Abstract:
Disclosed is a bidet apparatus. The apparatus includes a second water supply source in addition to a source utilizing existing hot and cold supply lines. Dependent on the situation, these two sources can independently or cooperatively supply the water to a spray head mounted on the underside of a toilet seat.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention is related to a bidet apparatus, particularly to a toilet bowl bidet attachment for rinsing a genital area of an individual. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    The use of bidets is common in many countries, but is less well known in the United States. This may be attributable several factors such as a general unfamiliarity with the apparatus, the additional cost associated with the same, space constraints for incorporation of the same into a toilet system or, merely, lack of habit for such personal hygiene. 
         [0005]    Typically, bidets are incorporated into the water supply lines of a toilet system and are positioned adjacent to toilet seat whereby the flow, temperature and pressure of water can be regulated for discharge from nozzles mounted on the front and rear of the toilet seat. 
         [0006]    A bidet is generally installed on a seat of a toilet stool so that a person sits to wash his/her genital and anal areas using washing water sprayed from washing and bidet nozzles without using toilet paper. The bidet generally includes one angle-adjustable nozzle for washing all private area or two separate nozzles, one for washing the anal area and another one for washing the genital area. 
         [0007]    Based on the methods by which a desired water temperature is achieved, bowl bidets can be divided into two categories: 
         [0008]    An electrical heating device is used to raise water temperature to certain degree. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,327,718, 5,421,039, 5,206,928, 5,090,067, 4,237,560, and 4192023. Conventionally, water heaters are further divided into a hot water storage type in which a fixed amount of water stored in a tank is at all times heated to and kept at a proper temperature by a heater and an instantaneous heating type in which supplied water is instantaneously heated such that hot water heated to a proper temperature is fed. The disadvantages of using electricity are obvious: the device itself is generally much more expensive; the operating cost is high; the maintenance cost is high; the device is subject to strict IECC safety standards and regulations. 
         [0009]    Alternatively, a water supply assembly is connected to hot and cold water supply lines, and desired water temperature is achieved by adjusting the ratio between hot and cold water supply. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,065,802, 6,643,856, 6,321,396, 6,167,577, 5,953,766, 5,884,345, 5,652,971, 5,495,625, 5,384,919, 5,272,774, 4,995,121, and 4,197,594. 
         [0010]    For instance, the U.S. Pat. No. 4,197,594 disclosed a bidet, which is adapted to fit on the lower surface of conventional toilet seats, and comprises (1) a base element, (2) a support element, including handle, rotatably secured to the base element, (3) an elongated fluid carrying arm extending from the support, and (4) a spray head. By rotating the handle, the spray head moves through a relatively shallow arc from a retracted position adjacent the lower surface of the seat at the rear thereof through an operative path beneath the opening in the seat. The axis of rotation of the support element and the configuration of the fluid-carrying arm are such that the focal point of the arc of the spray head is several inches above the plane of the seat. 
         [0011]    However, a hot water supply line may not be always available, in which case users left with no other choice. 
         [0012]    Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a bidet apparatus which overcomes one or more of the disadvantages of the prior art specified above. 
         [0013]    It is another object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which uses more than one hot water supply source. 
         [0014]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which allows users to make use of water that has been specially treated with scented material and/or herbs. 
         [0015]    It is an additional object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which is adapted for attachment to an existing conventional toilet bowl. 
         [0016]    It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus which provides good cleansing of the entire target area. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    Accordingly, the present invention is a bidet apparatus adapted for use with a conventional toilet, which includes a toilet bowl and a toilet seat. Comparing to traditional bidets, the apparatus disclosed here includes a second water supply source in addition to a source utilizing existing hot and cold supply lines. Dependent on the situation, these two sources can independently or cooperatively provide the water supply. 
         [0018]    In a preferred embodiment, the bidet comprises:
       A. a mounting means for attaching the bidet on the toilet seat;   B. a first water supply means having an inlet connecting to existing hot and cold water supply lines and having an outlet;   C. a second water supply means comprising:
           a tank having a body for storing fluid and a housing for receiving said pump and having an outlet;   
           D. a valve assembly comprising:
           a mixing valve having an inlet end connecting to said outlet of said first water supply means and having an outlet end, said mixing valve being operative to selectively control the amount of hot and cold water input; and   a control valve having a first inlet end connecting to said outlet end of said mixing valve and having a second inlet end connecting to said second water supply means and having an outlet end, said control valve being operative to selectively control the rate of flow of water passing through the bidet;   
           E. a spray pipe mounted on the underside of said seat, said spray pipe having an inlet and an outlet;   F. conduit means for connecting said outlet of said control valve to said inlet of said spray pipe; and   G. a spray head connecting to the outlet of said spray pipe,   whereby said first water supply means and said second water supply means can either independently or cooperatively supply water to said spray head.       
 
       BRIEF LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS UTILIZED IN THE DRAWING 
       [0000]    
       
           10 —toilet bidet ( 10 ) 
           11 —pump ( 11 ) 
           12 —bidet top cover ( 12 ) 
           13 —valve assembly ( 13 ) 
           14 —adjusting gear ( 14 ) 
           15 —water tank inlet ( 15 ) 
           16 —outer wall of bidet ( 16 ) 
           17 —water tank ( 17 ) 
           18 —extending line ( 18 ) 
           19 —spray head ( 19 ) 
           20 —gear shaft ( 20 ) 
           21 —hot water line ( 21 ) 
           22 —cold water line ( 22 ) 
           23 —connecting line ( 23 ) 
           24 —bidet bottom cover ( 24 ) 
           25 —outlet connector of valve assembly  13  ( 25 ) 
           26 —ball valve ( 26 ) 
           27 —mixing valve ( 27 ) 
           28 —T-connection part- 1  ( 28 ) 
           29 —outlet of siphon line  30  ( 29 ) 
           30 —siphon line ( 30 ) 
           31 —inlet of siphon line  30  ( 31 ) 
           32 —first outlet of T-connection part- 1   28  ( 32 ) 
           33 —T-connection part- 2  ( 33 ) 
           34 —T-connection part- 3  ( 34 ) 
           35 —inlet of connecting line  23  ( 35 ) 
           36 —outlet of connecting line  23  ( 36 ) 
           37 —mounting assembly ( 37 ) 
           38 —cap for drainage exit  39  ( 38 ) 
           39 —drainage exit of water tank  17  ( 39 ) 
           40 —handle of pump  11  ( 40 ) 
           41 —plunger shaft ( 41 ) 
           42 —plunger ( 42 ) 
           44 —inlet of T-connection part- 1   28  ( 44 ) 
           45 —outlet of water tank  17  ( 45 ) 
           46 —connecting line ( 46 ) 
           47 —water tank inlet on valve assembly  13  ( 47 ) 
           48 —drainage nozzle ( 48 ) 
           49 —inlet of the channel of the gear shaft  20  ( 49 ) 
           50 —cold water inlet ( 50 ) 
           51 —hot water inlet ( 51 ) 
           52 —outlet of valve assembly  13  ( 52 ) 
           53 —open/close handle ( 53 ) 
           54 —temperature adjusting handle ( 54 ) 
           55 —spray head adjusting handle ( 55 ) 
           56 —connecting gear ( 56 ) 
           57 —rotating axis of gear shaft  20  ( 57 ) 
           58 —passageway connecting to both hot water line  21  and cold water lines  22  ( 58 ) 
           59 —passageway between mixing valve  27  and ball valve  26  ( 59 ) 
           60 —toilet bowl ( 100 ) 
           61 —toilet seat ( 101 ) 
       
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       [0081]    A more thorough understanding of the invention may be obtained by a study of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         [0082]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing the bidet housing mounted alongside a toilet seat. 
         [0083]      FIG. 2A  is a top view showing the bidet along. 
         [0084]      FIG. 2B  is a bottom view showing the bidet along. 
         [0085]      FIG. 2C  is a perspective view showing the pump along. 
         [0086]      FIG. 3  shows an exploded assembly view of the parts of the bidet. 
         [0087]      FIG. 4  shows an exploded assembly view of the parts involving in using hot and cold water lines as water supply source. 
         [0088]      FIG. 5  shows an exploded assembly view of the parts involving in using water tank as water supply source with or without cold water line. 
         [0089]      FIG. 6  shows an exploded assembly view of the parts involving in draining water from the bidet. 
         [0090]      FIG. 7  shows an exploded assembly view of the valve assembly  13 . 
         [0091]      FIG. 8A  is a cross sectional view along the line A-A′ of  FIG. 6 . 
         [0092]      FIG. 8B  is a cross sectional view along the line B-B′ of  FIG. 6 . 
         [0093]      FIG. 9  shows an exploded assembly view of the parts involving in rotating the spray head. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0094]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 A and  2 B, the present invention is shown in an environment of a conventional toilet. The control unit of the bidet is designated generally at  10  and is seen to be mounted adjacent the toilet seat  61  of a toilet  60  within reach of the user. The mount of the unit  10  is achieved by mounting assemblies  37 . Hoses  21 ,  22  are connected to hot water and cold water piping (not shown here) and are introduced into the inlets  50 ,  51 , respectively at the bottom of the unit  10 . The connections between hoses  21 ,  22  and water piping can be achieved easily with T-shaped connections, which are well known in the field of art. In addition, through an inlet  15 , water is added to a water tank concealed within the unit  10 . In use, water, from different sources, as will be explained hereinafter, passes through the unit  10  in a controlled fashion, as will be explained hereinafter, and through hoses, not seen, and into and out of a spray head  19 , which is mounted at the rear of toilet seat  61 . 
         [0095]    Referring to  FIG. 2C , pump  11  is used to provide necessary water pressure when the water tank is used as the only water source, as will be explained hereinafter. 
         [0096]    In  FIG. 3 , the parts of the bidet are shown in an exploded view. Briefly speaking, the bidet  10  includes two water supply sources. The first one connects to existing hot and cold water supply lines and the second one utilizes a water tank as the source. The water tank  17  is concealed in the body of the unit  10 . The two water supply sources are joined together at a valve assembly  13 , which then connects to a channel buried in a gear shaft  20  and a spray head  19 . A valve assembly  13  controls which water source should be used to supply water and the rate of water flow. In addition, the gear shaft  20  is rotatable about an axis  57 , which is at a prescribed angle relative to the plane of the toilet seat  61  to which the apparatus  10  is attached. Residue or excess water in the bidet is drained through a connecting line  23 , an extending line  18 , and a drainage nozzle  48 . 
         [0097]    Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4  in detail concerning the operation of the bidet apparatus and the water passageway, water is supplied to the apparatus from available hot and cold water hoses  21 ,  22 . Hot and cold water is delivered to a valve assembly  13  through inlet  50  and  51  respectively. By adjusting a mixing valve  27  on the valve assembly  13 , the hot and cold water is mixed in a prescribed ratio, which is set by the user through temperature adjusting handle  54 , to achieve desired water temperature. When a ball-valve  26  turns open through a handle  53 , mixed water flows out from a water outlet connector  25  of the valve assembly  13  to the inlet  49  of a channel in the middle of a gear shaft  20 . Mixed water is then dispensed through a spray head  19 . The ball-valve  26  is also used to control the rate of water flow into the bidet and the rate of water dispensed through a spray head  19 . 
         [0098]    Referring to  FIGS. 3 ,  5  and  7  in detail concerning the operation of the bidet apparatus and the water passageway, water is supplied to the apparatus only from a water tank  17 . In this case, the ball-valve  26  is set to close through a handle  53 . When the ball-valve  26  set to close, the passageway between inlets  50 / 51  and the outlet  52  is blocked while the passageway between a water tank inlet  47  and the outlet  52  is open (See  FIG. 7 ). Warm water is filled in a water tank  17  through an inlet  15 . A pump assembly  11  is then inserted into the inlet  15  to provide necessary water pressure. Under pressure generating by the pump  11 , water flows out from outlet  45 , through water line  46 , into the T-connection  28  by its inlet  44 , which further connects to a siphon line  30  at an inlet  31 . The outlet  29  of the siphon line  30  connects to the water tank inlet  47  on valve assembly  13  (See  FIG. 7 ). Through the outlet connector  25  of the valve assembly  13  and the channel in the middle of the gear shaft  20 , water is finally dispensed through the spray head  19 . Dependent on the force applying on the pump handle  40 , the rate of water dispensed through the spray head  19  is controllable. 
         [0099]    Referring to  FIGS. 3 ,  5  and  7  again in detail concerning the operation of the bidet apparatus and the water passageway, water is supplied to the apparatus using both the water tank  17  and cold water supply line. In this case, the ball-valve is set to open through a handle  53 . When the ball-valve  26  set to open, the passageway between inlets  50 / 51  and the outlet  52  is open while the passageway between a water tank inlet  47  and the outlet  52  is also open (See  FIG. 7 ). Hot water is filled in a water tank  17  through an inlet  15 . Due to siphon phenomenon, when water from the cold water line flows through the valve assembly  13 , hot water is automatically drained from the siphon line  30  and mixed with cold water. Mixed water then passes the outlet connector  25  of the valve assembly  13  and the channel in the middle of the gear shaft  20  and dispensed through a spray head  19 . 
         [0100]    For medical or other purposes, the water tank  17  can be filled with water specially treated with scented material and/or herbs. Dependent on the availability of hot and cold water lines, different operation setting of the apparatus can be chosen as described above. 
         [0101]    The siphon line  30  is very thin. As a result, without water pressured generated by the pump  11  and siphon phenomenon generated when water from cold water line flows by the valve assembly  13 , water in the tank  17  cannot flow out and into other parts of the bidet apparatus. 
         [0102]    Referring now to  FIGS. 3 ,  6  and  7  in detail concerning the operation of the bidet apparatus and the water passageway, redual and excess water is drained from the apparatus. When the bidet is not in use, the ball-valve  26  is set to close. As described above, when the ball-valve  26  set to close, the passageway between inlets  50 / 51  and the outlet  52  is blocked while the passageway between a water tank inlet  47  and the outlet  52  is open (See  FIG. 7 ). Water left in all lines of the bidet is removed through a T-connection set, consisting of  28 ,  33 , and  34 , a water line  23 , an extending line  18 , and a drainage nozzle  48 . 
         [0103]    With reference to  FIGS. 2B and 3  of the drawings, the water tank  17  has its own drainage exit  39  covered by a cap  38 . 
         [0104]    With reference to  FIGS. 3 ,  7 ,  8 A and  8 B of the drawings, the structure of the valve assembly  13  is illustrated in details. The valve assembly  13  houses two independent valves—mixing valve  27  and ball valve  26 , two inlets  50  and  51  connecting to existing water lines, one inlet  49  connecting to the water tank  17  through the siphon line  30 , and one outlet  52 . Hot and cold water lines are connected to the mixing valve  27  through inlets  50  and  51  respectively. When the position of the temperature adjusting handle  54  is changed, the mix ratio between hot water and cold water is altered so that a comfortable water temperature could be achieved. Mixed water then flows through the passageway  59  to the ball valve  26 . The ball valve  26  is an open/close type valve. When it is open, water is allowed to flow from the passageway  59  to the outlet  52 . When it is close, water flow between the passageway  59  and the outlet  52  is blocked. In comparison, the passageway between the inlet  49  and the outlet  52  is always open, independent on the status of the ball valve  26 . 
         [0105]      FIG. 9  demonstrates how the direction of the spray head  19  is adjusted. When a handle  55  is turned, so is the adjusting gear  14 , which in turn contacts and rotates a connecting gear  56 . Through the gear shaft  20 , the spray head  19  is then rotated about an axis  57 . 
         [0106]    The gear shaft  20  is hollow, and is connected at one end  49  to the outlet connector  26  of the valve assembly  13 , and is connected at another end to the spray head  19  so that there is a fluid connection from the valve assembly  13  through the gear shaft  20  to the spray head  19 . 
         [0107]    In the preferred embodiment, two functionally independent valves—mixing valve  27  and ball valve  26 —are combined into a single valve assembly  13 . However, it is conceivable that separate multiple valves can be used to achieve the same functionalities. 
         [0108]    In the preferred embodiment, the water line  46  is upstream of the valve assembly  13 . However, it is conceivable that such connection can be arranged to somewhere downstream of the valve assembly  13 . 
         [0109]    In the preferred embodiment, the gear shaft  20  serves two roles—connecting the valve assembly  13  and the spray head  19 , and adjusting the direction of the spray head  19 . 
         [0110]    However, it is conceivable that separate parts can be used to achieve the same functionalities. 
         [0111]    In the preferred embodiment, the water tank  17  is enclosed inside of the bidet unit  10 . However, it is conceivable that a container outside of the bidet unit can be used to serve the same functionality. 
         [0112]    In the preferred embodiment, the pump  11  is used to generate water pressure needed. However, it is conceivable that other types of pressure-generating means or means of lifting the water tank to certain height can be used to serve the same purpose. 
         [0113]    Therefore, we declare that although an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been disclosed herein for purposes of illustration, it should be understood that various changes, modifications and substitutions might be incorporated in such embodiment without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims which follow.