Patent Publication Number: US-2009217445-A1

Title: Method and apparatus for hygienic flush toilets

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of home fixtures. More particularly, the present invention relates to the field of development of hygienic flush toilets. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Homeowners or apartment dwellers use flush toilet almost every day. This makes the flush toilet one of the most important fixtures in their home. Flush toilet also presents the most hygienic problems because human wastes are a source of unhealthy bacteria. Furthermore, human wastes combined with water are a common corrosive substance to a toilet bowl. Thus, it is important to maintain a clean and sanitary flush toilet, which can be a daunting task. If not cleaned properly, a toilet bowl can threaten our health and cause discomfort to users and devalue the home price. Thus, there are needs for a flush toilet that can automatically and thoroughly clean itself, hide the unpleasant sight of human&#39;s solid waste, and provide pleasant smell to the users during use. 
     Now referring to  FIG. 1 , a side view of a prior art flush toilet  100  is illustrated. Flush toilet  100  is bolted down to a bathroom floor  120  and leaned against a bathroom wall  121 . Flush toilet  100  includes a toilet bowl  101  connected to a water tank  104  via a spud  107 . Toilet bowl  101  further includes a seat  102  and a cover  103 . Cover  103  and seat  102  are mounted to toilet bowl  101  by means of screws  109 . Water tank  104  is covered by a lid  106  and includes a handle  105 . Handle  105  is connected to a flushing mechanical system (not shown) installed inside tank  104  which also contains a refilling mechanical system (not shown). Water tank  104  usually contains about two gallons of water  131  supplied via a water pipe  108  that is connected with other water pipes (not shown) hidden inside bathroom wall  121 . 
     The operation of conventional flush toilet  100  described above is well known in the art. Generally, after a user has finished using flush toilet  100 , she activates handle  105  to cause water  131  to rush down to toilet bowl  101  via spud  107 , thus creating a siphoning effect to wash human wastes  132  down the drainage system of the house. After the flush mechanical system of flush toilet  100  has finished, the refill mechanical system is automatically triggered to allow water  131  to flow back into tank  104 . 
     However, during usage, toilet bowl  101  contains water  131  and does not hide the sight of human wastes  132 , which can be unpleasant to human eyes and can cause discomfort to a user. Furthermore, even though the water  131  inside toilet bowl  101  traps some of the odors inside, some of the odors may still escape and offend the user. In addition, during unused time, the inner wall of toilet bowl  101  is usually dry and can be easily corroded by the residue of human waste  132 . This may be a source of unhealthy bacteria that threaten our health. As a consequence, users regularly spend time, efforts, and money to maintain a clean and sanitary flush toilet  101 . 
     Thus, there is an unmet need for a flush toilet that can hide the sight of human wastes and provide detergent as well as aromatic solutions to user during the use of a toilet bowl. Furthermore, there is an unmet need for a flush toilet that may clean itself during unused time, resulting in a hygienic flush toilet without taints and ugly corrosions. Thus, there is an unmet need for a flush toilet that can maintain itself clean and hygienic without spending time, money, and effort. In addition, there is an unmet need for a flush toilet that is inexpensive and easy to use. The current invention meets these above needs. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A hygienic plug-in unit that is connected to a flush toilet system is disclosed that includes a first chamber, a second chamber, and a third chamber all water connected together to allow water to flow freely between them. That is, in the first chamber, water is received and distributed into the other chambers by a refill mechanical system. In the second chamber contains a sensor which is electrically coupled to an atomizer. In the third chamber, a cleansing and deodorizing substance is stored. When a user is detected by the sensor, the sensor activates the atomizer to release the cleansing and deodorizing substance in form of a mist into a toilet bowl located below, thus hiding human wastes from view, deodorizing the toilet bowl, and keeping away corrosive particles from clinging onto the inner wall of the toilet bowl. In one embodiment, the hygienic plug-in unit also contains a timer electrically connected to the atomizer so that user can set automatic release of the cleansing and deodorizing and misty mixture down to the toilet bowl. 
     A method of maintaining a flush toilet is disclosed that includes the steps of sensing a user; releasing a cleansing and deodorizing misty mixture into toilet bowl when a user is detected; if a user is not detected, determining whether a timer for the atomizer is set. If the timer is set, release the mixture into toilet bowl and operates the flush toilet according to the time period set by the timer. Finally, if timer is not set, continue to detect a user. 
     The above and still further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of several specific embodiments thereof, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a side view of a prior art flush toilet that is mounted on a bathroom floor and a bathroom wall. 
         FIG. 2A  illustrates a side view of a flush toilet that includes a hygienic plug-in unit that senses a user and releases a misty mixture of a cleansing and deodorizing substance to a toilet bowl in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2B  illustrates a front view of a flush toilet equipped with a hygienic plug-in unit in accordance with an embodiment with the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a side view of a hygienic plug-in unit that is mounted to a flush toilet to improve the hygiene and the 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a top plan view of an internal structure of a hygienic plug-in unit of  FIG. 3  that includes a first chamber, a second chamber, and a third chamber that are connected together and filled up with water from the toilet water tank in accordance with an embodiment with the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates the manner the hygienic plug-in unit is mounted onto a flush toilet bowl in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a simplified top view a second compartment that contains a sensor electrically connected to an atomizer and an electrical cord of the hygienic plug-in unit in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates the floor plan and the direction of water flow inside the hygienic plug-in unit in accordance with an embodiment with the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a flow chart of a process of maintaining a flush toilet in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to different embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the invention will be described in conjunction with the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that they are not intend to limit the invention to these embodiments. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Furthermore, in the following detailed description of the present invention, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2A , a side view of a flush toilet  200 A that includes a hygienic plug-in unit  210  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Hygienic plug-in unit  210  is adapted connect with flush toilet  100  to generate a misty mixture of cleansing and deodorizing substance (hereinafter also referred to as “a misty mixture”)  231  that floats above water  131  and contacts with the inner surface of toilet bowl  101 . As such, misty mixture of cleansing and deodorizing substance  231  covers the sight of solid waste  132  from user&#39;s view and further blocks bad odors from escaping toilet bowl  101 . In addition, misty mixture of cleansing and deodorizing substance  231  carries both deodorizing substance and cleansing substance provides further deodorizing function to the bathroom. Later on, after use, the cleansing substance from misty mixture  231  would cling to the inner wall of toilet bowl  101  to prevent nasty corrosion to toilet bowl  101 . In one embodiment, misty mixture of cleansing and deodorizing substance  231  is generated from an atomizer (not shown) mounted inside hygienic plug-in unit  210 . A mixture of cleansing and deodorizing substance amixed with water contained inside hygienic plug-in unit  210  would be atomized or turned into misty mixture  231  by the atomizer. In one embodiment, hygienic plug-in unit  210  also includes a timer (not shown) that can cause the atomizer to release misty mixture  231  at a certain time period conveniently set by a user. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2B , a front view of a flush toilet  200 B that includes hygienic plug-in unit  210  discussed above is illustrated. In an embodiment of the present invention, hygienic plug-in unit  210  is mounted behind a user, conveniently between cover  103  and toilet seat  102 . A sensor  211  is located in front of hygienic plug-in unit  210  to sense a user. Sensor  211  is powered by a power unit that includes an electric cord  201  electrically coupled to an adapter  213 . Adapter  213  is connected to an electrical outlet  214  mounted on bath room wall  121 . Hygienic plug-in unit  210  of the present invention includes water that is supplied by a tee  212  that extracts water from water pipe  108 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , a side view of the exterior of hygienic plug-in unit  210  is illustrated. On the bottom side, hygienic plug-in unit  210  includes mounting bolts  311  separate by the same distance of the mounting bolts of toilet seat  102 . Consequently, hygienic plug-in unit  210  is mounted on toilet bowl  101  first instead of toilet seat  102  and cover  103 . Nuts  312  are used to secure hygienic plug-in unit  210  to toilet bowl  101 . On the back side of hygienic plug-in unit  210 , a water inlet orifice  314  is adapted to receive water from tee  212 . Water tube, originated from tee  212  plugged in snuggly to water inlet orifice  314 , provides water to hygienic plug-in unit  210 . An opening  317  enables electrical cord  201  to enter the interior of hygienic plug-in unit  210 . Electrical units (not shown) mounted inside hygienic plug-in unit  210  are supplied electrical power via electrical cord  201  that goes through opening  317 . Two connectors  315  are engaged with the screws of toilet seat  102  and cover  103  so that hygienic plug-in unit  210  can be installed in flush toilet  200 . In the front side of hygienic plug-in unit  210 , an outlet  313  points down towards the bottom of toilet bowl  101  so that misty mixture of cleansing and deodorizing substance  231  is released into toilet bowl  101  from hygienic plug-in unit  210 . 
     Now referring to  FIG. 4 , a plain view of the interior of hygienic plug-in unit  210  as described in  FIG. 3  is shown. In one embodiment of the present invention, hygienic plug-in unit  210  includes a first chamber  410 , a second chamber  420 , and a third chamber  430 , each having a different function. However, it is understood that hygienic plug-in unit  210  can contain more than three chambers that provide more functions to flush toilet  200 . First chamber  410  includes a water intake and refill mechanism that includes water refill and release mechanical systems similar those used in water tank  105  well known in the art. That is, first chamber  410  contains a float ball  411 , float arm  412 , etc. that intakes water through inlet orifice  314 . Second chamber  420  includes a sensor  211  and an atomizer  421  electrically coupled to each other. Once sensor  211  senses a user, it activates atomizer  421  to release misty mixture of cleansing and deodorizing substance  231  towards toilet bowl  101  according to the direction indicated by the arrows. Third chamber  430  includes a container  431  that houses cleansing and detergent substance  432 . 
     In operation, when water level in hygienic plug-in unit  210  is low as it is used up by atomizer  421 , float ball  411 , which floats on-top of the water in first chamber  410 , drops down. This pulls on float arm  412 , displacing a valve plunger (not shown) in a ballcock assembly (not shown) and allowing fresh water to flow into first chamber  410  via inlet orifice  314 . Water seeps to second chamber  420  and third chamber  430  because they are connected together by back corridor  419 . As the water level rises in hygienic plug-in unit  210 , float ball  411  rises until float arm  412  is high enough to lower the valve plunger in the ballcock assembly and shut off the incoming water. Next, cleansing and deodorizing substance  432  released from container  431  will be mixed with water. In one embodiment, container  431  also contains other detergent materials. Once sensor  211  senses a user, it activates atomizer  421  to turn mixture of water and detergent into a misty mixture  231 . Such misty mixture  231  follows gravity and exit outlet  313  to fill up toilet bowl  101 . Misty mixture  231  serves multiple functions once it fills toilet bowl  101 . First, it covers toilet bowl  101  so that user cannot see solid waste. Second, it serves as a second layer to block bad odor from escaping toilet bowl  101 . Third, it wets the inner wall of toilet bowl  101  so that solid waste will not corrode the inner wall and hidden edges in toilet bowl  101 . In one embodiment, hygienic plug-in unit  210  also contains a timer that is activated by user so that atomizer  421  automatically releases misty mixture  231  that covers the inner wall of toilet bowl  101 . Thus, with hygienic plug-in unit  210 , flush toilet  200  does not have to be manually cleaned up by users, thus saving time, money, and efforts for the users. 
     Now referring to  FIG. 5 , a complete assembling of hygienic plug-in unit  210  into flush toilet system  500  is shown. First, cover  103  and toilet seat  102  are removed from toilet bowl  101 . Then, hygienic plug-in unit  210  is inserted into toilet bowl  101  by mounting bolts  311 . Washers and nuts  312  are slid into and tightened to secure hygienic plug-in unit  210  onto toilet bowl  101 . Finally, toilet seat  102  and cover  103  are plugged in to hygienic plug-in unit on the side adaptors  316 . 
     Referring next to  FIG. 6 , an electrical unit  600  installed in second chamber  420  is shown in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Second chamber  420  contains sensor  211  electrically coupled to atomizer  421  via electrical cord  201 . Sensor  211  is powered by adaptor  213  at a wall electrical outlet  214 . In one embodiment, electrical unit  600  also includes a timer  601  so that users may activate automatic cleaning of toilet bowl  101 . Accordingly, hygienic plug-in unit  210  of the present invention allows users to maintain a clean and aromatic flush toilet without manually cleaning. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates the direction of flow and operation of hygienic plug-in unit  210  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. First, water is allowed to flow into first chamber  410  via intake orifice  314 . Since water seeks its own level, water rushes into second chamber  420  and third chamber  430  via back corridor  419  that connects first chamber  410  with third chamber  430 . There, water is mixed with cleansing and deodorizing substance  231  and is led into second chamber  420  where atomizer  421  is located. If a user is detected, sensor  211  located in front of hygienic plug-in unit  210  will activate atomizer  421  to release the mixture in form of mist. Misty mixture of cleansing and deodorizing substance  231  follows the pull of gravity and escapes down toward hygienic plug-in unit  210  via outlet  313  into toilet bowl  101 . In one embodiment, atomizer  421  comprises a negative ion atomizing device that creates a swirling mist that fills toilet bowl  101  and then continuously and gently fills over the side of toilet bowl  101  without touching a user. Mist of cleansing and deodorizing substance comprises negatively charged molecules that will attract and cling to positively charged molecules of human waste. As a result, molecules of human wastes cannot attach themselves to the inner wall of toilet bowl  101 . 
     Now referring to  FIG. 8 , a flow chart  800  showing a method of maintaining a flush toilet is illustrated that includes the steps of sensing a user, if a user is detected, releasing a cleansing and deodorizing mist into toilet bowl and then operate the flush toilet as usual; if an user is not detected, determining whether a timer for the atomizer is set. If the timer is set, release the mixture into toilet bowl and operates the flush toilet according to the time period set by the timer. Finally, if timer is not set, continue to detect a user. 
     More particularly, at step  801 , a user is sensed. This step is implemented by sensor  211  installed in front of hygienic plug-in unit  210  of the present invention. In one embodiment, sensor  211  can be adjusted to scan for a distance less than the length of toilet bowl  101  so that we can avoid detecting the wall of toilet bowl  101  and falsely activating atomizer  421 . 
     Referring to step  802 , determining whether a user is detected. Step  802  is implemented by sensor  211 . Typically, sensor  211  emits a signal toward the front of toilet bowl  101 . If a user sits down toilet seat  102  to use flush toilet  200 , the signal is reflected from user and returned to sensor  211 , ascertaining that a user is detected. 
     Referring now to step  803 , cleansing and deodorizing mixture in form of mist is released into toilet bowl if a user is detected. The returned signal from step  802  will activate atomizer  421  placed in second chamber  420  of hygienic plug-in unit  210  of the present invention. 
     Next, referring to step  804 , after misty mixture fills up toilet bowl, operate the flush toilet as usual. Step  804  is realized by hygienic plug-in unit  210  installed into flush toilet  100  shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 5 . 
     Referring now to step  805 , determining whether the user has finished using the flush toilet. 
     Referring next to step  806 , if the answer is “yes”, the flush toilet is returned to idle state or non-used state. This step is implemented by sensor  211  determining that no user has been detected for a certain period of time. However, if the user has not finished using the flush toilet, sensor  211  is necessarily detected the user and steps  801  to step  805  are repeated. In one aspect of the present invention, if sensor  211  does not detect a user after a certain period of time, timer  601  determines whether automatic release of misty mixture  231  was set by the user. Thus, method  800  goes to step  807 . 
     Referring to step  807 , if a user is not detected, determine whether a timer is set by a user. This step is implemented by a timer installed in second chamber  420 . Timer is electrically coupled to both atomizer  421  and sensor  211 . If timer is set, it will temporarily deactivate sensor  211  and activate atomizer  421  in accordance to the time period set by user. Afterwards, step  803  and  804  are repeated. 
     Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described. It should be understood, of course, the foregoing disclosure relates only to a preferred embodiment (or embodiments) of the invention and that numerous modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. Various modifications are contemplated and they obviously will be resorted to by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims as only a preferred embodiment(s) thereof has been disclosed.