Electronic showerhead device
An electronic showerhead device for automatically controlling water flow includes a showerhead body, a presence detector located within the showerhead body, a first water channel providing a primary water stream exiting the showerhead body, and a second water channel providing a secondary water stream exiting the showerhead body. Turning on a main water valve turns on the second water channel, while the first water channel remains off. Interruption of the presence interrogation beam area by a person or an object turns on the first water channel.
1. An electronic showerhead device for automatically controlling water flow comprising:
a showerhead body configured to be connected to a main water channel via a main water valve;
a presence detector located within the showerhead body;
a first water channel providing a primary water stream exiting the showerhead body;
a second water channel providing a secondary water stream exiting the showerhead body;
wherein both the first water channel and the second water channel are connected to the main water channel;
wherein turning on the main water valve turns on only the secondary water stream, while the primary water stream remains off; and
wherein subsequent interruption of a presence interrogation beam area by a person or an object turns on the primary water stream, while the secondary water stream remains on.
2. The electronic showerhead device of claim 1 , further comprising an electronically controlled valve and wherein the electronically controlled valve is in-line with the first water channel and is activated by the presence detector.
3. The electronic showerhead device of claim 2 , wherein the electronically controlled valve comprises an electromagnetic “latching” solenoid.
4. The electronic showerhead device of claim 2 , further comprising a temperature sensor that is configured to measure a temperature of a water stream exiting the showerhead and further to control the electronically controlled valve.
5. The electronic showerhead device of claim 4 , wherein the presence detector, the temperature sensor, and a micro-controller unit are assembled onto a printed circuit board (PCB) and the PCB is located in the bottom surface of the showerhead body and is covered by a sensor lens.
6. The electronic showerhead device of claim 1 , wherein the showerhead body comprises a spray nozzle located in a first area of the bottom surface of the showerhead body and wherein the presence detector is located in a second area of the bottom surface of the showerhead body and wherein the second area does not intersect with the first area.
7. The electronic showerhead device of claim 1 , wherein the presence detector comprises an Infrared (IR) sensor that emits a conically shaped IR presence interrogation beam.
8. The electronic showerhead device of claim 7 , wherein the conically shaped IR presence interrogation beam comprises a cone angle in the range of 10 degrees to 45 degrees.
9. The electronic showerhead device of claim 1 , further comprising an inline generator and an energy storage system.
10. The electronic showerhead device of claim 9 , wherein the inline generator comprises a turbine system.
11. A method for automatically controlling water flow in an electronic showerhead device comprising:
providing a showerhead body configured to be connected to a main water channel via a main water valve and wherein a presence detector is located within the showerhead body;
providing a first water channel providing a primary water stream exiting the showerhead body;
providing a second water channel providing a secondary water stream exiting the showerhead body, wherein both the first water channel and the second water channel are connected to the main water channel;
turning on the main water valve turns on the second water channel, while the first water channel remains off; and
subsequently interrupting a presence interrogation beam area by a person or an object turns on the first water channel, while the second water channel remains on.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising providing an electronically controlled valve and wherein the electronically controlled valve is in-line with the first water channel and is activated by the presence detector.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the electronically controlled valve comprises an electromagnetic “latching” solenoid.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the showerhead body comprises a spray nozzle located in a first area of the bottom surface of the showerhead body and wherein the presence detector is located in a second area of the bottom surface of the showerhead body and wherein the second area does not intersect with the first area.
15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising providing a temperature sensor that is configured to measure a temperature of a water stream exiting the showerhead body and further to control the electronically controlled valve.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the presence detector, the temperature sensor, and a micro-controller unit are assembled onto a printed circuit board (PCB) and the PCB is located in the bottom surface of the showerhead body and is covered by a sensor lens.
17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the presence detector comprises an Infrared (IR) sensor that emits a conically shaped IR presence interrogation beam.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the conically shaped IR presence interrogation beam comprises a cone angle in the range of 10 degrees to 45 degrees.
19. The method of claim 11 , further comprising providing an inline generator and an energy storage system.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the inline generator comprises a turbine system.