US 12,031,308 B2
Faucet apparatus
Masaya Fujimoto, Kitakyushu (JP); and Toshiyuki Murahashi, Kitakyushu (JP)
Assigned to Toto Ltd., Fukuoka (JP)
Filed by TOTO LTD., Kitakyushu (JP)
Filed on Mar. 3, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/685,482.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-035257 (JP), filed on Mar. 5, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0282464 A1, Sep. 8, 2022
Int. Cl. E03C 1/05 (2006.01); E03C 1/08 (2006.01)
CPC E03C 1/055 (2013.01) [E03C 1/08 (2013.01)] 4 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A faucet apparatus for spouting supplied tap water into a water receiver, the faucet apparatus comprising:
a tap-water spout causing the tap water to be spouted;
a function-water spout causing function water having a higher bacteria removing effect than the supplied tap water to be spouted;
a first solenoid valve switching between an opened state and a closed state of a supply flow path of the tap water to the tap-water spout;
a second solenoid valve switching between an opened state and a closed state of a supply flow path of the function water to the function-water spout;
a controller controlling the first solenoid valve and the second solenoid valve;
a detection sensor detecting an object; and
a switch accepting an operation instruction by a user;
wherein the function-water spout is formed to spout the function water into a detection range of the detection sensor;
the controller comprises:
a first spouting mode, which is started when it is judged that the detection sensor has detected an object under a condition wherein both the first solenoid valve and the second solenoid valve have been in the closed states thereof, causing the first solenoid valve to be in the opened state and causing the tap water to be spouted from the tap-water spout until it is judged that the detection sensor has not detected an object; and
a second spouting mode, which is started when it is judged that the detection sensor has not detected an object and that the switch has accepted the operation instruction under a condition wherein both the first solenoid valve and the second solenoid valve have been in the closed states thereof, causing the second solenoid valve to be in the opened state and causing the function water to be spouted from the function-water spout for a first predetermined time; and
while the second spouting mode is executed after the second spouting mode has been started and thus the second solenoid valve is in the opened state to cause the function water to be spouted from the function-water spout, even if it is judged that the detection sensor has detected an object, the controller is configured to keep the first solenoid valve in the closed state and to leave the second solenoid valve in the opened state.