Automatic bathroom flushers

Abstract

An automatic bathroom flusher includes a body having an inlet in communication with a supply line and an outlet in communication with a flush conduit, a valve assembly in the body positioned to close water flow between the inlet and the outlet upon sealing action of a moving member at a valve seat thereby controlling flow from the inlet to the outlet, an actuator for actuating operation of the moving member, and a controller.

1 - 37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . A valve device, comprising:
 a fluid input port and a fluid output port;   a valve body defining a valve cavity and including a valve closure surface;   an operator connected to a control circuitry constructed to control automatically operation of said operator; and   a fram assembly including a fram member and a sliding seal acting on a surface of said cavity providing two pressure zones and being movable within said valve cavity with respect a guiding member; pressure in a first of said pressure zones being controlled by said operator and pressure in a second of said pressure zones being determined by fluid pressure from said fluid input port, said fram assembly being constructed to move to an open position enabling fluid flow from said fluid input port to said fluid output port upon reduction of pressure in said first of said pressure zones initiated by said operator; and being constructed to move to a closed position, upon increase of pressure in said first pressure zone, thereby closing said valve closure surface and preventing flow from said input port to said output port.   
     
     
         39 - 40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . The valve device of  claim 38 , wherein said operator includes a latching actuator. 
     
     
         42 . The valve device of  claim 38 , wherein said operator includes a non-latching actuator. 
     
     
         43 . The valve device of  claim 38 , wherein said operator includes an actuator having an isolation membrane for containing fluid inside a plunger cavity of said actuator. 
     
     
         44 . The valve device of  claim 38  wherein said fram member includes a pliable member and a stiff member, said pliable member being constructed to come in contact with said valve closure surface to form said seal in said closed position. 
     
     
         45 . The valve device of  claim 44 , wherein said valve closure surface includes a lip providing said seal in said closed position. 
     
     
         46 . The valve device of  claim 38  including a bias member. 
     
     
         47 . The valve device of  claim 44  wherein said bias member is constructed and arranged to assist movement of said fram member from said open position to said closed position. 
     
     
         48 . The valve device of  claim 44  wherein said bias member includes a spring. 
     
     
         49 - 51 . (canceled) 
     
     
         52 . The valve device of  claim 38  wherein said guiding member includes a pin. 
     
     
         53 . The valve device of  claim 52  wherein said fram member is constructed to slide over said pin having a groove and enabling a guiding motion of said fram member and said groove providing a control passage. 
     
     
         54 . The valve device of  claim 48  wherein said guiding member includes a pin and said spring is located around and parallel with respect to said pin. 
     
     
         55 . The valve device of  claim 38  further including two control passages connected to said first pressure zone, said control passages being symmetrically located with respect to said guiding member. 
     
     
         56 . The valve device of  claim 38  further including two control passages connected to a pilot chamber, said control passages being non-symmetrically located with respect to said guiding member. 
     
     
         57 . The valve device of  claim 38 , wherein said sliding seal includes a one-sided seal. 
     
     
         58 . The valve device of  claim 38 , wherein said sliding seal includes a two-sided seal. 
     
     
         59 . The valve device of  claim 38 , wherein said valve device is constructed to function inside a bathroom flusher connected to a pressurized water supply and arranged to control water flow between said input port and said output port. 
     
     
         60 . The valve device of  claim 59  further including a sensor constructed to detect a user, said sensor being connected to provide signals to said control circuitry. 
     
     
         61 . A method of controlling fluid flow, comprising the acts of:
 providing a fluid input port and a fluid output port associated with a valve body defining a valve cavity and including a valve closure surface;   providing a fram assembly including a fram member defining two pressure zones and being movable within said valve cavity with respect a guiding member, pressure in a first of said pressure zones being controlled by said operator and pressure in a second of said pressure zones being determined by fluid pressure from said fluid input port;   reducing pressure in said first of said pressure zones by action of an actuator and thereby initiating movement of said fram assembly to an open position enabling fluid flow from said fluid input port to said fluid output port; and   providing a signal from a control circuitry to said actuator for closing a control passage to increase of pressure in said first pressure zone and thereby initiating movement of said fram member from said open position to said closed position preventing flow from said fluid input port to said fluid output port.   
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 61  wherein said reducing the pressure includes automatically activating said actuator by said control circuitry upon detecting action of a user. 
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 61  wherein said providing said signal for closing said control passage includes detecting action of a user. 
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 61  wherein said movement of said fram member from said open position to said closed position is assisted by a bias member.