IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,569,061
Granted Patent B2
US 12,569,061 · App. 18/164,065 · Granted Mar 10, 2026

Control device and sanitary equipment

Inventors: Dewang Yao (Shanghai, CN); Feipeng Lv (Shanghai, CN)
Assignee: Kohler (China) Investment Co.
A47B67/005F21V23/04F21V33/004G01B7/16G01L5/0038F21Y2115/10G02B27/0006H05B3/845
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,569,061
App. No.
18/164,065
Granted
Mar 10, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed are a control device and a sanitary equipment. The control device comprises: a back plate and an outer plate, the outer plate is provided with a deformation control area, a circuit board is arranged between the outer plate and the back plate, a controller and a pressure sensor in communication connection with the controller are arranged on the circuit board, and the pressure sensor is arranged behind the deformation control area. The pressure sensor is arranged in the deformation control area, so that the pressure sensor detects deformation of the deformation control area, thus realizing control by pressing. Since the deformation control area is arranged on the outer plate, etching a key on other parts of the sanitary equipment may be avoided, and damage to other parts may be avoided, thus saving costs. The pressure-sensitive key is waterproof and dustproof, and has a long service life.

Claims (34)

1 . A control device, comprising:

a back plate and an outer metal plate;

a circuit board arranged between the outer metal plate and the back plate;

a controller and a pressure sensor in communication connection with the controller arranged on the circuit board; and

a thinned deformation control area formed in the outer metal plate, the thinned deformation control area being a thinned portion of the outer metal plate having a deformation capability corresponding to the pressure sensor,

wherein a hollow area is arranged in the thinned deformation control area and light can penetrate through the outer metal plate at the hollow area,

wherein the pressure sensor is arranged behind the thinned deformation control area and the hollow area, and

wherein a thickness of the thinned deformation control area is smaller than that of other areas of the outer metal plate.

2 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the back plate is a light-emitting back plate.

3 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the outer metal plate is: metal profiled plate.

4 . A sanitary equipment device, comprising:

a sanitary equipment body; and

a control device fixed on the sanitary equipment body, the control device comprising:

a back plate and an outer metal plate, wherein the outer metal plate is provided with a thinned deformation control area formed in the outer metal plate, the thinned deformation control area being a thinned portion of the outer metal plate having a deformation capability corresponding to a pressure sensor, a circuit board is arranged between the outer metal plate and the back plate, wherein a controller and the pressure sensor in communication connection with the controller are arranged on the circuit board, and the pressure sensor is arranged behind the thinned deformation control area,

wherein the control device is further configured such that a thickness of the thinned deformation control area is smaller than that of other areas of the outer metal plate,

wherein a hollow area is arranged in the thinned deformation control area and light can penetrate through the outer metal plate at the hollow area, and

wherein the pressure sensor is disposed behind the hollow area.

5 . The sanitary equipment device according to claim 4 , wherein the sanitary equipment body is at least one of: a mirror cabinet body, a toilet body, a faucet body, a bathtub body, a bathroom furniture body, a water purifier body, a bath heater body, or a heater body.

6 . The sanitary equipment device according to claim 4 , wherein the sanitary equipment body is a mirror cabinet body, the back plate of the control device is configured as a cabinet door and hinged with the mirror cabinet body, a lower area of a front side of the back plate is provided with the outer metal plate, and an upper area of the front side of the back plate is provided with a mirror.

7 . The sanitary equipment device according to claim 6 , further comprising a magnetic sensor fixedly arranged on the back plate and a microwave distance sensor, wherein the magnetic sensor is in communication connection with the controller, and the microwave distance sensor is in communication connection with the controller.

8 . The sanitary equipment device according to claim 6 , wherein the circuit board of the control device further comprises a control circuit electrically connected with a power supply module, an input end of the control circuit is in communication connection with the controller, and an output end of the controller is in communication connection with one or more mirror cabinet execution parts.

9 . The sanitary equipment device according to claim 8 , wherein the one or more mirror cabinet execution parts comprises:

a first light-emitting diode light arranged on the front side of the back plate; and

a second light-emitting diode light arranged on a back side of the back plate.

10 . The sanitary equipment device according to claim 4 , wherein the control device is further configured such that the back plate is a light-emitting back plate.

11 . The sanitary equipment device according to claim 4 , wherein the outer metal plate is metal profiled plate.

12 . A control device, comprising:

a back plate and an outer metal plate, wherein the outer metal plate is provided with a thinned deformation control area formed in the outer metal plate, the thinned deformation control area being a thinned portion of the outer metal plate;

a hollow area arranged in the thinned deformation control area;

a circuit board arranged between the outer metal plate and the back plate;

a controller and a pressure sensor in communication connection with the controller arranged on the circuit board,

wherein the pressure sensor is arranged behind the thinned deformation control area and the hollow area and is pressed by the thinned deformation control area, and

wherein light can penetrate through the outer metal plate at the hollow area.

13 . The sanitary equipment device according to claim 8 , wherein the one or more mirror cabinet execution parts comprises a resistance wire anti-fog film mounted on the mirror.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 3, 2023
From: YAO, DEWANG; LV, FEIPENG
To: KOHLER (CHINA) INVESTMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 062586/0120 →
Priority Claims (1)
CN 202220324963.7 · Feb 17, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230255348A1 · Aug 17, 2023
References Cited (12)
US 20130235607A1 · Yang · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20140230575A1 · Picciotto · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 20170303684A1 · Chen · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20180124521A1 · Giusti et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20190374049A1 · Gerig · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20200029689A1 · Yao · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20210386198A1 · Clouse · 2021 [cited by examiner]
DE 202011108064U1 · 2012 [cited by examiner]
KR 20160084752A · 2016 [cited by examiner]
Machine translation of DE 202011108064 U1 to Lauschke, Thomas, published Feb. 27, 2012 (Year: 2012). [cited by examiner]
Machine translation of Gam, KR-20160084752-A, published Jul. 14, 2016 (Year: 2016). [cited by examiner]
Search Report issued in corresponding European Application No. 23156795.9 on Jul. 10, 2023. [cited by applicant]