Automatic cleaner for male urinal

• US 5,251,872 A
• Filed: 07/02/1992
• Issued: 10/12/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: URO Denshi Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: URO Denshi Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Kodaira, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): RIVELL, JOHN A
• Application Number:
  US07/909,052
• Time in Patent Office: 467 Days
• Field of Search: 251/129.04, 4/304, 4/305, 4/DIG. 3
• US Class Current: 251/129.04
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 9/002 Automatic cleaning devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 4/03 Electric flushing

Abstract

There is provided an automatic cleaner for a male urinal comprising: a sensor such as pyroelectric sensor, etc. for detecting that a human body comes close to the urinal or away therefrom to output a first signal, an one-shot multivibrator circuit of the retriggerable type triggered in response to the outputted first signal to output a second signal for a predetermined time, an infrared ray emitting circuit adapted for emitting infrared rays in the form of pulse for a time period during which the one-shot multivibrator circuit is outputting the second signal, and an infrared ray receiving circuit adapted for detecting that the emitted infrared rays are reflected by the human body to output a third signal in the form of pulse. This automatic cleaner further comprises a circuit responsive to the outputted third signal to trigger the one-shot multivibrator circuit independently of said first signal, a drive circuit adapted for counting the number of the outputted third signals to output a drive signal when the count value reaches a predetermined number of times, and there results the state where the third signal is not outputted, and a cleaning water control unit responsive to the drive signal to allow cleaning water to flow out.

Claims

1. An automatic cleaner for a male urinal comprising:

a sensor for detecting that a human body comes close to the urinal or away therefrom to output a first signal,

an one-shot multivibrator circuit of the retriggerable type triggered in response to the outputted first signal to output a second signal for a predetermined time,

an infrared ray emitting circuit adapted for emitting infrared rays in the form of pulses for a time period during which said one-shot multivibrator circuit is outputting said second signal,

an infrared ray receiving circuit adapted for detecting that the emitted infrared rays are reflected by the human body to output a third signal in the form of pulse,

a circuit responsive to the outputted third signal to trigger said one shot multivibrator circuit independently of said first signal,

a drive circuit adapted for counting the number of the outputted third signals to output a drive signal when the count value reaches a predetermined number of times, and there results the state where said third signal is not outputted, and

a cleaning water control unit responsive to said drive signal to allow cleaning water to flow out.

2. An automatic cleaner for a male urinal as set forth in claim 1, which further comprises a pre-cleaning circuit adapted to count the number of the third signals delivered from said infrared ray receiving circuit to allow said drive circuit to output said drive signal when the count value reaches a second predetermined number of times smaller than said predetermined number of times.

3. An automatic cleaner for a male urinal as set forth in claim 2, which further comprises a switch for stopping the operation of said pre-cleaning circuit.

4. An automatic cleaner for a male urinal as set forth in claim 1, which further comprises a continuous use circuit adapted to count the number of the third signals delivered from said infrared ray receiving circuit to allow said drive circuit to output said drive signal every time the count value reaches a third predetermined number of times greater than said predetermined number of times.

5. An automatic cleaner for a male urinal as set forth in claim 1, which further comprises a pre-cleaning stop circuit adapted to measure a time passed from the time when said drive signal is outputted from said drive circuit to stop the operation of said pre-cleaning circuit for a time period until a predetermined time has passed.

6. An automatic cleaner for a male urinal as set forth in claim 1, which further comprises an inspection circuit adapted to allow said drive circuit to output said drive signal even if said third signal is not outputted from said infrared ray receiving circuit.

7. An automatic cleaner for a male urinal as set forth in claim 1, which further comprises means adapted for interrupting or stopping that said drive circuit outputs said drive signal for a time period during which said cleaning water control unit is operative.

8. An automatic cleaner for a male urinal as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cleaning water control unit includes a power supply, said automatic cleaner further comprising a power supply voltage detection circuit adapted so that when a voltage of said power supply lowers to less than a first reference value, said detection circuit allow display means to display it for a time period during which cleaning is carried out, and when said power supply voltage further lowers to less than a second reference value lower than said first reference value, said detection circuit stops the operation of said infrared ray emitting circuit.

9. An automatic cleaner for a male urinal as set forth in claims 1, wherein in the case where said cleaning water control unit causes cleaning water to flow out, said automatic cleaner includes means for notification by sound.

10. An automatic cleaner for a male urinal as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sensor is a solar cell.

11. An automatic cleaner for a male urinal as set forth in claim 10, wherein an output from said solar cell is also used for charging a secondary battery assembled therein.

12. An automatic cleaner for a male urinal as set forth claims 2, wherein said sensor is a solar cell.

13. An automatic cleaner for a male urinal as set forth in claim 12, wherein an output from said solar cell is also used for charging a secondary battery assembled therein.

14. An automatic cleaner for a male urinal as set forth in claim 3, wherein said sensor is a solar cell.

15. An automatic cleaner for a male urinal as set forth in claim 14, wherein an output from said solar cell is also used for charging a secondary battery assembled therein.

16. An automatic cleaner for a male urinal as set forth in claim 4, wherein said sensor is a solar cell.

17. An automatic cleaner for a male urinal as set forth in claim 16, wherein an output from said solar cell is also used for charging a secondary battery assembled therein.

18. An automatic cleaner for a male urinal as set forth in claim 5, wherein said sensor is a solar cell.

19. An automatic cleaner for a male urinal as set forth in claim 18, wherein an output from said solar cell is also used for charging a secondary battery assembled therein.

20. An automatic cleaner for a male urinal as set forth in claim 6, wherein said sensor is a solar cell.

21. An automatic cleaner for a male urinal as set forth in claim 20, wherein an output from said solar cell is also used for charging a secondary battery assembled therein.

22. An automatic cleaner for a male urinal as set forth in claim 7, wherein said sensor is a solar cell.

23. An automatic cleaner for a male urinal as set forth in claim 22, wherein an output from said solar cell is also used for charging a secondary battery assembled therein.

24. An automatic cleaner for a male urinal as set forth in claims 8, wherein said sensor is a solar cell.

25. An automatic cleaner for a male urinal as set forth in claim 24, wherein an output from said solar cell is also used for charging a secondary battery assembled therein.

26. An automatic cleaner for a male urinal as set forth in claim 9, wherein said sensor is a solar cell.

27. An automatic cleaner for a male urinal as set forth in claim 26, wherein an output from said solar cell is also used for charging a secondary battery assembled therein.