JPH0777286A - Valve drive controlling method for electronical automatic cock - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To detect a static object by means of a sensor so as to prevent continuos discharge of water in an electronical automatic cock, in which discharge of water is automatically stopped by detecting an object by means of a sensor. CONSTITUTION:A photoelectric sensor provided with a light emitting part 12 and a light receiving part 14 receiving the reflected light by an object is used as a sensor, and a peak value of a light receiving signal wave such as a voltage signal wave from the light receiving part, 14 is detected by a peak value detecting means 18, and then, a difference DELTAV between one peak value of the light receiving signal wave and a peak value of the following light receiving signal wave is detected by a change amount detecting means so as to be compared with the preset value V1 by a comparing means, and subsequently, a valve 26 is opened when the relation between DELTAV and V1 is DELTAV>V1, while the valve 26 is driven to be closed when DELTAV<V1.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a valve drive control method for an automatic water faucet of the type in which an object such as a hand is detected by a sensor and the valve is opened to automatically discharge water.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An automatic faucet is widely used in which a sensor detects when a hand is put out below a spout of a faucet and automatically discharges water. Thus, in the case of the conventional automatic faucet, the sensor only detects the presence or absence of an object, that is, it is not designed to determine whether it is a dynamic object or a static object. There was such an inconvenience.

For example, a photoelectric sensor is used as the sensor,
The light is emitted from the light emitting unit and the light reflected by the object is received by the light receiving unit. When the amount of received light is a certain amount or more, it is judged that the object is present and the valve is opened and the water is automatically discharged from the water outlet. A faucet is considered, but in this case, the sensor judges only the presence or absence of the object, so if, for example, an automatic faucet of this kind is installed in the sink of a kitchen sink, a plate etc. will be stacked below the spout. If it is, that is, if there is a static object there, it will continue to give water.

In order to prevent this, it is considered that the water discharge is automatically stopped by the timer when the water is continuously discharged for a fixed time, but in this case, the water continues to flow from the water discharge port for a long time and is wasted. There's a problem.

[0005]

The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and its gist is to detect an object such as a hand with a sensor and open a valve based on the detection signal. A method of driving a valve of an automatic faucet of a type that automatically discharges water as a state, wherein the sensor is a light emitting unit,
With a photoelectric sensor having a light receiving section for receiving the reflected light from the object, while detecting the peak value of the light receiving signal wave such as the voltage signal wave from the light receiving section by the peak value detecting means,
The difference ΔV between the peak value of one received light signal wave and the peak value of the following received light signal wave is detected by the change amount detection means and compared with the set value V ₁ by the comparison means, and the relationship between these ΔV and V ₁ is determined. ΔV
The valve is opened when> V ₁ , and the valve is closed when ΔV <V ₁ .

[0006]

According to the present invention, it is possible to drive and control a valve by discriminating whether an object is a dynamic object or a static object. For example, when the target object is a dynamic target object, the received light signal wave from the light receiving unit irregularly changes its peak value depending on the movement of the target object. Therefore, if the difference ΔV between the peak value of one received light signal wave and the peak value of the following received light signal wave (for example, the next received light signal wave) is taken and compared with the set value V ₁ , the object is a dynamic object. It is possible to determine whether it is a static object or a static object. That is, it can be determined that the object is a dynamic object when ΔV> V _{1 and} the object is a static object when ΔV <V ₁ .

In this way, the present invention detects the change in the peak value of the received light signal wave, opens the valve when ΔV> V ₁ and closes the valve when ΔV <V _1. According to the invention, water can be continuously discharged as long as there is a dynamic object within the detection range of the sensor, and water discharge can be stopped immediately when the dynamic object disappears, and it is possible to prevent waste water from being continuously discharged. .

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 3, 10 is an automatic water faucet installed in a kitchen sink, and 12 and 14 are a light emitting part and a light receiving part in a photoelectric sensor. The automatic faucet 10 emits infrared rays from a light emitting section 12, and receives light reflected by an object such as a hand by a light receiving section 14. As a result, when it is determined that there is a dynamic object, the valve 26 (FIG. 1) is opened and water is automatically discharged from the water discharge port 16.

FIG. 1 shows various elements of a control unit in the automatic faucet 10, including a light emitting unit 12 and a light receiving unit 1 in a photoelectric sensor.
4, a valve drive circuit 24, and a valve 26 are shown in a block diagram. In this automatic faucet 10,
As shown in the time chart of FIG. 2, infrared rays are emitted from the light emitting unit 12 in a pulse shape. When there is an object, the emitted light is reflected there, and the reflected light is received by the light receiving unit 14.

The light receiving section 14 photoelectrically converts the reflected light and outputs it as a light receiving signal wave 28 such as a voltage signal wave as shown in FIG. The received light signal wave 28 is input to the peak value detection circuit 18 where the peak value of each wave is detected.

The differential circuit 20 has a difference ΔV between the peak value of one received light signal wave 28 and the peak value of the next received light signal wave 28.
And outputs a signal to the comparison circuit 22. The comparison circuit 22 compares the difference ΔV between the peak value and the peak value with a preset value V ₁ and, as a result, ΔV> V ₁
In the case of, it is determined that there is a dynamic object, and a determination signal is output to the valve drive circuit 24. Based on this, a valve open drive signal is supplied from the valve drive circuit 24 to the valve 26.

On the other hand, when the comparison circuit 22 determines that ΔV <V ₁ , the result is output to the valve drive circuit 24. Based on this, the valve drive circuit 24 outputs the valve 2
A valve closing drive signal is supplied to 6.

As described above, the method of the present embodiment detects the difference ΔV between the peak values of the received light signal waves, compares it with a preset value V _1, and controls the valve drive based on the result. According to the method, the dynamic object and the static object can be clearly discriminated and the valve can be controlled. As a result, it is possible to prevent the sensor from detecting the static object and continuing to supply water, and it is possible to make the water discharge operation of the automatic faucet proper.

The embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, but this is merely an example, and the present invention can be applied to an automatic faucet of a retrofit type attached to a spout of an existing faucet, In addition, it can be applied to automatic faucets installed in various places other than the kitchen, and various modifications can be made based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. .

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing various elements of a control unit in an automatic water faucet of the present invention, together with a light emitting unit, a light receiving unit of a photoelectric sensor, a valve drive circuit, a valve, and the like.

FIG. 2 is a time chart for controlling opening / closing of a valve according to a change in a light reception signal.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an automatic faucet to which the present invention is applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Automatic Faucet 12 Light-Emitting Section 14 Light-Receiving Section 16 Water Outlet 26 Valve 28 Light-Receiving Signal Wave

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A method for driving a valve of an automatic water faucet of a type in which an object such as a hand is detected by a sensor, and the valve is opened to automatically discharge water based on the detection signal. A photoelectric sensor having a light receiving section for receiving the reflected light from the object, the peak value of the light receiving signal wave such as a voltage signal wave from the light receiving section is detected by the peak value detecting means, and one light receiving signal wave compared with a set value V ₁ by detecting and comparing means at the changing amount detecting means the difference ΔV of the peak value of the photodetection signal wave following the peak value, they ΔV and V ₁
When the relationship with is ΔV> V ₁ , the valve is opened and ΔV
A valve drive control method for an automatic faucet, wherein the valve is driven to be closed when <V ₁ .