Fully automatic toilet system

• US 5,036,553 A
• Filed: 06/26/1990
• Issued: 08/06/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dilworth D. Sanderson
• Original Assignee: Dilworth D. Sanderson
• Inventors: Sanderson, Dilworth D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Recla, Henry J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fetsuga, Robert M.
• Application Number:
  US07/543,430
• Time in Patent Office: 406 Days
• Field of Search: 4/300, 4/302, 4/304, 4/305, 4/313, 4/324, 4/325, 4/333, 4/366, 4/405, 4/406, 4/415, 4/DIG. 3, 417/40, 417/41, 137/386, 137/392
• US Class Current: 4/313
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 1/14 Cisterns discharging variable quantities of water twin or multiple flushing cisterns E03D1/22; flushing devices operated by pressure of the water supply system and discharging variable quantities of water E03D3/12 also cisterns with bell siphons in combination with flushing valves
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 2001/147 having provisions for active interruption of 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: Y10S 4/03 Electric flushing

Abstract

A toilet includes a toilet bowl fluidically connected to a water storage tank. A control circuit is mounted on the storage tank and a water level sensor circuit is mounted on the bowl. A control panel is manually set to set the amount of water used in a flush cycle, and a fluid pump is used to move water from a source to the storage tank and to the bowl. Operation of the fluid pump is controlled by the water sensing circuit in the storage tank and the water level sensing circuit in the bowl. A solenoid-like plunger is used to control opening and closing of an outlet valve in the storage tank.

Claims

1. A fully automatic toilet comprising:

A) a toilet bowl having a fluid connection through which water flows into and out of said bowl;

B) a fresh water storage tank which is hollow and which includes

(1) a bottom wall having an inner surface,

(2) a front wall and a rear wall each having an inner surface,

(3) two end walls each having an inner surface,

(4) a top wall having an inner surface and an outer surface,

(5) a water inlet port defined through said bottom wall,

(6) a water outlet port defined through said bottom wall, and

(7) said bottom wall sloping from said front and rear walls and from said end walls towards said outlet port;

C) a source of water;

D) water source connecting means connecting said source of water to said water storage tank, said water source connecting means including an electrically operated fluid pump connected to a power source;

E) valve means in said water storage tank for controlling flow of water from said storage tank into said conduit means, said valve means including

(1) a support element fixed to the inner surface of said rear wall near said water outlet port,

(2) a magnetic plunger having a top end located adjacent to said water storage tank top wall and a bottom end located adjacent to said water tank outlet port and being movably mounted on said support element to move from a first position with said bottom end located closely adjacent to said water storage tank outlet port to a second position with said bottom end spaced from said first position towards said water storage tank top wall,

(3) a sealing element mounted on said plunger element bottom end to occludingly cover said water tank outlet port when said plunger is in said first position to prevent fluid connection between said water storage tank and said conduit means and to be spaced from said water tank outlet port to establish fluid connection between said water storage tank and said conduit means when said plunger is in said second position, and

(4) plunger moving means mounted on said support element and including

(a) a biasing means connected to said plunger and biasing said plunger towards said second position, and

(b) a solenoid coil wrapped about said plunger and connected to said source of power to move said plunger against the bias of said biasing means from said second position to said first position when power is applied to said solenoid coil;

F) control means connected to said source of power and to said fluid pump and to said solenoid coil for selectively connecting and disconnecting said solenoid coil to said source of power and for selectively connecting and disconnecting said fluid pump to said source of power, said control circuit including

(1) a control panel having

(a) an "on" switch,

(b) a "hold" switch,

(c) a "go" switch,

(d) a plurality of tank fill level setting switches which include

(i) a full setting switch, and

(ii) a 1/8 full setting switch, and

(2) a full level control system which includes

(a) a float inside said water storage tank,

(b) a plurality of light emitting elements mounted on the inner surface of one of said end walls and each connected to one fill level setting switch of said control panel fill level setting switches and to said source of power to be activated when said one fill level setting switch is activated and including a full light emitting element located adjacent to said water storage tank top wall and connected to said "full" level setting switch and a 1/8 full light emitting element located adjacent to and spaced from said water storage tank bottom wall and connected to said 1/8 full setting switch,

(c) a plurality of light sensing elements mounted on the inner surface of the other end wall to be co-level with corresponding light emitting elements of said plurality of light emitting elements and to receive light emitted by said light emitting elements and to emit a signal when light from said light emitting elements is incident thereupon, and

(d) a circuit means connecting said light sensing elements to said power source and to said fluid pump and to said valve means solenoid coil to actuate said fluid pump and said valve means solenoid coil in accordance with signals from said light sensing elements.

2. The toilet defined in claim 1 wherein said control circuit means includes a delay circuit connected to said valve means solenoid coil.

3. The toilet defined in claim 2 wherein said delay circuit means includes a relay connecting said power source to said valve means solenoid coil.

4. The toilet defined in claim 3 wherein said control circuit means includes a buffer means and a flip-flop means.

5. The toilet defined in claim 4 wherein said control circuit means includes two comparator means.

6. The toilet defined in claim 5 wherein said control circuit means control panel "hold" and "go" switches are connected to said fluid pump.

7. The toilet defined in claim 6 wherein said delay circuit means connects said solenoid coil to said source of power to move said valve means plunger to said second position after said fluid pump has shut off.

8. The toilet defined in claim 7 further including a stop element mounted on said valve means support element adjacent to said valve means plunger top end.

9. The toilet defined in claim 8 wherein said biasing element includes a compression spring connected at one end thereof to said valve means stop element and at another end thereof to said valve means plunger top end.

10. The toilet defined in claim 9 wherein said control means further includes a water level sensing circuit means mounted on said toilet bowl to emit a signal when water in said bowl reaches a pre-set level.

11. The toilet defined in claim 10 wherein said control means further includes a fluid line fluidically connecting said fluid pump to said bowl, and a solenoid-controlled valve in said fluid line and connected to said bowl mounted water level sensing circuit to close when water in said bowl reaches said pre-set level.

12. The toilet defined in claim 11 wherein said fluid pump is connected to said bowl mounted water level sensing circuit to be shut off when water in said bowl reaches said pre-set level.

13. The toilet defined in claim 12 wherein said control means further includes means connecting said fluid pump to said valve means plunger to prevent starting said fluid pump until said valve means plunger moves into said second position.

14. The toilet defined in claim 13 wherein said fluid line-located solenoid-controlled valve is normally closed to prevent water from said fluid pump from moving into said toilet bowl, said fluid line-located solenoid-controlled valve being opened when said fluid pump is actuated by said storage tank mounted fill level control circuit means.