Touchless activation of a toilet
First Claim
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1. A sensor and actuator assembly, comprising:
- an infrared sensor configured to detect the presence of a user at a far distance;
an ultrasonic sensor configured to detect the presence of the user at a near distance, wherein the ultrasonic sensor remains in a sleep mode until awakened by a signal from the infrared sensor after the infrared sensor has first detected the presence of the user at the far distance; and
an actuator mechanism that activates in response to a signal from the ultrasonic sensor that the ultrasonic sensor has detected the presence of the user.
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Abstract
A toilet sensor and actuator assembly, having: (a) an infrared sensor configured to detect the presence of an object at a far distance from a toilet; (b) an ultrasonic sensor configured to detect the presence of the object at a near distance from the toilet, wherein the ultrasonic sensor remains in a sleep mode until awakened by a signal from the infrared sensor that the infrared sensor has detected the presence of the object at the far distance; and (c) an actuator mechanism that flushes the toilet in response to a signal from the ultrasonic sensor that the ultrasonic sensor has detected the presence of the object at the near distance.
20 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A sensor and actuator assembly, comprising:
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an infrared sensor configured to detect the presence of a user at a far distance; an ultrasonic sensor configured to detect the presence of the user at a near distance, wherein the ultrasonic sensor remains in a sleep mode until awakened by a signal from the infrared sensor after the infrared sensor has first detected the presence of the user at the far distance; and an actuator mechanism that activates in response to a signal from the ultrasonic sensor that the ultrasonic sensor has detected the presence of the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14, 15)
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7. A sensor and actuator assembly for causing a toilet to flush, comprising:
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an infrared sensor configured to detect the presence of a user; an ultrasonic sensor configured to detect the presence of the user; and an actuator mechanism that activates in response to a signal from the ultrasonic sensor that the ultrasonic sensor has detected the presence of the user, wherein the actuator mechanism comprises; a solenoid; a plunger rod in the solenoid, the plunger rod being moved by electric current passing through the solenoid; and a pneumatic tube or a connecting cable, wherein movement of the plunger rod causes air to move in the pneumatic tube or wherein movement of the plunger rod moves the connecting cable, and wherein the movement of air in the pneumatic tube or the movement of the connecting cable causes the toilet to flush. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of actuating a device comprising:
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detecting the presence of a user at a far distance using an infrared sensor; detecting the presence of the user at a near distance with the ultrasonic sensor, wherein the ultrasonic sensor remains in a sleep mode until awakened by a signal from the infrared sensor after the infrared sensor has first detected the presence of the user at the far distance; and activating an actuator mechanism in response to the ultrasonic sensor detecting the presence of the user. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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Specification