Touchless flushing systems and methods

• US 9,657,471 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2013
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kohler Company
• Original Assignee: Kohler Company
• Inventors: Garrels, Clayton C., Stauber, Joseph L., Renzelman, Brian D., Denzin, Peter W., Hildebrand, Jeffrey C., Plate, Eric M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Loeppke, Janie
• Application Number:
  US14/070,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20140123378A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,299 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 19/00 Machines for simply fitting together or separating metal parts or objects, or metal and non-metal parts, whether or not involving some deformation connecting metal parts or objects by metal-working procedures B21J, B23K; Tools or devices therefor so far as not provided for in other classes hand tools in general B25
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 1/142 in cisterns with flushing valves
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 5/105 touchless, e.g. using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A touchless actuation system for a toilet includes a touchless sensor, a motor assembly, and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to receive a signal from the touchless sensor and to detect an object within a detection region based on the signal. The touchless sensor lacks an optical path to the detection region. In some embodiments, the touchless sensor is a projected capacitive sensor. The processing circuit is configured to activate the motor assembly upon detecting the object and the motor assembly is configured to actuate flushing of the toilet when activated by the processing circuit.

Claims

1. A touchless actuation system for a toilet, the system comprising:

a touchless sensor;

a motor assembly; and

a processing circuit configured to receive a signal from the touchless sensor and to detect an object within a detection region based on the signal, wherein the touchless sensor lacks an optical path to the detection region;

wherein the processing circuit is configured to activate the motor assembly upon detecting the object and wherein the motor assembly is configured to actuate flushing of the toilet when activated by the processing circuit;

wherein the actuation system is completely concealed within a closed reservoir for the toilet;

wherein the touchless sensor is a projected capacitive sensor configured to project an electromagnetic field through a surface of the closed reservoir, wherein the electromagnetic field defines the detection region outside the reservoir;

wherein the object is a hand or forearm of a user and the user flushes the toilet by moving said hand or forearm into the detection region without touching the toilet, the reservoir, or the actuation system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the surface of the closed reservoir is a lid of the reservoir and wherein the detection region is defined above the lid of the reservoir.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to monitor a time since the motor assembly has been activated and prevent reactivation of the motor assembly if the time is within a time threshold.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a housing within which the touchless sensor, the motor assembly, and the processing circuit are contained; and

a positioning bracket configured to adjustably attach to the housing and position the actuation system within the reservoir, wherein the positioning bracket is configured to adjust the position of the actuation system relative to an upper surface of the reservoir.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a wheel assembly coupled to the motor assembly and configured to rotate when the motor assembly is activated,

wherein the wheel assembly is configured to couple to a chain attached to a flushing mechanism within the reservoir, wherein rotation of the wheel assembly causes the chain to actuate the flushing mechanism.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the chain is directly attached to a flush valve covering an outlet of the reservoir.

7. The system of claim 5, further comprising a switch, wherein the wheel assembly further comprises a magnet, wherein the processing circuit is configured to detect when the wheel assembly has completed one full rotation using the magnet and switch, and wherein the processing circuit is further configured to deactivate the motor assembly when one full rotation is detected.

8. The system of claim 7,

wherein the switch is a reed switch coupled to the processing circuit, and wherein the magnet activates the reed switch when the wheel assembly has completed one full rotation.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the processing circuit is configured to stop the motor assembly when the reed switch is activated, wherein stopping the motor includes shorting electrical leads to the motor assembly.

10. The system of claim 5, wherein the processing circuit is configured to bring the motor assembly to a desired rotational position and to pause at the desired position before completing a full rotation.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a lever or arm coupled to the motor assembly and configured to rotate when the motor assembly is activated, wherein the lever or arm is configured to couple to a chain attached to a flushing mechanism within the reservoir, wherein rotation of the lever or arm causes the chain to actuate the flushing mechanism.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a power supply coupled to motor assembly, wherein the processing circuit activates the motor assembly by providing the motor assembly with an electric current from the power supply.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the processing circuit is configured to monitor the electric current provided to the motor assembly or a torque exerted by the motor assembly and initiate one or more safety precautions if the current exceeds a current threshold or the torque exceeds a torque threshold, wherein the safety precautions include deactivating the motor assembly, limiting the electric current provided to the motor assembly, limiting the torque exerted by the motor assembly, and activating a warning indicator.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to estimate a gesture performed by a user and initiate one or more supplemental actions based on the estimated gesture, wherein the supplemental actions include initiating a short flush, initiating a long flush, dispensing a deodorant, and initiating a cleaning process.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

one or more additional touchless sensors, wherein the processing circuit estimates the gesture based on a plurality of signals received from the sensors.

16. A toilet, comprising:

a projected capacitive sensor;

a motor assembly;

a processing circuit configured to receive a signal from the sensor and activate the motor assembly based on said signal; and

a reservoir, housing flush water and a flush valve, enclosing the projected capacitive sensor, the motor assembly, and the processing circuit,

wherein the motor assembly is configured to actuate flushing of the toilet when activated by the processing circuit and wherein the projected capacitive sensor is completely concealed behind an optically opaque surface of the reservoir;

wherein the projected capacitive sensor is configured to project an electromagnetic field through the opaque surface, wherein the electromagnetic field defines a detection region on a side of the surface opposite the sensor, wherein the projected capacitive sensor is located within a closed reservoir for the toilet and lacks an optical path to the detection region;

wherein said signal is indicative of the presence of an object within the detection region;

wherein the object is a hand or forearm of a user and the user flushes the toilet by moving said hand or forearm into the detection region without touching the toilet, the reservoir, or the projected capacitive sensor.

17. A method for installing a touchless flush system to a toilet, comprising:

attaching a positioning bracket inside a toilet reservoir;

placing within the toilet reservoir a projected capacitive sensor, a motor assembly, and a processing circuit;

moving the projected capacitive sensor relative to the positioning bracket to define a detection region in relation to the toilet reservoir;

coupling the motor assembly to a flush valve;

covering the toilet reservoir, wherein the projected capacitive sensor lacks an optical path to the detection region;

sensing an object in the detection region and activating the motor assembly in response to a signal from the projected capacitive sensor; and

flushing the toilet, wherein the flush valve is opened by the movement of the motor assembly and closed by the motor assembly.