Sensor device for use with a flush valve

A sensor device includes a mounting frame having open front and rear ends, and right and left inner side walls opposite to each other in a longitudinal direction and extending between the front and rear ends so as to define a passage. The mounting frame is adapted to be mounted such that the body of a user of the sanitary apparatus will be sighted by the passage. A sensor body is inserted into the passage, and has a front side proximate to the front end to emit and receive a light signal, and right and left lateral walls that face respectively and spacedly the right and left inner side walls. A pair. of pivotally mounting members are respectively disposed between the right lateral and inner side walls, and between the left lateral and inner side walls such that the pivotally mounting members effect pivotal mountings which are pivotable between angular positions about an axis parallel to the longitudinal direction. A retaining member is disposed between the sensor body and the mounting frame to frictionally retain the sensor body in a selected one of the angular positions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
 1. Field of the Invention
 This invention relates to a sensor device, more particularly to a sensor
 device for use with a flush valve which controls outflow of the water to a
 sanitary apparatus.
 2. Description of the Related Art
 Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional sensor device (1a) is shown to be
 mounted on a sanitary apparatus, such as a urinal 2, to actuate a solenoid
 valve (1b) of a flush valve 1 for controlling outflow of the water to the
 urinal 2. Since the sensor device (1a) is secured on the urinal 2, the
 angular position of the light emitted from the sensor device (1a) is
 fixed. As such, the conventional sensor device (1a) is not suitable for
 mounting on other kinds of the sanitary apparatus.
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
 The object of the present invention is to provide a sensor device which
 permits ease of adjustment of the angular position of the emitted light so
 as to be suitable for mounting on any kind of the sanitary apparatus.
 According to this invention, the sensor device includes a mounting frame
 having open front and rear ends opposite to each other in a transverse
 direction, and right and left inner side walls spaced apart from each
 other in a first longitudinal direction and extending in the transverse
 direction between the first front and rear ends so as to define a passage.
 The mounting frame is adapted to be mounted such that the body of a user
 of the sanitary apparatus will be sighted by the passage. A sensor body
 has a front side to emit and receive a light signal, and right and left
 lateral walls disposed opposite to each other in a second longitudinal
 direction. The sensor body is disposed to be insertable into the passage
 such that the front side is proximate to the open front end and faces
 towards the transverse direction, and such that the right and left lateral
 walls face respectively and spacedly the right and left inner side walls
 with the first and second longitudinal directions aligned with each other.
 A pair of pivotally mounting members are respectively disposed between the
 right lateral and inner side walls, and between the left lateral and inner
 side walls. When the sensor body is inserted into the passage, the
 pivotally mounting members effect pivotal mountings therebetween, which
 are pivotable between angular positions about an axis parallel to the
 first longitudinal direction, and which are detachable in the transverse
 direction. A retaining member is disposed between the sensor body and the
 mounting frame to frictionally retain the sensor body in a selected one of
 the angular positions

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
 As shown in FIG. 6, the preferred embodiment of the sensor device according
 to the present invention is shown to be mounted on a sanitary apparatus
 100, such as a urinal. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the sensor device is
 shown to comprise a mounting frame 10 and a sensor body.
 The mounting frame 10 has an open front end which is provided with a
 transparent plate 11, and an open rear end which is disposed opposite to
 the front end in a transverse direction, and includes a circumferential
 wall 13 which is disposed between the front and rear ends. The
 circumferential wall 13 is provided with right and left inner side walls
 19 spaced apart from each other in a first longitudinal direction so as to
 define a passage 12. The passage 12 is mounted such that the body of a
 user of the sanitary apparatus 100 will be sighted by the passage 12. Two
 engaging notches 16 are formed respectively in the right and left inner
 side walls 19, and are aligned with each other in the first longitudinal
 direction. The transparent plate 11 has a front flange 111 extending
 outwardly of the circumferential wall 13 to form a front shoulder 112. A
 rear flange 14 is disposed to extend radially and outwardly of the
 circumferential wall 13 proximate to the rear end to form a rear shoulder
 142. The mounting frame 10 further includes right and left frame walls 17
 which extend respectively and rearwardly of the right and left inner side
 walls 19. Two sets of grooves 18 are formed in the right and left frame
 walls 17, and are aligned with each other in the first longitudinal
 direction. The grooves 18 of each set are arranged in a direction
 transverse to both the transverse and first longitudinal directions so as
 to confine a plurality of angular positions.
 The sensor body is received in the passage 12, and includes a sensor casing
 20 and a sensor unit. The sensor casing 20 includes a front casing portion
 21 and a rear casing portion 23. The front casing portion 21 is provided
 with right and left lateral walls 213 which are disposed opposite to each
 other in a second longitudinal direction. The rear casing portion 23 is
 provided with right and left rear walls 231 which extend respectively and
 rearwardly of the right and left lateral walls 213 and which are disposed
 opposite to each other in the second longitudinal direction such that the
 right and left lateral walls 213 face respectively and spacedly the right
 and left inner side walls 19, and such that the right and left rear walls
 231 face respectively and spacedly the right and left frame walls 17 with
 the first and second longitudinal directions aligned with each other. Two
 pins 22 extend respectively and outwardly of the right and left lateral
 walls 213, and are disposed opposite to each other in the second
 longitudinal direction to be inserted rotatably into the engaging notches
 16 about an axis parallel to the first longitudinal direction, and to be
 disposed detachably from the engaging notches 16 in the transverse
 direction. Two protrusions 24 are disposed respectively on the right and
 left rear walls 231 to engage respectively selected ones of the grooves 18
 so as to retain frictionally the sensor casing 20 in a selected one of the
 angular positions. Two circular holes 211 and a rectangular hole 212 are
 formed in the sensor casing 20 for receiving securely a light emitting
 unit 30, a light receiving unit 40, and a sensor indicating unit 50 of the
 sensor unit, respectively. The sensor unit has a front side which is
 proximate to the open front end of the mounting frame 10 and which faces
 towards the transverse direction to emit and receive a light signal.
 Two elastomeric friction rings 141,15 surround the circumferential wall 13.
 As such, when the sensor device is mounted on a casing wall 110 of a
 sanitary apparatus 100 and is inserted into an opening 111 of the casing
 wall 110, the friction ring 141 is retained in the opening 111, and the
 front shoulder 112 and the friction ring 15 abut respectively against an
 outer side 113 and an inner side 114 of the wall 110 for preventing from
 removal of the sensor device from the sanitary apparatus 100 in the
 transverse direction.
 As such, referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, with the pivotal mountings between the
 engaging notches 16 and the pins 22, the sensor casing 20 can be rotated
 downwardly to orient the light emitted from the light emitting unit 30
 downward, and is retained at an upper one of the angular positions.
 Similarly, the sensor casing 20 can be rotated upwardly to orient the
 light upward, and is retained at a lower one of the angular positions.
 Accordingly, the sensor device of this invention can be mounted on any
 kind of the sanitary apparatus, such as the urinal and a faucet 100' (as
 shown in FIG. 7), and permits ease of adjustment of the angular position
 of the sensor body relative to the mounting frame 10.
 While the present invention has been described in connection with what is
 considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood
 that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is
 intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and
 scope of the broadest interpretations and equivalent arrangements.