Distance warning device for a male urinal

• US 8,239,975 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2010
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shuen-Ching Lee
• Original Assignee: Shuen-Ching Lee
• Inventors: Lee, Shuen-Ching
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, HUYEN D
• Application Number:
  US12/805,541
• Publication Number:
  US 20110168928A1
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 4302-305, 431/3, 462/3
• US Class Current: 4/304
• 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

Abstract

A distance warning device for a male urinal comprises a casing, a detector provided at the front end of the casing, and a comparison circuit, a control circuit, and a warning indicator that are electrically connected with the detector. The detector detects the location of a human body. The comparison circuit then outputs a corresponding signal by means of comparison of the detection results. When receiving a signal indicating that the distance from the human body to the male urinal is between the first distance and the second distance, the control circuit has the warning indicator output a warning signal and has a flusher begin a first-phase flush to pre-wet the male urinal. When receiving a signal indicating that the human body is within the first distance, the control circuit stops the warning indicator. When the distance between the human body and the male urinal is equal to or longer than the second distance, the flusher begins the second-phase flush to wash the male urinal.

Claims

1. A distance warning device for a male urinal, comprising:

a casing;

a detector, provided at the front end of the casing, for detecting the location of a human body;

a comparison circuit, electrically connected with the detector, for comparing and outputting a signal indicating that the distance between the human body and the male urinal is shorter than a first distance or is between the first distance and a second distance; and

a control circuit, electrically connected with the comparison circuit, where when receiving a signal indicating that the distance from the human body to the male urinal is between the first distance and the second distance, the control circuit controls a warning indicator to output a warning signal and to have a flusher begin a first-phase flush to pre-wet the male urinal;

when receiving a signal indicating that the distance between the human body and the male urinal is smaller than the first distance, the control circuit stops the warning indicator; and

when receiving a signal indicating that the distance between the human body and the male urinal is equal to or longer than the second distance, the control circuit controls via a processor the flusher to begin a second-phase flush to wash the male urinal.

2. The distance warning device for a male urinal as claimed in claim 1, wherein the comparison circuit further includes a first comparator and a second comparator;

the first and the second comparators are respectively electrically connected with the detector; and

the first comparator is used for determining whether the distance from the human body to the male urinal is between the first and the second distance while the second comparator is used for determining whether the distance from the human body to the male urinal is smaller than the first distance.

3. The distance warning device for a male urinal as claimed in claim 2, further comprising at least an amplifier that is electrically connected with the detector for amplifying the signals from the detector.

4. The distance warning device for a male urinal as claimed in claim 1, wherein the comparison circuit and the control circuit are respectively a firmware that is pre-installed in a processor;

and a converter is electrically connected between the detector and the processor for converting analog signals to digital signals.

5. The distance warning device for a male urinal as claimed in claim 4, wherein the processor is electrically connected with an input device for inputting the values of the first and the second distances.

6. The distance warning device for a male urinal as claimed in claim 5, wherein the processor is electrically connected with a quartz oscillator.

7. The distance warning device for a male urinal as claimed in claim 4, further comprising at least an amplifier that is electrically connected with the detector for amplifying the signals from the detector.