Patent ID: 8572772
Filing Date: 2013-11-05
Classification: E03C

Abstract:
1. A touchless water temperature and flow control faucet adapted for use with external sources of hot and cold water, the faucet comprising: a faucet stem pivotally attached to a mounting base such that said stem has freedom of pivotal motion through an arc of stem movement with respect to the mounting base; a water supply conduit extending through the stem and adapted for connection, in use, to external sources of hot and cold water; a spout head comprising at least a partial sphere that is graspable by the palm of a hand wrapped over the head with fingers to the rear, having a bottom face with at least two selectable water outlets and carrying said water supply conduit joined at a water supply conduit connector at the rear face of the spout head and arranged for delivering water through a selected one of said water outlets, wherein said spout head is alternatively engagable with the stem wherein the stem supports the spout head for pivotal motion through said arc of stem movement and is removable from the stem for hand held use; outlet selection means for variably selecting one of the water outlets to deliver water from said water supply conduit; mixing means for variably mixing hot and cold water in the water supply conduit to adjust temperature; flow rate adjusting means for varying water flow rate in said water supply conduit; flow on-off selecting means for variably switching water flow “on” or “off” in the water supply conduit; an electronic controller adapted to receive signals respectively indicative of a flow pattern selection, a water temperature, a flow rate, and an on-off flow selection, and in response, to control said outlet selection means, mixing means, flow adjusting means, and flow on-off selecting means; a touchless and manual control user interface adapted, in use, to receive touchless or manual control instructions from a user and to send a corresponding signal to said electronic controller, wherein the touchless or manual control instructions vary parameters of delivered water selected from flow pattern, temperature, flow rate, on-off selection, and combinations thereof; wherein, said user control interface is adapted to receive touchless instructions by voice activation based upon voice recognition of commands by a user; wherein, said spout head carries said touchless and manual control user interface and a connection to said electronic controller, wherein a first manual control is located on the rear face of the spout head, laterally juxtaposed to said water supply connection at approximately a typical placement of a user's forefinger at the rear face of the spout head with the palm of the user's hand wrapped over the spout head to directly pull the spout head from the stem; and said water supply conduit connector extends from the rear face of said spout head and defines a tapered neck juxtaposed to the spout head.