Toilet with an LED diffuser strip

• US 10,077,897 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2016
• Issued: 09/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2016
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Guardian Health Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hall Labs, LLC
• Inventors: Hall, David R., Allen, Dan, Larsen, Joshua, Reynolds, Jared
• Primary Examiner(s): Gyllstrom, Bryon T
• Application Number:
  US15/176,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20170254526A1
• Time in Patent Office: 832 Days
• Field of Search: 362253
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 17/02 Body supports, other than seats, for closets, e.g. handles, back-rests, foot-rests; Accessories for closets, e.g. reading tables devices for lifting patients or disabled persons A61G7/10
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/24 of ribbon or tape form, e.g. LED tapes
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/04 the elements being reflectors and refractors for vehicle rear lights F21S43/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/00 Globes; Bowls; Cover glasses with refracting properties F21V5/00; with reflecting properties F21V7/00; characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/506
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/004 Sanitary equipment, e.g. mirrors, showers, toilet seats or paper dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0008 providing for indirect lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/005 with an elongated shape to cooperate with linear light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/37 U-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A two-piece toilet with a seam and a channel at an intersection of the two toilet pieces is disclosed. An LED strip and diffuser strip are used to fill in the channel and hide seam of the intersection of the two toilet pieces. The LED strip transmits light into the channel and the light is refracted off of the channel and through the diffuser strip on the back side of the LED strip. An exterior and interior of a toilet may be lighted by the LED strip.

Claims

1. A toilet apparatus comprising:

a strip of LEDs (light emitting diodes), the strip of LEDs being adjacent to a first diffuser strip;

a top section of the toilet apparatus attached to a bottom section of the toilet apparatus; and

a seam forming a channel at an intersection of the top section and the bottom section, wherein the strip of LEDs and the diffuser strip are located within the channel and are used to hide the seam, and wherein the strip of LEDs emits a pattern of light intensity and color which indicates a length of time a user has used the toilet.

2. The toilet apparatus of claim 1, wherein the LEDs transmit light into the toilet apparatus through a partially transparent material.

3. The toilet apparatus of claim 1, wherein the LEDs transmit light around an external perimeter of the toilet apparatus.

4. The toilet apparatus of claim 1, wherein the LEDs transmit light into the toilet apparatus and around an external perimeter of the toilet apparatus.

5. The toilet apparatus of claim 1, wherein the toilet apparatus is made of at least one or more transparent or semi-transparent materials.

6. The toilet apparatus of claim 5, wherein the LEDs transmits light through the one or more transparent or semi-transparent materials.

7. The toilet apparatus of claim 1, wherein each LED in the strip of LEDs are individually addressable.

8. The toilet apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second diffuser strip.

9. The toilet apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first diffuser strip and the second diffuser strip are located on opposite sides of the strip of LEDs.

10. A method of lighting a toilet comprising:

providing a strip of LEDs (light emitting diodes), within a seam forming a channel at an intersection of a top toilet section and a bottom toilet section, the strip of LEDs being adjacent to a first diffuser strip and filling in the channel and hiding the seam, wherein the strip of LEDs emits a pattern of light intensity and color which indicates a length of time a user has used the toilet; and

using the toilet.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the LEDs transmit light into the toilet through a partially transparent material.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the LEDs transmit light around an external perimeter of the toilet.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the LEDs transmit light into the toilet and around an external perimeter of the toilet.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the toilet is made of at least one or more semi-transparent materials.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the LEDs transmits light through the one or more transparent or semi-transparent materials.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein each LED in the strip of LEDs are individually addressable.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising a second diffuser strip.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first diffuser strip and the second diffuser strip are located on opposite sides of the strip of LEDs.