초록 ▼

An automatic temperature regulating system for a faucet, especially an automatic faucet in which water flow is activated by a touchless switch, is constructed to operate so as to compensate for lag time of hot water arriving from the hot water supply. The apparatus includes at least one temperature

An automatic temperature regulating system for a faucet, especially an automatic faucet in which water flow is activated by a touchless switch, is constructed to operate so as to compensate for lag time of hot water arriving from the hot water supply. The apparatus includes at least one temperature sensor, this first sensor being disposed in the hot water supply line upstream of the hot water valve. A more sophisticated apparatus includes a second-temperature sensor disposed for sensing the temperature of the outlet water. Methods of automatically regulating temperature of output water from a remote-activated or touchless-switch-activated outlet to compensate for lag in arrival of hot water from the hot water source, are also described.

대표청구항 ▼

A temperature-regulating automatic faucet apparatus comprising; a spout for delivering water to a user location; a hot water supply line having a hot water valve controlling the flow of hot water therefrom; a cold water supply line having a cold water valve controlling the flow of cold water therefr

A temperature-regulating automatic faucet apparatus comprising; a spout for delivering water to a user location; a hot water supply line having a hot water valve controlling the flow of hot water therefrom; a cold water supply line having a cold water valve controlling the flow of cold water therefrom; a mixing region connected to said hot water supply line and to said cold water supply line upstream of said spout and downstream of said cold water valve and said hot water valve; a first temperature sensor located to sense the temperature of hot water within said hot water supply line upstream of said mixing region, and constructed to output a first temperature signal indicative thereof; and a proportioning valve downstream of said hot water supply line and said cold water supply line and upstream of said mixing region for providing fixed hot and cold water; an automatic sensor disposed to detect an object placed in a signal location, and constructed to generate a user presence signal indicative of the presence of an object in the signal location; and control means for receiving said user presence signal, reading said first temperature signal, controlling said hot water valve and said cold water valve according to said first temperature signal in response to said user presence signal, said control means having an internal memory and being capable of providing a disproportionately higher flow from said hot water valve when said first temperature signal indicates a temperature below a hot water supply temperature specified in said internal memory.