The present invention relates generally to a fluid delivery apparatus and, more particularly, to a power source for the user interface of a hand-held fluid delivery apparatus.
According to an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, a hand-held fluid delivery apparatus includes a housing, a sprayhead coupled to the housing, and an energy harvesting device supported by the housing.
According to a further illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, a hand-held fluid delivery apparatus includes a housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, and a user interface coupled to the housing. The user interface includes a user input member, an energy harvesting device operably coupled to the user input member, and a transmitter electrically coupled to the energy harvesting device. The energy harvesting device is configured to convert mechanical energy from the user input member to electrical energy supplied to the transmitter.
According to a further illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, a fluid delivery apparatus includes a fluid control device, and a user interface including an energy autonomous switch, a transmitter electrically coupled to the energy autonomous switch and configured to emit a signal to the fluid control device. The energy autonomous switch is configured to convert mechanical energy to electrical energy supplied to the transmitter.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiment exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.
The detailed description of the drawings particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:
The embodiments of the invention described herein are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to precise forms disclosed. Rather, the embodiment selected for description have been chosen to enable one skilled in the art to practice the invention. Although the disclosure is described in connection with water, it should be understood that additional types of fluids may be used.
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First and second knobs or handles 30 and 32 are illustratively coupled to controller 22 through communication lines 31 and 33, respectively, for controlling operation of valves 18 and 20. More particularly, rotary position sensors or encoders (not shown) may be operably coupled to handles 30 and 32 for generating signals for transmission through communication lines 31 and 33. Additional details of illustrative handles 30 and 32 are provided in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/558,188, filed Nov. 9, 2006, entitled “DUAL FUNCTION HANDLES FOR A FAUCET ASSEMBLY,” which is expressly incorporated by reference herein. An optional electronic user interface, such as keypad 34, may also be in communication with controller 22.
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Further details of an illustrative embodiment fluid delivery apparatus 12 are shown in
As illustrated in
Interface device 58 illustratively includes a plurality of energy harvesting devices 48 in the form of energy autonomous switches 72 and 74, each including an associated electro-dynamic energy transducer 76. Interface device 58 further illustratively includes transmitter 50 associated with switches 72 and 74. Switches 72a, 72b are associated with buttons 64a, 64b, while switches 74a, 74b are associated with buttons 66a, 66b, respectively. More particularly, depressing button 64a, 64b, 66a, 66b activates the transducer 76 associated with switch 72a, 72b, 74a, 74b, respectively, thereby causing transmitter 50 to transmit a radio frequency (RF) signal 78 to an RF receiver (not shown) of controller 22. The transmitter 50 emitting RF signal 78 is powered by transducer 76 when button 64a, 64b, 66a, 66b is depressed. More particularly, transducer 76 converts the mechanical energy of depressing button 64a, 64b, 66a, 66b to electrical energy powering transmitter 50.
Interface device 58, including energy harvesting devices 48 and transmitter 50, may illustratively comprise pushbutton transmitter Module PTM 200, available from EnOcean GmbH of Oberhaching, Germany. Additional details of an illustrative energy harvesting device 48 are provided in U.S. Pat. No. 7,019,241, which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
During operation of the illustrated fluid delivery system 10, interface device 58 does not require a battery or external power source. Interface device 58 controls water flow and temperature through operation of valves 18 and 20 by controller 22.
In the illustrative embodiment, buttons 64a and 64b are depressed to transmit RF signals 78 to controller 22 for operating valves 18 and 20 to increase and decrease flow rate, respectively. Similarly, buttons 66a and 66b are illustratively depressed to transmit RF signals 78 to controller 22 for operating valves 18 and 20 to increase and decrease fluid temperature, respectively. As detailed above, the power source for interface device 58 is the mechanical act of depressing buttons 64 and 66. Therefore, fluid delivery system 10 does not require a battery or an external power source. Fluid delivery system 10 further eliminates maintenance required to service batteries and problems associated with sealing a battery from moisture. In fact, since no batteries are required within fluid delivery apparatus 12, the entire assembly (including face plate 54 and couplers 60 and 62) could be factory sealed in a conventional manner, for example through glue, solvent bonding, or sonic welding. Such sealing reduces or eliminates the possibility of moisture entering the assembly and adversely affecting the electronics secured therein.
With reference now to
Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments, variations and modifications exist within the spirit and scope of the invention as described and defined in the following claims.