RU2647129C1 - Lamp control device for toilet - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: lighting.

SUBSTANCE: invention is intended for controlling the lighting sources, mainly in toilets. Luminaire control device for the toilet contains the following electrically connected items: two sensors, one of which is the infrared PIR motion sensor with the built-in electrical board and lens; the control unit; the power supply unit; the lamp, power supply is connected to both sensors, to the control unit and to the lamp, both sensors and the luminaire are connected to the control unit, while the second sensor is the ultrasonic distance sensor – the transceiver with the integrated electrical board, while it is configured in order to respond to the change in distance during use of the toilet bowl or toilet urinal by the user, it is set and adjusted so that to determine the distance to the toilet bowl surface or to the surface of the urinal, and so that the user is in the acoustic radiation field of the ultrasonic distance sensor during use of the toilet bowl or urinal; the ultrasonic distance sensor gives the signal about the measured distance to the toilet or toilet urinal into the control unit; the control unit compares the distance value, which is obtained from the ultrasonic distance sensor, with the recorded distance in the memory to the surface of the toilet bowl or urinal, and if the distance, which is measured by the ultrasonic distance sensor that is less than the value, which is recorded in the memory, it supports the operation of the lamp, while ignoring the signal of the infrared PIR motion sensor about the lack of movement.

EFFECT: device has the simple design and ensures the lamp operation during the whole period of time, while the user is in the toilet, even if the user does not move.

3 cl, 2 dwg

Description

The present invention relates to controls for lighting sources, mainly in toilets.

Currently, artificial light sources controlled by motion sensors, including infrared motion sensors, also called PIR sensors, pyroelectric sensors, are widely known.

For example, according to the patent for utility model RU No. 103167 (publ. March 27, 2011), a ceiling with a motion sensor for a lamp is known. Or a lamp with a motion sensor according to the patent for invention RU No. 2366120 (publ. 08.27.2009).

Such devices can save energy. For example, a school toilet for boys is equipped with a similar device. Moreover, such a light source controlled by an infrared motion sensor has certain disadvantages, one of which is that the light source associated with such a sensor has a certain operating time, which is set during setup and remains unchanged after setup, the so-called delay time lighting work. For example, some sensors allow you to set the delay time from 6 seconds to 12 minutes. However, each person needs an individual time to visit the toilet. When using the urinal or toilet, the user does not move for some time. The author noted that if he needs more time for the toilet, the delay time set for the infrared motion sensor of the light source may end, the light turns off. For the light to turn on again, you need to make some movement, for example, with your hands, but this is difficult when using the urinal. Or you can set a long delay time, but then the energy savings will not be sufficient, it is desirable that the light source shuts off faster after the user leaves the toilet. It is desirable that the device for controlling the light source is simple and inexpensive. Thus, there is the problem of improving the lighting control system in such places.

Known automatic toilet module according to the patent for utility model RU No. 138200 (publ. 10.03. 2014) with lighting and a presence sensor in the cockpit, however, the presence sensor is not associated with lighting control. There is also a toilet according to the patent for utility model RU No. 103544 (published on January 20, 2011) equipped with a presence sensor, however, the sensor is not associated with lighting control in the same way as in the utility model according to patent RU 75405 (published on 08/10/2008) " An automatic urinal drain control device. "

Other than the above, lighting control devices are known.

For example, according to the patent for invention RU No. 2565578 (publ. 20.10.2015), a device is known that includes an ultrasonic or radio frequency sensor containing a transmitter (s) and a plurality of receivers, a configuration unit and light sources. Such a device is rather complicated. The principle of operation of the ultrasonic motion sensor is to study the surrounding space with the help of sound waves, when a change in the frequency of the reflected signal due to the movement of objects (the so-called Doppler effect) is detected, the sensor starts the function embedded in it. Thus, such a sensor is triggered by movement, its disadvantage is that it may not work with smooth movements.

A toilet luminaire control device is also known that contains a wireless infrared motion sensor, also called a PIR sensor, with an integrated control board and antenna, a radio-controlled power unit with a built-in control board and antenna, and a lamp (Smart Toilet online article in a regular apartment "Https://geektimes.ru/post/240514/, published October 21, 2014). However, such a device is expensive, the sensor only responds to movement and turns off the light after 40 seconds after the user leaves the toilet and does not save enough energy.

It is also known a device containing three infrared LEDs and an infrared receiver (TSOP 1736) "Detector of the presence of a person in the toilet" (article on the Internet https://geektimes.ru/post/258096/ "Detector of the presence of a person in the toilet", published on 08/23/2013 ), this device has its drawbacks, in particular individual settings, installation complexity, many components installed in different places.

Known combined sensors containing an infrared sensor and a sound sensor, for example, Camelion LX-2000 or Uniel USN-01 - an infrared motion sensor with a built-in microphone, designed for lighting control devices. But they work when moving and sound.

Other devices with combined sensors or using two sensors simultaneously are also known. For example, a device for controlling a lamp for access according to the patent for utility model RU No. 98663 (publ. 10/20/2010), or a lamp and device for controlling the operation of the lamp according to the patent for utility model RU No. 90166 (publ. 12/27/2009) containing the first sensor - a motion sensor selected from the range: infrared, microwave, ultrasonic transceiver, which performs the function of a motion sensor, a combination of two motion sensors, one of which is an infrared sensor, and the second is a microwave sensor. In this case, the first sensor (or a combination of sensors) is electrically connected to the series-connected: signal amplification unit, a threshold device (two-threshold comparator) and a timer, the device contains a lens located in front of the motion sensor. The threshold device (comparator), the signal amplification unit and the timer can be elements of an electric circuit board built into the sensor, and the lens can also be integrated directly into the sensor. The device also contains a power supply, a second sensor connected to it - an ambient light sensor, a load control unit electrically connected to the light bulb, while the second ambient light sensor is connected to a load control unit that is connected to a timer, the power supply unit is electrically connected to all called the device blocks, and the first motion sensor is located with the possibility of electromagnetic or ultrasonic interaction with the lens. This technical solution is taken as the closest analogue of the claimed invention. These devices are very complex, expensive and not designed for toilets, as they contain a light sensor, and toilets, as a rule, do not contain sources of natural light. In addition, the first sensor is triggered only by movement, such a control device for the lamp does not solve the above problem.

The author was faced with the task of creating a simple design of a lamp control device for lighting the toilet. It was assumed that the device should provide lighting while the user is in the toilet, even if the user does not move. Although this technical solution is intended for toilets, especially for toilets with urinals, it can also be used in other rooms or to illuminate places where the user can be without making any movements, and where lighting is necessary only for the duration of the user's presence. In addition, the proposed control device can ensure the work of not only the lamp, but can be connected to other devices, such as an exhaust fan of the toilet or automatic drainage of the urinal.

To achieve the specified technical result, the control device for the luminaire for the toilet contains electrically connected to each other: two sensors, one of which is an infrared PIR motion sensor with a built-in electric circuit board and a lens; Control block; Power Supply; a lamp, a power supply is connected to both sensors, a control unit and a lamp, both sensors and a lamp are connected to a control unit, while the second sensor uses an ultrasonic distance sensor - a transceiver, with a built-in electric board, while it is configured to respond to changes distances while using the toilet or urinal of the toilet by the user - set and adjusted so as to determine the distance to the surface of the toilet or to the surface of the urinal pa, and so that the user is in the field of action of the acoustic radiation of the ultrasonic distance sensor during use of the toilet bowl or urinal, the ultrasonic distance sensor emits a signal about the measured distance to the toilet bowl or urinal to the control unit; the control unit compares the distance value received from the ultrasonic distance sensor with the value of the distance to the surface of the toilet bowl or urinal recorded in the memory and, if the distance value measured by the ultrasonic distance sensor is less than that recorded in the memory, supports the lamp, ignoring the signal of the infrared PIR motion sensor about the absence movement. It is advisable to use a microcontroller as a control unit. It is advisable to adjust the ultrasonic distance sensor to measure the distance to the rim of the toilet bowl.

The control device for the toilet works as follows.

An infrared PIR motion sensor (hereinafter referred to as the “motion sensor”) is installed and adjusted in such a way as to detect movement when the user enters the toilet; upon detecting movement, he issues a digital signal to the control unit — preferably a microcontroller (hereinafter referred to as the “controller”) - digital signal “Motion Detected” (HIGH), or “No Motion” (LOW) if there is no movement. The motion sensor is configured in a known manner. Ultrasonic distance sensor - the transceiver (hereinafter - the "distance sensor") uses acoustic radiation to determine the distance to the object. Its principle of operation differs from the operation of an ultrasonic motion sensor; it is based on determining the time it took for the sound to move from the sensor to the object and the sound reflected back from the object back to the sensor. It is installed and adjusted in such a way as to determine the distance to the surface of the toilet bowl or to the surface of the urinal with the necessary error, for example, an error of 5 cm, and also so that the user is in the field of action of the acoustic radiation of the distance sensor while using the toilet or urinal. The distance to the surface of the toilet bowl or to the surface of the urinal (control distance) obtained when configuring the distance sensor is output to the controller and written to the controller's memory, and it corresponds to the state when the user does not use the toilet or urinal (absence of the user). As soon as the user enters the acoustic field of the distance sensor when using the toilet or urinal, the distance measured by the distance sensor changes - decreases, the obtained value of the distance to the user (reduced distance) is transmitted to the controller and compared with the control, the reduced distance corresponds to the state of presence of the user . As soon as the user leaves the field of action of the acoustic radiation of the distance sensor, the sensor returns the control distance value corresponding to the absence of the user to the controller again. Setting the distance sensor when the toilet lid is open can lead to a situation where the closed lid will be perceived by the controller as the presence of the user, this should also be taken into account when configuring the sensor, for example, configure the sensor to measure the distance to the toilet rim. The distance sensor, unlike the motion sensor, has a narrow field of action. When installing a distance sensor directly above the toilet, the user will not always fall into the field of action of the acoustic radiation of the distance sensor, since men, for example, use the toilet in the same way as the urinal, standing in front of it. Thus, it is desirable to install the distance sensor, for example, on the ceiling, at an angle to the toilet or urinal, so that when using them, the user is between the distance sensor and the toilet or urinal. The controller is programmed in such a way that when the signal "Motion detected" from the motion sensor is received, turn on the lamp. When the reduced distance value (user presence) is received from the distance sensor (the presence of the user), the controller supports the lamp operation, ignoring the motion sensor signal indicating the absence of movement, while the signal from the motion sensor indicates the absence of movement and the control distance value (absence of the user) from the distance sensor, the controller turns off the lamp. When the user enters the toilet, he enters the range of the motion sensor, which gives the controller a digital signal “Motion detected”, the controller sends a signal to turn on the lamp, then the user enters the range of the distance sensor, the controller supports the lamp. In this case, even if the user freezes for a long time, the lamp will continue to work. After sending his needs, the user leaves the field of action of the distance sensor, but his movements activate the signal "Motion detected" from the motion sensor to the controller, which continues to maintain the lamp until the user leaves the toilet. It is clear that for some time, even after the user leaves the toilet, the lamp can continue to work until the time delay of the motion sensor expires, but the proposed device for controlling the toilet lamp can significantly reduce this time, thereby contributing to energy savings. The luminaire does not work when the controller receives a “No motion” signal from the motion sensor and the value of the reference distance from the distance sensor. The power supply converts the mains voltage to the values required for the sensors and controller. The connection between the device and the sensors is wired, but it will be understood by a person skilled in the art that the device, at least between some of its parts, can also use wireless communication, for example radio communication. The microcontroller as a control unit allows you to place the device compactly, simplifies the design. You can use other control devices as a control unit.

A control device for a luminaire for a toilet, containing electrically connected to each other: two sensors, one of which is an infrared PIR motion sensor with an integrated circuit board and a lens; Control block; Power Supply; a lamp, while the power supply is connected to both sensors, the control unit and the lamp, both sensors and the lamp are connected to the control unit, using, as a second sensor, an ultrasonic distance sensor - a transceiver, with an integrated electrical circuit board, capable of responding to changes in distance while using the toilet or urinal of the toilet by the user due to the fact that it is installed and adjusted so as to determine the distance to the surface of the toilet or to the surface of the urinal, and so that the user is in the field of action of the acoustic radiation of the ultrasonic distance sensor during use of the toilet bowl or urinal, and outputs a signal of the measured distance to the toilet bowl or urinal to the control unit; the control unit compares the distance value received from the ultrasonic distance sensor with the value of the distance to the surface of the toilet bowl or urinal recorded in the memory and, if the distance value measured by the ultrasonic distance sensor is less than that recorded in the memory, supports the lamp, ignoring the signal of the infrared PIR motion sensor about the absence movement using a microcontroller as a control unit, adjusting the ultrasonic distance sensor so that it measures the distance to the rim of the toilet, ensures that the lamp works all the time while the user is in the toilet, even while the user is not moving. The device has a simple design and allows you to save electricity.

An additional advantage of the present invention is the low cost of the device, which increases its efficiency compared to analogues.

Distinctive features of the proposed device from the above known, closest to it, is that in the control device of the luminaire for the toilet, an ultrasonic distance sensor is used as a second sensor - a transceiver with a built-in electric circuit board, while it is configured to respond to changes in distance while using the toilet or urinal of the toilet by the user - installed and adjusted so as to determine the distance to the surface of the toilet and and to the surface of the urinal, and so that the user is in the field of action of the acoustic radiation of the ultrasonic distance sensor during use of the toilet bowl or urinal, the ultrasonic distance sensor emits a signal about the measured distance to the toilet bowl or urinal to the control unit; the control unit compares the distance value received from the ultrasonic distance sensor with the value of the distance to the surface of the toilet bowl or urinal recorded in the memory and, if the distance value measured by the ultrasonic distance sensor is less than that recorded in the memory, supports the lamp, ignoring the signal of the infrared PIR motion sensor about the absence movement. In a particular case, a microcontroller is used as a control unit. In another particular case, the ultrasonic distance sensor is adjusted to measure the distance to the rim of the toilet.

The combination of all these essential features made it possible to create a simple design of a luminaire control device for a toilet, ensuring the luminaire works all the time while the user is in the toilet, even if the user is not moving.

The invention is illustrated by drawings. Figure 1 shows a diagram of the device, figure 2 shows a simplified view of one of the options for placing the device in a toilet (power supply is not shown conventionally), where 1 is a motion sensor, 2 is a controller, 3 is a lamp, 4 is a distance sensor, 5 is a power supply . In figure 2, the letter “A” indicates the reference distance measured by the distance sensor 4, the letter “a” indicates the reduced distance measured by the distance sensor 4. One skilled in the art will recognize that controller 2, power supply 5, and sensors 1 and 4 can be placed in one housing or in different buildings, motion sensor 1 can be mounted in one housing with a lamp, controller 2 can be installed in another convenient place and even in another room. Other devices, such as an exhaust fan or an automatic drain device, can be connected to controller 2, and it can be controlled by signals from sensors 1 and 4. Such a device may be useful in a smart home project.

A prototype of the proposed device was implemented by the author, in the layout were used: microcontroller - “Arduino UNO”, ultrasonic distance sensor - module HC-SR04, pyroelectric infrared (PIR) motion sensor with outputs for additional settings and connectors for signal, power and ground “ PIR (motion) sensor ”by Adafruit, a program for the controller was written by the author himself and is given below. All elements of the device are easily accessible, the device can be used with any lamps and can be implemented in an industrial environment.

Program for the microcontroller "Arduino UNO":

Claims (3)

1. The control device for the luminaire for the toilet, containing electrically connected to each other: two sensors, one of which is an infrared PIR motion sensor with an integrated circuit board and lens; Control block; Power Supply; a lamp, a power supply is connected to both sensors, a control unit and a lamp, both sensors and a lamp are connected to a control unit, characterized in that an ultrasonic distance sensor is used as a second sensor - a transceiver with a built-in electric board, while it is made to respond to change in distance while using the toilet or urinal of the toilet by the user - set and adjusted so as to determine the distance to the surface of the toilet or to NOSTA urinal, and so that the user is in the field of action of the acoustic radiation of the ultrasonic distance sensor during use of the toilet bowl or urinal, the ultrasonic distance sensor emits a signal about the measured distance to the toilet bowl or urinal to the control unit; the control unit compares the distance value received from the ultrasonic distance sensor with the value of the distance to the surface of the toilet bowl or urinal recorded in the memory and, if the distance value measured by the ultrasonic distance sensor is less than that recorded in the memory, supports the lamp, ignoring the signal of the infrared PIR motion sensor about the absence movement. 2. The control device for the luminaire for the toilet according to claim 1, characterized in that a microcontroller is used as a control unit. 3. The control device for the luminaire for the toilet according to claim 1, characterized in that the ultrasonic distance sensor is adjusted to measure the distance to the rim of the toilet bowl.

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