Title of Invention	COMPACT AUTO FLOW CONTROL WATER TAP WITH MANUAL FUNCTION
Abstract	ABSTRACT The invention details an automatic flow control compact water tap, which uses a sensor to detect the hand movements of the user in front of the tap, as a cue to open/close the valve controlling the water flow, alongside being operable by hand using mechanical means in the event of a power failure. Whenever a hand, or for that matter any other object, comes in the vicinity of the tap, the electronic sensor senses it and activates the solenoid valve. Once the solenoid gets energized, it drives the plunger downwards, eventually pressing on the top of the sub valve, and opening it. Once the sub valve opens, the pressure inside the chamber, formed between the flexible rubber boot (506), molded base (509), and the plastic molded valve top (505), drops (as water passes through the sub valve), thereby easing any further downward collapse of the flexible rubber boot to its limits as the plunger continues to press downwards on top of the sub valve. This overall downward movement of the plunger opens up the main valve, through which water gushes out of the tap. Now, when the user's hand is moved away from the vicinity of the tap, the sensor deactivates the solenoid valve, which in turn closes the main valve as well as the sub valve, thereby checking the water flow out of the tap. In manual operation, the actuator (406) pushes the plunger downwards instead of solenoid action, and the valve operates as described above. By switching off the electronic control circuit, the tap can also be left to be used only through manual operation, like in any conventional water tap.

Title of Invention

COMPACT AUTO FLOW CONTROL WATER TAP WITH MANUAL FUNCTION

Abstract

ABSTRACT The invention details an automatic flow control compact water tap, which uses a sensor to detect the hand movements of the user in front of the tap, as a cue to open/close the valve controlling the water flow, alongside being operable by hand using mechanical means in the event of a power failure. Whenever a hand, or for that matter any other object, comes in the vicinity of the tap, the electronic sensor senses it and activates the solenoid valve. Once the solenoid gets energized, it drives the plunger downwards, eventually pressing on the top of the sub valve, and opening it. Once the sub valve opens, the pressure inside the chamber, formed between the flexible rubber boot (506), molded base (509), and the plastic molded valve top (505), drops (as water passes through the sub valve), thereby easing any further downward collapse of the flexible rubber boot to its limits as the plunger continues to press downwards on top of the sub valve. This overall downward movement of the plunger opens up the main valve, through which water gushes out of the tap. Now, when the user's hand is moved away from the vicinity of the tap, the sensor deactivates the solenoid valve, which in turn closes the main valve as well as the sub valve, thereby checking the water flow out of the tap. In manual operation, the actuator (406) pushes the plunger downwards instead of solenoid action, and the valve operates as described above. By switching off the electronic control circuit, the tap can also be left to be used only through manual operation, like in any conventional water tap.

Full Text	FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention, in general, relates to water taps. Particularly, the present invention relates to a sensor activated compact automatic flow control water tap. More particularly, the present invention relates to an automatic flow control water tap, that uses a sensor to detect the hand movements of the user in front of the tap, as a cue to open/close the valve controlling the water flow, wherein the said tap also features an independent manual operation mechanism to ensure its continuity of operation, should there be an inadvertent power failure. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART Water taps of various types and designs, with automatic on/off functionalities, are already described in the prior art literature. For example, the US Patent titled 'Automatic Mixing Faucet' (US Patent no. 5062164), details an electronic water faucet including an infra-red sensor to detect the presence of an object near the faucet outlet. When an object is sensed, an electric motor, via a transmission, operates a pilot valve to control a main water faucet valve of the piston type to allow water delivery. This design helps reduce water hammer shock significantly. Another US Patent, titled 'Automatic Flow Control Water Tap with Manual Control Function' (US Patent no. 5092560) describes a water tap, comprising a motor-control water supply mechanism controlled by an infrared sensor via a control circuit board to open or stop the water passage therein automatically, and a manual-control water supply mechanism controlled by a revolving knob to open or stop the water passage therein manually during power failure. Yet another US Patent, titled 'Automatic Mixing Faucet' (US Patent no. 4953236), describes an automatic service water tap is disclosed in which a battery operated motor is provided for controlling a water supply valve in response to the presence or absence of an object positioned within the range of an infrared generating and detecting system mounted in the tap. As per this invention, the valve operates using only a small amount of electric power under the control of a circuit which draws no electric power once the valve is moved to its opened/closed condition. A further US patent application titled 'Automatic Faucet' talks about an automatic faucet having a mechanism for adjusting the direction of the line of view of the sensor relative to the faucet body. Transmitting and receiving elements are attached to a casing which is rotateably supported behind a shield installed in an opening in the faucet body. An automatic faucet in accordance with this invention includes a DC solenoid that may be powered by a battery or alternatively an AC adapter circuit. A diagnostic actuator circuit is provided to drive the solenoid open and closed in rapid succession when power is first supplied to the faucet. From the foregoing, it becomes apparent that even though automatic faucets of various designs and concepts exists in the prior art literature, no single design provides total flexibility in terms of installation, maintenance, scalability, and ease of use. While some of the inventions found in the prior art have technical shortcomings, such as the chance of a valve remaining open should the electronic circuit that signals it failed midway, some others have a complex assembly of components in the design, which makes the tap not only a costly installation, but also virtually unusable should any of its major components irreparably damage or fail to work after sometime. Also, many of the inventions in the prior art that relates to automatic faucets don't include any arrangements that facilitate its continuous use even if there is an inadvertent power supply failure. Based on these premises, my invention is presented herein. My invention proposes a compact automatic flow control water tap, which uses a replaceable sensor to detect the hand movements of the user in front of the tap, as a cue to open/close the valve controlling the water flow, wherein the said tap is further characterized by an independent manual operation mechanism to ensure its continuity of operation, should there be an power failure. The tap is so designed that it can be installed in place of a conventional water tap with minimal alteration to the existing sanitary fittings. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to propose a sensor activated compact automatic flow control water tap, which also comes equipped with an independent manual operation mechanism to ensure its continuity of operation in the event of a power failure. It is another object of the present invention to provide an automatic flow control water tap that can be installed in place of a conventional water tap without altering any of the existing sanitary fittings. It is a further object of the invention to conceive a cost effective automatic flow control water tap model. It is a further object of the invention to provide an automatic flow control water tap wherein the manual and automated functionalities of its operation are independent of each other, even though the opening/closing of the valve is induced by the same plunger action. It is another object of the invention to provide an automatic flow control water tap wherein the complexity of electronic circuit involved is minimal. It is yet another object of the present invention to have an automatic flow control water tap that switches off the flow of water after a certain time interval automatically, even if the object that had activated the water tap continues to remain stationary in front of the sensor. Accordingly, the present invention proposes an automatic flow control water tap, which uses a sensor mounted on it to detect the hand movements of the user in front of the tap, as a cue to open/close the valve controlling the water flow, wherein the tap also features an independent manual operation mechanism to ensure its continuity of operation, should there be an power failure, the said automatic flow control water tap characterized by, • A solenoid section, comprising of two discs (309 & 301), made of magnetic stainless steel, having holes punched on it to facilitate water passage, threaded to a brass tube (305) having internal threading to form a bobbin, on which the coil of the solenoid is wound, and a tube of magnetic stainless steel (310) is tightly inserted over the said bobbin to complete the magnetic circuit that would eventually energize the solenoid, wherein a plunger(307) held in place by a spring inside the brass tube of the bobbin forms its core. • A valve section comprising of a plastic moulded valve base (509), having openings on opposite sides (510) for the inward passage of water, a chamber formed between the flexible rubber boot (506), top of the plastic moulded valve base, and the plastic molded valve top (505), which also encompasses a sub valve in its depression, wherein a spring (515) fixed between the top of the moulded valve base (509) and the plastic moulded valve top lends support to the flexible rubber boot, and holds it in place, and a metal disc acts as the valve seat (503) made of stainless steel, with a hole at the center having a diameter of half inch, through which water eventually flows out the tap unit, when the solenoid is energized. • A manual control section (402), fixed above the solenoid section, comprising of two knobs (403 & 404), on either side of the tap, connected by a common spindle (405), which also passes tightly through an actuator (406) of irregular edges, and a water outlet (408). • An electronic control circuit, comprising of a rectifier section, an auto power off section, sensor module section, and solenoid drive and timer section. These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the ensuing detailed description of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS Fig 1 illustrates the sensor operated automatic flow control compact water tap. Fig 2 depicts the internal sections of the said tap. Fig 3 shows the various components of the solenoid. Fig 4 illustrates the different parts used in the manual control section. Fig 5 depicts the complete assembly of the tap unit and the main valve section. Fig 6 shows various parts of the sub valve unit. Fig 7 illustrates the profile of the horizontal mounting model tap. Fig 8 depicts the exposed view of the horizontal model. Fig 9 shows the electronic control circuit of the tap unit. Fig 10 shows the sensor section. Fig 11 shows the auto power off section. Fig 12 shows the solenoid section. Fig 13 shows the power supply section. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood however that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various fonns. The following description and drawings are not to be construed as limitirig the invention and numerous specific details are described to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention, as the basis for the claims and as a basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to make and/or use the invention. However in certain instances, well-known or conventional details are not described in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention in detail. In order to facilitate a better understanding of the present invention, a detailed description of the same with reference to a set of drawings is presented herein. Figure 1 depicts the Compact sensor tap with manual operation as envisaged by the preferred embodiments of the present invention. It is a vertical mounting model that can be mounted on any washbasin easily. As depicted in figure 1, an electronic sensor (3) is attached to the front side of the tap. Whenever a hand, or for that matter any other object, comes in its vicinity, it activates the solenoid valve, which in turn lets the water gushing out through the nozzle (8). In case of a power failure or circuit failure, wherein the sensor can't work, the manual control consisting of two knobs (4 & 5) can be used to open the tap. As per the current design, a mere quarter turn of the knob would be enough to fully open the tap. Figure 1 also shows the connecting cable (2) to the control unit, power on/off switches (6 & 7), and an LED (9) indicating the power. The figure 2 depicts the internal sections of the tap. The internal parts are divided into mainly 3 sections: Valve Section (201); Solenoid Section (202); Manual Control Section (203). However, in the original structure, these three sections are integrated as a compact single unit, as shown in the figure 2. The electronic control unit that controls the automatic operations of the said tap is mounted as a separate unit, under the washbasin or at a different location. Solenoid Section In typical solenoid valves, the solenoid and valves are usually separate and independent units. However, such a design has an inherent flaw. Continuous operation often leaves the solenoid overheated, leading to the subsequent damage of the same. But in the design envisaged by the preferred embodiments of the present invention, since the water flows through the solenoid, the coil remains cool throughout its operation, thereby preempting any chance of the solenoid getting damaged owing to overheating from continuous use. The various components of the solenoid are shown in figure 3. The two round discs (309) and (301), shown in the figure, are made of magnetic stainless steel. Eight small holes are punched on it to act as water passages, alongside a central large hole - on the disc (309) - to accommodate the plunger (307), and a small central hole - on disc (301) - to receive the bottom part of the plunger (314), which is made of stainless steel. On both sides of each disc, there are threaded parts that are plastic moulded (315, 316), which are used to couple one section to the other. The coil of the solenoid is wound on a bobbin, formed by the combination of the brass tube (305) having internal threading and the two discs, as shown in the figure. The position of spring and plunger inside the bobbin are shown in figure 3(a), wherein, in its normal position, the plunger is held upward by the spring. A tube (310) of magnetic stainless steel is tightly inserted over the bobbin, in order to complete the magnetic circuit that would eventually energize the solenoid. Now, when the solenoid is energized, the plunger will be strongly pulled downward along its shaft (314). It is this up and down movement of the plunger, owing to the action of the spring and magnetic forces in tandem that is utilized to activate the main valve, as will be explained in detail in the valve section below. Manual Control Section The different parts of the manual control section are detailed in figure 4. The main parts of the manual control section includes outlet for water (408), two knobs (403 & 404) on either side of the tap, a common spindle (405) connecting the two knobs, and an actuator (406) with the spindle running tightly through it. The actuator (406) has an irregular shape with protruding corners. The manual control section (402) is fixed above the solenoid section. When someone turns either of the knobs, it turns the spindle, which in turn rotates the actuator. Owing to the unique shape of the actuator that is marked by irregular edges, a slight turn of the same in either direction causes one of its edges to push down the plunger, thus opening the main valve to facilitate the water flow. When the user closes the tap, by turning the knob in the opposite direction, the actuator disengages itself from the top of the plunger, and subsequently, the plunger restores its original position due to the action of the spring (306), thus shutting the main valve. It is also possible to design the manual control section in such a way that the knob will return to the 'ofT position through spring action, once the user leaves hold of the knob, thus turning off the tap. Valve Section Figure 5 shows the complete assembly of the tap unit, as per the preferred embodiments of the present invention. In the figure, the arrow marks denote the path of the water flow through the tap, when the tap is open. As per the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the valve unit comprises of a plastic moulded valve base (509), having two openings (510) on opposite sides for the inward passage of water, a chamber formed between the flexible rubber boot (506), top of the moulded valve base, and the plastic moulded valve top (505), which also encompasses a sub valve in its depression, and a metal disc (503) made of stainless steel, which acts as the seat of the valve, with a hole at the center having a diameter of half inch through which water eventually flows into the outer section of the valve, when it is turned ON. A spring (515) is fixed between the top of the moulded base (509) and the bottom of plastic moulded valve top, so as to support the flexible mbber boot, and hold it in place. The molded base (509) also has a small hole (508) through which water enters the said chamber. The combined action of the pressure of water entering the chamber, and the force exerted by the spring (515) would ensure that under normal conditions, the valve face (504) would press firmly against the valve seat (503), thereby closing the path, as per the preferred embodiments of the present invention. The different parts of the above said valve section, as well as its position in the overall design, is depicted in figure 5. Operation of the Main Valve The main valve is realized by the covering/uncovering of the opening on the valve seat (503), which in normal conditions (when the tap is turned off) remains closed by the valve face (504), pressing firmly against the said valve seat. Now, when the solenoid is energized, or alternatively, when the knobs are turned manually, the plunger will be strongly pushed downward along its shaft (314), until it hits the top of the sub valve, pressing it down further, thus opening the said main valve. Operation of the Sub Valve The sub valve, as per the preferred embodiments of the present invention, is a tiny, normally closed valve, like the one used in the rubber tube of the automobile tyres worldwide. The various parts of the said sub valve unit are shown in figure 6. It comprises of a rubber washer (602), inserted through the stainless steel bolt (601), a sub-valve top (604) made of stainless steel (its cross section is shown in (605)) threaded to the top of the bolt, and a stainless steel spring (603), to keep the sub valve closed (607) under nonnal conditions. When the tap is in the closed position, the chamber formed between the flexible rubber boot (506), molded base (509), and the plastic molded valve top (505), which also encompasses the sub valve, and the space surrounding the said chamber up to the valve seat (503) is filled with water. When the plunger pushes downwards, owing to the solenoid action or when the spindle is turned manually, its tip hits the top of the sub-valve (604), pushing the bolt downwards (and hence the rubber washer (602)), and thus opening the sub valve. Once the sub valve opens, the pressure inside the chamber drops, thereby easing the further downward collapse of the flexible rubber boot as the plunger continues to press downwards on top of the sub valve unit. As per the preferred embodiments of the present invention, a small gap (612) of half a millimeter separates the valve face (504) and the top of the sub valve (604). Electronic Control Circuit The electronic control circuit for activating the solenoid is depicted in figure 9. The circuit is encased and mounted conveniently below the wash basin. The said electronic control unit is connected to the tap using connecting cables (2) as shown in figure 1. Two power ON switches (6 & 7), as shown in Fig 1, attached on two sides of the tap, is used to switch ON/OFF the electronic control unit. Apart from being independently operable, the two switches are also designed to work in a complimentary fashion such that if one of the switches is used to turn on the electronic control unit, the other can be used to turn it off and vice versa. The tap can be used manually at any time irrespective of whether the power is ON/OFF. As per the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the electronic control unit consists of four sections, 1. Main supply and rectifier section; wherein the main supply (240V) is converted to twelve volt DC supply. The circuit of this section is illustrated in the figure 10. 2. Auto power off section: The power management of the tap unit is so designed that the whole tap unit is turned off automatically if it remains idle for one hour after switching it ON, in order to save power. The auto power off section is shown in figure 11. 3. Sensor module section: It is a replaceable unit in case of a sensor failure. The sensor module senses the objects in front of the tap and sends signals to the amplifier and solenoid section. The connections to the tap from the sensor module are made through water proof connectors. Referring to figure 9, IC1 is wired as an astable multivibrator that is capable of producing twelve kilo hertz pulses. These weak pulses are converted into strong pulses by the power transistor 05, before it drives the IR LED (D9) and the indicator LED (D10). Further, Q1, which is a photo transistor, is the IR receiver that receives the reflected IR rays. These three components are arranged in a row as shown in the figure 1, but are optically separated from each other. That is, only the reflected rays from the IR emitter reaches the IR receiver and passes to the solenoid drive/30 second timer section. The figure.12 shows the circuit of this section. 4. The solenoid drive and 30 second timer section: The signal from the sensor module is amplified in this section, before it is sent to drive the solenoid. Refemng to figure 9, the weak signals are amplified by the combined action of IC 3 and the Darlington pair of Q3 and Q4, before it reaches the solenoid coil. Further, a timer IC 555 is wired as a thirty second monostable to prevent the solenoid from remaining turned ON for more than 30 seconds, once the solenoid is activated, even if the object that had activated the tap continues to remains in front of the sensor. This mechanism has been incorporated to prevent any loss of water due to accidental turning on of the tap. The circuit for this section is the figure 13. Operation of the Tap Whenever a hand, or for that matter any other object, comes in the vicinity of the tap, the electronic sensor senses it and activates the solenoid valve. Once the solenoid gets energized, it drives the plunger downwards, eventually pushing the top of the sub valve, and opening it. Once the sub valve opens, the pressure inside the chamber, formed between the flexible rubber boot (506), molded base (509), and the plastic molded valve top (505), drops (as water passes through the sub valve), thereby easing any further downward movement of the flexible rubber boot to its limits as the plunger continues to press downwards on top of the sub valve. This overall downward movement of the plunger opens the main valve, through which the water eventually gushes out of the tap. When the user's hand is moved away from the vicinity of the tap, the sensor deactivates the solenoid valve, which in turn closes the main valve as well as the sub valve, thereby checking the water flow out of the tap. In manual operation, the actuator (406) pushes the plunger downwards instead of solenoid action, and the valve operates as described above. Horizontal l\/lodel Figure 7 shows the profile of the horizontal mounting model tap. Figure 8 depicts the exposed view of the horizontal model. The intemal parts are exactly same as in the vertical model and the operation is also same. Although, the present invention has been fully described in connection with the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that various changes and modifications are possible and are apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are to be understood as included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims unless they depart there from. I Claim 1. An automatic flow control compact water tap, which uses a replaceable sensor mounted on it to detect the hand movements of the user in front of the tap, as a cue to open/close the valve controlling the water flow, wherein the tap also features an independent manual operation mechanism to ensure its continuity of operation, should there be a power failure, the said automatic flow control water tap characterized by, • A solenoid section, comprising of two discs (309 & 301), made of magnetic stainless steel, having holes punched on it to facilitate water passage, threaded to a brass tulje (305) having internal threading to form a bobbin, on which the coil of the solenoid is wound, and a tube of magnetic stainless steel is tightly inserted over the said bobbin to complete the magnetic circuit that would eventually energize the solenoid, wherein a plunger(307) held in place by a spring inside the brass tube of the bobbin fomns its core. • A valve section comprising of a plastic moulded valve base (509), having openings on opposite sides (510) for the inward passage of water, a chamber fomned between the flexible rubber boot (506), top of the valve base (509), and the plastic moulded valve top (505), which also encompasses a sub valve in its depression, wherein a spring (515) fixed between the top of the molded base (509) and the plastic moulded valve top lends support to the flexible rubber boot, and holds it in place, and a valve seat (503) made of stainless steel, with a hole at the center having a diameter of half inch, through which water eventually flows out when the solenoid is energized. • A manual control unit (402), fixed above the solenoid section, comprising of two knobs (403 & 404), on either side of the tap, connected by a common spindle (405), which also passes tightly through an actuator (406) of irregular edges, and a water outlet (408). • An electronic control circuit, comprising of a rectifier section, an auto power off section, a sensor module section, and a solenoid drive and timer section. 2. The automatic flow control compact water tap as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sub valve comprises of a rubber washer (602), inserted through the stainless steel bolt (601), and a stainless steel sub valve top (604) fixed at the top of the said bolt, with a stainless steel spring (603) inserted between the plastic molded part (505) and the sub valve top, so as to keep the subvalve closed under normal conditions. 11 3. The automatic flow control water tap as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main valve is realized by the covering/uncovering of the opening on the valve seat (503), which in normal conditions remains closed by the valve face (504) pressing firmly against the said valve seat, blocking the water flow through the tap. 4. The automatic flow control water tap as claimed in claim 1, wherein the same plunger movements are utilized to open/close the tap in the manual as well as automatic operations of the said tap. 5. The automatic flow control water tap as claimed in claims 1 & 4, wherein the said tap can be manually opened by turning either of the knobs, in either direction, irrespective of whether the tap is operating in the automatic mode or not. 6. The automatic flow control water tap as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said tap is operable in the manual mode alone, by switching off the electronic control unit, using either of the power ON/OFF switches on the tap. 7. The automatic flow control water tap as claimed in claim 6, wherein the two power ON/OFF switches are wired in such a way that apart from being independently operable, they are designed to work in a complimentary fashion such that if one of the switches is used to turn on the electronic control unit, the other can be used to turn it off and vice versa. 8. The automatic flow control water tap as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said tap is designed to turn OFF automatically after a preset time interval, even if the object that had activated the water tap continues to remain stationary in front of the sensor. 9. The automatic flow control water tap as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic control unit, save the sensor unit and the power ON/OFF switches with their respective waterproof connectors, is assembled and installed as a separate unit, for its easy maintenance and repair. 10. An automatic flow control water tap, which uses a replaceable sensor unit mounted on it to detect the hand movements of the user in front of the tap, as a cue to open/close the valve controlling the water flow, wherein the tap also features an independent manual operation mechanism to ensure its continuity of operation, should there be a power failure, substantially as herein described with respect to the accompanying drawings.

Full Text

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention, in general, relates to water taps. Particularly, the present invention relates to a sensor activated compact automatic flow control water tap. More particularly, the present invention relates to an automatic flow control water tap, that uses a sensor to detect the hand movements of the user in front of the tap, as a cue to open/close the valve controlling the water flow, wherein the said tap also features an independent manual operation mechanism to ensure its continuity of operation, should there be an inadvertent power failure.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
Water taps of various types and designs, with automatic on/off functionalities, are already described in the prior art literature. For example, the US Patent titled 'Automatic Mixing Faucet' (US Patent no. 5062164), details an electronic water faucet including an infra-red sensor to detect the presence of an object near the faucet outlet. When an object is sensed, an electric motor, via a transmission, operates a pilot valve to control a main water faucet valve of the piston type to allow water delivery. This design helps reduce water hammer shock significantly.
Another US Patent, titled 'Automatic Flow Control Water Tap with Manual Control Function' (US Patent no. 5092560) describes a water tap, comprising a motor-control water supply mechanism controlled by an infrared sensor via a control circuit board to open or stop the water passage therein automatically, and a manual-control water supply mechanism controlled by a revolving knob to open or stop the water passage therein manually during power failure.
Yet another US Patent, titled 'Automatic Mixing Faucet' (US Patent no. 4953236), describes an automatic service water tap is disclosed in which a battery operated motor is provided for controlling a water supply valve in response to the presence or absence of an object positioned within the range of an infrared generating and detecting system mounted in the tap. As per this invention, the valve operates using only a small amount of electric power under the control of a circuit which draws no electric power once the valve is moved to its opened/closed condition.
A further US patent application titled 'Automatic Faucet' talks about an automatic faucet having a mechanism for adjusting the direction of the line of view of the sensor relative to the faucet body. Transmitting and receiving elements are attached to a casing which is rotateably supported behind a shield installed in an opening in the faucet body. An automatic faucet in accordance with this invention includes a DC solenoid that may be powered by a battery or alternatively an AC adapter circuit. A diagnostic actuator circuit is provided to drive the solenoid open and closed in rapid succession when power is first supplied to the faucet.

From the foregoing, it becomes apparent that even though automatic faucets of various designs and concepts exists in the prior art literature, no single design provides total flexibility in terms of installation, maintenance, scalability, and ease of use. While some of the inventions found in the prior art have technical shortcomings, such as the chance of a valve remaining open should the electronic circuit that signals it failed midway, some others have a complex assembly of components in the design, which makes the tap not only a costly installation, but also virtually unusable should any of its major components irreparably damage or fail to work after sometime. Also, many of the inventions in the prior art that relates to automatic faucets don't include any arrangements that facilitate its continuous use even if there is an inadvertent power supply failure.
Based on these premises, my invention is presented herein.
My invention proposes a compact automatic flow control water tap, which uses a replaceable sensor to detect the hand movements of the user in front of the tap, as a cue to open/close the valve controlling the water flow, wherein the said tap is further characterized by an independent manual operation mechanism to ensure its continuity of operation, should there be an power failure. The tap is so designed that it can be installed in place of a conventional water tap with minimal alteration to the existing sanitary fittings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to propose a sensor activated compact automatic flow control water tap, which also comes equipped with an independent manual operation mechanism to ensure its continuity of operation in the event of a power failure.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an automatic flow control water tap that can be installed in place of a conventional water tap without altering any of the existing sanitary fittings.
It is a further object of the invention to conceive a cost effective automatic flow control water tap model.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an automatic flow control water tap wherein the manual and automated functionalities of its operation are independent of each other, even though the opening/closing of the valve is induced by the same plunger action.
It is another object of the invention to provide an automatic flow control water tap wherein the complexity of electronic circuit involved is minimal.
It is yet another object of the present invention to have an automatic flow control water tap that switches off the flow of water after a certain time interval

automatically, even if the object that had activated the water tap continues to remain stationary in front of the sensor.
Accordingly, the present invention proposes an automatic flow control water tap, which uses a sensor mounted on it to detect the hand movements of the user in front of the tap, as a cue to open/close the valve controlling the water flow, wherein the tap also features an independent manual operation mechanism to ensure its continuity of operation, should there be an power failure, the said automatic flow control water tap characterized by,
• A solenoid section, comprising of two discs (309 & 301), made of magnetic stainless steel, having holes punched on it to facilitate water passage, threaded to a brass tube (305) having internal threading to form a bobbin, on which the coil of the solenoid is wound, and a tube of magnetic stainless steel (310) is tightly inserted over the said bobbin to complete the magnetic circuit that would eventually energize the solenoid, wherein a plunger(307) held in place by a spring inside the brass tube of the bobbin forms its core.

•
A valve section comprising of a plastic moulded valve base (509), having openings on opposite sides (510) for the inward passage of water, a chamber formed between the flexible rubber boot (506), top of the plastic moulded valve base, and the plastic molded valve top (505), which also encompasses a sub valve in its depression, wherein a spring (515) fixed between the top of the moulded valve base (509) and the plastic moulded valve top lends support to the flexible rubber boot, and holds it in place, and a metal disc acts as the valve seat (503) made of stainless steel, with a hole at the center having a diameter of half inch, through which water eventually flows out the tap unit, when the solenoid is energized.
•
A manual control section (402), fixed above the solenoid section, comprising of two knobs (403 & 404), on either side of the tap, connected by a common spindle (405), which also passes tightly through an actuator (406) of irregular edges, and a water outlet (408).
• An electronic control circuit, comprising of a rectifier section, an auto power off section, sensor module section, and solenoid drive and timer section.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the ensuing detailed description of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
Fig 1 illustrates the sensor operated automatic flow control compact water tap.
Fig 2 depicts the internal sections of the said tap.
Fig 3 shows the various components of the solenoid.
Fig 4 illustrates the different parts used in the manual control section.
Fig 5 depicts the complete assembly of the tap unit and the main valve section.
Fig 6 shows various parts of the sub valve unit.
Fig 7 illustrates the profile of the horizontal mounting model tap.
Fig 8 depicts the exposed view of the horizontal model.
Fig 9 shows the electronic control circuit of the tap unit.
Fig 10 shows the sensor section.
Fig 11 shows the auto power off section.
Fig 12 shows the solenoid section.
Fig 13 shows the power supply section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood however that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various fonns. The following description and drawings are not to be construed as limitirig the invention and numerous specific details are described to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention, as the basis for the claims and as a basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to make and/or use the invention. However in certain instances, well-known or conventional details are not described in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention in detail.
In order to facilitate a better understanding of the present invention, a detailed description of the same with reference to a set of drawings is presented herein.
Figure 1 depicts the Compact sensor tap with manual operation as envisaged by the preferred embodiments of the present invention. It is a vertical mounting model that can be mounted on any washbasin easily.
As depicted in figure 1, an electronic sensor (3) is attached to the front side of the tap. Whenever a hand, or for that matter any other object, comes in its vicinity, it activates the solenoid valve, which in turn lets the water gushing out through the nozzle (8). In case of a power failure or circuit failure, wherein the sensor can't work, the manual control consisting of two knobs (4 & 5) can be used to open the tap. As per the current design, a mere quarter turn of the knob would be enough to fully open the tap. Figure 1 also shows the connecting cable (2) to the control unit, power on/off switches (6 & 7), and an LED (9) indicating the power.
The figure 2 depicts the internal sections of the tap. The internal parts are divided into mainly 3 sections: Valve Section (201); Solenoid Section (202); Manual Control Section (203). However, in the original structure, these three sections are integrated as a compact single unit, as shown in the figure 2. The electronic control unit that controls the automatic operations of the said tap is mounted as a separate unit, under the washbasin or at a different location.
Solenoid Section
In typical solenoid valves, the solenoid and valves are usually separate and independent units. However, such a design has an inherent flaw. Continuous operation often leaves the solenoid overheated, leading to the subsequent damage of the same. But in the design envisaged by the preferred embodiments

of the present invention, since the water flows through the solenoid, the coil remains cool throughout its operation, thereby preempting any chance of the solenoid getting damaged owing to overheating from continuous use.
The various components of the solenoid are shown in figure 3. The two round discs (309) and (301), shown in the figure, are made of magnetic stainless steel. Eight small holes are punched on it to act as water passages, alongside a central large hole - on the disc (309) - to accommodate the plunger (307), and a small central hole - on disc (301) - to receive the bottom part of the plunger (314), which is made of stainless steel. On both sides of each disc, there are threaded parts that are plastic moulded (315, 316), which are used to couple one section to the other.
The coil of the solenoid is wound on a bobbin, formed by the combination of the brass tube (305) having internal threading and the two discs, as shown in the figure. The position of spring and plunger inside the bobbin are shown in figure 3(a), wherein, in its normal position, the plunger is held upward by the spring. A tube (310) of magnetic stainless steel is tightly inserted over the bobbin, in order to complete the magnetic circuit that would eventually energize the solenoid. Now, when the solenoid is energized, the plunger will be strongly pulled downward along its shaft (314). It is this up and down movement of the plunger, owing to the action of the spring and magnetic forces in tandem that is utilized to activate the main valve, as will be explained in detail in the valve section below.
Manual Control Section
The different parts of the manual control section are detailed in figure 4. The main parts of the manual control section includes outlet for water (408), two knobs (403 & 404) on either side of the tap, a common spindle (405) connecting the two knobs, and an actuator (406) with the spindle running tightly through it. The actuator (406) has an irregular shape with protruding corners.
The manual control section (402) is fixed above the solenoid section. When someone turns either of the knobs, it turns the spindle, which in turn rotates the actuator. Owing to the unique shape of the actuator that is marked by irregular edges, a slight turn of the same in either direction causes one of its edges to push down the plunger, thus opening the main valve to facilitate the water flow. When the user closes the tap, by turning the knob in the opposite direction, the actuator disengages itself from the top of the plunger, and subsequently, the plunger restores its original position due to the action of the spring (306), thus shutting the main valve. It is also possible to design the manual control section in such a way that the knob will return to the 'ofT position through spring action, once the user leaves hold of the knob, thus turning off the tap.

Valve Section
Figure 5 shows the complete assembly of the tap unit, as per the preferred embodiments of the present invention. In the figure, the arrow marks denote the path of the water flow through the tap, when the tap is open.
As per the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the valve unit comprises of a plastic moulded valve base (509), having two openings (510) on opposite sides for the inward passage of water, a chamber formed between the flexible rubber boot (506), top of the moulded valve base, and the plastic moulded valve top (505), which also encompasses a sub valve in its depression, and a metal disc (503) made of stainless steel, which acts as the seat of the valve, with a hole at the center having a diameter of half inch through which water eventually flows into the outer section of the valve, when it is turned ON. A spring (515) is fixed between the top of the moulded base (509) and the bottom of plastic moulded valve top, so as to support the flexible mbber boot, and hold it in place. The molded base (509) also has a small hole (508) through which water enters the said chamber. The combined action of the pressure of water entering the chamber, and the force exerted by the spring (515) would ensure that under normal conditions, the valve face (504) would press firmly against the valve seat (503), thereby closing the path, as per the preferred embodiments of the present invention. The different parts of the above said valve section, as well as its position in the overall design, is depicted in figure 5.
Operation of the Main Valve
The main valve is realized by the covering/uncovering of the opening on the valve seat (503), which in normal conditions (when the tap is turned off) remains closed by the valve face (504), pressing firmly against the said valve seat. Now, when the solenoid is energized, or alternatively, when the knobs are turned manually, the plunger will be strongly pushed downward along its shaft (314), until it hits the top of the sub valve, pressing it down further, thus opening the said main valve.
Operation of the Sub Valve
The sub valve, as per the preferred embodiments of the present invention, is a tiny, normally closed valve, like the one used in the rubber tube of the automobile tyres worldwide. The various parts of the said sub valve unit are shown in figure 6. It comprises of a rubber washer (602), inserted through the stainless steel bolt (601), a sub-valve top (604) made of stainless steel (its cross section is shown in (605)) threaded to the top of the bolt, and a stainless steel spring (603), to keep the sub valve closed (607) under nonnal conditions.
When the tap is in the closed position, the chamber formed between the flexible rubber boot (506), molded base (509), and the plastic molded valve top (505), which also encompasses the sub valve, and the space surrounding the said chamber up to the valve seat (503) is filled with water.

When the plunger pushes downwards, owing to the solenoid action or when the spindle is turned manually, its tip hits the top of the sub-valve (604), pushing the bolt downwards (and hence the rubber washer (602)), and thus opening the sub valve. Once the sub valve opens, the pressure inside the chamber drops, thereby easing the further downward collapse of the flexible rubber boot as the plunger continues to press downwards on top of the sub valve unit. As per the preferred embodiments of the present invention, a small gap (612) of half a millimeter separates the valve face (504) and the top of the sub valve (604).
Electronic Control Circuit
The electronic control circuit for activating the solenoid is depicted in figure 9. The circuit is encased and mounted conveniently below the wash basin. The said electronic control unit is connected to the tap using connecting cables (2) as shown in figure 1.
Two power ON switches (6 & 7), as shown in Fig 1, attached on two sides of the tap, is used to switch ON/OFF the electronic control unit. Apart from being independently operable, the two switches are also designed to work in a complimentary fashion such that if one of the switches is used to turn on the electronic control unit, the other can be used to turn it off and vice versa. The tap can be used manually at any time irrespective of whether the power is ON/OFF.
As per the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the electronic control unit consists of four sections,
1. Main supply and rectifier section; wherein the main supply (240V) is converted to twelve volt DC supply. The circuit of this section is illustrated in the figure 10.
2. Auto power off section: The power management of the tap unit is so designed that the whole tap unit is turned off automatically if it remains idle for one hour after switching it ON, in order to save power. The auto power off section is shown in figure 11.
3. Sensor module section: It is a replaceable unit in case of a sensor failure. The sensor module senses the objects in front of the tap and sends signals to the amplifier and solenoid section. The connections to the tap from the sensor module are made through water proof connectors. Referring to figure 9, IC1 is wired as an astable multivibrator that is capable of producing twelve kilo hertz pulses. These weak pulses are converted into strong pulses by the power transistor 05, before it drives the IR LED (D9) and the indicator LED (D10). Further, Q1, which is a photo transistor, is the IR receiver that receives the reflected IR rays. These three components are arranged in a row as shown in the figure 1, but are optically separated from each other. That is, only the reflected rays from the IR emitter reaches the IR receiver and passes to the solenoid drive/30 second timer section. The figure.12 shows the circuit of this section.

4. The solenoid drive and 30 second timer section: The signal from the sensor module is amplified in this section, before it is sent to drive the solenoid. Refemng to figure 9, the weak signals are amplified by the combined action of IC 3 and the Darlington pair of Q3 and Q4, before it reaches the solenoid coil.
Further, a timer IC 555 is wired as a thirty second monostable to prevent the solenoid from remaining turned ON for more than 30 seconds, once the solenoid is activated, even if the object that had activated the tap continues to remains in front of the sensor. This mechanism has been incorporated to prevent any loss of water due to accidental turning on of the tap. The circuit for this section is the figure 13.
Operation of the Tap
Whenever a hand, or for that matter any other object, comes in the vicinity of the tap, the electronic sensor senses it and activates the solenoid valve. Once the solenoid gets energized, it drives the plunger downwards, eventually pushing the top of the sub valve, and opening it. Once the sub valve opens, the pressure inside the chamber, formed between the flexible rubber boot (506), molded base (509), and the plastic molded valve top (505), drops (as water passes through the sub valve), thereby easing any further downward movement of the flexible rubber boot to its limits as the plunger continues to press downwards on top of the sub valve. This overall downward movement of the plunger opens the main valve, through which the water eventually gushes out of the tap.
When the user's hand is moved away from the vicinity of the tap, the sensor deactivates the solenoid valve, which in turn closes the main valve as well as the sub valve, thereby checking the water flow out of the tap.
In manual operation, the actuator (406) pushes the plunger downwards instead of solenoid action, and the valve operates as described above.
Horizontal l\/lodel
Figure 7 shows the profile of the horizontal mounting model tap.
Figure 8 depicts the exposed view of the horizontal model. The intemal parts are exactly same as in the vertical model and the operation is also same.
Although, the present invention has been fully described in connection with the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that various changes and modifications are possible and are apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are to be understood as included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims unless they depart there from.

I Claim
1. An automatic flow control compact water tap, which uses a replaceable
sensor mounted on it to detect the hand movements of the user in front of
the tap, as a cue to open/close the valve controlling the water flow,
wherein the tap also features an independent manual operation
mechanism to ensure its continuity of operation, should there be a power
failure, the said automatic flow control water tap characterized by,
• A solenoid section, comprising of two discs (309 & 301), made of magnetic stainless steel, having holes punched on it to facilitate water passage, threaded to a brass tulje (305) having internal threading to form a bobbin, on which the coil of the solenoid is wound, and a tube of magnetic stainless steel is tightly inserted over the said bobbin to complete the magnetic circuit that would eventually energize the solenoid, wherein a plunger(307) held in place by a spring inside the brass tube of the bobbin fomns its core.
• A valve section comprising of a plastic moulded valve base (509), having openings on opposite sides (510) for the inward passage of water, a chamber fomned between the flexible rubber boot (506), top of the valve base (509), and the plastic moulded valve top (505), which also encompasses a sub valve in its depression, wherein a spring (515) fixed between the top of the molded base (509) and the plastic moulded valve top lends support to the flexible rubber boot, and holds it in place, and a valve seat (503) made of stainless steel, with a hole at the center having a diameter of half inch, through which water eventually flows out when the solenoid is energized.
• A manual control unit (402), fixed above the solenoid section, comprising of two knobs (403 & 404), on either side of the tap, connected by a common spindle (405), which also passes tightly through an actuator (406) of irregular edges, and a water outlet (408).
• An electronic control circuit, comprising of a rectifier section, an auto power off section, a sensor module section, and a solenoid drive and timer section.
2. The automatic flow control compact water tap as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the sub valve comprises of a rubber washer (602), inserted
through the stainless steel bolt (601), and a stainless steel sub valve top
(604) fixed at the top of the said bolt, with a stainless steel spring (603)
inserted between the plastic molded part (505) and the sub valve top, so
as to keep the subvalve closed under normal conditions.
11

3. The automatic flow control water tap as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main valve is realized by the covering/uncovering of the opening on the valve seat (503), which in normal conditions remains closed by the valve face (504) pressing firmly against the said valve seat, blocking the water flow through the tap.
4. The automatic flow control water tap as claimed in claim 1, wherein the same plunger movements are utilized to open/close the tap in the manual as well as automatic operations of the said tap.
5. The automatic flow control water tap as claimed in claims 1 & 4, wherein the said tap can be manually opened by turning either of the knobs, in either direction, irrespective of whether the tap is operating in the automatic mode or not.
6. The automatic flow control water tap as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said tap is operable in the manual mode alone, by switching off the electronic control unit, using either of the power ON/OFF switches on the tap.
7. The automatic flow control water tap as claimed in claim 6, wherein the two power ON/OFF switches are wired in such a way that apart from being independently operable, they are designed to work in a complimentary fashion such that if one of the switches is used to turn on the electronic control unit, the other can be used to turn it off and vice versa.
8. The automatic flow control water tap as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said tap is designed to turn OFF automatically after a preset time interval, even if the object that had activated the water tap continues to remain stationary in front of the sensor.
9. The automatic flow control water tap as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic control unit, save the sensor unit and the power ON/OFF switches with their respective waterproof connectors, is assembled and installed as a separate unit, for its easy maintenance and repair.
10. An automatic flow control water tap, which uses a replaceable sensor unit mounted on it to detect the hand movements of the user in front of the tap, as a cue to open/close the valve controlling the water flow, wherein the tap also features an independent manual operation mechanism to ensure its continuity of operation, should there be a power failure, substantially as herein described with respect to the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

http://ipindiaonline.gov.in/patentsearch/GrantedSearch/viewdoc.aspx?id=zNyO8/WPwynmmX5lEMJkZA==&loc=egcICQiyoj82NGgGrC5ChA==

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Patent Number

279303

Indian Patent Application Number

1474/CHE/2009

PG Journal Number

03/2017

Publication Date

20-Jan-2017

Grant Date

17-Jan-2017

Date of Filing

24-Jun-2009

Name of Patentee

CHUNDAKATTIL THANKACHAN SOMAN

Applicant Address

CHUNDAKATTIL ATHIRAMPUZHA P.O KOTTAYAM.

Inventors:

#	Inventor's Name	Inventor's Address
1	CHUNDAKATTIL THANKACHAN SOMAN	CHUNDAKATTIL ATHIRAMPUZHA P.O KOTTAYAM.

PCT International Classification Number

F16K31/00

PCT International Application Number

N/A

PCT International Filing date

PCT Conventions:

#	PCT Application Number	Date of Convention	Priority Country
1			NA