Patent ID: 6619320
Filing Date: 2003-09-16
Classification: E03C,Y10T

Abstract:
An electronic faucet comprisinga housing adapted to seat against a support surface and defining an internal barrel having a bottom wall, a sidewall and an open top; at least one fluid inlet extending through the bottom wall into the barrel; a fluid outlet in the sidewall of the barrel; a valve cartridge seated in said barrel through the open top thereof, said cartridge including a valve for controlling fluid flow between said at least on inlet line and said outlet, and a solenoid actuator for opening and closing the valve; means for releasably retaining the valve cartridge in the barrel; a faucet head removably mounted to the housing and covering the open top of the barrel, said faucet head including a wall; a proximity sensor at the faucet which produces an output signal of a selected duration and approached by a user's extremity, and a control circuit in the faucet head which responds to said signal by activating said solenoid so as to open the valve, said valve cartridge being removable from the barrel while the housing remains seated against said support surface by separating the faucet head and retaining means from the housing.