Toilet with power generation assembly

• US 10,233,898 B1
• Filed: 11/24/2017
• Issued: 03/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yi-Wen Tang
• Original Assignee: Yi-Wen Tang
• Inventors: Tang, Yi-Wen
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Huyen
• Application Number:
  US15/822,113
• Time in Patent Office: 480 Days
• Field of Search: 4353, 4661
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 1/34 Flushing valves for outlets; Arrangement of outlet valves
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 11/00 Other component parts of water-closets pipe-joints or couplings in general F16L , e.g. noise-reducing means in the flushing system noise-reducing means in combination with flushing valves E03D9/14, flushing pipes mounted in the bowl, seals for the bowl outlet, devices preventing overflow of the bowl contents; devices forming a water seal in the bowl after flushing, devices eliminating obstructions in the bowl outlet or preventing backflow of water and excrements from the waterpipe
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 2201/30 Water injection in siphon for enhancing flushing
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 5/10 operated electrically E03D5/01, E03D5/12 take precedence, e.g. by a photo-cell; also combined with devices for opening or closing shutters in the bowl outlet and/or with devices for raising/or lowering seat and cover and/or for swiveling the bowl
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 13/00 Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of machines or engines with driving or driven apparatus if the apparatus aspects are predominant, see the relevant subclasses for such apparatus, e.g. H02K7/18; Power stations or aggregates incorporating only machines or engines of positive-displacement type F03C; hydraulic engineering aspects E02B; combinations with wind energy converters F03D9/008
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 17/062 with rotation axis substantially at right angle to flow direction
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2220/20 within closed fluid conduits, e.g. pipes
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2220/32 in water turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2220/602 with energy recovery turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2220/706 an electrical generator
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2220/7066 via a direct connection, i.e. a gearless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/12 Fluid guiding means, e.g. vanes
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/911 already existing for a prior purpose
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/50 Hydropower in dwellings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/30 Energy from the sea, e.g. using wave energy or salinity gradient

Abstract

A toilet includes a power generation assembly connected thereto which is activated when flushing the toilet so as to generate electric power. The power generation assembly includes a body with a rotary unit and a power generation unit received therein. The power generation unit includes multiple magnets and coil units which. When flushing, the rotary unit is rotated by water and the magnets are rotated relative to the coil units. The coil units generate electric current to provide the necessary electric power of the toilet.

Claims

1. A toilet comprising:

a power generation assembly having a body, a rotary unit and a power generation unit, the body having a room defined therein, an inlet and an outlet respectively located on two ends of the body and communicating with the room, the inlet adapted to be connected with a water source for introducing water to flow through the room and the outlet, a pipe connected to the outlet and the toilet, two pivotal portion respectively located on two opposite inside walls of the room;

the rotary unit rotatably received in the room and having a shaft, a blade unit, a frame and multiple magnets, the shaft securely extending through a first passage of the blade unit and a second passage of the frame, two ends of the shaft respectively protruding beyond the first and second passage and being respectively and pivotably connected to the two pivotal portions, the blade unit having multiple blades extending radially therefrom which are located in the room and between the inlet and the outlet, the frame having multiple cups and each cup having a recess, the magnets respectively accommodated in the recesses, and

the power generation unit connected to the body and comprising a tubular part, a power collection unit, multiple coil units and a cover, the tubular part mounted to outside of the body and having a chamber defined therein, the chamber being not in communication with the room, an upper portion of the body received in the chamber, the power collection unit being a ring-shaped unit which is located in the chamber, the upper portion of the body located at a center of the power collection unit, the coil units located in a ring-shaped arrangement, and the magnets being located inside the ring-shaped arrangement of the coil units, the coil units electrically connected to the power collection unit, when the magnets are rotated relative to the coil units, the coil units generate electric current, the cover mounted to an open top of the tubular part to seal the chamber, when the blades being hit by water to rotate the blade unit, the blade unit rotates the frame so that the magnets are rotated relative to the coil units, the coil units generate electric current which is collected by the power collection unit and is stored in a power storage unit.

2. The toilet as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body is composed of a first half and a second half which is connected to the first half.

3. The toilet as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shaft includes a groove defined in one of two ends thereof, a clip is engaged with the groove to restrict the blade unit and the frame from separating from the shaft.

4. The toilet as claimed in claim 1, wherein a lateral side of the tubular part includes a hole which communicates with the chamber.

5. The toilet as claimed in claim 1, wherein a water tank is connected to the toilet.

6. The toilet as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one electronic device is connected to the toilet and is powered by the power storage unit.

7. The toilet as claimed in claim 6, wherein the at least one electronic device is a control unit for controlling at least one electro-magnetic valve to be activated, so that at least one outlet pipe of the toilet is in an open-status to flush a specific amount of water.

8. The toilet as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one electronic device is located at a distance from the toilet and is powered by the power storage unit.

9. The toilet as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper portion of the body is inserted from a lower end of the chamber, the chamber includes a flange extends inward from an inner periphery of the lower end thereof, the power storage unit is located on the flange.