Position-sensing detector arrangement for controlling a faucet

Abstract

A faucet arrangement includes a sensing device for sensing a presence of a user of a spout. The sensing device includes an infrared emitter installed such that a direction of emission of the emitter is oriented an angle of approximately between 5 and 15 degrees relative to a vertical direction. A receiver receives a diffused infrared energy from the emitter. A control device is in communication with the receiver and controls a flow of liquid through the spout dependent upon an angle at which the diffused infrared energy is received by the receiver.

1 . A faucet arrangement, comprising:
 a spout;   a sensing device configured to sense a presence of a user of said spout, said sensing device including:
 an infrared emitter configured to be installed such that a direction of emission of said emitter is oriented an angle of approximately between 5 and 15 degrees relative to a vertical direction; and 
 a receiver configured to receive diffused infrared energy from said emitter; and 
   a control device in communication with said receiver and configured to control a flow of liquid through said spout dependent upon an angle at which the diffused infrared energy is received by said receiver.   
     
     
         2 . The arrangement of  claim 1  wherein the direction of emission of said emitter is oriented an angle of approximately between 8 and 10 degrees relative to the vertical direction. 
     
     
         3 . The arrangement of  claim 1  wherein said sensing device comprises a position-sensing detector. 
     
     
         4 . The arrangement of  claim 1  wherein the direction of emission of said emitter is a direction away from a flow of the liquid delivered from said spout. 
     
     
         5 . The arrangement of  claim 1  wherein the direction of emission of said emitter is non-intersecting with a flow of the liquid delivered from said spout. 
     
     
         6 . The arrangement of  claim 1  wherein said receiver comprises a position sensing detector. 
     
     
         7 . The arrangement of  claim 1  wherein said spout is configured to be installed such that a flow of the liquid from said spout is directed in a substantially vertical direction. 
     
     
         8 . A faucet arrangement, comprising:
 a spout;   a position sensing device configured to sense a presence of a user of the spout, the position sensing device including:
 an infrared emitter, and 
 a receiver configured to receive infrared energy from the emitter and reflected off of a reflecting surface, 
 the position sensing device configured to produce a distance signal indicative of a distance between the position sensing device and the reflecting surface, the distance signal being based upon an angle at which the reflected infrared energy is received by the receiver; and 
   a control device in communication with the receiver and configured to control a flow of liquid through the spout dependent upon a comparison of the distance signal relative to a threshold distance value, the threshold distance value being adjusted over time based upon at least one environmental condition.   
     
     
         9 . The faucet arrangement of  claim 8 , wherein the angle at which the reflected infrared energy is received by the receiver is determined by the location at which the reflected infrared energy is received on the receiver. 
     
     
         10 . The faucet arrangement of  claim 8 , wherein the infrared emitter is configured to be installed such that a direction of emission of said emitter is oriented an angle of approximately between 5 and 15 degrees relative to a vertical direction. 
     
     
         11 . The faucet arrangement of  claim 8 , wherein the environmental condition includes at least one of:
 a level of stability of the distance signal over time;   whether the spout has been touched by a user; and   a rate of change associated with the distance signal.   
     
     
         12 . The faucet arrangement of  claim 8 , wherein the distance signal is produced at a plurality of points in time to thereby indicate the distance at each of the points in time, the environmental condition comprises a level of stability of the distance signal over time. 
     
     
         13 . The faucet arrangement of  claim 12 , wherein the level of stability comprises a range of the distance signal within a preceding time period. 
     
     
         14 . The faucet arrangement of  claim 12 , wherein the control device is configured to filter the distance signal, and to control the flow of liquid through the spout dependent upon whether the filtered distance signal exceeds the threshold distance value. 
     
     
         15 . A faucet arrangement, comprising:
 a spout;   a position sensing device configured to sense a presence of a user of said spout, said sensing device including:
 an infrared emitter; and 
 a receiver configured to receive infrared energy from the emitter; and 
   a control device in communication with the receiver and configured to control a flow of liquid through the spout dependent upon an angle at which the diffused infrared energy is received by the receiver, wherein the angle at which the reflected infrared energy is received is determined by the location at which the reflected infrared energy is received on the receiver.   
     
     
         16 . The faucet arrangement of  claim 15 , wherein the position sensing device is configured to produce a distance signal indicative of a distance between the position sensing device and a reflecting surface. 
     
     
         17 . The faucet arrangement of  claim 16 , further comprising a control device in communication with said receiver of the position sensing device and configured to control a flow of liquid through said spout dependent upon:
 the distance signal from the position sensing device, the distance signal being based upon an angle at which the reflected infrared energy is received by said receiver, and   a comparison of the distance signal relative to a threshold distance value, the threshold distance value being adjusted over time based upon at least one environmental condition.   
     
     
         18 . The faucet arrangement of  claim 17 , wherein the environmental condition includes at least one of:
 a level of stability of the distance signal over time;   whether the spout has been touched by a user; and   a rate of change associated with the distance signal.   
     
     
         19 . The faucet arrangement of  claim 17 , wherein the distance signal is produced at a plurality of points in time to thereby indicate the distance at each of the points in time, the environmental condition comprises a level of stability of the distance signal over time. 
     
     
         20 . The faucet arrangement of  claim 15 , wherein the infrared emitter is configured to be installed such that a direction of emission of said emitter is oriented an angle of approximately between 5 and 15 degrees relative to a vertical direction.