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:
Dec. 24, 2013
Filed:
Dec. 11, 2008
Robert W Rodenbeck, Indianapolis, IN (US);
David M Burke, Taylor, MI (US);
Joel D Sawaski, Indianapolis, IN (US);
Robert W Rodenbeck, Indianapolis, IN (US);
David M Burke, Taylor, MI (US);
Joel D Sawaski, Indianapolis, IN (US);
Masco Corporation of Indiana, Indianapolis, IN (US);
Abstract
A faucet () includes a spout (), a passageway that conducts fluid flow through the spout (), a electrically operable valve () located within the passageway, a manual valve () located within the passageway in series with the electrically operable valve, and a manual handle () that controls the manual valve (). The faucet () also includes a first touch sensor () on the manual valve handle (), a second touch sensor () on the spout (), a capacitive sensor () directly coupled to one of the first and second touch sensors () and capacitively coupled to the other of the first and second touch sensors (), and a controller () coupled to the capacitive sensor (). The controller () is configured to monitor the output signal from the capacitive sensor () and to distinguish between a user tapping one of the spout () and the manual valve handle (), a user grabbing the spout (), and a user grabbing the manual valve handle (). The controller () is also coupled to the electrically operable valve () to control the electrically operable valve () is response to the output signal from the capacitive sensor ().