EP3064662B1 - Sanitary fitting with touchless sensor for controlling temperature and water flow - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a sanitary fitting according to the preamble of claim 1, which is used regularly in connection with sinks, sinks, showers or bathtubs. Such sanitary fittings are used in particular to provide mixed water with a desired mixed water temperature. Furthermore, a (cable or contactless) operating method for such a sanitary fitting is explained.

Sanitary fittings are known from the prior art, which can be actuated with wireless control units, for example with buttons. A disadvantage of such control units is, among other things, that pathogens can be transmitted to different users by touching them. Such sanitary fittings therefore do not always meet particularly high hygiene standards. In addition, some of the wireless control units consume a lot of energy, which means that energy sources such as batteries often have to be replaced.

From the DE 10 2006 062 182 A1 a multi-function fitting with a sensor device for contactless operation and control of the multi-function fitting according to the preamble of claim 1 is known. Furthermore shows the US 2007/0170384 A1 a sanitary fitting with a first sensor arrangement for setting a flow rate and a second sensor arrangement for setting a liquid temperature, which can be arranged on the sanitary fitting or a pool edge. The US 2009/0056011 A1 shows a sanitary fitting, in which a water temperature and a flow rate can be set without contact by means of a sensor. From the DE 11 2009 004 326 T5 a washroom system with a detection system is known, the detection system scanning a detection area either every 0.25 seconds if a solenoid valve has been activated within 30 minutes or approximately every second if the solenoid valve is for a period of has not been activated for more than 30 minutes. The EP 0 724 044 A1 discloses a control for a sanitary fitting, in which the brightness sensor in times of non-use at night Time between two scans is extended. In addition, from the US 8 407 827 B1 a sanitary fitting is known in which sensors are arranged in the area of a washbasin. It is therefore an object of the invention to at least partially solve the problems described with reference to the prior art and in particular to provide a sanitary fitting which meets the highest hygiene standards and which also has low energy consumption.

These tasks are solved with a sanitary fitting according to the features of the independent claim. Further advantageous embodiments of the sanitary fitting are specified in the dependent claims. It should be pointed out that the features listed individually in the dependent claims can be combined with one another in any technologically meaningful manner and define further refinements of the invention. In addition, the features specified in the patent claims are specified and explained in more detail in the description, further preferred embodiments of the invention being illustrated.

The proposed sanitary fitting is used in particular in connection with sinks, sinks, showers and / or bathtubs. The sanitary fitting serves in particular to provide mixed water with a desired mixed water temperature. For this purpose, the sanitary fitting can have, for example, a mixing valve in a fitting housing, through which a cold water and a warm water can be mixed with the mixed water with the desired mixed water temperature. The cold water here has in particular a cold water temperature of 0 ° C - 40 ° C and / or the hot water has a hot water temperature of 40 ° C - 80 ° C.

The sanitary fitting has a radio sensor with which the sanitary fitting can be controlled. The radio sensor is wireless and can therefore be placed anywhere. The radio sensor has in particular one single sensor or is designed as a single sensor. In particular, the radio sensor does not have a plurality of sensors or a sensor phalanx. The radio sensor can also be based on infrared technology and / or low frequency (LF) technology or (HF) technology, so-called radar technology. With the radio sensor, in particular dynamic three-dimensional (hand) gestures can be detected as movement, that is to say in particular a sequence of movements.

To operate the sanitary fitting, the radio sensor is connected in particular to a controller by means of a radio connection, by means of which the mixing valve and / or an optionally present flow rate valve of the sanitary fitting can be controlled. The control can in particular be a microprocessor. The at least one controller is in particular designed and set up so that it can a) adjust the water flows through the sanitary fitting at least in terms of their temperature or flow rate and / or b) the sampling rate of the radio sensor depending on the position of an object in the detection area of the radio sensor. The radio sensor thus serves as an operating unit of the sanitary fitting and in particular has an infrared light source and a detector for detecting infrared rays reflected by a hand of a user of the sanitary fitting. The controller is preferably integrated in the radio sensor.

The radio sensor can be used to monitor a sensor area which has a first control area for controlling a flow rate of water from an outlet of the sanitary fitting, a second sensor area for increasing a temperature of the water and a third control area for reducing a temperature of the water. In other words, this means that if a hand is detected by the radio sensor in the first control area, a flow rate of the water from the outlet of the sanitary fitting, if a hand is detected in the second control area, the temperature of the water can be increased and if a hand is detected the third control area can bring about a reduction in the temperature of the water. The first control area extends at least partially around a first axis, the second control area at least partially around a second axis and the third control area at least partially around a third axis. The extension is in particular (rotationally) symmetrical about the respective axis. Thanks to the radio sensor, the sanitary fitting can be operated without contact so that no pathogens can be transmitted between different users.

Furthermore, a sampling rate of the radio sensor can be reduced in a non-use phase of the sanitary fitting and the sampling rate of the radio sensor can be increased in a use phase of the sanitary fitting. The scanning rate of the radio sensor is to be understood in particular as a frequency with which the radio sensor monitors the sensor area. The non-use phase of the sanitary fitting is in particular a phase in which there is no hand in the sensor area and / or the sanitary fitting is not used. In the non-use phase, the scanning rate of the radio sensor can be reduced in particular to a frequency of 0.01 Hz (Hertz) to 400 Hz. The use phase is in particular a phase in which a hand is in the sensor area and / or the sanitary fitting is in use. During the use phase, the scanning rate of the radio sensor can be increased in particular to a frequency of 0.01 Hz (Hertz) to 400 Hz. As a result, the energy consumption of the radio sensor can be reduced.

The radio sensor is arranged at a distance from the sanitary fitting. The distance between the radio sensor and the sanitary fitting is 5 cm (centimeters) to 200 cm.

It is also advantageous if the first axis is designed as a central axis. A central axis is to be understood here in particular as an axis that is aligned with a main sensor direction of the radio sensor, that is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the radio sensor, that is aligned with a central axis of the radio sensor, and / or that runs through a center point of the radio sensor.

In addition, it is advantageous if the second axis intersect the first axis with a first angle of + 10 ° to + 80 ° and the third axis the first axis with a second angle of -10 ° to -80 °. This means in particular that the second axis and the third axis lie opposite one another relative to the first axis, in particular in mirror image of the first axis. The second axis and / or the third axis have in particular a (common) intersection with the first axis, which is located on a surface of the radio sensor or in the radio sensor. The first angle is preferably + 40 ° to + 50 ° or particularly preferably + 45 °. The second angle is preferably -40 ° to -50 ° or particularly preferably -45 °.

Furthermore, it is advantageous if a flow of water through the outlet of the sanitary fitting can be activated or deactivated when a hand movement is detected in the first control area by the radio sensor. When the flow of water is activated, for example, a temperature of 30 ° C. of the water can be preset.

It is also advantageous if, when a hand movement is detected in a first area of the first control region, the temperature or the flow rate of the water can be increased by the radio sensor, for example up to 38 ° C. (Celsius), and when a hand movement is detected in one second area of the first control area the temperature or the flow rate of the water can be reduced by the radio sensor, for example up to 20 ° C. The first area is in particular an upper area and the second area is a lower area of the first control area. The upper or lower range is oriented along the axis of the respective setting range, viewed relative to the radio sensor. Ie the upper area is further away from the radio sensor than the lower area. It can also be advantageous to provide additional functions that are executed when the value falls below a lower range.

In addition, it is advantageous if at least two states for the flow rate of the water and / or three states for the temperatures of the water can be controlled or set by the radio sensor.

Fig. 1:

eine Sanitärarmatur mit einem Funksensor.

The invention and the technical environment are explained in more detail below with reference to the figure. It should be pointed out that the figure shows a particularly preferred variant of the invention, but this is not restricted to this. It shows schematically:

Fig. 1:

a sanitary fitting with a radio sensor.

The Fig. 1 shows a schematically illustrated sanitary fitting 1 with a radio sensor 2. With the radio sensor 2, a sensor area 3 can be monitored, which has a first control area 4 for controlling a flow rate of water from an outlet (not shown) of the sanitary fitting 1, a second control area 5 for increasing a temperature of the Water and a third control area 6 for reducing a temperature of the water. The first control area 4 extends around a first axis 7, the second control area 5 around a second axis 8 and the third control area 6 around a third axis 9. The first control area 4, the second control area 5 and the third control area 6 have a spatial Extension orthogonal to the plane of the drawing. The second axis 8 intersects the first axis 7 with a first angle 10 of + 45 ° and the third axis 9 the first axis 7 with a second angle 11 of -45 °. Furthermore, the first control region 4 has a first region 12, a flow rate of the water being able to be increased when a hand is detected in the first region 12. In addition, the first control region 4 has a second region 13, a flow rate of the water being able to be reduced when a hand is detected in the second region 13. The radio sensor 2 is connected via a radio link to a controller 14, which in turn is connected to the sanitary fitting 1 in a data-conducting manner.

The sanitary fitting according to the invention enables particularly high hygiene standards to be met and energy consumption to be kept at a low level.

Reference list

1

Sanitary fitting

2nd

Radio sensor

3rd

Sensor range

4th

First tax area

5

Second tax area

6

Third tax area

7

First axis

8th

Second axis

9

Third axis

10th

First angle

11

Second angle

12th

First area

13

Second area

14

control

Claims (6)

1. A sanitary fitting (1) with a sensor (2), wherein a sensor range (3) capable of being monitored by the sensor (2) has a first control range (4) for controlling a flow volume of water from an outlet of the sanitary fitting (1), a second control range (5) for increasing a temperature of the water and a third control range (6) for reducing a temperature of the water, wherein the first control range (4) extends at least partially about a first axis (7), the second control range (5) extends at least partially about a second axis (8) and the third control range (6) extends at least partially about a third axis (9), characterized in that the sensor (2) is a wireless radio sensor (2), that a scanning frequency of the radio sensor (2) can be reduced in a non-use phase of the sanitary fitting (1) detected by the radio sensor (2) and the scanning frequency of the radio sensor (2) can be increased in a use phase of the sanitary fitting (1), that the radio sensor (2) is arranged at a distance from the sanitary fitting (1), the distance being 5 cm to 200 cm.
2. The sanitary fitting (1) with a sensor (2) according to Claim 1, wherein the first axis (7) is formed as a center axis.
3. The sanitary fitting (1) with a sensor (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second axis (8) intersects the first axis (7) at a first angle (10) of +10° to +80° and the third axis (9) intersects the first axis (7) at a second angle (11) of -10° to - 80°.
4. The sanitary fitting (1) with a sensor (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a flow of the water through the outlet of the sanitary fitting (1) can be activated or deactivated with a detection of a hand motion in the first control range (4) by the radio sensor (2).
5. The sanitary fitting (1) with a sensor (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the flow volume of the water can be increased by the radio sensor (2) with a detection of a hand motion in a first area (12) of the first control range (4) and the flow volume of the water can be reduced by the radio sensor (2) with a detection of a hand motion in a second area (13) of the first control range (4).
6. The sanitary fitting (1) with a sensor (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least two flows of the water and at least three temperatures can be controlled by the radio sensor (2).

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