초록 ▼

A faucet has a body with a hollow inner cavity and a spout which opens into the inner cavity. A valve assembly is located within the inner cavity to control the flow of water from a source into the spout. The valve assembly comprises a housing with an inlet chamber which opens into a ring-shaped cha

A faucet has a body with a hollow inner cavity and a spout which opens into the inner cavity. A valve assembly is located within the inner cavity to control the flow of water from a source into the spout. The valve assembly comprises a housing with an inlet chamber which opens into a ring-shaped channel, an outlet chamber having an opening centrally located with respect to the ring of the channel, and a diaphragm to selectively close the communication of the inlet and outlet chambers. A solenoid includes a plunger that is biased by a spring against the diaphragm and an electromagnetic coil to pull the plunger away from the diaphragm. A proximity sensor is included to detect the presence of an object adjacent the faucet and energize the coil. A safeguard alarm mechanism is provided to deenergize the coil after a given interval if the object continues to be detected and thereafter periodically briefly energize the solenoid until the object is removed.

대표청구항 ▼

A faucet comprising: a base member; a faucet body, attached to said base member, having an inner chamber and a spout which opens into the inner chamber at an aperture; a valve housing, within the inner chamber of said faucet body and separable therefrom, having a inlet chamber opening into an extern

A faucet comprising: a base member; a faucet body, attached to said base member, having an inner chamber and a spout which opens into the inner chamber at an aperture; a valve housing, within the inner chamber of said faucet body and separable therefrom, having a inlet chamber opening into an external annular channel and an outlet chamber having a first opening centrally located relative to said annular channel, said housing having an annular surface between the channel and the outlet chamber first opening thereby defining a valve seat, said valve housing also having a first end portion extending into the aperture of said faucet body thereby sealing the inner chamber from the spout with the first end portion having a aperture therethrough to provide a passage between the outlet chamber and the spout, and having a second end portion; a tube attached to the second end portion of said valve housing in communication with the inlet chamber; one of said valve housing and said tube abutting said base thereby retaining said valve housing within said faucet body and holding said first end portion in the aperture of said faucet body; a resilient diaphragm having a first surface that releasably engages the valve seat and has a periphery which sealably engage said valve housing, said diaphragm including a central aperture and a metering aperture communicating with the inlet chamber; a tapered pin extending from said valve housing into the metering aperture; a diaphragm retainer in the central aperture of said diaphragm and having an aperture therethrough which communicates with the outlet chamber; a solenoid assembly mounted on said valve housing to form a cavity between said diaphragm and said solenoid assembly into which the metering aperture communicates, said solenoid assembly including a plunger biased by a spring against said diaphragm retainer to releasably seal the aperture in said diaphragm retainer and including a electrical coil around the plunger; and a means for sensing the presence of a user adjacent the faucet and in response thereto for energizing said electrical coil.