The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 17, 1995
Filed:
Mar. 26, 1994
Abir Mullick, Buffalo, NY (US);
Michael Osadciw, Rochester, NY (US);
Michael F LaMonica, Brentwood, NY (US);
Matthew C Guthrie, Penfield, NY (US);
The Research Foundation of State University of New York, Albany, NY (US);
Abstract
The invention involves the use in a drinking fountain of a large control bar which is pressed by the user to operate a water flow control mechanism. The control bar is located at the front of the fountain. The control bar covers the entirety of the front of the fountain, providing the user clear access to the control bar without obstruction by any other part of the fountain when the fountain is approached at its front. The control bar operates a valve which controls water flow. The embodiment of the control bar and associated mechanisms for controlling the valve may be entirely mechanical, entirely electrical, or a combination of the two. The control bar may additionally be provided with a surface which is sensuously differentiable from the rest of the fountain. An additional feature may be a pair of handles, located to the rear of the basin and along opposite sides of the fountain, which allows a user to pull his body toward the fountain so that his chest presses against the control bar as he leans in toward the basin. Each and all of these features may be embodied in either a wall mounted or a free standing drinking fountain.