GB2264557A

GB2264557A - Water supply apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2264557A
Application number: GB9204250A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jeffrey Charles Lowe
Original assignee: Armitage Shanks Ltd
Current assignee: Armitage Shanks Ltd
Priority date: 1992-02-28
Filing date: 1992-02-28
Publication date: 1993-09-01
Anticipated expiration: 2012-02-28
Also published as: GB9204250D0; GB2264557B

Abstract

The invention provides a proximity sensor 12 on a water tap 10 which controls the flow of water it supplies. The sensor comprises an infra-red emitter and detector side by side in the tap outlet and the flow of water is achieved by a microprocessor when fluctuating signals caused by the reflection of the radiation by moving hands are detected. The water supply continues only while the fluctuating signal is received, thus avoiding water wastage in, for example, public washrooms. <IMAGE>

Description

WATER SUPPLY APPARATUS This invention relates to water supply apparatus especially but not exclusively for public washroom use, for example in motorway service stations. The problems here are to avoid waste of water, as is occasioned by conventional water taps where users are likely to leave the taps running, and to provide apparatus which is relatively vandalproof. Many different proposals have been advanced for these purposes, which have their own sets of advantages and disadvantages.

Previous proposals have included the use of infrared beams which are shone from an emitter and reflected from a hand wash basin to a collector, with the intention that interruption of the beam by the users hands would send a signal causing the water to be turned on, and reinstatement of the beam will cause the water to be turned off. These proposals have the disadvantage that if the basin becomes dirty, as is likely to occur in the cause of ordinary usage in a place frequented at times by large numbers of the general public, the loss of reflectivity may result in a false signal and hence wastage of water. It is also known to use the sensing of an object to turn on the water which runs for a controlled time and then stops automatically. This too can lead to wastage.Other proposals have included providing the beam as an invisible barrier, and turning the water on when the barrier is broken, but these have suffered from similar disadvantages and tend to lead to water wastage when the beam is interrupted by the passage of persons who do not require water supply.

The object of the invention is to provide a new solution.

According to the present invention water supply apparatus comprises an outlet spout, an electrically operated on/off valve controlling the flow of water through said spout, and a sensor arrange to direct an infra-red beam for providing a signal to actuate said electrical operation, characterised in that the beam emitter and a sensor to detect the reflected beam are disposed substantially in the spout and the beam is directed below the spout for reflection from the hands of a user, and in that said signal is transmitted to a microprocessor arranged to cause the said valve to open when reflected signals are first detected and maintains said valve open only as long as a fluctuating signal is received by the detector. The significance of 'fluctuating' is that this will occur when the reflecting object, e.g. the users' hand, are moving in the beam.

When the hands are withdrawn there will be no signal or (if there is a reflection) a steady signal. Hence the water may be 'on' as long as there is need abut not otherwise.

Preferably the beam is emitted by an LED, and a photo diode to reflect the detected signal is mounted side-by-side with the LED and conveniently these are housed below the spout in an inconspicuous position.

To embodiments of the invention are illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 shows a wall mounted spout; Figure 2 shows a basin mounted spout; and Figure 3 shows the spout for the Figure 1 version in more detail.

In both of the figures, the water outlet 10 directs (preferably) a spray of water downwardly into the basin, and the LED and photo diode are located below the spout in the position indicated by the reference numeral 12 projecting a beam generally through the spray. The person washing their hands moves them in the direction of the arrow A to enter the water stream and moves the hands in the stream, thus reflecting a portion of the infra-red beam back from the skin to the source 12 where it causes a signal in the electronic circuit as mentioned. The movement causes fluctuation of signal value. Conventional amplifiers and the like are employed for the signal.

Figure 3 shows a typical spout construction in which the diode and LED can be potted and mounted in the effectively watertight compartment 20 and the leads led through the aperture 22 and hence through the wall without being exposed to public gaze and vandals interference.

It will be appreciated that in the usual way the infra-red beam may be pulsed at intervals. Gain setting of the amplifier can be adjusted so as to avoid readings holding the water control valve open by reflection from the spray jet, but permitting opening by the change (fluctuation) resulting from movement of the hands into the projected beam, and continued fluctuation resulting from the movements in hand washing will maintain the water valve open: usually the valve will be caused or allowed to close a short time after the fluctuations cease and a steady signal recurs.

Claims

LAIMS

CLAIMS 1. Water supply apparatus comprising an outlet spout an electrically operated on/off valve controlling the flow of water through said spout, and a sensor arrange to direct an infra--red beam for providing a signal to actuate said electrical operation, characterised in that the beam emitter and a sensor to detect the reflected beam are disposed substantially in the spout and the beam is directed below the spout for reflection from the hands of a user, and in that said signal is transmitted to a microprocessor arranged to cause the said valve to open when reflected signals are first detected and maintain said valve open only as long as a fluctuating signal is received by the detector.
2. Water supply apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the beam is emitted by an LED, and a photo diode to reflect the detected signal is mounted side by side with the LED.
3. Water supply apparatus as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the LED and photo-diode are housed below the spout
4. tauter supply apparatus substantially as described with reference to any of the accompanying drawings.