Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FAUCET INCLUDING CAPACITIVE SENSORS
FOR HANDS FREE FLUID FLOW CONTROL
Background and Summary
[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to improvements in
capacitive sensors for
activation of faucets. More particularly, the present invention relates to the
placement of a
capacitive sensors in or adjacent to faucet spouts and/or faucet handles to
sense proximity of a
user of the faucet and then control the faucet based on output signals from
the capacitive sensors.
[0002] Electronic faucets are often used to control fluid flow. Electronic
faucets may
include proximity sensors such as active infrared ("IR") proximity detectors
or capacitive
proximity sensors. Such proximity sensors are used to detect a user's hands
positioned near the
faucet, and turn the water on and off in response to detection of the user's
hands. Other
electronic faucets may use touch sensors to control the faucet. Such touch
sensors include
capacitive touch sensors or other types of touch sensors located on a spout of
the faucet or on a
handle for controlling the faucet. Capacitive sensors on the faucet may also
be used to detect
both touching of faucet components and proximity of the user's hands adjacent
the faucet.
[0003] In one illustrated embodiment of the present disclosure, a faucet
comprising: a spout;
a passageway that conducts water flow through the spout; an electrically
operable valve disposed
within the passageway and having an opened position, in which water is free to
flow through the
passageway, and a closed position, in which the passageway is blocked; a first
capacitive sensor
having a first detection field that generates a first output signal upon
detection of a user's hands
in the first detection field; a second capacitive sensor having a second
detection field that
generates a second output signal upon detection of a user's hands in the
second detection field;
and a controller coupled to the first and second capacitive sensors and the
electrically operable
valve, the controller being programmed to actuate the electrically operable
valve in response to
detecting the user's hands in the first detection field but not in the second
detection field.
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[0004] In another illustrated embodiment of the present disclosure, a
method of actuating a
faucet comprising: monitoring a first capacitive sensor having a first
detection field that
generates a first output signal upon detection of a user's hands in the first
detection field;
monitoring a second capacitive sensor having a second detection field that
generates a second
output signal upon detection of a user's hands in the second detection field;
and toggling an
electrically operable valve within the faucet between an opened position, in
which water is free to
flow through the faucet, and a closed position, in which the faucet is blocked
and water flow
through the faucet is inhibited, upon receipt of the first output signal but
not the second output
signal.
[0005] Additional features and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent to
those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed
description of the illustrative
embodiment exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as
presently perceived.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0006] The detailed description of the drawings particularly refers to the
accompanying
figures in which:
[0007] Fig. 1 is a block diagram of an illustrated embodiment of an
electronic faucet;
[0008] Fig. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of the present
disclosure
including first and second capacitive sensors each having a separate detection
field positioned to
define an overlapping central detection region or detection zone, wherein a
controller processes
output signals from the first and second capacitive sensors to detect when a
user is positioned
within the detection zone;
[0009] Fig. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the first and second
capacitive sensors of Fig. 2
positioned on a spout of a faucet to define a detection zone adjacent the
spout;
[0010] Fig. 4 illustrates exemplary output signals from the first and
second capacitive
sensors of Figs. 2 and 3 as a user's hands move relative to the first and
second capacitive sensors;
[0011] Fig. 5 is a block diagram illustrating another embodiment of the
present disclosure
including three capacitive sensors each having separate detection fields
positioned to define a
plurality of overlapping detection zones;
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[0012] Fig. 6 is a block diagram illustrating another embodiment of the
present disclosure
including first and second capacitive sensors each having a separate detection
field, wherein a
controller processes output signals from the first and second capacitive
sensors such that the
second capacitive sensor acts as an inhibit to the first capacitive sensor;
[0013] Fig. 7 illustrates exemplary output signals from the first and
second capacitive
sensors of Fig. 6 as a user's hands more relative to the first and second
capacitive sensors; and
[0014] Fig. 8 is a flow chart illustrating operation of the embodiment of
Fig. 6.
Detailed Description of the Drawings
[0015] For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of
the present
disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the
drawings, which are
described below. The embodiments disclosed below are not intended to be
exhaustive or limit
the invention to the precise form disclosed in the following detailed
description. Rather, the
embodiments are chosen and described so that others skilled in the art may
utilize their teachings.
Therefore, no limitation of the scope of the claimed invention is thereby
intended. The present
invention includes any alterations and further modifications of the
illustrated devices and
described methods and further applications of the principles of the invention
which would
normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.
[0016] Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing one illustrative embodiment of an
electronic faucet
of the present disclosure. The faucet 10 illustratively includes a spout 12
for delivering fluids
such as water and at least one manual valve handle 14 for controlling the flow
of fluid through
the spout 12 in a manual mode. A hot water source 16 and cold water source 18
are coupled to a
manual valve body assembly 20 by fluid supply lines 17 and 19, respectively.
The valve handle
14 is operably coupled to the manual valve body assembly 20 to control water
flow therethrough.
[0017] In one illustrated embodiment, separate manual valve handles 14 are
provided for the
hot and cold water sources 16, 18. In other embodiments, such as a kitchen
faucet embodiment,
a single manual valve handle 14 is used for both hot and cold water delivery.
In such kitchen
faucet embodiment, the manual valve handle 14 and spout 12 are typically
coupled to a basin
through a single hole mount. An output of valve body assembly 20 is coupled to
an actuator
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driven valve 22 which is controlled electronically by input signals received
from a controller 24.
In an illustrative embodiment, actuator driven valve 22 is an electrically
operable valve, such as
a solenoid valve. An output of actuator driven valve 22 supplies fluid to the
spout 12 through
supply line 23.
[0018] In an alternative embodiment, the hot water source 16 and cold water
source 18 are
connected directly to actuator driven valve 22 to provide a fully automatic
faucet without any
manual controls. In yet another embodiment, the controller 24 controls an
electronic
proportioning valve (not shown) to supply fluid to the spout 12 from hot and
cold water sources
16, 18.
[0019] Because the actuator driven valve 22 is controlled electronically by
controller 24, flow
of water is controlled using outputs from sensors such as capacitive sensors
26, 28 and/or 30. As
shown in Fig. 1, when the actuator driven valve 22 is open, the faucet 10 may
be operated in a
conventional manner, i.e., in a manual control mode through operation of the
handle(s) 14 and
the manual valve member of valve body assembly 20. Conversely, when the
manually
controlled valve body assembly 20 is set to select a water temperature and
flow rate, the actuator
driven valve 22 can be touch controlled, or activated by proximity sensors
when an object (such
as a user's hands) are within a detection zone to toggle water flow on and
off.
[0020] In one illustrated embodiment, spout 12 has at least one capacitive
sensor 26
connected to controller 24. In addition, the manual valve handle(s) 14 may
also have capacitive
sensor(s) 28 mounted thereon which are electrically coupled to controller 24.
Additional
capacitive sensors 30 may be located near the spout 12 of faucet 10, such as
in an adjacent sink
basin.
[0021] The output signals from capacitive sensors 26, 28 and/or 30 are used
to control
actuator driven valve 22 which thereby controls flow of water to the spout 12
from the hot and
cold water sources 16 and 18. By sensing capacitance changes with capacitive
sensors 26, 28,
the controller 24 can make logical decisions to control different modes of
operation of faucet 10
such as changing between a manual mode of operation and a hands free mode of
operation as
further described in U.S. Patent Nos. 8,613,419; 7,690,395 and 7,150,293; and
7,997,301.
Another illustrated
configuration for a proximity detector and logical control for the faucet in
response to the
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proximity detector is described in greater detail in U.S. Patent No.
7,232,111.
[0022] The amount of fluid from hot water source 16 and cold water source
18 is determined
based on one or more user inputs, such as desired fluid temperature, desired
fluid flow rate,
desired fluid volume, various task based inputs, various recognized
presentments, and/or
combinations thereof. As discussed above, the faucet 10 may also include an
electronically
controlled proportioning or mixing valve which is in fluid communication with
both hot water
source 16 and cold water source 18. Exemplary electronically controlled mixing
valves are
described in U.S. Patent No. 7,458,520 and PCT International Publication No.
WO
2007/082301.
[0023] The present disclosure relates generally to faucets including hands
free flow control
and, more particularly, to a faucet including at least two capacitive sensors
to detect a user's
hands in a detection zone to control water flow. It is known to provide
capacitive sensors on
faucet components which create a detection zone near the faucet. When a user's
hands are
detected in the detection zone, the capacitive sensor signals a controller to
turn on the flow of
water to the faucet. See, for example, Masco's U.S. Patent No. 8,127,782; U.S.
Patent
Application Publication No. 2010/0170570; or U.S. Patent Application
Publication No.
2010/0108165.
[0024] Fig. 2 illustrates an embodiment of an electronic faucet system 10
of the present
disclosure including a hands-free capacitive sensing system. The system 10
includes a controller
24 and first and second capacitive sensors 32 and 34 located on or near the
faucet and coupled to
the controller 24. The first capacitive sensor 32 has a generally spherical
detection field 36
surrounding sensor 32, and the second capacitive sensor 34 has a generally
spherical detection
field 38 surrounding sensor 34. Capacitive sensors 32 and 34 detect objects,
such as the user's
hands, anywhere in the entire spherical detection regions 36 and 38,
respectively. As shown in
Fig. 2, detection field 36 overlaps detection field 38 in a generally prolate
spheroid or "football"
shaped region or detection zone 40. The controller 24 processes output signals
from the first and
second capacitive sensors 32 and 34 to detect when a user's hands are
positioned within the
detection zone 40. When the user's hands are detected in overlapping detection
zone 40,
controller 24 opens a valve 22 to provide fluid flow to an outlet of the
faucet.
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[0025] Fig. 3 illustrates the embodiment of Fig. 2 in which the capacitive
sensors 32 and 34
are both coupled to a spout 12 of the faucet. Illustratively, the spout
includes an upwardly
extending portion 42 which is pivotably mounted to a hub 44 so that the spout
12 can swivel
about an axis of the upwardly extending portion 42. Spout 12 further includes
a curved portion
46 and an outlet 48 so that the spout 12 generally has an inverted J-shape.
[0026] Illustratively, the first capacitive sensor 32 is coupled to the
spout 12 near outlet 48.
The second capacitive sensor 34 is coupled to hub 44 or a lower section of
upwardly extending
portion 42 of spout 12. As discussed above, detection field 36 of capacitive
sensor 32 and
detection field 38 of capacitive sensor 34 overlap to define a detection zone
40. The first and
second sensors 32 and 34 are positioned on the spout 12 so that the detection
zone 40 is
positioned at a desired location for detecting the user's hands. For instance,
the detection zone
40 may be located near the outlet 48 of spout 12. In one embodiment, the
detection zone 40 is
beneath the curved portion 46 of spout 12 between the upwardly extending
portion 42 and the
outlet 48. Therefore, a user can turn the faucet on and off by placing the
user's hand in the
detection zone 40.
[0027] Fig. 4 illustrates output signals from the first and second
capacitive sensors 32 and 34
of the embodiment shown in Figs. 2 and 3 as a user's hands move back and forth
between the
first and second capacitive sensors 32 and 34. Illustratively, signal 50 is an
output from the first
capacitive sensor 32, and signal 52 is an output signal from the second
capacitive sensor 34.
Typically, the output signal 52 from the capacitive sensor 34 mounted on the
hub 44 of spout 12
has a greater amplitude than the output signal 50 from the capacitive sensor
32 located near the
outlet 48 of spout 12. The peaks 54 of output signal 50 indicate when the
user's hands are
approaching the first capacitive sensor 32 and the valleys 56 indicate when
the user's hands are
moving further away from capacitive sensor 32. The peaks 58 in output signal
52 illustrate when
the user's hands are moving closer to the second capacitive sensor 34 on hub
44. The valleys 60
indicate when the user's hands have moved further away from the second
capacitive sensor 34.
[0028] Controller 24 monitors the output signals 50 and 52 to determine
when the user's
hands are in the detection zone 40. For example, when both the amplitudes of
output signals 50
and 52 are within preselected ranges defining the boundaries of the detection
zone 40, the
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controller 24 determines that the user's hands are in the detection zone 40
and opens the valve 22
to begin fluid flow through the spout 12.
[0029] Controller 24 determines when the user's hands are in the detection
zone 40 by
looking at the signal strengths of the output signals 50 and 52 from
capacitive sensors 32 and 34,
respectively. The stronger the output signal, the closer the user's hands are
to that sensor 32 or
34. For example, in Fig 4 at time 3, the output signal 52 from the second
capacitive sensor 34 is
strong while the output signal 50 from the first capacitive sensor 32 is weak.
This indicates that
the user's hands are located closer to the second capacitive sensor 34. At
time 8 in Fig. 4, the
output signal 52 from the second capacitive sensor 34 is weak and the output
signal 50 from the
first capacitive sensor 32 is strong. This indicates that that the user's
hands are located closer to
the first capacitive sensor 32. At time 6 in Fig. 4, both output signals 50,
52 are strong. This
indicates that the user's hands are located in the middle of detection zone
40.
[0030] Another embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated in Fig.
5. In this
embodiment, first, second and third capacitive sensors 70, 72, and 74 are
provided. Capacitive
sensors 70, 72, and 74 each have separate detection fields 76, 78, and 80. In
an illustrated
embodiment, the first capacitive sensor 70 is mounted on a spout 12 of the
faucet. The second
and third capacitive sensors 72 and 74 are mounted on handles 14, a sink
basin, or other location
adjacent the spout 12.
[0031] In the Fig. 5 embodiment, detection fields 76 and 78 overlap within
a detection zone
82. Detection fields 78 and 80 overlap within a detection zone 84. Detection
fields 76 and 80
overlap within a detection zone 86. In addition, all three detection fields
76, 78 and 80 overlap
within a central detection zone 88. By monitoring the outputs from capacitive
sensors 70, 72 and
74, the controller 24 determines whether the user's hands are in one of the
detection zones 82,
84, 86 or 88. The controller 24 controls the faucet differently depending on
the detection zone
82, 84, 86 or 88 in which the user's hands are located. For example, the
controller 24 may
increase or decrease fluid flow, increase or decrease temperature, turn on or
off fluid flow, or
otherwise control the faucet or other components based upon which detection
zone 82, 84, 86 or
88 the user's hands are located.
[0032] Another embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated in Fig.
6. In this
embodiment, like the embodiment of Fig. 2, the system 10 illustratively
includes a controller 24
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and first and second capacitive sensors 32 and 34 located on or near the
faucet 10 (Fig. 1) and
coupled to the controller 24. The first capacitive sensor 32 has a general
spherical detection field
36 surrounding sensor 32, and the second capacitive sensor 34 has a general
spherical detection
region 38 surrounding sensor 34. Capacitive sensors 32 and 34 detect objects,
such as user's
hands, anywhere in the spherical detection region 36 and 38, respectively.
Detection field 36
overlaps detection field 38 in a generally prolate spheroid or "football"
shaped region or
detection zone 40.
[0033] The first capacitive sensor 32 and the related or associated
detection region 36, not
including the overlapping detection zone 40, defines an activation field. In
contrast, the second
capacitive sensor 34 and associated detection field 38, including the
overlapping detection field
40, define an inhibit field. More particularly, detection of an object or
user's hands, within the
inhibit field (i.e., detection fields 38 and/or 40) will inhibit operation
(e.g., activation or
deactivation) of the valve 22 (Fig. 1). However, detection of an object or
user's hands in the
activation field (i.e., detection field 36), without detecting an object or
user's hands within the
inhibit field (i.e., detection fields 38 and/or 40) will operate valve 22,
such as by toggling the
valve 22 between open and closed positions. That is, valve 22 may be toggled
from the open
position to the closed position or vice-versa if detection of an object or
user's hands in the
activation field (i.e., detection field 36), without detecting an object or
user's hands within the
inhibit field (i.e., detection fields 38 and/or 40) occurs. It is also within
the scope of the present
disclosure that the overlapping detection field 40 may be considered part of
the activation field
36 rather than part of the inhibit field 38.
[0034] Fig. 8 illustrates the functionality of controller 24 of Fig. 6 with
respect to capacitive
sensors 32 and 34 by a method 100. At block 1102, faucet 10 (Fig. 1) is
activated such that
controller 24 can toggle the state of valve 22 based on the signals
transmitted by capacitive
sensors 32 and 34. At block 104, controller 24 monitors capacitive sensor 32
to determine
whether capacitive sensor 32 has transmitted a first output signal to
controller 24. Capacitive
sensor 32 transmits a first output signal to controller 24 when an object
(e.g., a user's hand) is
detected within detection field 36 for a specified period of time. In an
exemplary embodiment,
capacitive sensor 32 transmits a first output signal when the object is
detected within detection
field 36 for a time period between 60 milliseconds and 270 milliseconds (which
is illustratively
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called a "swipe"). However, it is contemplated that other time periods may be
used. If controller
24 receives a first output signal from capacitive sensor 32 in block 104, then
controller 24 moves
on to block 106 and determines whether a second output signal was received by
capacitive sensor
34 based on whether an object or a user's hand was detected in detection
fields 38 and/or 40 as
discussed further herein. If controller 24 does not receive a first output
signal from capacitive
sensor 32 in block 104, then controller 24 continues to monitor the state of
capacitive sensor 32.
[0035] At block 106, controller 24 monitors capacitive sensor 34 to
determine whether a
second output signal from capacitive sensor 34 has been transmitted to
controller 24. Controller
24 monitors capacitive sensor 34 for a predetermined period of time
surrounding (e.g., before
and/or after) the reception of the first output signal from capacitive sensor
32 at block 104. In an
exemplary embodiment, controller 24 monitors capacitive sensor 36 for no
greater than 120
milliseconds to determine whether an object (e.g., a user's hand) is present
within detection field
38 and/or 40. However, it is contemplated that other time ranges may be used.
If controller 24
detects a second output signal from capacitive sensor 34 within the
predetermined time period,
controller 24 moves to block 108 and ignores the previous signal received from
capacitive sensor
32 at block 104. As discussed above, ignoring capacitive sensor 32 may
maintain (i.e., prevent
toggling) the valve 22 in its current state (e.g., deactivate valve 22, and
thereby inhibit liquid
from exiting spout 12, or allow liquid to continue to exit from the spout 12
(Fig. 1)). Controller
24 then returns to monitor the status of capacitive sensor 32 at block 104.
If, on the other hand,
controller 24 does not detect a second output signal from capacitive sensor 34
in block 106
within the predetermined time period, controller 24 continues to block 110 and
operates valve 22
normally, such as by toggling valve 22 between open and closed positions,
where liquid is
dispensed from spout 12 in the open position and dispensing of liquid is
stopped in the closed
position.
[0036] Fig. 7 illustrates output signals from the first and second
capacitive sensors 32 and 34
of the embodiment shown in Fig. 6 as a user's hands move back and forth
between the first and
second capacitive sensors 32 and 34. Illustratively, signal 52 is an output
from the first
capacitive sensor 32, and signal 50 is an output signal from the second
capacitive sensor 34.
Typically, the output signal 52 from the capacitive sensor 32 mounted on the
hub 44 of spout 12
has a greater amplitude than the output signal 50 from the capacitive sensor
34 located near the
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outlet 48 of spout 12. The peaks 54 of output signal 50 indicate when the
user's hands are
approaching the first capacitive sensor 34 and the valleys 56 indicate when
the user's hands are
moving further away from capacitive sensor 34. The peaks 58 in output signal
52 illustrate when
the user's hands are moving closer to the second capacitive sensor 32 on hub
44. The valleys 60
indicate when the user's hands have moved further away from the second
capacitive sensor 34.
[0037] Controller 24 controls the behavior of spout 12 by monitoring output
signals 50 and
52 to determine when the user's hands are in detection zone 36 and/or
detection zones 38, 40,
respectively. That is, controller 24 monitors the spatial relation between the
signal strengths of
output signals 52 and output signals 50. When controller 24 receives a peak
from output signal
52 (e.g., peak 58) for capacitive sensor 32, controller 24 monitors a
predetermined time interval
surrounding the peak to determine whether liquid should be inhibited from
flowing through spout
12 due to the presence of a peak from output signal 50 (e.g., peak 54) for
capacitive sensor 34.
When the peaks of output signals 52 are spaced from the peaks of output
signals 50 for a time
interval greater than the predetermined time interval set in block 106
discussed above, controller
24 may determine that the user's hands are in detection zone 36 and open valve
22 to begin fluid
flow through the spout 12. Exemplary time periods with this configuration are
shown as regions
I and V.
[0038] When the peaks of output signals 52 are aligned with or spaced from
the amplitude
of output signals 50 at a time interval less than or equal to the
predetermined time interval set in
block 106 discussed above, controller 24 may illustratively determine that the
user's hands are in
the detection zone 38 and/or 40 and maintain valve 22 in the closed position
if valve 22 is
already in the closed position (and/or close valve 22 if open) to inhibit
fluid flow through the
spout 12. Exemplary time periods with this configuration are shown as regions
II-IV and VI.
With respect to regions II and VI, valve 22 is illustratively toggled to the
closed position from the
open position of regions I and V discussed previously.
[0039] In an alternate embodiment, capacitive sensors 32 and 34 may toggle
valve 22
between the opened and closed positions. More particularly, the capacitive
signals emitted by
sensors 32 and 34 directly toggle valve 22 between the opened and closed
positions depending on
whether detection of an object or user's hands in the activation field (i.e.,
detection field 36),
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without detection of an object or user's hands within the inhibit field (i.e.,
detection fields 38
and/or 40) occurs, as previously discussed.
[0040] The exemplary time period shown as region VII can be ignored by
controller 24 as
there is no peak from output signal 52 from which to measure to determine
whether valve 22
should be opened.
[0041] While this disclosure has been described as having exemplary designs
and
embodiments, the present invention may be further modified within the spirit
and scope of this
disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations,
uses, or adaptations of
the disclosure using its general principles. Further, this application is
intended to cover such
departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary
practice in the art to
which this disclosure pertains. Therefore, although the invention has been
described in detail
with reference to certain illustrated embodiments, variations and
modifications exist within the
spirit and scope of the invention as described and defined in the following
claims.
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