JPH05196746A - Sensing and controlling circuit for device in dressing room - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To achieve a decrease in current drain by utilizing a low current primary sensor to activate a secondary sensor only when detecting a user only in front of a toilet room apparatus. CONSTITUTION: One shot circuit 18 operates based on motion or heat detected by a primary sensor 16 to actuate a 1 milli ampere switch 20 and this switch 20 connects power from a battery 22 to an infrared sensor (secondary) 10. Then, the secondary sensor 10 actuates a solenoid 14. As a solenoid driver 12 and a one shot timing circuit 18 are connected by a line 24, when a user leaving 'the visual field' of a toilet room, the secondary sensor 10 generates a signal to energize a solenoid 14 and immediately thereafter, outputs a signal to end a timing cycle. Thus, the power of the secondary sensor is vanished to reduce the current drain of the battery.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to sensor-operated restroom devices such as flush valves, faucets, hand dryers, soap dispensers and the like, and more particularly to battery actuation sensing and control circuits for such restroom devices. Regarding

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art U.S. Pat. No. 4,309,781 discloses an automatic cleaning device for a cleaning valve of a restroom. This type of device is a Sloan based in Franklin Park, Illinois, USA.
Valve Company (Sloan Valve Company) "OPTIM
It is sold as the "A" (trademark) product and is installed in many public toilets in the United States. The above U.S. Pat. No. 4,
The cleaning device disclosed in 309,781 is operated by local power.

[0003]

In order to provide a battery trip sensing circuit of the type described above, it is necessary to limit the current drain of the battery. The main object of the present invention is to provide a battery actuation sensing and control circuit for a lavatory device that limits the current drain of the battery. Another object of the present invention is to provide a battery actuation sensing and control circuit for restroom devices such as flush valves, faucets, hand dryers, soap dispensers and the like. Yet another object of the invention is to utilize a low power requirement continuously activatable primary sensor that provides a trigger signal for a secondary sensor utilized to initiate activation of an electrical operator for a lavatory device. To provide a control circuit of the type described above. Another object of the invention is to provide a control circuit of the type described above which is provided with means for recharging the battery. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a control circuit of the type described above having primary and secondary sensors and utilizing timing means to allow the primary sensor to control the operation of the secondary sensor.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention limits the current drain described above by utilizing a low current primary sensor which activates the secondary sensor only when it detects a user in front of the restroom device. Solve the problem. The secondary sensor is used to activate an electric operator for the restroom device. Since this secondary sensor is used only when the presence of a user is detected, its current requirement may be greater than that of the primary sensor. The present invention provides a battery actuation circuit for a restroom device such as a flush valve or faucet and uses primary and secondary sensors to limit the current drain of the battery.

[0005]

The above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,309,781 discloses an automatic cleaning device for a cleaning valve of a restroom (toilet), which is commercially available as the above-mentioned "OPTIMA" (trade name) product. Disclosure. This device can be used with flush valves for toilets or restrooms and is normally energized by local paying power. The flush valve is solenoid operated and utilizes an infrared detector. When a user in front of the restroom device is detected, the sensor initiates a timing cycle used to prevent malfunction. At the end of the timing cycle, an output condition is provided to energize the solenoid valve of the flush valve when the user leaves the toilet device. The invention is especially for providing battery power for such sensing devices. In the figure, the infrared sensor 10 is connected to a solenoid driver 12. The driver 12 is the solenoid 14
Connected to. The solenoid driver 12 may include various electric elements disclosed in the above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,309,781, particularly an oscillator, an amplifier, a delay means, a one-shot multivibrator, and an output circuit.

The infrared sensor 10 is used as a secondary sensor. The primary sensor 16 detects motion and / or heat and may be, for example, a pyroelectric sensor capable of continuous operation at currents of 20 microamps or less. This differs from infrared sensors, which require 200-250 microamps of current to operate. Actuation of the solenoid requires a current of about 300 microamps. The primary sensor 16 is connected to a one-shot multivibrator 18, which functions as a timing circuit. Sensor 1
When the circuit 18 is activated due to motion or heat detected by 6, this activates a 1 milliamp switch 20, which connects power from a replaceable or rechargeable battery 22 to the infrared sensor 10. Then, the infrared sensor 10 is installed in the above-mentioned US Pat. No. 4,309,
It functions in the manner disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 781, actuating solenoid 14. A solenoid driver 12 and a one-shot (shown as 20 seconds, but may be shorter) timing circuit 18 are connected by line 24 to provide infrared sensor 10 when the user leaves the "view" of the restroom.
Provides a signal to end the timing cycle immediately after it fires the solenoid. This eliminates the power of the infrared sensor and reduces the battery current drain.

The battery charge shortage display means (indicator) 26 may be connected to a comparator 28 which receives a reference voltage from the voltage divider circuit 30. Comparator 2
8 compares the reference voltage (which may be a submultiple of the battery voltage) with the actual voltage from the battery and provides an indication when the battery needs to be replaced or recharged. Various means can be used to recharge the battery. One means is the solar cell array 32, and another means is a turbine 34 driven by water flowing into the wash valve while the wash valve is operating.
These means are known in the art. The recharging means 32, 34 are connected to the battery 22 via the diodes 36, 38. Only one of the above recharging means may be used, or both may be provided.

During the periodic cleaning of the restroom, for example when washing the restroom equipment, the infrared sensor is disabled (override) and the circuit is completed by an override switch 40 which automatically connects the battery to the solenoid. . The override circuit provides a signal to the sensor for one actuation of the wash valve, and only one wash operation is performed, whether or not the override circuit is ready, and this wash operation is performed. When it occurs, the power supply to the sensor is terminated.

What is important to the present invention is that a primary sensor and a secondary sensor are provided, the primary sensor is operated continuously, and its power requirement is substantially less than the power requirement of the secondary sensor. The secondary sensor operates only when energized by the primary sensor and remains activated until a user is detected, even if the timing cycle has not completed. Although the present invention shows an example in which an infrared sensor is used as the secondary sensor and a pyroelectric sensor is used as the primary sensor, the present invention is not limited to this example. However, a pyroelectric sensor that senses both motion and heat is particularly desirable as the primary sensor, which is the American Airis Corporpa of New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
is manufactured by

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the specific embodiments, it goes without saying that various modifications, substitutions and variations can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Secondary Sensor 12 Solenoid Driver 14 Solenoid 16 Primary Sensor 18 Timing Circuit 22 Battery 24 Line 26 Battery Charge Insufficiency Display Means 32 Solar Cell Array 34 Turbine

Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Hon Tea. Von United States. 60148 Illinois, Lombard, Queensbury Court 2061 (72) Inventor, Joselle. Apalisio United States. 60402 Irinoise, Berwin, South Wesley Avenue 1812 (72) Inventor Edward M. Jones United States. 60194 Irinoise, Hoffman Estates, Pleasant Street 90 (72) Inventor Clinton W. Richmond United States. 46968 Indiana, Ola, Franklin Street 102

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A battery actuation sensing and control circuit for a restroom device having an electric operator, which is continuously actuatable to detect a user adjacent to the restroom device and provide an output signal accordingly. A primary sensor; timing means connected to the primary sensor for initiating a timing cycle in response to the output signal;
A secondary sensor for detecting a user adjacent to a restroom device, connected to the timing means and the electric operator, operable only during the timing cycle and adjacent to the restroom device. A secondary sensor that provides an activation signal for the electrical operator upon detecting a occupant user; connected to the primary sensor, the timing means, the secondary sensor and the electrical operator, the primary sensor, the timing means, the secondary A sensor and a battery providing operating power for an electric operator; and a sensing and control circuit. 2. The sensing and control circuit of claim 1, wherein the power requirement of the primary sensor is substantially less than the power requirement of the secondary sensor. 3. The sensing and control circuit of claim 2, wherein the primary sensor senses movement of a user adjacent to the restroom device. 4. The sensing and control circuit of claim 3, wherein the primary sensor senses both motion and heat. 5. The sensing and control circuit of claim 2, wherein the secondary sensor utilizes infrared energy. 6. The sensing and control circuit of claim 5, wherein the primary sensor senses both motion and heat. 7. The sensing and control circuit of claim 1, further comprising means for terminating the timing cycle when the secondary sensor detects a user in a restroom device. 8. A driver circuit between the secondary sensor and the electrical operator, and a connecting means between the driver circuit and the timing means; the driver circuit comprising: 8. The sensing and control circuit of claim 7, which provides a signal to terminate the timing cycle upon detecting a user in a restroom device. 9. The sensing and control circuit of claim 1, wherein the restroom device is a flush valve and the electric operator is a solenoid. 10. The sensing and control circuit of claim 1, further comprising a battery charge shortage display means connected to the battery. 11. The sensing and control circuit of claim 1, further comprising recharging means for recharging the battery. 12. The sensing and control circuit of claim 11, wherein the recharging means comprises a solar cell array.