US 12,252,873 B2
Touchless faucet
Sanith Kurumpilavu Subramanian, Bangalore (IN); Raja Mandava, Bangalore (IN); and Vishwanand Vishwannathan, Bangalore (IN)
Assigned to B/E AEROSPACE, INC., Winston Salem, NC (US)
Filed by B/E AEROSPACE, INC., Winston Salem, NC (US)
Filed on Jun. 6, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/833,716.
Claims priority of application No. 202141039811 (IN), filed on Sep. 2, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0062387 A1, Mar. 2, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. E03C 1/05 (2006.01); B64D 11/02 (2006.01); E03C 1/02 (2006.01); E03C 1/04 (2006.01); E03C 1/048 (2006.01)
CPC E03C 1/057 (2013.01) [B64D 11/02 (2013.01); E03C 1/0404 (2013.01); E03C 1/048 (2013.01); E03C 2001/026 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A touchless faucet, comprising:
a faucet housing defining an inlet;
a main fluid chamber defined by the faucet housing;
a solenoid valve assembly located in a solenoid chamber, wherein the solenoid chamber is located in a first portion of the faucet housing;
a primary outlet formed in the first portion of the faucet housing, wherein the solenoid valve assembly is configured to control a flow of fluid to the primary outlet;
a manual actuation assembly located in a second portion of the faucet housing and further comprising:
a plunger biased toward a front end of the touchless faucet, and
a damper assembly operably coupled to the plunger; and
a secondary outlet formed in the second portion of the faucet housing, wherein the manual actuation assembly is configured to control the flow of fluid to the secondary outlet.
 
11. A touchless faucet, comprising:
a faucet housing;
a solenoid valve assembly located in the faucet housing;
a primary outlet formed in a first portion of the faucet housing, wherein the solenoid valve assembly is configured to control a flow of fluid to the primary outlet;
a primary valve channel fluidly connected to the primary outlet;
a manual actuation assembly located in the faucet housing;
a secondary outlet formed in a second portion of the faucet housing, wherein the manual actuation assembly is configured to control the flow of fluid to the secondary outlet;
a secondary valve channel fluidly connected to the secondary outlet;
a main outlet channel downstream of the primary valve channel and the secondary valve channel;
a primary knob valve located between the primary outlet and the main outlet channel; and
a secondary knob valve located between the secondary outlet and the main outlet channel.
 
14. A touchless faucet for an aircraft lavatory, the touchless faucet comprising:
a faucet housing;
an electrically controlled valve assembly located in the faucet housing, the electrically controlled valve assembly being configured to control a flow of fluid to a primary outlet of the faucet housing;
a manual actuation assembly located in the faucet housing, the manual actuation assembly being configured to control the flow of fluid to a secondary outlet of the faucet housing; and
a clamping coupler coupled to an inlet of the faucet housing, the clamping coupler comprising:
a central body having a plurality of flanges;
a conduit located within the central body, wherein a distance between the conduit and flanges increases toward a terminal end of the flanges; and
a nut configured to form a threaded engagement with the plurality of flanges, wherein translation of the nut toward the terminal end of the plurality of flanges forces the plurality of flanges radially inward and toward the conduit.