EP0550260B1 - Automatic faucet system - Google Patents
Automatic faucet system Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0550260B1 EP0550260B1 EP92311779A EP92311779A EP0550260B1 EP 0550260 B1 EP0550260 B1 EP 0550260B1 EP 92311779 A EP92311779 A EP 92311779A EP 92311779 A EP92311779 A EP 92311779A EP 0550260 B1 EP0550260 B1 EP 0550260B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- ultrasound
- frequency
- received
- detecting
- detecting means
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
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Classifications
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E03—WATER SUPPLY; SEWERAGE
- E03C—DOMESTIC PLUMBING INSTALLATIONS FOR FRESH WATER OR WASTE WATER; SINKS
- E03C1/00—Domestic plumbing installations for fresh water or waste water; Sinks
- E03C1/02—Plumbing installations for fresh water
- E03C1/05—Arrangements of devices on wash-basins, baths, sinks, or the like for remote control of taps
- E03C1/055—Electrical control devices, e.g. with push buttons, control panels or the like
- E03C1/057—Electrical control devices, e.g. with push buttons, control panels or the like touchless, i.e. using sensors
Definitions
- the present invention relates to an automatic faucet system for automatically discharging water from a discharge opening provided at an end of a discharge pipe by detecting a hand or the like by a sensor and more particularly to an automatic faucet system for detecting a hand or the like by ultrasound.
- an automatic faucet system is used for washing hands or the like by automatically discharging water from a discharge opening when ultrasound transmitted from an oscillator of an ultrasonic sensor which is disposed near the discharge opening is reflected by an object such as a hand and is received by a receiver.
- the conventional ultrasonic sensor measures the time interval from when ultrasound is transmitted from the oscillator to it being received by the receiver, and the sensor computes a distance to the object based on such time.
- the sensor judges that the object is moving, whereby it opens an electromagnetic valve or the like by a drive controller to discharge water automatically from the discharge opening provided at the end of the discharge opening pipe.
- the ultrasonic sensor used for such prior art automatic faucet system has a problem in that water may be discharged from the discharge opening even when an object such as a hand is not stretched out due to a so-called crosstalk phenomenon, i.e. ultrasound transmitted from the oscillator may be directly received by the receiver.
- DE-B-2034877 on which the preamble of claim 1 is based, discloses a control device for the water supply of a hand basin in which the Doppler effect of a moving object on transmitted ultrasound causes a valve to be opened and the water to be supplied to the basin.
- a system for automatically discharging water by detecting an object near a discharge opening comprising: detecting means for detecting a said object near said discharge opening, said detecting means having outputting means for transmitting ultrasound and receiving means for receiving ultrasound reflected back by a said object; and water supplying means including valve means for supplying water to said discharge opening when said detecting means detects said object; said detecting means further having means for comparing a frequency f1 of the output ultrasound and a frequency f2 of the received ultrasound and for outputting a valve opening signal when the received frequency f2 is greater than the output frequency f1 due to Doppler effect caused by approaching movement of said object, characterised in that said detecting means has means for outputting a valve closing signal when the received frequency f2 becomes smaller than the output frequency fl due to the Doppler effect caused by receding movement of said object.
- the sensor for detecting an object detects the object as a moving body and outputs a detection signal when a difference is generated between the frequency of the ultrasound transmitted from the oscillator and that of the ultrasound received by the receiver, so that a valve associated with the faucet is operated by being driven by a drive controller into which the detection signal is input and water is discharged to the object from the discharge opening provided at the end of the discharge opening pipe.
- the ultrasonic sensor utilizes Doppler effect and detects an object to be a moving body only when a frequency of ultrasound received differs from that of ultrasound transmitted. It ignores the received ultrasound when a crosstalk phenomenon occurs, i.e. when the frequency of the received ultrasound is the same with that of the oscillated ultrasound.
- a discharge opening 5 is provided on a main body of the faucet 3 provided on a washstand 2.
- a water supply pipe 6, having an electromagnetic valve 8, is connected to the lower part of the main body of the faucet 3.
- the reference numeral 7 denotes a wash basin.
- An ultrasonic sensor 9 for detecting a hand 100 stretched out is provided near the discharge opening 5.
- the ultrasonic sensor 9 is one utilizing Doppler effect constructed as shown in Fig. 2 so that it can detect the hand only when the hand 100 is moved.
- the ultrasonic sensor 9 comprises a speaker 10 for oscillating and outputting ultrasound, a microphone 11 for receiving the ultrasound transmitted from the speaker 10 and reflected by the hand 100 and for converting and outputting the received ultrasound as an electrical signal, an oscillating circuit 12 for outputting an oscillating electric signal of frequency f1 (Hz) which is equal to that of the ultrasound transmitted from the speaker 10, a filter circuit 13 for passing the electric signal from the microphone 11 when a difference which exceeds a predetermined frequency is generated between the frequency f2 of the received signal of the receiver 11 and the frequency f1, i.e. when Doppler effect occurs, and an amplifier 14 for amplifying and outputting the electrical signal that passes through the filter circuit 13.
- the frequency f2 of the received ultrasound is higher than the frequency f1 of the transmitted ultrasound when the hand 100 approaches the microphone 11 and contrary to that, the frequency f2 of the received ultrasound is lower than the frequency f1 of the transmitted ultrasound when the hand 100 recedes from the microphone 11.
- the electromagnetic valve 8 When the electrical signal output from the amplifier 14 is input to a drive controller 20, the electromagnetic valve 8 is opened by the signal from the drive controller 20 and water is discharged from the discharge opening 5.
- the sensor 9 monitors whether the hand 100 is continuously detected. That is, if the hand 100 is detected and f2 ⁇ f1, water is continuously discharged. However, if the hand 100 cannot be detected, the valve is closed. When f2 ⁇ f1 even if the hand is detected, the valve is closed because it means that the hand is receding from the discharge opening.
Description
- The present invention relates to an automatic faucet system for automatically discharging water from a discharge opening provided at an end of a discharge pipe by detecting a hand or the like by a sensor and more particularly to an automatic faucet system for detecting a hand or the like by ultrasound.
- Conventionally, an automatic faucet system is used for washing hands or the like by automatically discharging water from a discharge opening when ultrasound transmitted from an oscillator of an ultrasonic sensor which is disposed near the discharge opening is reflected by an object such as a hand and is received by a receiver.
- The conventional ultrasonic sensor measures the time interval from when ultrasound is transmitted from the oscillator to it being received by the receiver, and the sensor computes a distance to the object based on such time. When the distance changes in a short time, it judges that the object is moving, whereby it opens an electromagnetic valve or the like by a drive controller to discharge water automatically from the discharge opening provided at the end of the discharge opening pipe.
- However, the ultrasonic sensor used for such prior art automatic faucet system has a problem in that water may be discharged from the discharge opening even when an object such as a hand is not stretched out due to a so-called crosstalk phenomenon, i.e. ultrasound transmitted from the oscillator may be directly received by the receiver.
- DE-B-2034877, on which the preamble of
claim 1 is based, discloses a control device for the water supply of a hand basin in which the Doppler effect of a moving object on transmitted ultrasound causes a valve to be opened and the water to be supplied to the basin. - It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic faucet system which is highly reliable and causes no erroneous operation.
- According to the present invention there is provided a system for automatically discharging water by detecting an object near a discharge opening,
comprising: detecting means for detecting a said object near said discharge opening, said detecting means having outputting means for transmitting ultrasound and receiving means for receiving ultrasound reflected back by a said object; and water supplying means including valve means for supplying water to said discharge opening when said detecting means detects said object; said detecting means further having means for comparing a frequency f1 of the output ultrasound and a frequency f2 of the received ultrasound and for outputting a valve opening signal when the received frequency f2 is greater than the output frequency f1 due to Doppler effect caused by approaching movement of said object,
characterised in that said detecting means has means for outputting a valve closing signal when the received frequency f2 becomes smaller than the output frequency fl due to the Doppler effect caused by receding movement of said object. - Thus, the sensor for detecting an object detects the object as a moving body and outputs a detection signal when a difference is generated between the frequency of the ultrasound transmitted from the oscillator and that of the ultrasound received by the receiver, so that a valve associated with the faucet is operated by being driven by a drive controller into which the detection signal is input and water is discharged to the object from the discharge opening provided at the end of the discharge opening pipe. The ultrasonic sensor utilizes Doppler effect and detects an object to be a moving body only when a frequency of ultrasound received differs from that of ultrasound transmitted. It ignores the received ultrasound when a crosstalk phenomenon occurs, i.e. when the frequency of the received ultrasound is the same with that of the oscillated ultrasound.
- An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-
- Fig. 1 is a sectional view illustrating a system of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
- Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing a structure of the system of the preferred embodiment; and
- Fig. 3 is a flow chart showing operations of the system of the preferred embodiment.
- A
discharge opening 5 is provided on a main body of the faucet 3 provided on awashstand 2. Awater supply pipe 6, having anelectromagnetic valve 8, is connected to the lower part of the main body of the faucet 3. The reference numeral 7 denotes a wash basin. - An
ultrasonic sensor 9 for detecting ahand 100 stretched out is provided near thedischarge opening 5. Theultrasonic sensor 9 is one utilizing Doppler effect constructed as shown in Fig. 2 so that it can detect the hand only when thehand 100 is moved. - The
ultrasonic sensor 9 comprises aspeaker 10 for oscillating and outputting ultrasound, amicrophone 11 for receiving the ultrasound transmitted from thespeaker 10 and reflected by thehand 100 and for converting and outputting the received ultrasound as an electrical signal, anoscillating circuit 12 for outputting an oscillating electric signal of frequency f1 (Hz) which is equal to that of the ultrasound transmitted from thespeaker 10, afilter circuit 13 for passing the electric signal from themicrophone 11 when a difference which exceeds a predetermined frequency is generated between the frequency f2 of the received signal of thereceiver 11 and the frequency f1, i.e. when Doppler effect occurs, and anamplifier 14 for amplifying and outputting the electrical signal that passes through thefilter circuit 13. - Due to the Doppler effect, the frequency f2 of the received ultrasound is higher than the frequency f1 of the transmitted ultrasound when the
hand 100 approaches themicrophone 11 and contrary to that, the frequency f2 of the received ultrasound is lower than the frequency f1 of the transmitted ultrasound when thehand 100 recedes from themicrophone 11. - Accordingly, as shown in Fig. 3, when the
hand 100 moves in the direction approaching to thesensor 9, f2 becomes greater than f1, thereby the received signal being output to theamplifier 14 through thefilter circuit 13. - When the electrical signal output from the
amplifier 14 is input to adrive controller 20, theelectromagnetic valve 8 is opened by the signal from thedrive controller 20 and water is discharged from thedischarge opening 5. - After opening the valve, the
sensor 9 monitors whether thehand 100 is continuously detected. That is, if thehand 100 is detected and f2 ≥ f1, water is continuously discharged. However, if thehand 100 cannot be detected, the valve is closed. When f2 < f1 even if the hand is detected, the valve is closed because it means that the hand is receding from the discharge opening. - In this faucet, even if a crosstalk phenomenon in which ultrasound from the
speaker 10 is directly received by thereceiver 11 occurs, since the frequency f2 of the received ultrasound is equal to that of the oscillated ultrasound f1, the electrical signal output from themicrophone 11 cannot pass through thefilter circuit 13. Accordingly, no erroneous detection due to a crosstalk phenomenon will take place by thesensor 9 of the present invention.
Claims (4)
- A system for automatically discharging water by detecting an object (100) near a discharge opening (5), comprising: detecting means (9) for detecting a said object near said discharge opening, said detecting means having outputting means (10) for transmitting ultrasound and receiving means (11) for receiving ultrasound reflected back by a said object; and water supplying means (6) including valve means (8) for supplying water to said discharge opening when said detecting means detects said object; said detecting means (9) further having means (20) for comparing a frequency f1 of the output ultrasound and a frequency f2 of the received ultrasound and for outputting a valve opening signal when the received frequency f2 is greater than the output frequency f1 due to Doppler effect caused by approaching movement of said object (100), characterised in that said detecting means (9) has means (20) for outputting a valve closing signal when the received frequency f2 becomes smaller than the output frequency f1 due to the Doppler effect caused by receding movement of said object (100).
- The system according to claim 1, wherein said valve means is continued to be opened when said detecting means detects the reflected ultrasound after opening said valve means.
- The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said detecting means (9) has a circuit means (13) for comparing the received frequency f2 and the output frequency f1 and passing the received signal when f2 is greater than f1 and when f2 is smaller than fl.
- The system according to claim 3, wherein said detecting means (9) has an amplifier (14) for amplifying the signal passed through said circuit means (13) and outputting the amplified signal to said water supplying means (6).
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
JP3359098A JP2622640B2 (en) | 1991-12-30 | 1991-12-30 | Automatic faucet device |
JP359098/91 | 1991-12-30 |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0550260A1 EP0550260A1 (en) | 1993-07-07 |
EP0550260B1 true EP0550260B1 (en) | 1996-10-30 |
Family
ID=18462738
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP92311779A Expired - Lifetime EP0550260B1 (en) | 1991-12-30 | 1992-12-24 | Automatic faucet system |
Country Status (5)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0550260B1 (en) |
JP (1) | JP2622640B2 (en) |
KR (1) | KR930013393A (en) |
DE (1) | DE69214926T2 (en) |
TW (1) | TW202493B (en) |
Families Citing this family (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN101886713B (en) * | 2010-07-12 | 2012-03-28 | 厦门市易洁卫浴有限公司 | Faucet capable of controlling opening and closing by ultrasonic wave and opening and closing method thereof |
JP6656587B2 (en) * | 2016-03-23 | 2020-03-04 | Toto株式会社 | Water surrounding equipment |
Family Cites Families (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
DE2034877C2 (en) * | 1970-07-07 | 1971-12-30 | Visolux Elektronik Richard Sie | CONTROL DEVICE RESPONDING TO MOVEMENT IN THE WATER OUTLET AREA FOR WATER SUPPLIES FROM WASHBASIN OR THE LIKE |
DE2721217C3 (en) * | 1977-05-11 | 1980-06-12 | Siemens Ag, 1000 Berlin Und 8000 Muenchen | Outlet fitting with contactless control of the shut-off mechanism |
US4520516A (en) * | 1983-09-23 | 1985-06-04 | Parsons Natan E | Ultrasonic flow-control system |
US4839039B2 (en) * | 1986-02-28 | 1998-12-29 | Recurrent Solutions Ltd | Automatic flow-control device |
-
1991
- 1991-12-30 JP JP3359098A patent/JP2622640B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
1992
- 1992-10-30 TW TW081108689A patent/TW202493B/zh active
- 1992-12-24 DE DE69214926T patent/DE69214926T2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1992-12-24 EP EP92311779A patent/EP0550260B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1992-12-29 KR KR1019920025958A patent/KR930013393A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
DE69214926T2 (en) | 1997-02-27 |
DE69214926D1 (en) | 1996-12-05 |
EP0550260A1 (en) | 1993-07-07 |
KR930013393A (en) | 1993-07-21 |
JPH05179680A (en) | 1993-07-20 |
JP2622640B2 (en) | 1997-06-18 |
TW202493B (en) | 1993-03-21 |
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