Toilet seat cover position alarm

• US 4,849,742 A
• Filed: 11/21/1988
• Issued: 07/18/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Blake Warrington
• Original Assignee: Blake Warrington
• Inventors: Warrington, Blake
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, III, Glen R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mullen, Jr., Thomas J.
• Application Number:
  US07/274,476
• Time in Patent Office: 239 Days
• Field of Search: 340/686, 340/612, 340/618, 340/623-625, 340/545-546, 200/61.62, 4/661
• US Class Current: 340/545.6
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons

Abstract

A signaling device is actuated for a limited period of time if a toilet seat cover is not promptly lowered following flushing of the toilet. In the preferred form, an electrically operated signaling device is coupled to an electrical power source through a magnetically actuated switch at the front of the toilet tank and also through a second switch. A magnet fastened to the seat cover closes the magnetically actuated switch when the cover is in the raised position and movement of a float in the toilet tank in response to flushing closes the second switch for a limited period following initiation of flushing. The device reminds users of the toilet to close the cover. This avoids discomfort to a subsequent user of the toilet and assures that small children and pets are blocked from the toilet bowl.

Claims

1. In an alarm for producing a signal when the seat cover of a toilet is left in the open position, said toilet having a bowl, a water tank and flushing means for selectively releasing water from the tank into the bowl, said alarm having signaling means and cover position sensing means for actuating said signaling means in response to an open condition of said cover, the improvement comprising:

flush sensing means for detecting flushing of said toilet, and

disabling means for disabling said signaling means except during a limited time period that follows initiation of flushing of said toilet.

2. The alarm of claim 1 wherein said disabling means delays actuation of said signaling means for an interval immediately following initiation of flushing of said toilet.

3. The alarm of claim 1 wherein said flush sensing means inactivates said disabling means in response to lowering of the water level in said tank to a predetermined elevation and reactivates said disabling means upon rising of the water level in said tank.

4. The alarm of claim 1 wherein said signaling means is an electrically actuated device, further including a source of electrical current, and wherein said cover position sensing means includes a first electrical switch coupled between said current source and said signaling device for establishing one portion of a conductive path therebetween when said toilet seat cover is in said open condition, wherein said disabling means includes a normally open second electrical switch forming another portion of said conductive path, and wherein said flush sensing means closes said second switch for said limited time period in response to flushing of said toilet.

5. The alarm of claim 4 wherein flush sensing means includes a float for disposition within said water tank, and means for causing lowering of said float to close said second electrical switch and rising of said float to open said second switch.

6. The alarm of claim 5 wherein said second electrical switch is a mercury switch contained within said float and is of the type which is open when in a first orientation and which closes when turned to a second orientation, further including an electrical cord fastened to said float and means for suspending said float by said cord at an intermediate level in said tank when the water therein drops during flushing of said toilet, said cord being attached to said float at a location offset from the center thereof to cause said second switch to have said first orientation when said float is floating on said water and to shift to said second orientation when said float is suspended by said cord.

7. The alarm of claim 4 wherein said flush sensing means closes said second switch only after the water level in said tank has been dropping for a period of time greater than that required for closing of said toilet seat cover.

8. The alarm of claim 4 wherein said first electrical switch is a normally open magnetically operated switch attached to said water tank and wherein said cover position sensing means further includes a magnet for attachment to said toilet seat cover at a location thereon where said magnet causes closure of said first switch when said cover is in the opened position.

9. An alarm for generating a signal if the seat cover of a toilet remains up following use of the toilet, comprising an electrically actuated signal generator, an electrical power source, means for defining an electrical conductive path between said signal generator and said electrical power source to enable actuation of said signal generator, first sensing means for blocking current flow along said conductive path when said seat cover is in the lowered closed position thereof, and second sensing means for blocking current flow along said path when the water level in the water tank of said toilet is above a predetermined elevation therein whereby said signal generator is actuated for only a limited time period in response to flushing of said toilet and is only actuated at that time if said seat cover is up.

10. An alarm for producing a signal if the seat cover of a toilet is left in the open position, said toilet having a bowl, a water tank and flushing means for releasing water from said tank into said bowl, comprising:

an electrically actuated signaling device, means for attaching saidi signaling device to said toilet, an electrical battery, first and second electrical switches connected between said battery and said signaling device to jointly establish a conductive path therebetween when both switches are in the closed condition, a seat cover position sensor having means for closing said first switch when said seat cover is in the raised position, and a water level position sensor having means for closing said second switch when the water level in said toilet tank is below a predetermined level.

11. The alarm of claim 10 wherein said first switch is a normally open magnetically operated switch having means for attachment to the front wall of said water tank in position to be closed by a magnet attached to said toilet seat cover when said cover is raised to the open position.

12. The alarm of claim 10 wherein said water level position sensor includes a float for disposition in said water tank and wherein said second switch is secured to said float and is of the form which is open when in a first orientation and which closes when turned to a second orientation, further including means for shifting the orientation of said float and second switch to close said second switch during periods when the water level in said tank is below a predetermined elevation.