Annunciator for a toilet

• US 6,028,520 A
• Filed: 04/27/1999
• Issued: 02/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bob Maehre
• Original Assignee: Bob Maehre
• Inventors: Maehre, Bob
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US09/299,758
• Time in Patent Office: 301 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/522, 340/689, 340/692, 340/691.5, 4/661
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 13/24 Parts or details not covered in, or of interest apart from, groups A47K13/02 - A47K13/22, e.g. devices imparting a swinging or vibrating motion to the seats

Abstract

An annunciator for training individuals in toilet etiquette and sanitation. The annunciator has a small housing that hangs on the side of the toilet tank, is incorporated into the seat of the toilet or hangs from the flush handle of the toilet. The housing is preferably plastic and can be animal shaped, for example, like a frog. A sound module, batteries, internal sensors, controller and speaker are mounted in the housing and the controller is connected to the external sensors by electrical wires. A small light such as an LED can be included to indicate that the unit is working. The sensors detect a person near the toilet, the position of the toilet seat (lowered or raised), a person sitting on the seat, and operation of the flush handle. The controller decides what messages to play based on the sensed conditions. Additionally, the housing may contain a small separate tape player for music or prerecorded humorous sounds. The tape player is controlled by the annunciator to coordinate with any played messages. An on/off switch and volume control are also provided.

Claims

1. An annunciator for a toilet having a seat and a flush handle, said annunciator comprising:

a battery for powering said annunciator;

a motion detector, said motion detector providing a first sensed signal indicative of the presence of a person within a predetermined distance from the toilet;

a seat up/down sensor, said seat up/down sensor providing a second sensed signal indicative of a position of the toilet seat;

a seat occupied sensor, said seat occupied sensor providing a third sensed signal indicative of a person sitting on the toilet seat;

a flush handle sensor, said flush handle sensor providing a fourth sensed signal indicative of operation of the flush handle;

an audio storage device having an audio select input, said audio storage device storing a plurality of stored audio messages, said audio storage device selecting and playing at least one of the stored audio messages that is associated with a code being placed on said audio select input;

a speaker;

an audio amplifier for receiving the at least one played audio message from said audio storage device, amplifying said message and feeding the amplified audio message to said speaker for projecting the at least one played audio message; and

a controller, said controller receives said first, second, third and fourth sensed signals, decides which of the plurality of stored audio messages should be played based on said first, second, third and fourth sensed signals, and places said code associated with the at least one played message, on said audio select input.

2. The annunciator according to claim 1, further comprising a light, said light being turned on and off by said controller based on said first, second, third and fourth sensed signals.

3. The annunciator according to claim 1, further comprising an additional audio source, wherein:

said additional audio source provides a second audio signal to said audio amplifier; and

said controller either mutes or decreases a volume of the second audio signal, when any of said plurality of messages are being played.

4. The annunciator according to claim 1, wherein the toilet further includes a toilet tank with a side, and wherein:

said annunciator further comprises a housing supported on the side of the toilet tank;

said battery, said motion detector, said audio storage device, said speaker, said audio amplifier and said controller are all mounted in said housing;

said flush handle sensor is electrically connected to said controller by a first electrical cable; and

said seat up/down sensor and said seat occupied sensor is electrically connected to said controller by a second electrical cable.

5. The annunciator according to claim 1, wherein the toilet further includes a toilet tank with a front and a flush handle shaft operatively connecting the flush handle to the toilet, and wherein:

said annunciator further comprises a housing supported by the flush handle shaft on the front of the toilet tank;

said battery, said motion detector, said flush handle sensor, said seat up/down sensor, said audio storage device, said speaker, said audio amplifier and said controller are all mounted in said housing; and

said seat occupied sensor is electrically connected to said controller by an electrical cable.

6. The annunciator according to claim 1, wherein:

said annunciator further comprises a housing built into the toilet seat;

said battery, said motion detector, said seat up/down sensor, said seat occupied sensor, said audio storage device, said speaker, said audio amplifier and said controller are all mounted in said housing; and

said flush handle sensor is electrically connected to said controller by an electrical cable.

7. The annunciator according to claim 1, wherein:

when the motion detector provides a signal that indicates a person is within the predetermined distance;

when the seat up/down sensor provides a signal indicating the seat is in the lowered position;

when the seat occupied sensor provides a signal indicating that the seat is not occupied; and

when the flush handle sensor provides a signal indicating that the handle is not being operated;

then one of

the at least one audio message selected and played is of a humorous nature;

or

no message is selected and played.

8. The annunciator according to claim 1, wherein:

when the motion detector provides a signal that indicates a person is within the predetermined distance;

when the seat up/down sensor provides a signal indicating the seat is in the raised position;

when the seat occupied sensor provides a signal indicating that the seat is not occupied; and

when the flush handle sensor provides a signal indicating that the handle is not being operated;

then

the at least one audio message selected and played is of a warning nature and states that the seat is in the raised position.

9. The annunciator according to claim 1, wherein:

when the motion detector provides a signal that indicates a person is within the predetermined distance;

when the seat up/down sensor provides a signal indicating the seat is in the lowered position;

when the seat occupied sensor provides a signal indicating that the seat is occupied; and

when the flush handle sensor provides a signal indicating that the handle is not being operated;

then one of

the at least one audio message selected and played is of a humorous nature;

the at least one audio message selected and played is one of a training nature and states that the toilet should be flushed and hands should be washed when the person is finished;

or

no message is selected and played.

10. The annunciator according to claim 1, wherein:

when the motion detector provides a signal that indicates a person is within the predetermined distance;

when the seat up/down sensor provides a signal indicating the seat is in the lowered position;

when the seat occupied sensor provides a signal indicating that the seat is not occupied immediately after the seat occupied sensor provides a signal indicating that the seat is occupied; and

when the flush handle sensor provides a signal indicating that the handle is not being operated;

then

the at least one audio message selected and played is one of a training nature and states that the toilet should be flushed and hands should be washed.

11. The annunciator according to claim 1, wherein:

when the motion detector provides a signal that indicates a person is within the predetermined distance;

when the seat up/down sensor provides a signal indicating the seat is in the lowered position;

when the seat occupied sensor provides a signal indicating that the seat is not occupied immediately after the seat occupied sensor provides a signal indicating that the seat is occupied; and

when the flush handle sensor provides a signal indicating that the handle is being operated;

then

the at least one audio message selected and played is one of a praising nature and states thank you.

12. The annunciator according to claim 1, wherein:

when the motion detector provides a signal that indicates a person is within the predetermined distance;

when the seat up/down sensor provides a signal indicating the seat is in the raised position directly after the seat up/down sensor provides a signal indicating the seat is in the lowered position;

when the seat occupied sensor provides a signal indicating that the seat is not occupied; and

when the flush handle sensor provides a signal indicating that the handle is not being operated;

then

the at least one audio message selected and played is of a training nature and states to remember to lower the seat and flush the toilet when finished.

13. The annunciator according to claim 1, wherein:

when the motion detector provides a signal that indicates a person is within the predetermined distance;

when the seat up/down sensor provides a signal indicating the seat is in the raised position;

when the seat occupied sensor provides a signal indicating that the seat is not occupied; and

when the flush handle sensor provides a signal indicating that the handle is not being operated;

then

the at least one audio message selected and played is of a training nature and states to lower the seat and flush the toilet.

14. The annunciator according to claim 1, wherein:

when the motion detector provides a signal that indicates a person is within the predetermined distance;

when the seat up/down sensor provides a signal indicating the seat is in the raised position;

when the seat occupied sensor provides a signal indicating that the seat is not occupied; and

when the flush handle sensor provides a signal indicating that the handle is being operated;

then

the at least one audio message selected and played is of a training nature and states to lower the seat and wash hands.

15. The annunciator according to claim 1, wherein:

when the motion detector provides a signal that indicates a person is within the predetermined distance;

when the seat up/down sensor provides a signal indicating the seat is in the lowered position immediately after the seat up/down sensor provides a signal indicating the seat is in the raised position;

when the seat occupied sensor provides a signal indicating that the seat is not occupied; and

when the flush handle sensor provides a signal indicating that the handle is not being operated;

then

the at least one audio message selected and played is of a praising nature and states thank you.

16. The annunciator according to claim 1, wherein when the motion detector provides a signal that indicates no person is within the predetermined distance, no message is selected and played.