Induction electric eye and water feeder

Abstract

The invention discloses an induction electric eye and a water feeder, the induction electric eye comprises a mounting bracket and a circuit board, the circuit board is provided with an infrared transmitting module and an infrared receiving module, and the mounting bracket is provided with a signal transmitting hole and a signal receiving hole which are separated from each other; infrared light emitted by the infrared emission module forms an emission angle range under the light insulation effect of the peripheral hole wall of the signal emission hole, and the infrared receiving module is used for receiving the infrared light emitted by the infrared emission module and forms a receiving angle range under the light insulation effect of the peripheral hole wall of the signal receiving hole. And the transmitting angle range and the receiving angle range intersect, so that a signal transmission blind area is formed between the signal transmitting hole and the signal receiving hole. The transmitting angle range and the receiving angle range of the induction electric eye are changed, the area of a signal transmission blind area, namely a water drop interference resisting area, is increased, then the probability that signals are reflected by water drops is reduced, and generation of effective signals is guaranteed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of automatic induction water supply, in particular to an induction electric eye and a water supply device. Background Art

[0002] At present, the general induction electric eyes on the market usually use infrared sensors, and their electronic components use a combination of infrared transmitters and receivers. Among them, non-contact water supply appliances (such as faucets, urinals, squat toilets, etc.) use non-contact control methods to realize the function of automatic water on and off, and use the infrared sensing principle to control the solenoid valve to switch the valve, and control the product to switch water through the induction automatic switch valve. The principle of infrared sensing is to emit infrared light through the transmitter, and the receiver detects the infrared light that is reflected back. The reflected infrared light will change due to the approach of the object, and the infrared induction electric eye can sense the existence of the object at this time.

[0003] At present, infrared sensing type induction electric eyes mainly adopt the embedded installation method commonly used in the market. The induction electric eye is embedded in the product shell by matching the shell size of the induction electric eye with the shell installation size of the main product. Therefore, the shell panel of the induction electric eye is directly exposed to the product application environment. This application leads to the following problems in the use of the induction electric eye: (1) Water drop interference problem: In an environment where water splashing is often used, the use is limited, and water droplets are easy to adhere to the shell surface of the induction electric eye. The transmission process of the induction signal through water droplets will cause the signal strength and direction to change, thereby affecting the signal transmission process between the signal transmitter and the receiver; (2) False triggering and missed triggering problems: Due to the attachment of water droplets, the infrared induction electric eye may be missed or falsely triggered, resulting in the device not being able to be used normally, reducing the user experience; (3) Resource waste problem: In the application of automatic induction water supply equipment, the induction electric eye may be falsely triggered or missed due to water droplet interference, which may lead to water waste. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present invention aims to solve at least one of the above-mentioned technical problems in the related art to a certain extent. To this end, the present invention provides an induction electric eye.

[0005] To achieve the above object, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows:

[0006] The present invention also provides a water dispenser having the above-mentioned induction electric eye.

[0007] The induction electric eye according to the first aspect of the present invention comprises a mounting bracket and a circuit board, wherein the circuit board is embedded in the mounting bracket, the mounting bracket is made of a non-light-transmitting material, an infrared transmitting module and an infrared receiving module are arranged on the circuit board, and a signal transmitting hole and a signal receiving hole separated from each other are arranged on the mounting bracket, the signal transmitting hole corresponds to the position of the infrared transmitting module, and the signal receiving hole corresponds to the position of the infrared receiving module, the infrared light emitted by the infrared transmitting module forms an emission angle range under the light-isolating effect of the hole walls around the signal transmitting hole, and the infrared receiving module is used to receive the infrared light emitted by the infrared transmitting module and emit a signal in the signal receiving hole. A receiving angle range is formed under the light-isolating effect of the surrounding hole walls, and the emission angle range intersects with the receiving angle range to form a signal transmission blind spot between the signal emission hole and the signal receiving hole. The side wall of the signal emission hole close to the signal receiving hole is the first hole wall, and the side wall of the signal receiving hole close to the signal emission hole is the second hole wall. The distance from the first hole wall to the second hole wall is d2, and the distance from the infrared emission module to the infrared receiving module is d3. Water drops with a diameter of d can be attached between the first hole wall and the second hole wall, and there is at least one water drop that satisfies d3 / 2<d<d2, and the area range of the signal transmission blind spot can completely cover the water drops.

[0008] The induction electric eye according to the embodiment of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0009] 1. The angle range of the induction electric eye signal transmission and reception intersects to form an angle area. The angle area and the panel of the induction electric eye will form a signal transmission blind area. The signal transmission will not pass through this area directly, and it needs to be reflected and refracted to reach this area. If the attached water droplets appear in this area, the signal transmission process will not be affected. Therefore, this area is the anti-water drop interference area of ​​the induction electric eye. However, the angle range of the signal transmission and reception of the existing induction electric eye is very large, which makes the anti-water drop interference area relatively small. Usually, the volume of water droplets attached to the electric eye shell is mostly larger than the anti-water drop interference area. The infrared sensing signal will gradually weaken the sensing signal under the condition of multiple reflections from the external water source. The signal can be reflected in the water droplets within two times to form an effective signal, and the induction electric eye can work normally at this time; when the signal is reflected in the water more than three times, it cannot form an effective signal, and the induction electric eye cannot receive the effective signal at this time, resulting in the phenomenon of inability to sense. In view of the above shortcomings, the present invention is an embedded installation structure. By adjusting the internal structure of the mounting bracket, such as adjusting the size of the signal transmitting hole and the signal receiving hole, the transmitting angle range and the receiving angle range of the induction electric eye are changed, and the area of ​​the signal transmission blind area, i.e., the anti-water drop interference area, is increased, thereby reducing the probability of the signal being reflected by water droplets, avoiding multiple reflections of the induction signal in the attached water droplets, and ensuring the generation of effective signals. The present invention can improve the anti-water drop interference and accuracy of the induction electric eye, reduce the waste of water resources caused by false triggering, and enhance the user experience.

[0010] 2. The product iteration and update of the present invention are convenient. The commonly used induction electric eyes on the market are all embedded installation structures. The structural form of the present invention has not changed and is still an embedded installation structure.

[0011] 3. The development cost is low, there is no need to replace product materials and electronic components, and it does not affect other structures of the product. The anti-water interference ability of the induction electric eye can be improved by simply changing the through-hole design structure of the mounting bracket.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a housing is further included, the mounting bracket is embedded in the housing, and the housing has a light-transmitting panel, and the light-transmitting panel covers the signal transmitting hole and the signal receiving hole.

[0013] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the signal transmitting hole and the signal receiving hole are arranged along the length direction of the light-transmitting panel (910), and the width of the light-transmitting panel is d1, d2>d1.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present invention, 1.2d1<d2<1.7d1.

[0015] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the distance from the intersection of the emission angle range and the receiving angle range to the light-transmitting panel is h1, and h1>0.7d1.

[0016] According to some embodiments of the present invention, d1

[0017] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the receiving angle range is greater than the transmitting angle range.

[0018] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the infrared transmitting module deviates from the central axis of the signal transmitting hole in the vertical direction and is close to the first hole wall.

[0019] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the infrared receiving module deviates from the central axis of the signal receiving hole in the vertical direction and is close to the second hole wall.

[0020] The water dispenser according to the second aspect of the present invention comprises the induction electric eye.

[0021] Additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will be given in part in the following description and in part will be obvious from the following description, or will be learned through practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and easily understood from the description of the embodiments in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

[0023] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of signal transmission of an induction electric eye of the present invention;

[0024] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of large water droplets attached to a light-transmitting panel of the present invention;

[0025] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of signal transmission of a conventional induction electric eye;

[0026] FIG4 is an external structural diagram of a light-transmitting panel of the present invention;

[0027] FIG5 is a cross-sectional view of the induction electric eye of the present invention.

[0028] Figure numerals: mounting bracket 100, signal transmitting hole 110, first hole wall 111, signal receiving hole 120, second hole wall 121, circuit board 200, infrared transmitting module 300, infrared receiving module 400, transmitting angle range 500, receiving angle range 600, signal transmission blind area 700, water droplets 800, housing 900, light-transmitting panel 910. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] ​Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended to be used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0030] In the description of the present invention, it is necessary to understand that the terms "length", "width", "up", "down", "left", "right", "vertical", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship, are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0031] 1-5, an induction electric eye includes a mounting bracket 100 and a circuit board 200, the circuit board 200 is embedded in the mounting bracket 100, the mounting bracket 100 is made of non-light-transmitting material, an infrared transmitting module 300 and an infrared receiving module 400 are arranged on the circuit board 200, and a signal transmitting hole 110 and a signal receiving hole 120 separated from each other are arranged on the mounting bracket 100, the signal transmitting hole 110 corresponds to the position of the infrared transmitting module 300, and the signal receiving hole 120 corresponds to the position of the infrared receiving module 400, the infrared light emitted by the infrared transmitting module 300 forms an emission angle range 500 under the light-isolating effect of the hole walls around the signal transmitting hole 110, and the infrared receiving module 400 is used to receive the infrared light emitted by the infrared transmitting module 300, and forms a receiving angle range 500 under the light-isolating effect of the hole walls around the signal receiving hole 120. The emission angle range 500 intersects with the receiving angle range 600, thereby forming a signal transmission blind area 700 between the signal transmitting hole 110 and the signal receiving hole 120. The side wall of the signal transmitting hole 110 close to the signal receiving hole 120 is the first hole wall 111, and the side wall of the signal receiving hole 120 close to the signal transmitting hole 110 is the second hole wall 121. The distance from the first hole wall 111 to the second hole wall 121 is d2, and the distance from the infrared transmitting module 300 to the infrared receiving module 400 is d3. Water drops 800 with a diameter of d can be attached between the first hole wall 111 and the second hole wall 121, and at least one water drop 800 satisfies d3 / 2<d<d2. The area range of the signal transmission blind area 700 can completely cover the water drop 800. Specifically, the mounting bracket 100 is made of rubber, the upper part of the inner side of the mounting bracket 100 is installed with a circuit board 200, and the lower part is a signal transmitting hole 110 and a signal receiving hole 120. The circuit board 200 is embedded in the mounting bracket 100, and the induction electric eye transmits and receives signals through the signal transmitting hole 110 and the signal receiving hole 120.

[0032] When the product is used for a long time, dust in the environment will gradually cover the panel surface of the induction electric eye. At this time, water drops 800 will adhere to the surface. The panel surface of the induction electric eye can be attached with water drops 800 of the same size as the panel width, as shown in Figure 2. If the attached water drops 800 are small, the water drops 800 are in the signal transmission blind area 700, and the transmission and reception of the induction electric eye signal will not be reflected by the water drops 800, which will basically not interfere with the signal transmission process, and the induction electric eye can work normally. If the attached water drops 800 are large or there are many water drops 800, the transmission and reception of the induction electric eye signal will be reflected by the water drops 800. When the number of reflections reaches more than three times, an effective sensing signal cannot be formed, resulting in the inability of the electric eye to realize the sensing function, and there is a hidden danger of inability to sense.

[0033] The infrared signal is transmitted and received in the full range, but since the material of the mounting bracket 100 is a non-translucent material, the sensing signal can only be transmitted and received through the signal transmitting hole 110 and the signal receiving hole 120 of the mounting bracket 100. At this time, the signal transmission and receiving range of the sensing electric eye is limited by the size of the signal transmitting hole 110 and the signal receiving hole 120. The traditional sensing electric eye does not impose any restrictions on the structure of the holes for signal transmission and reception. The internal features of the signal transmission hole before the improvement are relatively simple, and the signal transmission hole is larger. The sensing signal has a larger angle transmission range, which makes the signal transmission blind area 700 smaller, and the signal transmission is easily interfered by water droplets 800, as shown in Figure 3. Therefore, it is necessary to adjust the internal structure of the mounting bracket 100, change the transmission angle range 500 and the receiving angle range 600 of the sensing electric eye, expand the signal transmission blind area 700 at the surface of the sensing electric eye panel, and reduce the situation where the sensing signal is reflected and refracted multiple times by the water droplets 800 when larger and more water droplets 800 are attached to the panel. Among them, the methods of expanding the signal transmission blind area 700 include but are not limited to changing the sizes of the signal transmitting hole 110 and the signal receiving hole 120, adjusting the relative positions of the infrared transmitting module 300 and the signal transmitting hole 110, the infrared receiving module 400 and the signal receiving hole 120, adding light isolation components, etc. The present invention mainly describes the method of changing the sizes of the signal transmitting hole 110 and the signal receiving hole 120.

[0034] In some embodiments of the present invention, a housing 900 is further included, and the mounting bracket 100 is embedded in the housing 900. The housing 900 is provided with a light-transmitting panel 910, and the light-transmitting panel 910 covers the signal transmitting hole 110 and the signal receiving hole 120. The light-transmitting panel 910 has a good light transmittance for infrared rays, and can make the infrared rays emitted by the infrared transmitting module 300 pass smoothly, and make the infrared receiving module 400 receive signals more accurately. In addition, the light-transmitting panel 910 covers the outside of the mounting bracket 100, which not only plays a decorative role, but also can isolate external water, air, and dust, and protect internal electrical components.

[0035] In some embodiments of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 4-5 , the signal transmitting hole 110 and the signal receiving hole 120 are arranged along the length direction of the light-transmitting panel 910, and the width of the light-transmitting panel 910 is d1, d2>d1. It should be noted that the edge of the panel is usually designed with a chamfer feature. When the edge of the light-transmitting panel 910 has a chamfer, the width d1 of the light-transmitting panel 910 refers to the width of the panel plane remaining after removing the chamfer width, as shown in FIG. 4 . Preferably, the light-transmitting panel 910 is runway-shaped or rectangular. Specifically, a light-isolating structure of a certain thickness is added to the left side of the inner wall of the signal transmitting hole 110 of the traditional inductive electric eye, so that the transmitting range on the left side of the signal transmitting hole 110 is reduced. Similarly, a light-isolating structure of a certain thickness is added to the right side of the inner wall of the signal receiving hole 120, so that the receiving range on the right side of the signal receiving hole 120 is reduced. At this time, the unilateral ranges of both the transmitting angle range 500 and the receiving angle range 600 are reduced, and the transmitting angle range 500 and the receiving angle range 600 are deviated to the outside of the central area of ​​the inductive electric eye, so that the signal transmission blind area 700 is increased. The improved signal transmission hole is reduced to half of the original hole. Since the surface of the light-transmitting panel 910 can be attached with water droplets 800 of the same size as the panel width, that is, the diameter d of the largest water droplet is equal to the width d1 of the light-transmitting panel 910, it is designed that d2>d1, so that the largest water droplet attached to the light-transmitting panel 910 between the signal transmitting hole and the signal receiving hole can be completely in the signal transmission blind area 700.

[0036] In some embodiments of the present invention, 1.2d1<d2<1.7d1. The larger d2 is, the larger the signal transmission blind area 700 is, but the sensing performance of the induction electric eye itself needs to be taken into account. The signal transmission and reception range of the induction electric eye itself has a strong working area and a weak working area. The weak working area is the edge area of ​​the transmission / reception range. The signal transmission capability is strong in the strong working area, and the signal transmission capability is average outside this area. When determining the preferred range of the signal transmission blind area 700, it is best to limit the transmission angle range 500 and the receiving angle range 600 to the strong working area of ​​the induction electric eye, which can maximize the signal transmission blind area 700 while ensuring that the optimal performance of the induction electric eye is not affected.

[0037] In some embodiments of the present invention, the distance from the intersection of the emission angle range 500 and the receiving angle range 600 to the light-transmitting panel 910 is h1, and h1>0.7d1. The radius of the largest water droplet 800 that can be attached to the light-transmitting panel 910 is half the width of the light-transmitting panel 910, that is, 0.5d1. Designing h1>0.7d1 can ensure the formation of an effective signal transmission blind area 700.

[0038] In some embodiments of the present invention, d1

[0039] In some embodiments of the present invention, the receiving angle range 600 is greater than the transmitting angle range 500 .

[0040] In some embodiments of the present invention, the infrared transmitting module 300 deviates from the central axis of the signal transmitting hole 110 in the vertical direction and approaches the first hole wall 111. The infrared transmitting module 300 approaches the first hole wall 111, which can move the intersection of the transmitting angle range 500 and the receiving angle range 600 downward, thereby increasing the signal transmission blind area 700.

[0041] In some embodiments of the present invention, the infrared receiving module 400 deviates from the central axis of the signal receiving hole 120 in the vertical direction and approaches the second hole wall 121. The infrared receiving module 400 approaches the second hole wall 121 to move the intersection of the emission angle range 500 and the receiving angle range 600 downward, thereby increasing the signal transmission blind area 700.

[0042] A water dispenser comprises an induction electric eye.

[0043] In some embodiments of the present invention, the induction electric eye is applied to an induction faucet product. There are two main installation methods for induction faucets: the first is that the induction electric eye is directly installed in front of the faucet outlet, close to the faucet outlet, and the human hand or object will enter the sensing range first when in use; the second is that the induction electric eye is installed on the faucet body close to the countertop, far away from the outlet. It should be noted that no matter how the induction electric eye is used, it is necessary to place the human hand or object under the faucet outlet. This process exists within the sensing range, and signal transmission can be performed within the sensing area. Except for the interference of water droplets 800 and product damage, the induction electric eye can work normally, so the large-angle range sensing area designed by the traditional induction electric eye is redundant. The present invention limits the emission angle range 500 and the receiving angle range 600 to the strong working area, so as to increase the signal transmission blind area 700, and avoid the phenomenon that the signal fails or self-induction is caused by the interaction with the attached water droplets 800 in the weak sensing area between the signal transmitting hole 110 and the signal receiving hole 120. The improved induction electric eye can still meet the overall use environment of the product and will not cause the overall performance of the product to decline.

[0044] ​In some embodiments of the present invention, the inductive electric eye is applied to urinal or squat toilet products. When applied to urinal products, there are two main ways to install the inductive electric eye: first, the inductive electric eye is directly integrated with the water outlet nozzle as an integral component and installed on the ceramic body by threaded connection; second, the inductive electric eye is installed on the wall through a panel bracket. Due to the correlation between the inductive electric eye and the product in terms of installation design, in the application scenarios of these two urinal products, the inductive electric eye is installed on the central axis of the product. Therefore, no matter which urinal product the inductive electric eye is applied to, when using the product, the user will be located in the central range area perpendicular to the inductive panel, that is, in the central range position of the inductive area.

[0045] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, and that the scope of the present invention is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An induction electric eye, characterized in that: The invention comprises a mounting bracket (100) and a circuit board (200), wherein the circuit board (200) is embedded in the mounting bracket (100), the mounting bracket (100) is made of a non-light-transmitting material, an infrared transmitting module (300) and an infrared receiving module (400) are arranged on the circuit board (200), and a signal transmitting hole (110) and a signal receiving hole (120) separated from each other are arranged on the mounting bracket (100), the signal transmitting hole (110) corresponds to the position of the infrared transmitting module (300), and the signal receiving hole (120) corresponds to the position of the infrared receiving module (400), the infrared light emitted by the infrared transmitting module (300) forms an emission angle range (500) under the light-isolating effect of the hole walls around the signal transmitting hole (110), and the infrared receiving module (400) is used to receive the infrared light emitted by the infrared transmitting module (300) and forms an infrared receiving angle range (500) under the light-isolating effect of the hole walls around the signal receiving hole (120). The receiving angle range (600) is formed by the transmission angle range (500) intersecting with the receiving angle range (600) to form a signal transmission blind area (700) between the signal transmission hole (110) and the signal receiving hole (120), the side wall of the signal transmission hole (110) close to the signal receiving hole (120) is a first hole wall (111), and the side wall of the signal receiving hole (120) close to the signal transmission hole (110) is a second hole wall ( 121), the distance between the first hole wall (111) and the second hole wall (121) is d2, the distance between the infrared transmitting module (300) and the infrared receiving module (400) is d3, a water droplet (800) with a diameter of d can be attached between the first hole wall (111) and the second hole wall (121), and at least one water droplet (800) satisfies d3 / 2<d<d2, and the area range of the signal transmission blind area (700) can completely cover the water droplet (800).

2. The induction electric eye according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a housing (900), the mounting bracket (100) is embedded in the housing (900), and the housing (900) is provided with a light-transmitting panel (910), and the light-transmitting panel (910) covers the signal transmitting hole (110) and the signal receiving hole (120).

3. The induction electric eye according to claim 2, characterized in that: The signal transmitting hole (110) and the signal receiving hole (120) are arranged along the length direction of the light-transmitting panel (910), and the width of the light-transmitting panel (910) is d1, and d2>d1.

4. The induction electric eye according to claim 3, characterized in that: 1.2d1<d2<1.7d1.

5. The induction electric eye according to claim 3, characterized in that: The distance from the intersection of the emission angle range (500) and the receiving angle range (600) to the light-transmitting panel (910) is h1, and h1>0.7d1.

6. The induction electric eye according to claim 5, characterized in that: d1<h1<6d1.

7. The induction electric eye according to claim 1, characterized in that: The receiving angle range (600) is greater than the transmitting angle range (500).

8. The induction electric eye according to claim 3, characterized in that: The infrared emission module (300) deviates from the central axis of the signal emission hole (110) in the vertical direction and is close to the first hole wall (111).

9. The induction electric eye according to claim 3, characterized in that: The infrared receiving module (400) deviates from the central axis of the signal receiving hole (120) in the vertical direction and is close to the second hole wall (121).

10. A water dispenser, characterized in that: The invention comprises the induction electric eye as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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