Electronic automatic faucet device

Claim 2

An automatic electronic faucet device comprising: a fluid faucet which includes control means to open and close a fluid conduit; first means for causing a change in the electrical impedance of an electrical element in response to a controlling event; switching means responsive to said change in the electrical impedance of said element to energize said control means in response to a first occurrence of the controlling event and thereby open said fluid conduit, and to deenergize said control means in response to a second occurrence of the same controlling event and thereby close said fluid conduit; and timing means for generating a timing signal for said control means independently of said switching means after a predetermined time has elapsed after said control means has been energized, the operation of said timing means starting about simultaneously with the energization of said control means.

Claim 3

The device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first means includes a ray-emitting element and a ray-receiving element in an operative association, said eleCtrical impedance being the electrical resistance of said ray-receiving element and said controlling event being the interception of a beam path between said ray-emitting element and said ray-receiving element, whereupon the electrical resistance of said ray-receiving element changes in response to said interception.

Claim 4

The device as set forth in claim 2, wherein said switching means includes a pulse generating circuit for providing electrical pulse signals each time the electrical resistance of said ray-receiving element changes, and a bistable multivibrator circuit which conducts an inverting operation in response to said pulse signals from said pulse generating circuit, the on-off state of said switching means being controlled by the output signals from said bistable multivibrator circuit, said control means being controlled to be opened and closed by the output signals from said switching means, said timing means starting its operation at the same time that said control means is energized and generating said timing signal and thereby closing said fluid conduit when said predetermined time has elapsed.

Claim 5

The device as set forth in claim 3, wherein said control means is a magnetically actuated valve, said pulse-generating circuit is a semiconductor circuit, and said timing means is a semiconductor timing circuit.

Claim 6

The device as set forth in claim 4, wherein said controlling event is the momentary interception of said beam path.

Claim 7

The device as set forth in claim 3, further including means for stabilizing said bistable circuit into the same state when a source of power is provided to said device.

Claim 8

The device as set forth in claim 6, wherein a base terminal of one of a pair of transistors comprising said bistable multivibrator circuit is grounded through a collector and an emitter of a third transistor, and a base terminal of said third transistor is connected to an intermediate connection point of a time constant circuit which comprises a capacitor connected in series with a parallel circuit comprising a resistor and a diode, whereby said bistable circuit is always stabilized into an identical state at switching on of said power source.

Claim 9

The device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said control means is a magnetically actuated valve and wherein said switching means is connected to a latching relay which operates to control said magnetically actuated valve to open and close said valve each time the electric impedance of said electrical element is changed.

Claim 10

An automatic electronic faucet device comprising: a fluid faucet which includes control means to open and close a fluid conduit; first means for causing a change in the electrical impedance of an electrical element in response to a controlling event; switching means responsive to said change in the electrical impedance of said element to energize said control means in response to said controlling event and thereby open said fluid conduit and to deenergize said control means in response to a second controlling event; timing means for generating a timing signal for said control means independently of said switching means after a predetermined time has elapsed after said control means has been energized, the operation of said timing means starting about simultaneously with the energization of said control means; a source of DC power; and said timing means includes a semiconductor timing circuit comprising a time constant circuit including a capacitor and a resistor connected in series, a voltage divider circuit in which at least two resistors are connected in series, and said time constant circuit and said voltage divider circuit being connected in parallel across said DC power source, and a unijunction transistor including an emitter terminal operatively connected to an intermediate connection point of said time constant circuit, and a second base terminal connected to an intermediate connection point of said voltage divider circuit, one of said resistors of said voltage divider circuit being adaptEd to be short-circuited whereby said timing signal is generated from a first base terminal of said unijunction transistor by the shortcircuit when the predetermined time set by said time constant circuit has elapsed.

Claim 11

An automatic electronic faucet device comprising: a fluid faucet which includes control means to open and close a fluid conduit; first means for causing a change in the electrical impedance of an electrical element in response to a controlling event; switching means responsive to said change in the electrical impedance of said element to energize said control means in response to said controlling event and thereby open said fluid conduit and to deenergize said control means in response to a second controlling event; timing means for generating a timing signal for said control means independently of said switching means after a predetermined time has elapsed after said control means has been energized, the operation of said timing means starting about simultaneously with the energization of said control means; a source of DC power; and said timing means includes a semiconductor timing circuit comprising a time constant circuit including a capacitor and a resistor connected in series, a voltage divider circuit in which at least two resistors are connected in series, and said time constant circuit and said voltage divider circuit being connected in parallel across said DC power source, and a unijunction transistor including an emitter terminal operatively connected to an intermediate connection point of said time constant circuit, and a second base terminal connected to an intermediate connection point of said voltage divider circuit, one of said resistors of said voltage divider circuit being adaptEd to be short-circuited whereby said timing signal is generated from a first base terminal of said unijunction transistor by the shortcircuit when the predetermined time set by said time constant circuit has elapsed.

Claim 12

An automatic electronic faucet device comprising: a fluid faucet which includes control means to open and close a fluid conduit; first means for causing a change in the electrical impedance of an electrical element in response to a controlling event; switching means responsive to said change in the electrical impedance of said element to energize said control means in response to said controlling event and thereby open said fluid conduit and to deenergize said control means in response to a second controlling event; timing means for generating a timing signal for said control means independently of said switching means after a predetermined time has elapsed after said control means has been energized, the operation of said timing means starting about simultaneously with the energization of said control means; and a source of DC power, wherein said timing means includes a semiconductor switching circuit comprising a parallel circuit which includes a relay coil for controlling said control means comprising a magnetically actuated valve, a diode in the circuit with said coil, and a thyristor connected in series with said parallel circuit, the series circuit being connected across said source.

Claim 13

An automatic electronic faucet device comprising: a fluid faucet which includes control means to open and close a fluid conduit; first means for causing a change in the electrical impedance of an electrical element in response to a controlling event; switching means responsive to said change in the electrical impedance of said element to energize said control means in response to said controlling event and thereby open said fluid conduit and to deenergize said control means in response to a second controlling event; timing means for generating a timing signal for said control means independently of said switching means after a predetermined time has elapsed after said control means has been energized, the operation of said timing means starting about simultaneously with the energization of said control means; and a source of DC power, wherein said timing means includes a semiconductor switching circuit comprising a parallel circuit which includes a relay coil for controlling said control means comprising a magnetically actuated valve, a diode in the circuit with said coil, and a thyristor connected in series with said parallel circuit, the series circuit being connected across said source.