Global Patent Index - EP 2076635 A1

EP 2076635 A1 20090708 - METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING THE USE OF URINALS AND FOR INITIATING AUTOMATIC FLUSHING

Title (en)

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING THE USE OF URINALS AND FOR INITIATING AUTOMATIC FLUSHING

Title (de)

VERFAHREN UND VORRICHTUNG ZUR ERFASSUNG DER NUTZUNG VON URINALEN UND ZUR AUSLÖSUNG EINER AUTOMATISCHEN SPÜLUNG

Title (fr)

PROCÉDÉ ET DISPOSITIF POUR DÉTECTER L'UTILISATION D'URINOIRS ET DÉCLENCHER UN RINÇAGE AUTOMATIQUE

Publication

EP 2076635 A1 20090708 (DE)

Application

EP 06776657 A 20060807

Priority

EP 2006007809 W 20060807

Abstract (en)

[origin: WO2008017314A1] The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for contactlessly initiating flushing in urinal systems with an electrically actuable water valve using a capacitive sensor which is fitted to the collecting tank or to the outflow pipe of the urinal and is electrically connected to an electronic central control and evaluation unit (microcontroller) which opens the valve and initiates flushing when the sensor ascertains that the urinal is used as intended on the basis of the capacitance of the sensor, which changes when a liquid is introduced under the influence of the dielectric influences of the liquid which are changed thereby, and the sensor thus emits a sensor signal to the control and evaluation unit. After each urinal flushing operation, either the sensor value of the sensor signal or the switching threshold is recalibrated after a selectable period of time and is thus matched to the changed conditions of the urinal which prevail after the flushing operation.

IPC 8 full level

E03D 13/00 (2006.01); E03C 1/05 (2006.01); E03D 5/10 (2006.01)

CPC (source: EP)

E03D 5/10 (2013.01)

Citation (search report)

See references of WO 2008017314A1

Designated contracting state (EPC)

AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR

Designated extension state (EPC)

AL BA HR MK RS

DOCDB simple family (publication)

WO 2008017314 A1 20080214; AT E453765 T1 20100115; DE 502006005815 D1 20100211; EP 2076635 A1 20090708; EP 2076635 B1 20091230

DOCDB simple family (application)

EP 2006007809 W 20060807; AT 06776657 T 20060807; DE 502006005815 T 20060807; EP 06776657 A 20060807