초록 ▼

In an automatic faucet having a hand sensor S to start and stop discharging water automatically, only hands can be detected accurately without detecting a washbowl (chinaware) and water stream erroneously. The sensor S comprises a light emitter and a light receiver. The directional axis d of a detec

In an automatic faucet having a hand sensor S to start and stop discharging water automatically, only hands can be detected accurately without detecting a washbowl (chinaware) and water stream erroneously. The sensor S comprises a light emitter and a light receiver. The directional axis d of a detection region (in which the light emitting region of the light emitter and the light receiving region of the light receiver are overlapped with each other) intersects the discharged water stream, and further the intersection angle between both is adjusted less than 70 degrees, irrespective of the flow rate of the discharged water. The reflected light levels detected by the light receiver are sampled periodically to calculate an average value and a variance value on the basis of at least eight most updated sampled data. Water discharge is started and stopped on the basis of the calculated average value and the variance value.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] An automatic faucet having a hand sensor for detecting presence or absence of hands within a hand washing space to start and stop discharging water from a water discharge opening automatically, the hand sensor comprises:a transmitter for transmitting a signal wave to a tr

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] An automatic faucet having a hand sensor for detecting presence or absence of hands within a hand washing space to start and stop discharging water from a water discharge opening automatically, the hand sensor comprises:a transmitter for transmitting a signal wave to a transmission region directed toward the hand washing space;a receiver for receiving a signal wave reflected from a reception region directed also toward the hand washing space;a detection region being formed by a partial overlapping portion of both the transmission region and a reception region, and at least one of said wave of said transmission region and of said receiving region being adjusted to intersect a stream of water discharged from the water discharge opening, and said transmission region and said receiving region being adjusted to be roughly in parallel with each other.