Non-contact water taking method and water taking system

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of beverage preparation, in particular to a non-contact water taking method and system. The non-contact water taking method comprises the steps that a plurality of subject matters are arranged on the peripheral side of the water cup around the vertical axis of the water cup, and the subject matters have different optical characteristics; configuring an identification unit and a control unit for the water dispenser; enabling any subject matter to correspond to a temperature value, wherein the temperature values corresponding to a plurality of subject matters do not coincide; when the water cup is placed in the water receiving area of the water dispenser, a subject matter corresponding to the corner, relative to the water dispenser, of the water cup can be recognized by the recognition unit. The control unit controls the water dispenser to output water flow with the corresponding temperature according to the temperature value, recognized by the recognition unit, corresponding to the subject matter.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of beverage preparation, and more particularly to a contactless water collection method and system. Background Technology

[0002] In hospitals, laboratories, sterile preparation rooms, and other high-hygiene-standard settings, the control of cross-infection of pathogens is extremely stringent. The physical buttons or touchscreens of traditional water dispensers are recognized as high-risk points for microbial cross-contamination. Frequent contact by healthcare workers, patients, and their families can easily lead to the spread of bacteria and viruses, contradicting the principles of hospital infection control. Furthermore, operating traditional equipment is neither convenient nor safe for healthcare workers during busy work periods or when wearing gloves. Existing contactless technologies (such as gestures and voice) suffer from insufficient reliability, slow response times, or privacy concerns in noisy and dynamic medical environments, failing to meet the stringent requirements of "absolute reliability, zero contact, and zero interference" in medical settings.

[0003] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a drinking water interaction solution designed specifically for highly sensitive environments that can eliminate the risk of contact transmission and is precise and reliable in operation. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a contactless water collection method and system to solve the problems existing in the prior art.

[0005] The technical solution of this invention is: a contactless water collection method, comprising: A plurality of targets are arranged around the vertical axis of a water cup, and any of the targets have different optical characteristics; Equip the water dispenser with an identification unit and a control unit; Each of the targets is associated with a temperature value, and the temperature values ​​corresponding to multiple targets do not overlap. When the water cup is placed in the water dispensing area of ​​the water dispenser, an object with a corresponding corner of the water cup relative to the water dispenser can be identified by the identification unit. The control unit controls the water dispenser to output water at the corresponding temperature based on the temperature value of the target object identified by the identification unit.

[0006] Preferably, the object includes an adhesive portion that is bonded to the outer wall of the water cup; this is for water cups made of transparent material.

[0007] Preferably, the object includes a snap-fit ​​part that snaps into the mouth of the cup.

[0008] Preferably, the recognition unit includes a color sensor, which is fixed to the vertical wall connecting the water dispenser tray and the faucet, and has a recognition window arranged in the vertical direction.

[0009] Preferably, the identification unit includes a light source, which acts on the target object within the water-receiving area.

[0010] Preferably, the water dispenser tray is equipped with a weight sensing device; The control unit is configured to control the water dispenser to output water at a corresponding temperature, based on the load signal from the weight sensing device and the optical signal from the recognition unit.

[0011] Preferably, based on the weight sensing device, the control unit is configured to: stop the water flow output of the water dispenser when the rate of change of the load signal of the weight sensing device does not match the output flow of the water dispenser.

[0012] Preferably, the water dispenser is equipped with a rangefinder, the rangefinder having a first ranging end corresponding to the height of the cup opening in the water receiving area, and a second ranging end corresponding to the height of the liquid level in the cup; the first ranging end and the second ranging end respectively acquire corresponding first ranging parameters and second ranging parameters. A water supply reserve is set. When the water dispenser dispenses water, the control unit calculates the difference between the first distance measurement parameter and the second distance measurement parameter in real time and compares the difference with the water supply reserve. When the difference is less than the water supply reserve, the control unit stops dispensing water.

[0013] A contactless drinking water system, comprising: A water dispenser, which has a heating module and a faucet inside; The target object is used to connect to a water cup; multiple targets are provided, and different targets have different optical characteristics. An identification unit is disposed on the main body of the water dispenser and is used to identify objects located within its detection area; A weight sensor is installed in the water dispenser's water filling area to detect whether a cup has been placed there. The control unit is electrically connected to the identification unit, weight sensor, heating module, and faucet. The control unit is configured to control the heating module and the faucet to output water flow at the corresponding temperature based on the preset water temperature of the identified object only when it simultaneously receives a load signal from the weight sensing device and a valid identification signal from the identification unit for the object.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are: (1) Throughout the entire water dispensing process of this invention, the user only comes into contact with their personal water cup, completely avoiding contact between their hands and any public interface of the water dispenser. This feature completely cuts off the core path of pathogen transmission through the surface of the equipment, which is the core means of infection control measures and perfectly fits the hospital infection management standards.

[0015] (2) By combining optical feature recognition with weight change recognition, the accuracy of commands and the safety of the system are ensured. The control unit is configured to start water dispensing only when it receives a valid recognition signal from the color sensor and a load signal from the weight sensor. This design effectively avoids misidentification and false start-up caused by changes in ambient light or interference from passing colored objects, greatly improving the system's anti-interference capability and safety.

[0016] (3) This invention monitors the liquid level in real time through non-contact ranging, achieving automatic shut-off when the water is full and eliminating the risk of overflow. At the same time, based on the real-time comparison of the data from the weight sensor and the outflow rate, the control unit automatically judges abnormal situations such as cup cracking or misalignment, and immediately shuts off the water supply, forming an active safety protection closed loop, further enhancing the safety of use. Attached Figure Description

[0017] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments: Figure 1 This is a flowchart of a contactless water collection method according to the present invention; Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of the target object in one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of the target object in another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of the contactless water intake system described in this invention; Figure 5 This is a diagram of the internal structure of the water dispenser described in this invention; Among them: 100, water dispenser; 200, water cup; 300, target object; 1, control unit; 2, identification unit; 3, tray; 4, faucet; 5, weight sensing device; 6, rangefinder; 61, first ranging end; 62, second ranging end; 7, heating module. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments: like Figure 1 - Figure 5 As shown, a contactless water dispensing method refers to a method of selecting the water temperature and / or water volume output without direct physical contact between the user and the mouth of the water cup 200 and the water dispenser 100.

[0019] The method includes: Multiple targets 300 are arranged around the vertical axis of the water cup 200. Any targets 300 have different optical characteristics, which may be different in color, different in shape and structure, or different printed marks.

[0020] The water dispenser 100 is equipped with an identification unit 2 and a control unit 1.

[0021] A mapping relationship is established between any target object 300 and a temperature value in the control unit 1, and the temperature values ​​corresponding to multiple targets 300 do not overlap. The temperature values ​​corresponding to multiple targets 300 form a temperature range that basically covers daily water use, such as 15℃-100℃. This mapping relationship can be preset by the factory or can be customized by the user through a specific program.

[0022] When a user places a water cup 200 in the water dispensing area of ​​the water dispenser 100, based on the angle of the water cup 200 relative to the water dispenser 100, there is a unique target 300 that can be identified by the identification unit 2; thereby enabling the control unit 1 to control the water dispenser 100 to output water at the corresponding temperature according to the temperature value corresponding to the target 300 identified by the identification unit 2. In one embodiment, the control unit 1 can be a microcontroller, such as a single-chip microcomputer, which stores preset program logic internally.

[0023] For example, when a water cup 200 is placed in the water receiving area and the angle of the water cup 200 is adjusted so that the target object 300 corresponding to 30°C is facing the identification unit 2, the water dispenser 100 will output water at 30°C.

[0024] Among them, the target 300 has the following two configurations: In one embodiment of the target object 300, a surface of the target object 300 is designated as an adhesive portion for adhesion to an outer side wall of the water cup 200. Because the target object 300 is located between the water cup 200 and the identification unit 2 on the water dispenser 100 during the water dispensing action (i.e., the target object 300 is facing away from the user), the target object 300 in this embodiment is suitable for a transparent water cup 200. When using the water cup 200, the user adjusts the angle of the cup, observes through the transparent cup body, and selects the target object 300 corresponding to the desired water temperature, bringing it close to the identification unit 2.

[0025] In another embodiment of the object 300, the object 300 is configured as a snap-fit ​​structure made of an elastic material such as plastic, including a snap-fit ​​part, which is inwardly snapped and has a C-shaped cross-section, and can be detachably snapped onto the mouth of the water cup 200.

[0026] Compared to the first configuration of the target 300, this configuration allows the user to directly observe the target 300 corresponding to the identification unit 2, which is snapped onto the cup opening during the water-receiving action. Therefore, the target 300 in this embodiment does not have requirements on the material of the water cup 200, and is compatible with both transparent and non-transparent cups. Furthermore, the inward snapping part is well compatible with the outward rolled opening on the disposable paper water cup 200.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment of this application, the different optical characteristics are manifested in different colors, and the correspondence between the color change pattern and the temperature value can be any preset mapping. In this embodiment, the colors on multiple targets 300 gradually change from cool to warm tones, corresponding to a water temperature from cold to hot.

[0028] Furthermore, multiple objects are interconnected and molded as a single unit.

[0029] Correspondingly, the recognition unit 2 includes a color sensor, which is fixed to the vertical wall connecting the tray 3 and the faucet 4 of the water dispenser 100. The color sensor has a narrow, elongated recognition window arranged vertically on this wall, with a length L greater than the height difference between commonly used water cups 200, ensuring that objects 300 placed on either tall or short cups can fall within the detection range of the color sensor. In this embodiment, the color sensor is an XM7749 color sensing recognition sensor.

[0030] Preferably, in order to enable water collection in dark environments at night, the identification unit 2 also includes a light source, which can be an LED light, and illuminates the target object 300 in the water collection area, reflecting the color corresponding to the target object 300 to the color sensor.

[0031] Furthermore, based on the contactless water dispensing method of this application, to avoid the risk of misidentification by the identification unit 2 and accidental machine activation due to factors such as ambient light interference or others holding colored objects passing through the identification window, a weight sensing device 5 is provided on the tray 3 of the water dispenser 100 in a preferred embodiment of this application.

[0032] When the user places the water cup 200 on the tray 3, the weight sensor 5 detects the weight change and sends a load signal, which is received by the control unit 1. The control unit 1 is configured to perform subsequent heating and water dispensing actions on the water dispenser 100 only when this load signal and the color sensor's recognition signal are received simultaneously. In this embodiment, the weight sensor 5 is an FSR-400 pressure sensor.

[0033] Furthermore, based on the weight sensor 5, to avoid potential safety hazards such as water leakage caused by broken water cup 200, user misalignment, or loose pipe connections, in a preferred embodiment of this application, the control unit 1 can also be configured to: after the water dispenser 100 starts dispensing water for a preset time, if the change value of the signal carried by the weight sensor 5 differs significantly from the output flow rate of the water dispenser 100, then stop the water flow output of the water dispenser 100. The preset time can be set to 0.5s–1.5s, corresponding to the time required for water to flow from the faucet 4 into the water cup 200.

[0034] This application uses the following method to fill water cup 200 to a suitable water level: First, a rangefinder 6 is configured for the water dispenser 100. The rangefinder 6 has a first ranging end 61 corresponding to the height of the cup opening of the water cup 200 in the water receiving area, and a second ranging end 62 corresponding to the height of the liquid level inside the water cup 200. The first ranging end 61 and the second ranging end 62 respectively acquire corresponding first ranging parameters and second ranging parameters. In this embodiment, the rangefinder 6 is a non-contact rangefinder 6, such as a single-point laser ranging module.

[0035] A water stop margin is set. During the dispensing process of water dispenser 100, control unit 1 calculates the difference between the first and second distance measurement parameters in real time and compares the difference with the water stop margin. When the difference is less than the water stop margin, it indicates that the water cup 200 is nearly full, and control unit 1 immediately controls water dispenser 100 to stop dispensing water. The water stop margin is usually set between 2cm and 3cm.

[0036] The water dispenser 100 has a built-in heating module 7 and a water tap 4 for heating and outputting water, and the heating module 7 and the water tap 4 are electrically connected to the control unit 1.

[0037] The operation steps are as follows: First, attach the target 300 to the water cup 200, and place the water cup 200 with the target 300 into the water dispensing area of ​​the water dispenser 100. By rotating the cup, the target 300 on the cup wall representing the desired water temperature is aligned with the recognition window of the water dispenser 100, thereby selecting the water temperature without contact.

[0038] When the water cup 200 is placed in the cup, the weight sensor 5 under the water tray 3 will immediately detect the increase in weight and generate a load signal. At the same time, the recognition unit 2 placed on the vertical wall of the water dispenser 100 will scan and align the color of the target object 300, determine the corresponding temperature requirement, and generate a recognition signal.

[0039] When the control unit 1 receives both signals at the same time, it controls the water dispenser 100 to execute the heating and water dispensing commands.

[0040] During the dispensing process of water dispenser 100, the rangefinder 6 monitors the liquid level in the cup in real time. The control unit 1 compares the difference between the liquid level and the cup opening height with the set water stop margin. When the difference is less than the water stop margin, the water dispensing stops.

[0041] Meanwhile, the control unit 1 continuously calculates the theoretically required increase in weight based on the water flow rate and time, and compares it in real time with the actual change value fed back by the weight sensor 5. If the actual weight is found to be inconsistent with the water quality after the water flow begins, it indicates a leak, and the faucet 4 is immediately turned off.

[0042] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0043] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical concept and features of the present invention, intended to enable those skilled in the art to understand the content of the present invention and implement it accordingly, and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the details of the above exemplary embodiments, and that the present invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered exemplary and non-limiting in all respects. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description, and thus all changes falling within the meaning and scope of the equivalents of the claims are intended to be included within the present invention.

Claims

1. A contactless water collection method, characterized in that, include: A plurality of targets (300) are arranged around the vertical axis of a water cup (200), and any of the targets (300) have different optical characteristics; The water dispenser (100) is equipped with an identification unit (2) and a control unit (1); Each of the targets (300) is associated with a temperature value, and the temperature values ​​corresponding to multiple targets (300) do not overlap. When the water cup (200) is placed in the water receiving area of ​​the water dispenser (100), an object (300) having a corner corresponding to the water cup (200) relative to the water dispenser (100) can be identified by the identification unit (2); The control unit (1) controls the water dispenser (100) to output water at the corresponding temperature based on the temperature value of the target (300) identified by the identification unit (2).

2. The contactless water extraction method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The object (300) includes an adhesive portion that is bonded to the outer wall of a water cup (200); for a water cup (200) made of transparent material.

3. The contactless water extraction method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The object (300) includes a snap-fit ​​part that snaps into the mouth of a water cup (200).

4. A contactless water extraction method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The identification unit (2) includes a color sensor, which is fixed to the vertical wall of the water dispenser (100) tray (3) and faucet (4) and has an identification window arranged in the vertical direction.

5. The contactless water extraction method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The identification unit (2) includes a light source that acts on the target object (300) in the water-receiving area.

6. A contactless water extraction method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The water dispenser (100) has a weight sensing device (5) installed on its tray (3). The control unit (1) is configured to control the water dispenser (100) to output water at a corresponding temperature in accordance with the load signal of the weight sensing device (5) and the optical signal of the identification unit (2).

7. The contactless water extraction method according to claim 6, characterized in that, Based on the weight sensing device (5), the control unit (1) is configured to stop the water flow output of the water dispenser (100) when the rate of change of the load signal of the weight sensing device (5) does not match the output flow of the water dispenser (100).

8. A contactless water extraction method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, A rangefinder (6) is configured for the water dispenser (100). The rangefinder (6) has a first measuring end (61) corresponding to the height of the cup opening of the water cup (200) in the water receiving area, and a second measuring end (62) corresponding to the height of the liquid level in the water cup (200). The first measuring end (61) and the second measuring end (62) respectively acquire the corresponding first measuring parameter and second measuring parameter. Set a water supply reserve. When the water dispenser (100) dispenses water, the control unit (1) calculates the difference between the first distance measurement parameter and the second distance measurement parameter in real time and compares the difference with the water supply reserve. When the difference is less than the water supply reserve, the control unit (100) stops dispensing water.

9. A contactless drinking water system, characterized in that, include: A water dispenser (100) is equipped with a heating module (7) and a water tap (4) inside. The target (300) is used to connect to the water cup (200); multiple targets (300) are provided, and different targets (300) have different optical characteristics; The identification unit (2) is disposed on the main body of the water dispenser (100) and is used to identify the target (300) located in its detection area. A weight sensor (5) is set in the water dispensing area of ​​the water dispenser (100) to detect whether a water cup (200) has been placed. The control unit (1) is electrically connected to the identification unit (2), the weight sensing device (5), the heating module (7), and the faucet (4); The control unit (1) is configured to control the heating module and the faucet (4) to output water flow of the corresponding temperature according to the preset water temperature corresponding to the identified target (300) only when it simultaneously receives a load signal from the weight sensing device (5) and a valid identification signal of the target (300) from the identification unit (2).

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