Patent Publication Number: US-6662381-B1

Title: Automated toilet plunging apparatus

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to built-in toilet plungers and more particularly pertains to a new automated toilet plunging apparatus for unclogging and unplugging a plugged toilet drain. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of built-in toilet plungers is known in the prior art. More specifically, built-in toilet plungers heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art, which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
     Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,852,834; U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,236; U.S. Pat. No. 5,963,994; U.S. Pat. No. 5,321,858; U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,442; U.S. Pat. No. 5,600,856; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 385,073. 
     While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new automated toilet plunging apparatus. The prior art includes manual plungers being used to unplug toilet drains. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new automated toilet plunging apparatus which has many of the advantages of the built-in toilet plungers mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new automated toilet plunging apparatus which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art built-in toilet plungers, either alone or in any combination thereof. The present invention includes a toilet having a bowl and also having a drain disposed through a bottom of the bowl; and also includes a plunger housing assembly including a container being securely disposed in the bowl and having an open front side, and also including a door being hingedly attached to the container and being openly closed upon the open front side of the container; and further including a plunger member being removably disposed in the container for opening a plugged drain; and also including an assembly of actuating the plunger member; and also including a hose being attached to the plunger member and being adapted to be connected to a water supply for rinsing the bowl when the plunger member is positioned over the drain. None of the prior art includes the combination of elements of the present invention. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the automated toilet plunging apparatus in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a new automated toilet plunging apparatus which has many of the advantages of the built-in toilet plungers mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new automated toilet plunging apparatus which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art built-in toilet plungers, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new automated toilet plunging apparatus for unclogging and unplugging a plugged toilet drain. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new automated toilet plunging apparatus that is easy and convenient to use. 
     Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new automated toilet plunging apparatus that eliminates having to use a handheld plunger and also eliminates the mess of using a handheld plunger and also prevents the clogging material from settling in the drain before a user can apply a handheld plunger to the drain. 
    
    
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a toilet of a new automated toilet plunging apparatus according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the toilet of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a detailed side elevational view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a side edge elevational view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the nozzle, bracket, plunger member and hose of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the nozzle, bracket, plunger member and hose of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 6 thereof, a new automated toilet plunging apparatus embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6, the automated toilet plunging apparatus  10  generally comprises a toilet  11  having a bowl  12  and also having a drain  13  disposed through a bottom of the bowl  12 . The bowl  12  includes a back wall  14 , and also includes a recessed area  15  disposed in the back wall  14 . 
     A plunger housing assembly includes a container  16  being securely and conventionally disposed in the bowl  12  and having an open front side  31 , and also includes a door  17  being hingedly and conventionally attached to the container  16  and being openly closed upon the open front side  31  of the container  16 . The plunger housing assembly further includes a conventional door opener/closer member  18  being conventionally connected to the door  17  for opening and closing the door  17  and being conventionally attached to the container  16 . The container  16  is securely and conventionally disposed in the recessed area  15  of the bowl  12 . 
     A plunger member  19  is removably disposed in the container  16  for opening a plugged drain  13 . The plunger member  19  is a rubberized suction cup and has a hole  20  being disposed through a wall thereof. An assembly of actuating the plunger member  19  includes a motor  21  being conventionally attached to the toilet  11  and having a motor shaft  22 , and also includes a bracket  23  being conventionally attached to the plunger member  19 , and further includes an arm  24  being pivotally and conventionally attached to the bracket  23  and being conventionally connected to the motor  21 , and also includes a control unit  27  being conventionally attached to the toilet  11  and being conventionally connected to the motor  21  and to the door opener/closer member  18 . The arm  24  has a first end  25  that is securely and conventionally attached to the motor shaft  22  and also has a second end  26  which is conventionally attached to the bracket  23  for positioning the plunger member  19  over the drain  15  and also for removing the plunger member  19  from over the drain  15 . The control unit  27  includes power switches  28  for energizing the door opener/closer member  18  and the motor  21 , and also includes a power cord  29  being conventionally connected to the power switches  28  and being connectable to a power source. 
     A cleaner assembly is adapted to be connected to a water supply for rinsing the bowl  12  when the plunger member  19  is positioned over the drain  15 , and includes a nozzle  32  being rotatably and conventionally mounted about the bracket  23  and upon the plunger member  19 , and further includes a hose  30  which is conventionally attached to the nozzle  32  and to the plunger member  19 . The hose  30  has an end that is securely and conventionally attached in the hole  20  of the plunger member  19 . 
     In use, the user would actuate the door opener/closer member  18  and the motor  21  by depressing the power switches  28  which would open the door  17  and would rotate the arm  24  to move the plunger member  19  from in the container  16  to a position over the drain  15  and the second end  26  of the arm  24  would continue to press in upon the wall of the plunger member  19  thus causing a suction in the drain  15  which urges the clogging material from the drain  15  into the bowl  12 ; whereupon, the user can rinse the bowl  12  by turning on the water supply so that water passes through the hose  30  and through either the nozzle  32  or the plunger member  19  into the bowl  12 . 
     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the automated toilet plunging apparatus. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.