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US 7,690,395 B2Granted
Multi-mode hands free automatic faucet
AssigneeMasco Corporation of Indiana
InventorsPatrick B. Jonte, Robert W. Rodenbeck, David M. Burke, Garry R. Marty
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hands-free faucet comprises a proximity sensor, a logical control, a handle, a spout, and a touch control operably coupled to at least one of the spout and the handle.
Claims25
A faucet comprising:
- a faucet body hub;
- a manual valve handle movably coupled to the faucet body hub to control a manual valve, the manual valve handle being electrically coupled to the faucet body hub;
- a spout coupled to the faucet body hub by an insulator so that the spout is electrically isolated from the faucet body hub;
- a capacitive sensor having an electrode coupled to one of the faucet body hub and the manual valve handle;
- and
- a controller coupled to the capacitive sensor, the controller determining which of the manual valve handle and the spout is touched by a user based on an output signal from the capacitive sensor.
3 more elements
A faucet comprising:
- a faucet body hub;
- a manual valve handle movably coupled to the faucet body hub to control a manual valve, the manual valve handle being electrically coupled to the faucet body hub;
- a spout coupled to the faucet body hub by an insulator so that the spout is electrically isolated from the faucet body hub;
- a capacitive sensor having an electrode coupled to one of the faucet body hub and the manual valve handle;
- means coupled to the capacitive sensor for determining which of the manual valve handle and the spout is touched by a user based on an output signal from the capacitive sensor;
- and
- means for controlling the faucet in different modes of operation based on an output from the determining means.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.