GB2372941A

GB2372941A - Automatic and manual tap system

Info

Publication number: GB2372941A
Application number: GB0202485A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Bruce Phili Stuart-Smith
Original assignee: ASTOR BANNERMAN
Current assignee: ASTOR BANNERMAN
Priority date: 2001-02-23
Filing date: 2002-02-04
Publication date: 2002-09-11
Also published as: GB0202485D0; GB0104511D0

Abstract

A tap system comprises a spout 5, an electronically operated valve 6 to control the flow of water from a supply source 9 to the spout 5, means to control the valve and a hand operated mechanical tap valve 8 providing a parallel flow path from the said supply 9 to the said spout 5, so that the manual and automatic control can be used independently of each other. The control means may be an infra red sensor or via control switches 7. The system may control individual hot and cold water taps of a single mixer tap system. A pop up waste system, comprises a waste aperture, plug and mechanical cranked lever system to move the plug from a plugged to unplugged position by moving knob (12, Fig 3). The plug can also be unplugged by activating a motorised motor (14, Fig 3) by remote control to move the cranked lever system.

Description

TAP SYSTEM The present invention relates to taps. More particularly it relates to taps for use by people with disabilities.

There is available at present a wide range of taps designed to be easily operated by people with disabilities. For example, there are available taps for use in a kitchen sink, in which the tap controls are mounted on the front fascia of the kitchen unit to facilitate use in a wheelchair. There are also available-both for general use and for people with special needs-various taps comprising a spout that is controlled by an infra-red or other on-off control that will operate a solenoid valve to provide a flow of water to the spout.

A disadvantage with the valve-operated taps is that there is no control of water flow available to the user. It would be possible to use a motor-controlled valve to control water flow, connected to a sensor that increased the flow in relation to the length of time the user operated the sensor. However, as well as being expensive, this would be inconvenient in day-to-day use because it would involve sacrificing instantaneous switching on of the taps. Another solution that has been used is to connect the solenoid valve in line with a conventional tap, allowing the water flow to be adjusted easily by an able-bodied person. Although this does not greatly benefit the disabled user it does at least allow more flexibility in situations, such as at home, where a disabled person may well be sharing with other users. This arrangement does have the significant disadvantage that, if an able-bodied user inadvertently switches the main tap off, the disabled user will find it impossible to switch it back on again using the sensor.

According to the present invention there is provided a basin, sink or bath tap system comprising a spout, an electrically-operated valve to control the flow of water from a supply to the spout and control means selectively to open and close the valve, characterised in that the system also includes a hand-operated mechanical tap-valve providing a parallel flow path from the said supply to the said spout.

According to an aspect of the invention the mechanical tap-valve provides a continuously-variable flow rate.

According to another aspect of the invention, the system also includes a continuously variable flow-setting device in series with the said electrically-operated valve According to another aspect of the invention the said control means comprise an infrared sensor.

According to another aspect of the invention the said control means comprise control switches on a handset.

According to another aspect of the invention the said system is one of a pair of similar systems connected respectively to hot and cold water supplies.

According to another aspect of the present invention the said pair of systems together supply a single spout so providing a mixer tap system.

According to a second embodiment of the invention there is provided a basin, sink or bath including a pop-up waste comprising a waste aperture, a plug to plug the waste aperture and mechanical means operable by a user to move the plug between a plugging and an unplugging position, characterised in that the basin, sink or bath also includes remotely operable electrically-operated means to move the plug between the plugging and unplugging positions.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows an electrically-operated tap of a known type Figure 2 shows a tap system incorporating a first embodiment of the present invention and Figure 3 shows another embodiment of the present invention.

The tap of Figure 1 comprises a spout (1), a solenoid-operated valve (2) controlled by a control sensor (3) to switch on or off the flow of water from a source (4) to the spout (1). In the example shown the spout forms part of a conventional tap, so the flow can be closed off from the spout using the tap head (18). However, once the flow is closed off in this way, operation of the solenoid valve will have no effect.

In the invention shown in Figure 2 the spout (5) is still connected to a solenoidoperated valve (6) controlled by a control sensor (7)-in this case a remote buttonoperated handset. However, the system also includes a mechanically operated tap valve (8) providing a parallel flow path for water from the source (9) to the spout (5).

In use, the tap system can be switched on and off using the handset. It can also be switched on and off-and flow rate controlled-by means of the tap (8). In this way the tap system can be used with equal ease by a disabled person and by an able-bodied person, without the danger of the able-bodied person inadvertently rendering the tap system unusable by means of the solenoid valve. The system also includes a flowsetting valve (17) in series with the solenoid valve so that the flow can be adjusted to cope, for example, with different water pressures. Although not shown in the drawing, the system may also include a second set of taps and valves, either operating through a separate spout or operating through the same spout to provide a mixer tap.

Figure 3 shows another embodiment of the invention. A pop-up waste system comprises a waste aperture (10), pluggable by a plug (11). The plug is moved from a plugging to an unplugging position by a cranked lever system (15) operable by a movable knob (12) above a basin surface (13). Pulling the knob up closes the plug, while moving it down opens the plug. The system also incorporates a back-drivable motorised actuator (14) connected between the cranked lever system (15) and the underside of the basin surface (13). The motorised actuator is operable by means of a remote button-operated handset (16). In use the plug can be moved either by means of the knob (12) or by means of the handset (16), making it convenient to use both by a disabled person and by an able-bodied person.

Claims

Claims 1. A basin, sink or bath tap system comprising a spout, an electrically-operated valve to control the flow of water from a supply to the spout and control means selectively to open and close the valve, characterised in that the system also includes a handoperated mechanical tap-valve providing a parallel flow path from the said supply to the said spout.
2. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mechanical tap-valve provides a continuously-variable flow rate.
3. A system as claimed in claim 1 or 2 also including a continuously variable flowsetting device in series with the said electrically-operated valve
4. A system as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the said control means comprise an infra-red sensor.
6. A system as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 wherein the said control means comprise control switches on a handset.
6. A system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the said system is one of a pair of similar systems connected respectively to hot and cold water supplies.
7. A system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the said pair of systems together supply a single spout so providing a mixer tap system.
8. A basin, sink or bath including a pop-up waste system comprising a waste aperture, a plug to plug the waste aperture and mechanical means operable by a user to move the plug between a plugging and an unplugging position, characterised in that the basin, sink or bath also includes remotely operable electrically-operated means to move the plug between the plugging and unplugging positions.
9. A basin, sink or bath tap system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.
10. A basin, sink or bath including a pop-up waste system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.