INDUCTIVE FAUCET OF WHICH A DETECTION RANGE IS ADJUSTABLE

Abstract

An inductive faucet of which a detection range is adjustable is provided, in which two transmitter units, one receiver unit, and one controller unit are arranged on a faucet body. The controller unit is used to automatically adjust the strength of signal transmitted by the transmitter unit for obtaining a preferable detection range; thus, the incorrect judgment rate may decrease significantly and further power waste caused by the extremely long detection range may be avoided. Particularly, regarding the inductive faucet provided with a battery used as a power source, the battery life may even be prolonged and the frequency of battery replacement may decrease.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an inductive faucet of which a detection range is adjustable.

2. Description of the Prior Art

With reference to FIG. 1 illustrating a conventional inductive faucet, a faucet body 3 is fixed onto a washbasin 1 of a trough 2. A water outlet 4 is formed at the top of faucet body 3. At the bottom of faucet body 3, an infrared inductive device 5 is provided facing toward the front of washbasin 1. The inductive device 5 continuously transmits a horizontal signal toward the front of washbasin 1, and the transmit power of inductive device 5 is controlled, thus making the detection ranger to be larger than the path along which the faucet body 3 yields water and to be smaller than the front edge of trough 2. Thus, when a user's hand is close to the faucet body 3, a signal reflects. At this time, the inductive device 5 receives the reflecting signal to turn ON a water supply switch and the water outlet 4 of faucet body 3 starts to yield water for achievement of the automatic water yielding control.

However, the conventional inductive faucet detects the signal from the bottom of faucet body toward the front of washbasin 1, so the user must move his or her hands to a higher level to enable the inductive device 5 to control the water yielding, which not only makes a big splash during washing, but also makes the user's dress to be squirted with water. Accordingly, refer to FIG. 2 illustrating another conventional inductive faucet solving the issue. The inductive device 5 is arranged at a water outlet 4 near the faucet body 3. The inductive device 5 detects signals toward the bottom of trough 2 and continuously receives the signals reflecting from the bottom of trough 2. Thus, when the user's hand is close to the faucet body 3, the inductive device 5 receives a stronger signals than that reflecting from the bottom of trough 2; when the signal are larger than the default value obtained from the inductive device 5, the water supply switch is enabled to yield water. However, the defect may be solved for improvement, because the distance from the inductive device 5 to the bottom of trough 2 is short, the strength of signal is not easily controlled for adjustment of the detection range. When the detection range is extremely short, the induction fails and then no water is yielded; when the detection range is extremely long, the power is easily consumed and the failure is easily caused, which makes water to be continuously yielded and thus many water resources to be wasted. Thus, it is apparent that improvement is necessarily made.

Consequently, because of the technical defects of described above, the applicant keeps on carving unflaggingly through wholehearted experience and research to develop the present invention, which can effectively improve the defects described above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An inductive faucet that may adjust a detection range according to this invention is provided, in which a faucet body is mainly arranged on a washbasin provided with a trough. A water outlet is formed at the top of faucet body and a PCB is arranged around the water outlet. On the PCB, two transmitter units, one receiver unit, and a controller unit are provided. Thus, the controller unit may control the transmitter units to transmit a signal toward the bottom side of washbasin, and detect the strength of signal reflected from the bottom side of trough through the receiver unit. When the signal strength is lower than the default, the setting of transmitter unit is kept and thus the standby mode enters; contrarily, when the strength of reflected signal is larger than the default value, the controller unit re-transmit the lower signal transmitted by the transmitter unit and then re-detect the reflected signal through the receiver unit. The steps are repeated until the strength of signal is lower than the default value, making the inductive faucet defect the signal in a preferable range. Thus, the incorrect judgment rate may decrease significantly and further power waste caused by the extremely long detection range may be avoided. Particularly, regarding the inductive faucet provided with a battery used as a power source, the battery life may even be prolonged and the frequency of battery replacement may decrease.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating the operation of a conventional inductive faucet;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating the operation of another conventional inductive faucet;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an inductive faucet according to this invention in a preferred embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a front view of a PCB according to this invention;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the PCB according to this invention;

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of the operation of inductive faucet according to this invention;

FIG. 7 is a schematic view illustrating the inductive faucet according to this invention starting to automatically adjust its detection range;

FIG. 8 is a schematic view illustrating the inductive faucet according to this invention that finishes automatically adjusting its detection range;

FIG. 9 is a schematic view illustrating the use of this invention;

FIG. 10 is a flow chart of another operation of inductive faucet according to this invention; and

FIG. 11 is a schematic view illustrating the inductive faucet according to this invention that finishes re-adjusting its detection range.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Now, the present invention will be described more specifically with reference to the following embodiments. It is to be noted that the following descriptions of preferred embodiments of this invention are presented herein for purpose of illustration and description only; it is not intended to be exhaustive or to be limited to the precise form disclosed.

With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 as a perspective view of an inductive faucet 100 in preferred embodiment of the present invention, and a front view of a PCB 30, the inductive faucet 100 is essentially provided with a faucet body 10. The faucet body 10 is fixed onto a washbasin 20 provided with a trough 21. A water outlet 11 is formed at the top of faucet body 10 and the PCB 30 is arranged near the water outlet 11. With cross-reference to FIG. 4, two transmitter units 31, one receiver unit 32, an alarm 33, and a controller unit 34 are provided on the PCB 30.

The transmitter units 31 are infrared transmitters and arranged separately at the upper and lower sides of PCB 30. The transmitter units 31 transmit a signal toward the bottom side of trough 21 of the washbasin 20 through a path where the water outlet 11 of faucet body 10 yields water. Further, the directions in which the transmitter units 31 transmit the signal form an included angle, as shown in FIG. 5, and thus the accuracy and detection range may increase effectively and the incorrect judgment rate is lowered.

The receiver unit 32 is an infrared receiver arranged on a site near the center of PCB 30 to receive the signal reflected from the bottom side of trough 21.

The alarm 33 is a LED warning lamp arranged near the receiver unit 32 on the PCB 30.

The controller unit 34 is a microprocessor arranged near the receiver unit 32 on the PCB 30. The controller unit 34 is connected to the transmitter units 31, the receiver unit 32,and the alarm 33.

With reference to FIG. 6 as a flow chart illustrating the operation of inductive faucet according to the present invention, and with cross reference to FIG. 6, at the time of start for the first time, the controller unit 34, as shown in FIG. 7, controls the transmitter units 31 to transmit a signal toward the bottom side of trough 21 of the washbasin 20, and detect the strength of signal reflected from the bottom side of trough 21 through the receiver unit 32. When the signal strength is lower than the default value, the setting of transmitter unit is kept and thus the standby mode enters; contrarily, when the strength of reflected signal is larger than the default value, the adjustment mode enters and the controller unit 34 starts to adjust for lowering the strength of transmit from the transmitter unit 31. In the embodiment, by shortening the width of pulse transmitted by the transmitter unit 31, the controller unit 34 shortens the time of transmit from the transmitter unit 31 and then re-transmits the signal transmitted by the transmitter unit and after the adjustment, the unit re-transmits the signal, and the receiver unit 32 is used to re-detect the strength of reflected signal. The steps are repeated until the strength of signal is lower than the default value. Further, if the controller unit 34 cannot adjust the transmission power of transmitter unit 31, it enables the alarm 33 to flash to give a warning to a user. Thus, it makes the inductive faucet 100 detect the signal in a preferable range, as shown in FIG. 8, the incorrect judgment rate may decrease significantly, and further power waste caused by the extremely long detection range may be avoided. Particularly, regarding the inductive faucet provided with a battery used as a power source, the battery life may even be prolonged and the frequency of battery replacement may decrease.

With reference to FIG. 9 as a schematic view illustrating the operation of the present invention, and with cross reference to FIG. 4, in the standby mode, to use the inductive faucet 100, the user has his/her hands to be close to the washbasin 20, making the hands to be in a range where the inductive faucet 100 detect. At this time, the receiver unit 32 receives a reflected signal higher than the default value and transmits it back to the controller unit 34 to enable the water saving mode, and thus the controller unit 34 turns ON the water supply switch to yield water, and turns it OFF after 30 seconds. Thus, it avoids continuous water output caused by the incorrect judgment, and water resource waste. To keep using the inductive faucet 100, the user is required to only have his/her hands move out and then to be again close to the inductive faucet 100, and water is supplied again.

With reference to FIGS. 10 and 11 as a schematic view illustrating another operation of the present invention, and a flow chart illustrating the operation of inductive faucet, and with cross reference to FIG. 4, in the standby mode, when an object 200 is left behind and placed in the trough 21, the inductive faucet 100 enters the water saving mode and, after water is yielded for 30 seconds, water yielding stops. Then, when the object 200 is removed from the trough 21 in 10 seconds, the inductive faucet 100 returns to the standby mode; contrarily, when the object 200 still stays in the trough 21 after 10 seconds, the inductive faucet 100 enters the trouble-shooting mode and enables the controller unit 34 to increase the default value of receiver unit 32, making the default value to be higher than the reflected signal, renewing the detection range as shown in FIG. 11, and thus keeping the inductive faucet 100 working. Next, when the object 200 is removed from the trough 21, the controller unit 34 re-sets the receiver unit 32 to the default value and enters the standby mode.

While the invention has been described in terms of what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention needs not be limited to the disclosed embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.

Claims

1. An inductive faucet of which a detection range is adjustable, essentially comprising:

a faucet body fixed onto a washbasin provided with a trough, and having at least one water outlet;

at least two transmitter units arranged on the faucet body, in which the transmitter units transmit a signal toward the bottom side of trough of the washbasin through a path where the water outlet of faucet body yields water;

at least one receiver unit arranged on the faucet body to receive the signal reflected from the bottom side of trough; and

at least one controller unit arranged on the faucet body and connected to the transmitter units and the receiver unit to control the transmitter units to transmit a signal toward the bottom side of washbasin, and detect the strength of signal reflected from the bottom side of trough through the receiver unit, in which when the signal strength is lower than the default, the setting of transmitter unit is kept and thus the standby mode enters;

contrarily, when the strength of reflected signal is larger than the default value, the controller unit re-transmit the lower signal transmitted by the transmitter unit and then re-detect the reflected signal through the receiver unit, and the steps are repeated until the strength of signal is lower than the default value, making the inductive faucet detect the signal in a preferable range.

2. The inductive faucet of which the detection range is adjustable according to claim 1, wherein a PCB is arranged on the faucet body and the transmitter units, the receiver unit, and the controller unit are provided on the PCB.

3. The inductive faucet of which the detection range is adjustable according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter units are infrared transmitters.

4. The inductive faucet of which the detection range is adjustable according to claim 1, wherein the directions in which the transmitter units transmit the signal form an included angle.

5. The inductive faucet of which the detection range is adjustable according to claim 1, wherein the receiver unit is an infrared receiver.

6. The inductive faucet of which the detection range is adjustable according to claim 1, wherein the controller unit adjusts the pulse width of signal transmitted by the transmitter units for the strength of transmitted signal.

7. The inductive faucet of which the detection range is adjustable according to claim 2, wherein an alarm is provided on the PCB and is enabled to warn a user when the controller unit cannot adjust the transmission power of transmitter unit.

8. The inductive faucet of which the detection range is adjustable according to claim 7, wherein the alarm is a LED warning lamp and flashes to give a warning to the user.

9. The inductive faucet of which the detection range is adjustable according to claim 1, wherein the inductive faucet inclusively operates in a water saving mode, and when an object is in the trough where the inductive faucet detects in the detection range, the inductive faucet enables the controller unit to turn ON a water supply switch to yield water, and then turn it OFF after a period of time.

10. The inductive faucet of which the detection range is adjustable according to claim 9, wherein when the faucet body stop yielding water and the object is not yet removed from the trough, the inductive faucet enters the trouble-shooting mode and then renews the preferable detection range through the controller unit adjusting the default value of receiver unit.