Urinal or toilet facility apparatus

• US 6,779,206 B1
• Filed: 03/08/2002
• Issued: 08/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John Sykes
• Original Assignee: John Sykes
• Inventors: Sykes, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): WIEKER, AMANDA FLYNN
• Application Number:
  US10/070,589
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 466/1, 430/1, 431/4, 466/8, 490/2, 340/573.1, 604/317, 604/318, 604/322
• US Class Current: 4/661
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 17/00 Other equipment , e.g. separate apparatus for deodorising, disinfecting or cleaning devices without flushing for toilet bowls, seats or covers; Holders for toilet brushesportable urinating aids A61F5/4556; devices for receiving spittle A61J19/00 ; disinfecting apparatus for medical, surgical or hygienic purposes A61L; cleaning devices with flushing for toilet bowls, seats or covers E03D9/00; for emptying or cleaning chamber-pots, bed pans, bed urinals or the like E03D11/025
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 13/00 Urinals without flushing devices A47K11/00 ; Means for connecting the urinal to the flushing pipe and the wastepipe; Splashing shields for urinals
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 13/005 Accessories specially adapted for urinals
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 5/105 touchless, e.g. using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 23/02 the advertising matter being displayed by the operation of the article
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 27/00 Combined visual and audible advertising or displaying, e.g. for public address

Abstract

A toilet or urinal facility having a screen to display video material. A sensor detects the presence of a person in the facility. A memory device stores data from and is connected to the sensor. A video/audio device is connected to the screen to relay messages thereto.

Claims

1. A toilet or urinal facility having at least one fixture and an apparatus, wherein said apparatus includes a screen for the display of video material, which screen is positioned so as to be viewed by a person when using the facility, said screen displaying video generated from data held in a storage media at the said facility, and a sensor provided to detect the presence of a person using the facility and/or at least one fixture in the facility, and comprising memory means provided to allow the storage of data generated from the sensor to indicate the presence of a person or persons in the facility and/or fixture and said data is retrievable from said memory means when on site and/or is transmittable via transmission means to the memory means when at a remote location, for subsequent display, processing and/or analysis, to provide a record of the exposure of persons to the displayed materials wherein the memory means allows the storage of data generated from the sensor which includes the number of detections made over a predetermined time period to indicate usage of the facility and/or fixture.

2. The facility according to claim 1 wherein the screen is mounted at a position removed from a fixture or as an integral part of a fixture.

3. The facility according to claim 2 wherein when mounted separately from the fixture the display screen is provided in a housing.

4. The facility according to claim 1 wherein the fixture is a urinal fixture which has a urine collection area leading to a drain and, depending upwardly from the collection area, a wall.

5. The facility according to claim 4 wherein the fixture has a number of bays for a number of users, and is provided with a display screen for each bay or a common screen.

6. The facility according to claim 1 wherein the video is held in storage media connected to the screen in the facility.

7. The facility according to claim 6 wherein the material to be displayed is transmitted to the storage media from a remote location at predetermined intervals of time.

8. The facility according to claim 1 wherein activation of the sensor causes activation of the screen or a change in condition of the screen.

9. The facility according to claim 1 wherein the sensor is mounted at or adjacent to the display screen.

10. The facility according to claim 1 wherein said apparatus includes a housing and the facility incorporates a toilet seat fixture with the sensor mounted in said housing in which the display screen is provided to detect the presence of a person on the seat.

11. The facility according to claim 1 wherein the facility incorporates a toilet seat fixture and said seat has mounted in the same a sensor, said sensor activated by the presence of a person on said seat or in the vicinity of the same.

12. The facility according to claim 1 wherein the sensor is mounted on the fixture to indicate a change in condition of the fixture by reacting to a specified liquid or liquids.

13. The facility according to claim 12 wherein the sensor is controlled to react to urine but not water so as to avoid activation during the flushing process of a male urinal fixture or toilet seat fixture.

14. The facility according to claim 12 wherein the sensor is a conductive sensor and the sensitivity of the same is adjusted to allow the same to react with respect to the particular conductivity of the liquid.

15. The facility according to claim 1 wherein the display is activated or the condition of the video material is changed in response to the insertion of a coin, token, or card into apparatus in connection with the display screen or via the activation of a sensor by the presence of a person using the fixture.

16. The facility according to claim 15 wherein upon activation of the facility the user can participate in a game.