US 12,276,094 B2
Capacitive sensing faucet
Michael J. Veros, Carmel, IN (US); Kurt Judson Thomas, Indianapolis, IN (US); and Randy L. Schneider, II, Carmel, IN (US)
Assigned to Delta Faucet Company, Indianapolis, IN (US)
Appl. No. 17/276,007
Filed by Delta Faucet Company, Indianapolis, IN (US); Michael J. Veros, Carmel, IN (US); Kurt Judson Thomas, Indianapolis, IN (US); and Randy L. Schneider, II, Carmel, IN (US)
PCT Filed Sep. 16, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/051324
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 12, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/056420, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 19, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/731,743, filed on Sep. 14, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0042291 A1, Feb. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. E03C 1/05 (2006.01); H03K 17/96 (2006.01)
CPC E03C 1/057 (2013.01) [H03K 17/962 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A faucet comprising:
a spout at least partially formed by conductive material;
a hub supporting the spout wherein the hub is at least partially formed by conductive material;
a passageway that conducts fluid flow through the spout;
an electrically operable valve configured to regulate fluid temperature and flow through the passageway;
wherein the spout forms a first touch sensing area;
wherein the hub forms a second touch sensing area;
at least one capacitive sensor operably coupled to the first touch sensing area and the second touch sensing area, the at least one capacitive sensor providing an output signal; and
a controller operably coupled to the electrically operable valve and to the at least one capacitive sensor, the controller configured to monitor the output signal from the at least one capacitive sensor and to distinguish between a user tap of the first touch sensing area of the spout, a user tap of the second touch sensing area of the hub, a user grab of the first touch sensing area of the spout, and a user grab of the second touch sensing area of the hub; the controller configured to start a timer after detecting a tap and determine if a second tap occurs within a predefined time limit to thereby identify the occurrence of a double tap of at least one of the first touch sensing area of the spout and the second touch sensing area of the hub; and the controller configured to control the electrically operable valve and thereby regulate fluid temperature and flow through the passageway in response to the output signal from the at least one capacitive sensor in accordance with a protocol that distinguishes between user taps of the first touch sensing area of the spout, user taps of the second touch sensing area of the hub, user grabs of the first touch sensing area of the spout and user grabs of the second touch sensing area of the hub.