Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: This invention relates to a lavatory hopper flushing apparatus, particularly, a lavatory hopper flushing apparatus comprising a sensor unit capable of detecting the use of any one of a plurality of lavatory hoppers arranged side by side, and providing a detection signal upon the detection of the use of any one of the lavatory hoppers; a control unit capable of being actuated by the detection signal; and a water supply unit capable of being driven by the control unit so as to flush all the lavatory hoppers simultaneously; wherein the control unit capable of being actuated by the detection signal given by a sensor unit and driving a water supply unit includes a counter control unit which has a counting circuit that counts the frequency of the detection signal and which provides an output signal when the count of the detection signals reaches a predetermined number, and an output control unit which provides an output signal to actuate the water supply unit, upon the reception of the output signal given by the co