Self-Cleaning Toilet Assembly and System

• US 20150013058A1
• Filed: 07/15/2014
• Published: 01/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AS America Incorporated (LIXIL Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: AS IP Holdco, LLC
• Inventors: Bucher, Christophe, Grover, David, Barndt, Ronald, Seggio, Frank, McHale, James, Cicenas, Chris, O'Kelly, Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 10,519,643 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 4/378
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 2009/028 using a liquid substance
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 2201/40 Devices for distribution of flush water inside the bowl
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 9/035 Devices connected to the actuation mechanism E03D9/036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 9/037 Active dispensers, i.e. comprising a moving dosing element E03D9/035 takes precedence

Abstract

Toilet assemblies having various embodiments of a cleaning system are described herein which include a toilet assembly and a cleaning system. The toilet assembly has a toilet bowl, a tank, a flush valve, and a rim in fluid communication with the bowl through a rim flow path from an outlet of the flush valve to at least one rim outlet port. The flush valve is configured to operate in a flush actuation mode wherein the flush valve is able to provide flush water flow sufficient for the toilet assembly to initiate a flush siphon or provide a wash down flush and to operate in a cleaning actuation mode wherein the flush valve is only partially opened to allow for introduction of a cleaning agent and flush water mixture to the bowl that is insufficient to initiate a siphon but sufficient for cleaning the bowl. The cleaning system includes a reservoir for a liquid cleaning agent, a housing for the reservoir, a supply conduit for receiving fluid from within the reservoir and delivering it to a flush valve, a flow control device capable of controlling flow of cleaning agent and a control system activatable by an actuator feature to initiate a clean cycle by operating the flow control device to deliver a dose of cleaning agent to one or more rim outlets, and operating the flush valve in cleaning actuation mode to introduce flush water to carry the dose of cleaning agent through the at least one rim outlet port into the toilet bowl at a flow rate insufficient to initiate a siphon but sufficient for cleaning the bowl.

Claims

1. A toilet assembly having a cleaning system, comprising:

(a) a toilet assembly comprising

a toilet bowl defining an interior space,

a toilet tank defining a tank interior,

a flush valve, and

a rim in fluid communication with the interior of the bowl through a rim flow path extending from an outlet of the flush valve to at least one rim outlet port, wherein the flush valve is configured to deliver fluid to the at least one rim outlet port, and

wherein the flush valve is configured to operate in a flush actuation mode wherein the flush valve is able to provide flush water flow sufficient for the toilet assembly to initiate a flush siphon or provide a wash down flush and to operate in a cleaning actuation mode wherein the flush valve is only partially opened to allow for introduction of a cleaning agent and flush water mixture to the bowl that is insufficient to initiate a siphon but sufficient for cleaning the bowl; and

(b) a cleaning system comprising

a reservoir for holding a liquid cleaning agent having a body defining an interior space and having an outlet port in fluid communication with the interior space of the reservoir body;

a housing configured to receive the reservoir;

a supply conduit in fluid communication with the interior of the reservoir and having a first end for receiving fluid from within the reservoir;

a flow control device capable of controlling flow through the supply conduit; and

a control system activatable by an actuator feature, wherein upon activation of the actuator feature, the control system is adapted to initiate a clean cycle by;

operating the flow control device for a first period of time sufficient to deliver a dose of a liquid cleaning agent from the reservoir to one or more rim outlets, and

operating the flush valve in a cleaning actuation mode to open the flush valve so as to introduce flush water to carry the dose of a liquid cleaning agent through the at least one rim outlet port into the toilet bowl at a flow rate insufficient to initiate a siphon but sufficient for cleaning the bowl.

2. The toilet assembly according to claim 1, wherein the flush valve introduces flush water at a flow rate that is about 20% to about 80% slower in the cleaning actuation mode than the flow rate through the flush valve during a normal flush mode.

3. The toilet assembly according to claim 2, wherein the flush valve introduces flush water at a flow rate that is about 40% to about 60% slower in the cleaning actuation mode than the flow rate through the flush valve during the normal flush mode.

4. The toilet assembly according to claim 2, wherein flush water enters the valve in a flush actuation mode over a period of about 2 s to about 30 s.

5. The toilet assembly according to claim 4, wherein flush water and cleaning agent are introduced into the bowl and have a residence time of about 30 s to about 30 min. for cleaning the bowl.

6. The toilet assembly according to claim 1, wherein the bowl is a direct-fed jet, siphonic, gravity-powered bowl.

7. The toilet assembly according to claim 1, wherein the bowl is a non-jetted, siphonic, gravity-powered bowl.

8. The toilet assembly according to claim 1, wherein the bowl is a rim-jetted, siphonic, gravity powered bowl.

9. The toilet assembly according to claim 1, wherein the bowl is a gravity-powered, wash-down bowl.

10. The toilet assembly according to claim 1, wherein the flush valve is a flapper-type flush valve with a poppet feature in the valve cover for use in opening the valve during the cleaning actuation mode.

11. The toilet assembly according to claim 1, wherein the flush valve is a flapper-type flush valve with a hook and catch feature for use in opening the valve during the cleaning actuation mode.

12. The toilet assembly according to claim 1, wherein the flush valve is a poppet-type flush valve, wherein a poppet-type valve cover opens the flush valve in a normal flush mode and the flush valve has a side port having a cover thereon for use in opening the valve during the cleaning actuation mode.

13. A method for periodically cleaning a toilet in a toilet assembly with a cleaning system, the method comprising

providing a toilet assembly according to claim 1;

activating the control system by the actuator feature to initiate the clean cycle;

operating the flow control device and opening it for the first period of time sufficient to deliver at least one dose of a liquid cleaning agent from the supply conduit to an interior space of a flush valve in a closed position; and

operating the flush valve to open the flush valve to introduce flush water along with the at least one dose of a liquid cleaning agent through the at least one rim outlet port into the toilet bowl at a flow rate insufficient to initiate a siphon but sufficient for cleaning a toilet bowl in a toilet assembly.

14. A cleaning system for use with a toilet assembly, comprising

a reservoir for holding a liquid cleaning agent having a body defining an interior space and having an outlet port in fluid communication with the interior space of the reservoir body;

a housing configured to receive the reservoir;

a supply conduit in fluid communication with the interior of the reservoir and having a first end for receiving fluid from within the reservoir;

a flow control device capable of controlling flow through the supply conduit; and

a control system activatable by an actuator feature, wherein upon activation of the actuator feature, the control system is adapted to initiate a clean cycle by;

operating the flow control device for a first period of time sufficient to deliver a dose of a liquid cleaning agent from the reservoir to one or more rim outlets of a toilet assembly, and

operating a flush valve in a toilet assembly in a cleaning actuation mode to open a flush valve in a toilet assembly so as to introduce flush water to carry the dose of a liquid cleaning agent through at least one rim outlet port of a toilet assembly into a toilet bowl of a toilet assembly at a flow rate insufficient to initiate a siphon but sufficient for cleaning a toilet bowl in a toilet assembly.

15. The cleaning system according to claim 14, wherein the cleaning system is for use in a non-jetted, siphonic, gravity-powered bowl.

16. The cleaning system according to claim 14, wherein the cleaning system is for use in a rim-jetted, siphonic, gravity powered bowl.

17. The cleaning system according to claim 14, wherein the cleaning system is for use in a gravity-powered, wash-down bowl.

18. The cleaning system according to claim 14, wherein the control system operates a flush valve in a toilet assembly that is a flapper-type flush valve with a poppet feature in the valve cover for use in opening the valve during the cleaning actuation mode.

19. The cleaning system according to claim 14, wherein the control system operates a flush valve in a toilet assembly that is a flapper-type flush valve with a hook and catch feature for use in opening the valve during the cleaning actuation mode.

20. The cleaning system according to claim 14, wherein the control system operates a flush valve in a toilet assembly that is a poppet-type flush valve, wherein a poppet-type valve cover opens the flush valve in a normal flush mode and the flush valve has a side port having a cover thereon for use in opening the valve during the cleaning actuation mode.