Hybrid faucet assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12486652-B2
Application number	US-202218282262-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 25, 2022
Priority date	Mar 26, 2021
Publication date	Dec 2, 2025
Grant date	Dec 2, 2025

Abstract

A hybrid faucet assembly configured to operate in a touchless, hands-free automatic mode and a manual mode comprises a faucet body; a faucet spout; a first manual flow control valve connected to a cold water source; a second manual flow control valve connected to a hot water source; an electromechanical valve connected to a cold water source or to both a cold water source and a hot water source; a controller; and an activator device. The hybrid faucet assembly may comprise an override mechanism to disable an automatic mode during operation of a manual mode.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A faucet assembly comprising
a faucet body; a faucet spout; a first manual flow control valve; a second manual flow control valve; an electromechanical valve; a manifold; a controller; and an activator device, wherein the first manual flow control valve is configured to be fluidly connected to a cold water source and to deliver cold water to the faucet spout, the second manual flow control valve is configured to be fluidly connected to a hot water source and to deliver hot water to the faucet spout, the electromechanical valve is configured to be fluidly connected to the cold water source, the electromechanical valve, the controller, and the activator device are configured to be in electrical communication, the manifold comprises a first flow inlet fluidly connected to the first manual flow control valve, a second flow inlet fluidly connected to the second manual flow control valve, and a third flow inlet fluidly connected to the electromechanical valve and to the cold water source, the manifold is fluidly connected to a flow outlet, and the controller is configured to receive a signal from the activator device indicating it has been activated, and to send a signal to the electromechanical valve to open to deliver cold water to the faucet spout.

2 . The faucet assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the faucet assembly is configured to be independently operated in a manual mode via operation of the first and/or second manual flow control valves, and to be independently operated in an automatic mode via operation of the electromechanical valve.

3 . The faucet assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the automatic mode is disabled upon operation of the first and/or second manual flow control valves.

4 . The faucet assembly according to claim 3 , comprising an override assembly associated with the first and/or second manual flow control valves,
wherein the override assembly is in electrical communication with the controller, upon operation of the first and/or second manual flow control valves, the override assembly is configured to communicate the manual valve operation to the controller, and the controller is configured to disable the electromechanical valve and/or the activator device upon receiving the communication from the override assembly, or the override assembly is in electrical communication with the electromechanical valve and/or with the activator device, and upon operation of the first and/or second manual flow control valves, the override assembly is configured to disable the electromechanical valve and/or the activator device.

5 . The faucet assembly according to claim 4 , wherein
the override assembly comprises a flow sensor in electrical communication with the controller, upon operation of the first and/or second manual flow control valves, the flow sensor is configured to detect water flow from the first and/or second manual flow control valves, and to communicate the water flow to the controller, and the controller is configured to disable the electromechanical valve upon receiving the communication from the flow sensor.

6 . The faucet assembly according to claim 4 , wherein
the override assembly comprises an electric switch in electrical communication with the controller, upon operation of the first and/or second manual flow control valves, the electric switch is configured to detect movement of a faucet handle associated with the first and second manual flow control valves, and to communicate the faucet handle movement to the controller, and the controller is configured to disable the electromechanical valve upon receiving the communication from the switch.

7 . The faucet assembly according to claim 4 , wherein
the override assembly comprises an electric switch in electrical communication with the electromechanical valve and/or the activator device, upon operation of the first and/or second manual flow control valves, the electric switch is configured to break a circuit, and the electromechanical valve and/or the activator are disabled upon breaking the circuit.

8 . The faucet assembly according to claim 2 , comprising a temperature control assembly comprising the electromechanical valve and a temperature adjuster, wherein
the electromechanical valve is configured to be fluidly connected to the cold water source and to the hot water source, the electromechanical valve is configured to deliver a hot/cold water mixture to the faucet spout, and the temperature adjuster is configured to adjust a ratio of hot water and cold water in the hot/cold water mixture.

9 . The faucet assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the temperature adjuster is configured to be set manually.

10 . The faucet assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the temperature adjuster comprises an off position, and wherein when the temperature adjuster is in the off position, the automatic mode is disabled.

11 . The faucet assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the temperature adjuster comprises a lever, a rotatable dial, or a rotatable knob.

12 . The faucet assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the temperature adjuster comprises a rotatable lever.

13 . The faucet assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the manifold comprises a fourth flow inlet fluidly connected to the electromechanical valve and to the hot water source.

14 . The faucet assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the faucet assembly is configured to be positioned on a deck, and the manifold is configured to be positioned above the deck.

15 . The faucet assembly according to claim 14 , wherein the electromechanical valve is fluidly coupled to the manifold through the deck.

16 . The faucet assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the activator device is positioned on or in the faucet body.

17 . The faucet assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the activator device is configured to be in wired or wireless electronic communication with the controller.

18 . The faucet assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to be in wired or wireless electronic communication with the electromechanical valve.

19 . The faucet assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the activator device comprises one or more of a motion sensor, a presence sensor, or a microphone.

20 . The faucet assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the activator device comprises one or more of an infrared sensor, a capacitive sensor, an optical sensor, or a thermal detection sensor.

Assignees

• As America Inc

Inventors

• Pitsch Walter
• Ye Xiaojing
• Zhang Weijian

Classifications

• F16K19/006

  Specially adapted for faucets · CPC title

• E03C1/04

  Water-basin installations specially adapted to wash-basins or baths (valves, faucets, mixing valves, taps F16K) · CPC title

• E03C1/057 Primary

  touchless, i.e. using sensors · CPC title