Hospital ozone faucet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10501356-B2
Application number	US-201715790550-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 23, 2017
Priority date	Nov 21, 2016
Publication date	Dec 10, 2019
Grant date	Dec 10, 2019

Abstract

A hospital faucet assembly is provided that includes an outlet adapted to direct a flow water stream into a sink. An ozone chamber is provided having a water inlet and a water outlet. A flow control valve is connected to the water inlet, and the water outlet is connected to the faucet armature. A sensor is provided which is adapted to control the flow control valve. An ozone generator is located within the chamber, and when a user activates the sensor, the valve opens allowing more water to enter the chamber and then travel out through the water outlet of the ozone chamber to the faucet armature which dispenses the water flow into the sink. A controller is provided and is connected to the control valve and the sensor. The controller is configured to run an automatic cycle on an occasional basis to flush the sink with ozone-rich water in order flush and/or disinfect water located in a trap of the sink drain, or provide other disinfecting functions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A faucet assembly, comprising:
an armature that is adapted to be connected to a sink or a counter top, the armature includes an outlet adapted to discharge a water flow into the sink;
an ozone chamber defined by a housing having a top and a bottom, and a water inlet and a water outlet connected to the ozone chamber;
a flow control valve connected to the water inlet;
a fluid conveying connection between the water outlet and the armature;
a sensor that is adapted to detect a user's presence;
an ozone generator located within the ozone chamber; and
a controller configured to receive signals from the sensor and operate the flow control valve and the ozone generator, the controller being configured to run a disinfection cycle at least on an occasional basis in which the ozone generator is activated, and after a pre-determined time period, the controller opens the flow control valve to flush a sink drain line with ozone-rich water.

2. The faucet assembly of claim 1 , wherein the ozone-rich water is adapted to disinfect water located in a trap of the sink drain line.

3. The faucet assembly of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to activate the ozone generator when the sensor is activated by a user to wash a user's hands and to open the flow control valve.

4. The faucet assembly of claim 3 , wherein the controller is further configured to provide a disinfecting hand wash mode in which, when the sensor no longer detects a user's hands due to moving away from the sensor after an initial delivery of water, the controller is adapted to turn off the flow control valve for a predetermined time period and continues to allow the ozone generator to operate such that an ozone concentration in the water within the chamber is adapted to increase to at least 0.2 ppm, and then is adapted to turn on the control valve.

5. The faucet assembly of claim 1 , wherein the chamber is cylindrical and is mountable with an axis of the chamber being vertical.

6. The faucet assembly of claim 5 , wherein the chamber has a capacity of about 0.5 liters to 0.75 liters.

7. The faucet assembly of claim 5 , wherein the ozone generator extends along the axis of the chamber.

8. The faucet assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is an IR sensor and is located on the armature.

9. The faucet assembly of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to detect a current draw of the ozone generator and adjust the pre-determined time period that the ozone generator is activated to control a concentration of ozone in the water in the chamber.

10. The faucet assembly of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to reverse a polarity of a cathode and an anode of the ozone generator on an occasional basis.

11. The faucet assembly of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to activate in a hand wash mode, in which the sensor detects a user and opens the flow control valve and, when a user moves their hands away from the sensor after an initial delivery of water, the controller is adapted to turn off the flow control valve for a predetermined time period and continues to allow the ozone generator to operate such that a first ozone concentration is reached in the water within the chamber, and then is adapted to turn on the control valve, and in the disinfection cycle, the ozone generator is activated until the water in the ozone chamber has reached a second ozone concentration, wherein the second ozone concentration is higher than the first ozone concentration.

12. The faucet assembly of claim 5 , wherein the ozone generator extends up from the bottom of the housing into the chamber.

13. A method of disinfecting a sink trap, comprising:
providing an armature that is adapted to be connected to a sink or a counter top, with the armature including an outlet, an ozone chamber defined by a housing having a top and a bottom, and a water inlet and a water outlet connected to the ozone chamber, a flow control valve connected to the water inlet, a fluid conveying connection between the water outlet and the armature, a sensor that is adapted to detect a user's presence, an ozone generator located within the ozone chamber, and a controller configured to receive signals from the sensor and operate the flow control valve and the ozone generator;
running a disinfection cycle by the controller activating the ozone generator, and
after a pre-determined time period, the controller opening the flow control valve to flush a sink drain line with ozone-rich water.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the controller opens the flow control valve for a predetermined flow time.

15. A method of providing a disinfecting hand wash, comprising:
detecting when a user is present at a sink by a sensor;
a controller receiving a signal when a user is present and opening a flow control valve for water and starting an ozone generator located in a chamber that receives the water from the flow control valve, and discharges the water into the sink;
the controller turning off the flow control valve for a predetermined time to increase an ozone concentration in the water in the chamber; and
the controller opening the flow control valve to discharge the water with the increased ozone concentration from the chamber into the sink.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising
monitoring a current draw of the ozone generator and adjusting the predetermined time based on the current draw.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
turning off the ozone generator and closing the flow control valve.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
turning on a disinfectant cycle based on a timer;
starting the ozone generator and operating the ozone generator for a predetermined time for the disinfecting cycle and increasing an ozone concentration of the water in the chamber;
opening the flow control valve for a predetermined flow time and discharging the water with the increased ozone concentration from the chamber into the sink; and
turning off the flow control and the ozone generator.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
resetting the timer.

Assignees

• Franke Technology & Trademark

Inventors

• Macey Cory

Classifications

• E03C1/126

  Installations for disinfecting or deodorising waste-water plumbing installations · CPC title

• C02F2209/44

  Time · CPC title

• E03C1/046

  Adding soap, disinfectant, or the like in the supply line {or at the water outlet}(preventing contamination of drinking-water pipes E03C1/10) · CPC title

• C02F1/78 Primary

  with ozone {(C02F1/4672 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• E03C1/057

  touchless, i.e. using sensors · CPC title