Patent ID: 7104519
Filing Date: 2006-09-12
Classification: E03C

Abstract:
1. A touch-free adapter apparatus for retrofitting a sink with a conventional touch-activated faucet, comprising: a sensor unit: and a controller unit, wherein said sensor unit is attached to said sink to detect the proximity of a user's hands and when said hands are detected said sensor unit sends a signal to said controller unit to activate the flow of water though the faucet, wherein said sensor unit comprises: a first infrared (IR) LED that is oriented to point up relative to the horizontal: a second IR LED that is oriented to point down relative to the horizontal: and a photo detector element, wherein a wide vertical range of detection results spanning from below said sensor unit up to an upper limit located below a spout of said faucet, thereby preventing activation by a hand placed too close to said spout while allowing for wide range of detection and preventing specular reflection from an edge of said sink, and wherein said sensor unit comprises: a transmitter window located in front of said first and second IR LEDs that is transparent to IR light but is opaque to ambient light: a receiver window located in front of said photo detector element that is transparent to IR light but opaque to ambient light: an internal barrier for preventing the transmission of light directly from said first and second IR LEDs to said photo detector element: and a sensor unit housing molded with one or more slightly protruding barriers or ridges that serve to separate said transmitter window from said receiver window for preventing splashed water droplets from forming a light conducting bridge from said first or second IR LEDs to said photo detector element.