Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US20090235989?dq=6,243,373
Timestamp: 2017-09-21 00:47:42
Document Index: 607956484

Matched Legal Cases: ['§119', '§119', '§119', '§119', '§119', '§119']

Patent US20090235989 - Automatic flush actuation apparatus - Google Patents
An automatic flush actuation apparatus, which is incorporated with a flushing system having a water inlet, a water outlet, and a water chamber communicating therebetween, that includes a valve member being moved by a flush lever for releasing the water pressure within the water chamber to allow the water...http://www.google.com/patents/US20090235989?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US20090235989 - Automatic flush actuation apparatus
Publication number US20090235989 A1
Application number US 12/454,775
Also published as US6923424, US7028977, US7232110, US7407147, US7552905, US7857280, US7862001, US8292258, US8739829, US20050017208, US20050077491, US20050258383, US20070246670, US20080265193, US20090283149, US20110067762, US20110072568, US20120222205
Publication number 12454775, 454775, US 2009/0235989 A1, US 2009/235989 A1, US 20090235989 A1, US 20090235989A1, US 2009235989 A1, US 2009235989A1, US-A1-20090235989, US-A1-2009235989, US2009/0235989A1, US2009/235989A1, US20090235989 A1, US20090235989A1, US2009235989 A1, US2009235989A1
Original Assignee Advanced Modern Technologies, Corp.
Patent Citations (7), Classifications (20), Legal Events (4)
US 20090235989 A1
1. Method of controlling volume of water used in each sensor-operated flushing cycle of a flushing system comprising an automatic flush actuation apparatus, comprising the steps of:
(a) normally blocking water flowing from a water inlet to a water outlet through a flush channel of said flushing system by means of said automatic flush actuation apparatus;
(b) starting said flushing cycle of said flushing system by allowing water flowing from said water inlet to said water outlet through said flush channel of said flushing system through said automatic flush actuation apparatus;
(c) adjustably controlling a volume of water used in said flushing cycle for said flushing system by controlling a time of said flushing cycle; and
(d) stopping water passing to said water outlet by closing said flush channel until said flushing cycle is started again.
2. The method, as recited in claim 1, wherein the step (a) further comprises a step of moving a relief valve of said automatic flush actuation apparatus to an auto-operated closed position for blocking said water passing to said water outlet through said flush channel of said flushing system.
3. The method, as recited in claim 2, wherein the step (b) further comprises a step of moving said relief valve to an auto-operated opened position to start said flushing cycle for allowing said water flowing from said water inlet to said water outlet of said flushing system through said automatic flush actuation apparatus.
4. The method, as recited in claim 3, wherein the step (d) further comprises a step of moving said relief valve from said auto-operated opened position back to said auto-operated closed position to stop said water passing to said water outlet.
5. The method, as recited in claim 4, wherein said relief valve has a water passage and a valve stopper arranged to be able to move between said auto-operated closed position to normally close said water passage for stopping said water flowing to said water outlet and said auto-operated opened position to open said water passage for allowing said water flowing to said water outlet for controlling said water flowing from said water inlet to said water outlet.
6. The method, as recited in claim 5, wherein, in the step (b), said valve stopper is moved away from an opening of said water passage to open said water passage for allowing said water flowing from said water inlet to said water outlet to start said flushing cycle of said flushing system.
7. The method, as recited in claim 6, wherein said valve stopper is driven by an actuator to move between said auto-operated closed position and said auto-operated opened position.
8. The method, as recited in claim 1, wherein, in the step (c), said flushing cycle of said flushing system is controlled by a control processor which is adapted to control said time of said flushing cycle and said water volume for each said flushing cycle.
9. The method, as recited in claim 7, wherein, in the step (c), said flushing cycle of said flushing system is controlled by a control processor which is adapted to control said time of said flushing cycle and said water volume for each said flushing cycle.
10. The method, as recited in claim 9, wherein said volume of water used in each said flushing cycle for said flushing system is controlled through said control processor to control a driven speed of said actuator so that said volume of water used in each said flushing cycle is able to be adjustably controlled by controlling said driven speed of said actuator, that is a time said actuator driving said valve stopper to stay in said auto-operated opened position, thereby said water volume of each said flushing cycle is able to be increased when said control processor delays said driving time of said actuator.
11. The method, as recited in claim 10, wherein said actuator is driven by a power generator.
12. The method, as recited in claim 11, wherein said control processor is able to be adjusted to control said time of said flushing cycle, said water volume for each said flushing cycle, a detecting range of a sensor for detecting presence of a user of said flushing system, and a motion of said power generator.
13. The method, as recited in claim 10, wherein said actuator is driven by a power generator to rotate to drive said valve stopper to move from said auto-operated closed position to said auto-operated opened position where said valve stopper is moved to offset said opening of said water passage for allowing said water passing to said water outlet.
14. The method, as recited in claim 13, wherein said volume of water used in each said flushing cycle for said flushing system is controlled through said control processor to control a rotational speed of said actuator.
15. The method, as recited in claim 14, wherein in the step (d), a movement of said valve stopper is limited by a locating ring which also guides said valve stopper returning back to said opening of said water passage after completing of said flushing cycle.
16. The method, as recited claim 14, wherein the step (a) further comprises a step of providing a urging force against said valve stopper by a resilient element disposed within said water passage to normally pull said valve stopper to close said opening of said water passage.
17. The method, as recited in claim 16, wherein, in the step (b), a driving end portion of said actuator is driven to rotate to move said valve stopper to said offset position so as to allow said water to flow through said water passage and to force said resilient element to stretch for applying a urging pressure against said valve stopper.
18. The method, as recited in claim 17, wherein the step (d) further comprises a step of pulling said valve stopper back to said auto-operated closed position to close said opening of said water passage by said resilient element while said resilient elements rebounds to an original form after said driving end portion of said actuator moves back to an original position.
19. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein, in the step (b), said flushing cycle starts in responsive to a presence of a user in front of said flushing system.
20. The method, as recited in claim 18, wherein, in the step (b), said actuator is actuated to rotate in responsive to a presence of a user in front of said flushing system.
21. A method of controlling a flushing cycle of a flushing system via a valve body having a water inlet, a water outlet, and a valve member being disposed between said water inlet and said water outlet;
22. The method, as recited in claim 21, wherein said actuator is rotationally driven to move between said opened position and said closed position and said time of said valve stopper being stayed at said opened position is adjustably controlled by a rotational speed of said actuator and a rotational cycle of said actuator.
24. The method, as recited in claim 23 wherein, in the step (c), said actuator is actuated to rotate in responsive to a presence of a user in front of said flushing system.
25. The method, as recited in claim 24, wherein said actuator is actuated to rotate by an electric motor.
26. An automatic actuation apparatus for a valve body having a water inlet and a water outlet, comprising:
a control processor for adjustably controlling a time of each flushing cycle of said flushing system so as to control water volume for each said flushing cycle.
27. The automatic actuation apparatus, as recited in claim 26, wherein said volume of water used in each said flushing cycle for said flushing system is controlled through said control processor to control a driven speed of said actuator so that said volume of water used in each said flushing cycle is able to be adjustably controlled by controlling said driven speed of said actuator, that is a time said actuator driving said relief valve to stay at said auto-operated opened position, thereby said water volume of each said flushing cycle is able to be increased when said control processor delays said driving time of said actuator.
28. The automatic actuation apparatus, as recited in claim 26, wherein said control processor is able to be adjusted to control said time of said flushing cycle, said water volume for each said flushing cycle, a detecting range of a sensor for detecting presence of a user of said flushing system, and a motion of said power generator.
29. The automatic actuation apparatus, as recited in claim 26, wherein said relief valve has a water passage and a valve stopper arranged to be able to move between said auto-operated closed position to normally close said water passage for stopping said water flowing to said water outlet and said auto-operated opened position to open said water passage for allowing said water flowing to said water outlet for controlling said water flowing from said water inlet to said water outlet.
30. The automatic actuation apparatus, as recited in claim 28, wherein said actuator is driven by said power generator to rotate to drive said valve stopper to move from said auto-operated closed position to said auto-operated opened position where said valve stopper is moved to offset said opening of said water passage for allowing said water passing to said water outlet.
31. The automatic actuation apparatus, as recited in claim 29, wherein said volume of water used in each said flushing cycle for said flushing system is controlled through said control processor to control a rotational speed of said actuator.
32. The automatic actuation apparatus, as recited in claim 30, wherein a movement of said valve stopper is limited by a locating ring which also guides said valve stopper returning back to said opening of said water passage after completing of said flushing cycle.
33. The automatic actuation apparatus, as recited in claim 30, wherein a resilient element is disposed within said water passage for providing a urging force against said valve stopper to normally pull said valve stopper to close said opening of said water passage, wherein a driving end portion of said actuator is driven to rotate to move said valve stopper to said offset position so as to allow said water to flow through said water passage and to force said resilient element to stretch for applying a urging pressure against said valve stopper, wherein said valve stopper is pulled back to said auto-operated closed position to close said opening of said water passage by said resilient element while said resilient elements rebounds to an original form after said driving end portion of said actuator moves back to an original position.
This is a Continuation application that claims the benefit of priority under 35U.S.C.§119 to a non-provisional application having an application Ser. No. 12/215,553 and a filing date of Jun. 27, 2008, which is a Continuation application that claims the benefit of priority under 35U.S.C.§119 to a non-provisional application having an application Ser. No. 11/801,928 and a filing date of May 11, 2007, which is a divisional application that claims the benefit of priority under 35U.S.C.§119 to a non-provisional application, having an application Ser. No. 11/192,627 and a filing date of Jul. 29, 2005, which is a divisional application that claims the benefit of priority under 35U.S.C.§119 to a non-provisional application having an application Ser. No. 11/004,704 and a filing date of Dec. 03, 2004, which is a divisional application that claims the benefit of priority under 35U.S.C.§119 to a non-provisional application having an application Ser. No. 10/640,693 and a filing date Aug. 14, 2003, which is a Continuation-In-Part application that claims the benefit of priority under 35U.S.C.§119 to a non-provisional application having an application Ser. No. 10/377,124 and a filing date of Feb. 28, 2003.
U.S. Classification 137/1, 251/129.01
International Classification F16K31/40, E03D5/10, F16K31/385, E03D3/06, F16K31/02, F15C3/00
Cooperative Classification E03D3/06, Y10T137/7758, Y10T137/0318, Y10T137/0324, Y10T137/86389, F16K31/404, E03D5/10, F16K31/3855
European Classification F16K31/40A2, E03D5/10, F16K31/385B, E03D3/06
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:MAERCOVICH, JORGE;MAERCOVICH, LEO;REEL/FRAME:022768/0046
Jan 4, 2015 SULP Surcharge for late payment