closed condition to stop water flow therethrough.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.