IP Library › Patent Application 13788737
Patent Application
App. No. 13/788,737

ELECTRONIC PLUMBING FIXTURE FITTING

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
13/788,737
Abstract

The present invention provides an electronic plumbing fixture fitting, such as an electronic faucet.

Claims (40)

1 . An electronic plumbing fixture fitting, comprising:

a housing, the housing being operable to mount above a mounting surface, the housing including a spout and a wand, the wand being operable to pull away from the spout, the wand including a discharge outlet operable to deliver water;

an electronic valve, the electronic valve being located outside the housing, the electronic valve being operable to permit flow of water through the discharge outlet when the electronic valve is activated and to prevent flow of water through the discharge outlet when the electronic valve is deactivated;

a sensor, the sensor being located inside the spout of the housing, the sensor being operable to send a signal when the sensor is triggered;

a control for the sensor, the control being operable to receive the signal from the sensor when the sensor is triggered and, in response, send a signal to the electronic valve to activate the electronic valve;

a wand hose, the wand hose being operable to fluidly connect the electronic valve and the wand, the wand hose extending through the inside of the spout;

a cable, the cable being operable to electrically connect the sensor and a portion of the control; and

a cable protector, the cable protector being operable to generally extend between the sensor and the portion of the control, the cable protector being operable to extend between the cable and the wand hose along a substantial portion of a length of the cable, the cable protector being operable to insert the sensor into the spout, to shield the cable from the wand hose, and to position the cable within the spout.

2 . The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of claim 1 , wherein the cable protector includes an insertion portion.

3 . The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of claim 2 , wherein the insertion portion includes a gripping member operable to connect to the sensor.

4 . The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of claim 1 , wherein the cable protector includes a barrier portion.

5 . The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of claim 4 , wherein the barrier portion includes a generally flat elongated member operable to prevent the wand hose from contacting the cable.

6 . The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of claim 1 , wherein the cable protector includes an alignment feature.

7 . The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of claim 6 , wherein the alignment feature includes a tab operable to maintain the cable in position against the barrier portion.

8 . The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of claim 1 , wherein the cable protector is made of a semi-rigid material.

9 . An electronic plumbing fixture fitting, comprising:

a housing, the housing being operable to mount above a mounting surface, the housing including a spout and a wand, the wand being operable to pull away from the spout, the wand including a discharge outlet operable to deliver water;

an electronic valve, the electronic valve being located outside the housing, the electronic valve being operable to permit flow of water through the discharge outlet when the electronic valve is activated and to prevent flow of water through the discharge outlet when the electronic valve is deactivated;

a wand hose, the wand hose being operable to fluidly connect the electronic valve and the wand, the wand hose extending through the inside of the spout, the wand hose being operable to move through the spout; and

a hose sensor, the hose sensor being located inside the spout, the hose sensor being operable to determine when the wand hose is moved through the spout and to send a signal indicating when the wand hose is moved through the spout.

10 . The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of claim 9 , wherein:

the wand hose includes a marked portion and an unmarked portion that enables the hose sensor to distinguish the marked portion from the unmarked portion; and

the hose sensor is operable to detect the marked portion and to send a signal indicating whether the marked portion has been detected.

11 . The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of claim 10 , wherein the marked portion has different reflective properties than the unmarked portion.

12 . The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of claim 10 , wherein the hose sensor is operable to determine whether the marked portion is adjacent to the hose sensor and to send a signal indicating whether the marked portion is adjacent to the hose sensor.

13 . The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of claim 9 , wherein:

the wand hose includes a plurality of marked portions and an unmarked portion that enable the hose sensor to distinguish the marked portions from the unmarked portion and each marked portion from the other marked portions; and

the hose sensor is operable to detect each of the marked portions and to send a signal indicating whether any of the marked portions has been detected.

14 . The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of claim 13 , wherein the marked portions have different reflective properties than the unmarked portion and each marked portion has different reflective properties than the other marked portions.

15 . The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of claim 13 , wherein the hose sensor is operable to determine whether any of the marked portions is adjacent to the hose sensor and to send a signal indicating whether any of the marked portions is adjacent to the hose sensor.

16 . The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of claim 9 , wherein the hose sensor determines whether the wand hose has been extended out of the spout.

17 . The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of claim 16 , wherein, when the hose sensor determines that the wand hose has been extended out of the spout, the hose sensor sends a signal affecting operation of the fitting.

18 . The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of claim 9 , wherein the hose sensor determines whether the wand hose has been retracted into the spout.

19 . The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of claim 18 , wherein, when the hose sensor determines that the wand hose has been retracted into the spout, the hose sensor sends a signal affecting operation of the fitting.

20 . The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of claim 9 , wherein the hose sensor is directed toward the wand hose inside the spout.

21 . The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of claim 9 , further including:

a fitting sensor, the fitting sensor being located inside the spout of the housing, the fitting sensor being operable to send a signal when the fitting sensor is triggered; and

a control for the fitting sensor, the control being operable to receive the signal from the fitting sensor when the fitting sensor is triggered and, in response, send a signal to the electronic valve to activate the electronic valve;

wherein the hose sensor is mounted beneath the fitting sensor.

22 . The electronic plumbing fixture fitting of claim 21 , wherein the fitting sensor is one of a toggle sensor and a presence sensor.