APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD FOR TOILET SEAT HAVING NON-POWER CHAMBER POT AUTO-FLUSH BY WATER PRESSURE AND BODY WEIGHT

• US 20110010831A1
• Filed: 12/31/2008
• Published: 01/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: AF Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: AF Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Jae Tong
• Application Number:
  US12/865,307
• Publication Number:
  US 20110010831A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 4/237
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 5/024 Operated hydraulically or pneumatically

Abstract

The present invention provides a toilet seat having a non-powered apparatus for automatically flushing a toilet using water pressure and body weight and a method for controlling the toilet seat. The toilet seat includes a weight sensor and water passage control unit (300) which senses a body weight and controls discharge of water, supplied through a pipe, depending on the turning on/off of a control valve, and a check valve unit (400) which controls the amount of water passing through a water passage from the control valve of the unit (300) depending on water pressure and displacement of the toilet. The toilet seat further includes a cylinder actuating unit (500) which is operated by pressure of water supplied from the weight sensor and water passage control unit (300) when the body weight is detected by the unit (300), thus automatically supplying water to the automatic flushing apparatus.

Claims

1. A toilet seat having a non-powered apparatus for automatically flushing a toilet using water pressure and body weight, comprising:

a weight sensor and water passage control unit (300) sensing a body weight and controlling discharge of water, supplied through a pipe, depending on a control valve being turned on/off;

a check valve unit (400) controlling an amount of water passing through a water passage from the control valve of the weight sensor and water passage control unit (300) depending on water pressure and displacement of the toilet; and

a cylinder actuating unit (500) operated by pressure of water supplied from the weight sensor and water passage control unit (300) when the body weight is detected by the weight sensor and water passage control unit (300), thus automatically supplying water to the automatic flushing apparatus.

3. The toilet seat having the non-powered apparatus for automatically flushing the toilet using water pressure and body weight according to claim 1, wherein the weight sensor and water passage control unit (300) comprises:

a body weight sensing switch (310) detecting the body weight and operating depending on a detected result;

a cylinder advancing water supply control valve (320) to be turned on when the body weight sensing switch (310) is turned on, thus supplying supplied water to the cylinder actuating unit (500) through a pipe such that the cylinder actuating unit (500) is operated by water pressure;

a flushing water supply control valve (340) to be turned off when the body weight sensing switch (310) is turned on, thus supplying supplied water to a flushing on/off valve (520) of the cylinder actuating unit (500) through a pipe; and

a cylinder retracting water drain control valve (360) to be turned off when the body weight sensing switch (310) is turned on, thus supplying supplied water to a cylinder retracting water drain check valve (420) of the check valve unit (400) through a pipe to drain the water.

4. The toilet seat having the non-powered apparatus for automatically flushing the toilet using water pressure and body weight according to claim 1, wherein the check valve unit (400) comprises:

a cylinder retracting water drain check valve (420) receiving water through the corresponding pipe when the cylinder retracting water drain control valve (360) of the weight sensor and water passage control unit (300) is turned on, and draining the water.

5. The toilet seat having the non-powered apparatus for automatically flushing the toilet using water pressure and body weight according to claim 1, wherein the cylinder actuating unit (500) comprises:

a cylinder rod (510) to be advanced by pressure of water which is supplied to the cylinder actuating unit (500) through the pipe when the cylinder advancing water supply control valve (320) of the weight sensor and water passage control unit (300) is turned on, with a flushing control protrusion (511) provided on a leading end of the cylinder rod (510) with respect to an advancing direction of the cylinder rod (510), the flushing control protrusion (511) controlling the flushing on/off valve (520);

the flushing on/off valve (520) having a flushing control valve rod (521) to be lifted by the advancement of the flushing control protrusion (511) such that the water, which is supplied from the flushing water supply control valve (340) of the weight sensor and water passage control unit (300), is supplied to the automatic flushing apparatus; and

a spring (540) moving the cylinder rod (510) backwards when the body weight sensing switch (310) of the weight sensor and water passage control unit (300) is turned off.

2. (canceled)

6. A method for controlling a toilet seat having a non-powered apparatus for automatically flushing a toilet using water pressure and body weight, comprising:

a setting step (ST1) of setting a check valve unit (400) in response to water pressure and displacement of the toilet and setting a weight sensor and water passage control unit (300);

an advancing step (ST2˜

ST5) of advancing a cylinder rod (510) of a cylinder actuating unit (500) using pressure of water supplied into the cylinder actuating unit (500) when the weight sensor and water passage control unit (300) is turned on and operated; and

a water supplying step (ST6, ST7) of retracting the cylinder rod (510) to supply water to the automatic flushing apparatus when the weight sensor and water passage control unit (300) determines that a body weight was removed.

7. The method for controlling the toilet seat according to claim 6, wherein, at the setting step, a cylinder retracting water drain check valve (420) of the check valve unit (400) is adjusted in response to the water pressure and displacement of the toilet.

9. The method for controlling the toilet seat according to claim 6, wherein the advancing step is conducted when the body weight sensing switch (310) of the weight sensor and water passage control unit (300) is turned on.

11. The method for controlling the toilet seat according to claim 6, wherein, at the advancing step, water which is supplied by turning on the cylinder advancing water supply control valve (320) of the weight sensor and water passage control unit (300) is supplied to the cylinder rod (510) of the cylinder actuating unit (500) through a pipe, so that the cylinder rod (510) is advanced by pressure of the supplied water.

14. The method for controlling the toilet seat according to claim 6, wherein, at the water supplying step, the flushing water supply control valve (340) of the weight sensor and water passage control unit (300) is turned on, so that the water is supplied to the automatic flushing apparatus through the flushing on/off valve (520) of the cylinder actuating unit (500).

15. The method for controlling the toilet seat according to claim 6, wherein, at the water supplying step, when the water is supplied to the automatic flushing apparatus, the cylinder rod (510) is retracted by a spring (540).

35. The method for controlling the toilet seat according to claim 7, wherein, at the water supplying step, the flushing water supply control valve (340) of the weight sensor and water passage control unit (300) is turned on, so that the water is supplied to the automatic flushing apparatus through the flushing on/off valve (520) of the cylinder actuating unit (500).

36. The method for controlling the toilet seat according to claim 9, wherein, at the water supplying step, the flushing water supply control valve (340) of the weight sensor and water passage control unit (300) is turned on, so that the water is supplied to the automatic flushing apparatus through the flushing on/off valve (520) of the cylinder actuating unit (500).

37. The method for controlling the toilet seat according to claim 11, wherein, at the water supplying step, the flushing water supply control valve (340) of the weight sensor and water passage control unit (300) is turned on, so that the water is supplied to the automatic flushing apparatus through the flushing on/off valve (520) of the cylinder actuating unit (500).

38. The method for controlling the toilet seat according to claim 7, wherein, at the water supplying step, when the water is supplied to the automatic flushing apparatus, the cylinder rod (510) is retracted by a spring (540).

39. The method for controlling the toilet seat according to claim 9, wherein, at the water supplying step, when the water is supplied to the automatic flushing apparatus, the cylinder rod (510) is retracted by a spring (540).

40. The method for controlling the toilet seat according to claim 11, wherein, at the water supplying step, when the water is supplied to the automatic flushing apparatus, the cylinder rod (510) is retracted by a spring (540).

8. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

16-23. -23. (canceled)

24. A method for controlling a toilet seat having a non-powered apparatus for automatically flushing a toilet using water pressure and body weight, comprising:

a setting step (ST 11) of setting a check valve unit (400) in response to water pressure and displacement of the toilet and setting a weight sensor and water passage control unit (300);

a filtering step (ST 12) of filtering water supplied from a water supply through a pipe;

a reducing step (ST 13) of changing pressure of the supplied water to a predetermined pressure;

an advancing step (ST 14˜

ST 16) of advancing a cylinder rod (510) of a cylinder actuating unit (500) using pressure of water supplied into the cylinder actuating unit (500) when the weight sensor and water passage control unit (300) is turned on and operated, and of determining whether a user moves bowels or urinates and a delay time of flushing operation; and

a water supplying step (ST17, ST18) of retracting the cylinder rod (510) when the weight sensor and water passage control unit (300) determines that a body weight has been removed, thus supplying water to the automatic flushing apparatus in response to a result of determination whether the user moves the bowels or urinates and the delay time of the flushing operation.

25. The method for controlling the toilet seat according to claim 24, wherein, at the setting step, at least one of a cylinder advancing water drain check valve (410), a cylinder retracting water drain check valve (420), a flushing delay time check valve (430) and a manual lever water rate check valve (440) of the check valve unit (400) is adjusted in response to the water pressure and displacement of the toilet.

28. The method for controlling the toilet seat according to claim 24, wherein, at the advancing step, when the weight sensor and water passage control unit (300) is operated, a body weight sensing switch (310) is turned on, a cylinder advancing water supply control valve (320) is turned on, a cylinder retracting water supply control valve (330) is turned off, a selective water supply control valve (341) is turned off, a cylinder advancing water drain control valve (350) is turned on, and a cylinder retracting water drain control valve (360) is turned off.

29. The method for controlling the toilet seat according to claim 24, wherein, at the advancing step, water which is supplied by turning on a cylinder advancing water supply control valve (320) of the weight sensor and water passage control unit (300) is supplied to a front of the cylinder rod (510) of the cylinder actuating unit (500) through a pipe, so that the cylinder rod (510) is advanced by pressure of the supplied water.

31. The method for controlling the toilet seat according to claim 24, wherein, at the advancing step, the determination of whether the user moves the bowels or urinates is realized by controlling a cylinder advancing water drain check valve (410) of the check

valve unit (400).

32. The method for controlling the toilet seat according to claim 31, wherein, at the advancing step, when 5-20 seconds or more and 50-80 seconds or less passes after the turning on of the body weight sensing switch (310) of the weight sensor and water passage control unit (300), it is determined that the user urinates, and a corresponding automatic flushing operation is conducted, and when 50-80 seconds or more passes, it is determined that the user moves the bowels, and a corresponding automatic flushing operation is conducted.

33. The method for controlling the toilet seat according to claim 24, wherein the water supplying step is conducted when the body weight sensing switch (310) of the weight sensor and water passage control unit (300) is turned off.

34. The method for controlling the toilet seat according to claim 24, wherein, at the water supplying step, the selective water supply control valve (341) of the weight sensor and water passage control unit (300) is turned on, so that the water is supplied to the automatic flushing apparatus through the selective on/off valve (522) of the cylinder actuating unit (500).

41. The method for controlling the toilet seat according to claim 25, wherein the water supplying step is conducted when the body weight sensing switch (310) of the weight sensor and water passage control unit (300) is turned off.

42. The method for controlling the toilet seat according to claim 28, wherein the water supplying step is conducted when the body weight sensing switch (310) of the weight sensor and water passage control unit (300) is turned off.

43. The method for controlling the toilet seat according to claim 29, wherein the water supplying step is conducted when the body weight sensing switch (310) of the weight sensor and water passage control unit (300) is turned off.

44. The method for controlling the toilet seat according to claim 31, wherein the water supplying step is conducted when the body weight sensing switch (310) of the weight sensor and water passage control unit (300) is turned off.

45. The method for controlling the toilet seat according to claim 32, wherein the water supplying step is conducted when the body weight sensing switch (310) of the weight sensor and water passage control unit (300) is turned off.

46. The method for controlling the toilet seat according to claim 25, wherein, at the water supplying step, the selective water supply control valve (341) of the weight sensor and water passage control unit (300) is turned on, so that the water is supplied to the automatic flushing apparatus through the selective on/off valve (522) of the cylinder actuating unit (500).

47. The method for controlling the toilet seat according to claim 28, wherein, at the water supplying step, the selective water supply control valve (341) of the weight sensor and water passage control unit (300) is turned on, so that the water is supplied to the automatic flushing apparatus through the selective on/off valve (522) of the cylinder actuating unit (500).

48. The method for controlling the toilet seat according to claim 29, wherein, at the water supplying step, the selective water supply control valve (341) of the weight sensor and water passage control unit (300) is turned on, so that the water is supplied to the automatic flushing apparatus through the selective on/off valve (522) of the cylinder actuating unit (500).

49. The method for controlling the toilet seat according to claim 31, wherein, at the water supplying step, the selective water supply control valve (341) of the weight sensor and water passage control unit (300) is turned on, so that the water is supplied to the automatic flushing apparatus through the selective on/off valve (522) of the cylinder actuating unit (500).

50. The method for controlling the toilet seat according to claim 32, wherein, at the water supplying step, the selective water supply control valve (341) of the weight sensor and water passage control unit (300) is turned on, so that the water is supplied to the automatic flushing apparatus through the selective on/off valve (522) of the cylinder actuating unit (500).

26. (canceled)

27. (canceled)

30. (canceled)