Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Wash receptacles – With proximity operated valve
Patent
1990-10-04
1991-11-12
Cohan, Alan
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Wash receptacles
With proximity operated valve
4304, 25112904, E03C 105
Patent
active
050636227
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a water supply control system for automatically feeding water through a faucet or the like when a user is detected.
BACKGROUND ART
There are known water supply control systems for use with toilets or the like, wherein an optical means detects whether there is a user or not, and water is appropriately supplied through a faucet.
In such a water supply control system, the optical means detects a human being by energizing a light-emitting element, for example, to apply light to the human being, and detecting reflected light with a light-detecting element. If the water supply control system is powered by a battery, the light-emitting and -detecting elements are generally energized periodically (intermittently) in order to prevent quick consumption of the battery.
When the light-emitting and -detecting elements are energized intermittently, if noise is generated due to an extraneous electromagnetic wave or the like, the light-detecting element may produce a signal as if it detected a user, or light may not be well detected by the light-emitting element because of fluctuations on the part of the user. Therefore, the water supply control system is prone to malfunctions.
For the removal of such noise, the detection level of the light-detecting element may be increased higher than the level of the noise. The increased detection level of the light-detecting element, however, results in a reduction in the actual sensitivity with which users can be detected.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in an effort to solve the aforesaid conventional problems.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a water supply control system which is less susceptible to noise, does not have a reduced sensitivity, and is highly reliable.
According to the present invention, a water supply control system comprises a faucet actuating means for actuating a water supply faucet to supply water, a light-emitting means for intermittently emitting light at least a first period, a light-detecting means for detecting light emitted from the light-emitting means and reflected by a portion of the body of a user of the faucet, and for producing a detected signal indicative of whether the light is detected or not, and a control means for controlling the faucet actuating means to actuate the faucet based on the detected signal from the light-detecting means, the control means comprising an auxiliary light-emitting means for enabling the light-emitting means to effect a plurality of light emissions at a second period shorter than the first period, based on the detected signal from the light-detecting means; and a decision means for applying a control signal to the faucet actuating means to control the faucet based on the number of times in which the light is detected by the light-detecting means, among the light emissions caused by the auxiliary light-emitting means through the light-emitting means.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a circuit arrangement of a water supply control system according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a timing chart of operation of the circuit arrangement shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the circuit arrangement shown in FIG. 1 as it is implemented by a microcomputer;
FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an operation sequence of a microcomputer which implements the circuit arrangement according to the first embodiment, as partly modified;
FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a circuit arrangement of a water supply control system according to a second embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a timing chart of operation of the circuit arrangement shown in FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a flowchart of an operation sequence of a microcomputer which implements the circuit arrangement shown in FIG. 5;
FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a different operation sequence of the microcomputer which implements the circuit arrangement shown in FIG. 5;
FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a circuit arrangement of a water supply
REFERENCES:
patent: 4309781 (1982-01-01), Tissan
patent: 4667350 (1987-05-01), Ikenaga
patent: 4682628 (1987-07-01), Hill
patent: 4742583 (1988-05-01), Yoshida
patent: 4762273 (1988-08-01), Gregory
Inoue Shoji
Tsutsui Osamu
Yoshida Takao
Cohan Alan
Rose Howard L.
Toto Ltd.
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