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US 8,127,782 B2Granted
Multi-mode hands free automatic faucet
OwnerPatrick B. Jonte, Robert W. Rodenbeck +3inventors
InventorsPatrick B. Jonte, Robert W. Rodenbeck, David M. Burke, Garry R. Marty, Todd Huffington
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.
Claims33
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 at least 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, and wherein a first output signal change is detected by the controller when the manual valve handle is touched by a user, and a second output signal change is detected by the controller when the spout is touched by a user, the first output signal change being greater than the second output signal change.
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;
- a contact assembly configured to electrically couple the manual valve handle to the faucet body hub, the contact assembly including a support and a resilient contact member movably coupled to the support to move along with the valve handle;
- 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 at least 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.
4 more elements
A faucet comprising:
- a faucet body hub;
- a manual valve supported by the hub, the valve including a movable valve stem;
- a manual valve handle movably supported by the hub and operably coupled to the valve stem to control the manual valve, the manual valve handle including a user input member;
- a spout supported by the hub;
- and
- a capacitive coupling positioned intermediate the user input member of the handle and the spout.
3 more elements
A faucet comprising:
- a first component;
- a second component;
- an impedance coupling between the first component and the second component;
- a sensor coupled to the first component;
- and
- a controller operably coupled to the sensor, the controller determining which of the first component and the second component is touched by a user based on an output signal from the sensor, wherein a first output signal change is detected by the controller when the first component is touched by the user, and a second output signal change is detected by the controller when the second component is touched by the user, the first output signal change being different than the second output signal change.
3 more elements
A method comprising:
- determining a characteristic impedance of a human body;
- coupling a first faucet component to a second faucet component with an impedance coupling having an impedance selected to approximate the characteristic impedance of a human body;
- coupling a sensor to the first faucet component;
- and
- determining which of the first faucet component and the second faucet component is touched by a user based on an output signal from the sensor, wherein a first output signal change is detected when the first faucet component is touched by the user, and a second output signal change is detected when the second faucet component is touched by the user, the first output signal change being different than the second output signal change.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.