Abstract:
An illumination device for a toilet provides increased lighting conditions when a toilet seat or a toilet lid of a toilet is raised, thereby minimizing the chances of males urinating outside the confines of a toilet bowl and females sitting directly on a toilet bowl instead of the toilet seat during reduced lighting conditions in a bathroom. The illumination device may include a power source, a light source, and an activation device. The illumination device may be mounted to an underside of the toilet seat or the toilet, or the toilet itself. The illumination device may further include a controller in communication with the power supply and the light source, such that the controller regulates the passage of power and signals to the electrical components. The embodiment with a controller may include a courtesy alarm to warn users of a toilet seat in an upright position.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to toilets and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to methods and an apparatus for illuminating a toilet.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     The inability of males to urinate in a dark bathroom without urinating on objects including a horizontally oriented toilet seat causes problems for others sharing the use of the toilet, particularly female users. If the males do not lift the toilet seat when urinating, a target area is reduced. The smaller target area coupled with a limited lighting situation make a normal everyday task substantially more difficult, as the person urinating must urinate in a general direction of a reduced target area. Should the urine stream contact the toilet seat, splashing will occur, thereby magnifying the affected areas.  
         [0005]     Problems are noted when female users attempt to utilize the toilet in a limited lighting situation following an inconsiderate user, as the affected areas are typically still wet. The female user often sits on a wet toilet seat, thereby creating discomfort and an unsanitary situation.  
         [0006]     When the males do lift the toilet seat before urinating, a limited lighting situation can still cause problems, as the user still is forced to aim in a general direction. Once again, an urination stream contacting the sides of a toilet bowl, even if only for a brief period, will cause splashing both within and outside of the toilet bowl. Splashing outside of the toilet bowl falls to a bathroom floor, thereby creating a possibly slippery floor, as well as an unsanitary situation. Urine left on the bathroom floor can then lead to bad odors, stains, and the like.  
         [0007]     Additionally, female users are often forced to sit on a toilet in a limited lighting situation. In situations where the toilet seat is not lowered, the female is at risk of sitting on the lip of the toilet bowl, or even possibly falling partially into the toilet bowl if the toilet if the user does not ensure that the toilet seat is down.  
         [0008]     Accordingly, an apparatus and method for illuminating the toilet to provide users with increased lighting in limited lighting situations would be beneficial to substantially all users.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     In accordance with the present invention, an illumination device provides improved lighting conditions in a toilet bowl of a toilet when a toilet seat is raised. The illumination device may include a power source, a light source, and an activation device. The illumination device may be mounted to an underside of a toilet seat of the toilet in either a permanent installation or a removable configuration. The illumination device is activated when the toilet seat is raised, and deactivated when the toilet seat is lowered. Illuminating the toilet bowl provides both male and female users with increased lighting conditions during night visits to a bathroom to dispose of body waste.  
         [0010]     In an alternative embodiment, the illumination device further includes a controller in communication with the power supply and the light source, such that the controller regulates the passage of power and signals to the electrical components. The embodiment with a controller may further include a courtesy alarm in the form of visual or audible signals to warn users of a toilet seat in an upright position for a predetermined amount of time.  
         [0011]     It is therefore an object of the present invention to illuminate a toilet, thereby providing users with increased lighting conditions when a toilet seat is upright.  
         [0012]     It is a further object of the present invention to illuminate the toilet when a toilet seat is raised.  
         [0013]     It is still further an object of the present invention to provide a courtesy alarm to remind forgetful users that the toilet seat remains in an upright position.  
         [0014]     Still other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become evident to those of ordinary skill in the art in light of the following. Also, it should be understood that the scope of this invention is intended to be broad, and any combination of any subset of the features, elements, or steps described herein is part of the intended scope of the invention. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]      FIG. 1  provides a top view of an illumination device according to the preferred embodiment.  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  provides a side view of the illumination device according to the preferred embodiment.  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  provides an exploded view of the illumination device according to the preferred embodiment.  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  provides perspective view of the illumination device in use according to the preferred embodiment.  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  provides a method flowchart illustrating the illumination device in use according to the preferred embodiment.  
         [0020]      FIG. 6  provides a perspective view of a second embodiment of the illumination device that includes a scent distribution device.  
         [0021]      FIG. 7  provides perspective view of a third embodiment of the illumination device that includes a controller and a courtesy alarm.  
         [0022]      FIG. 8  provides a method flowchart illustrating the third embodiment in use.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0023]     As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. It is further to be understood that the figures are not necessarily to scale, and some features may be exaggerated to show details of particular components or steps.  
         [0024]     An illumination device aids users during sanitation operations, namely depositing excrement from the body into a suitable waste disposal apparatus known as a toilet. The illumination device may be mounted to a toilet seat, a toilet bowl, a toilet bowl lid, or any combination of the aforementioned, to conduct illumination operations. The illumination device may further be connectable to a swiveling seat or lid to provide a switching operation in conjunction with the illumination operations, such that the illumination device illuminates a toilet bowl area when a lid or toilet seat is in an upright position. The use of the illumination device aids males when urinating in a limited lighting situation. Females are aided by having a seating area lit before sitting on the toilet seat. The first embodiment includes an activation device and a light source mounted to an underside of a toilet seat. The light source of the first embodiment is powered when a toilet seat of a toilet is raised. The light may remain unpowered during good lighting situations to conserve energy.  
         [0025]     In this first embodiment, the illumination device  100  includes a housing  110  having a base assembly  111  and a top cover assembly  120 . The base assembly  111  includes a base  112 , an activation device  150 , a power supply  155 , and a light source  140 . In this first embodiment, the base  112  is oval in shape and of a size suitable for mounting on an underside of a toilet seat  205  of a toilet  200  with minimal exposure to ambient conditions. The base  112  may be constructed from any suitable material having sufficient stiffness and strength to mount other components, and may even be a printed circuit board, such that electronic components may be mounted to the printed circuit board and electrically connected as required.  
         [0026]     The activation device  150  may be any device suitable for sensing the presence of a user, a position of a toilet seat  205 , a position of a lid  206 , or any combination thereof, such that a signal is generated to illuminate a toilet bowl  210  area. For example, a plunger switch may engage a lower toilet portion  215  to regulate distribution of power to the light source  140 , proximity sensors may be utilized to sense a close proximity to the lower toilet portion  215 , optical sensors may be utilized to compare and contrast visual data, and infrared sensors may sense the presence of a user in the general area of the toilet bowl  210 . One of ordinary skill in the art will further recognize that the activation device  150  may utilize mechanical switches such as mercury switches to conduct similar operations. The activation device may further include a mercury vapor switch to restrict the flow of power to the light source  140  to limited lighting conditions, thereby conserving power.  
         [0027]     The power supply  155  may be any suitable power source, preferably batteries. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that virtually any type of power source may be utilized, including alternating current, solar power cells, and the like. The power supply  155  is located on the base  112  and powers the activation device  150  and the light source  140 . In this first embodiment a battery is utilized to provide to confine the illumination device to a self contained arrangement, and to minimize the risk of electrical shock in a wet environment.  
         [0028]     The light source  140  may be any suitable form of projecting light from the illumination device  100 , including incandescent bulbs, LED&#39;s, halogen bulbs, and the like. In this first embodiment, the light source  140  is mounted to the base  112  using any suitable means including screws, glue, or snap features molded into the base  112 . The light source  140  projects light when powered by the power source  155 .  
         [0029]     The top cover assembly  120  includes a cover  125  and a lens  130 . The cover  125  may be an injection molded component; preferably a resin that is inert to the chemicals utilized in common household cleansers. The lens  130  may also be an injection molded component that transmits light with minimal losses, for example, a polycarbonate. The lens  130  may be permanently affixed to the cover  125  using any suitable means, for example gluing, snap features, or solvent bonding. The seal between the lens  130  and the cover  125  should be impervious to liquids.  
         [0030]     On assembly, the activation device  150 , the power source  155 , and the light source  140  are mounted to the base  112 . The lens  130  may then be mounted to the cover  125 , such that no liquids may pass between the cover  125  and the lens  130 . Once all required components are mounted to the base  112 , the cover assembly  120  may be mounted to the base assembly  111 , such that the light source  140  may project light through the lens  130 . In the assembled configuration, all of the electronic components are located within a protected environment between the base  112  and the cover assembly  120 . Once the cover assembly  120  has been assembled to the base assembly  111 , the electrical components are protected from sprays, cleansers, and the like. The cover assembly  120  may be assembled to the base  112  using any suitable means, including snap features, screws, or glues for either a permanent or a removable configuration.  
         [0031]     In use, the illumination device  100  may be mounted to any suitable surface, including the underside of a toilet seat  205  of a toilet  200 , the underside of a toilet bowl lid  206 , an upper toilet portion  216 , or even the toilet bowl  210  area, using any suitable means, including adhesives, double sided tape, glues, or brackets. The illumination device  100  may be mounted in either a permanent or semi-permanent installation. If the illumination device  100  is mounted in a semi-permanent arrangement, the illumination device  100  may be occasionally removed for servicing, cleansing, or replacement in a disposable configuration.  
         [0032]      FIG. 5  provides a method flowchart outlining the operation of the illumination device  100 . The process commences with step  5 , wherein the activation device  150  awaits a signal. In step  10 , an operator triggers the activation device  150 . The activation device  150  may be triggered using any suitable method to ascertain whether a toilet seat  205  has been raised, including proximity sensors sensing a lower portion of the toilet  200 , infrared sensors sensing the presence of a user within a close proximity, motion sensors sensing the motion of the user, or the like. When the activation device  150  has been triggered, the process moves to step  20 , wherein the activation device  150  provides power to the light source  140 , thereby illuminating the area near the toilet bowl  210 . Once the toilet bowl  210  is illuminated, it becomes easier for the operator to urinate within the confines of the toilet bowl  210 , thereby eliminating any associated remnants due to missing the toilet bowl  210 . Upon completion of the urinating phase, the operator lowers the toilet seat  205  to deactivate the activation device  150  as shown in step  30 . In step  40 , the activation device ceases the delivery of power to the light source  140 .  
         [0033]     While this first embodiment has been shown to be mountable to an underside of a toilet seat  205 , one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the first embodiment may be mounted to an underside of a toilet bowl lid  206 , such that when a user lifts the swiveling lid  206  the toilet seat  205  is illuminated for users that must sit on the toilet seat  205 . Further extensions of the illumination device  100  may be mountable to the toilet  200  as required to accommodate various sensing capabilities and cleanliness requirements.  
         [0034]     In a second embodiment, an illumination device  250  is identical to the illumination device  100 , but further includes a scent distribution device  252  as shown in  FIG. 6 . The scent distribution device  252  may be any device suitable for dispensing a concentrated scent or cologne solution utilized to overcome foul odors. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that scent distribution devices are common in the industry, illustratively, plug-ins, and room deodorizers commonly utilized in bathrooms. The scent distributing devices may distribute scents on timed intervals or may even sample the ambient conditions to determine a scent distribution is required. In this second embodiment, the scent distribution device  252  may be disposed within the housing  110  and in communication with the power supply  155  and the activation device  150 , such that the scent distribution device  252  is actuated by the activation device  150  and powered by the power supply  155 . While this second embodiment has been shown with the scent distribution device  252  disposed within the housing  110 , it should be clear to one of ordinary skill in the art the illumination device  250  may be in communication with a remote scent distribution device, thereby minimizing size requirements of the illumination device  250 .  
         [0035]     In a third embodiment an illumination device  300  includes a courtesy alarm  160  as shown in  FIG. 7 . The third embodiment is similar to the illumination devices  100  and  250 , however, a controller  156  and courtesy alarm  160  have been added to provide an audible reminder for forgetful users of the toilet  200 . In this third embodiment, like parts have been numbered with like numerals for clarity. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the functionality of the illumination device  100  remains the same, and that the addition of an audible reminder for forgetful users is merely an extension of the first and second embodiments.  
         [0036]     The controller  156  may be any type of logic controller currently utilized in industry, including a microprocessor, and is mounted on the base  112  to reside with the other electronic components. The controller  156  is in communication with the activation device  150 , the power supply  155 , the light source  140 , and the courtesy alarm  160  to regulate and distribute power to the components. The controller  156  may also execute timer functions to create delays between operations.  
         [0037]     The courtesy alarm  160  may be any type of device suitable for providing an audible sound, including speakers, buzzers, chimes, and the like. The courtesy alarm  160  may be mounted to the base  112  and is in communication with the controller  156  and the power supply  155 . When powered, the courtesy alarm  160  provides an audible warning to the user.  
         [0038]     On assembly, the courtesy alarm  160  and the controller  156  are mounted to the base  112  such that they are protected from ambient conditions. Upon the installation of the cover assembly  120 , the courtesy alarm  160  and the controller  156  lie in a protected environment with the other electrical components, including the power supply  155  and the light source  140 .  
         [0039]     In operation, the illumination device  300  is in a wait state as shown in step  50  of the method flowchart of  FIG. 8 . An operator triggers the activation device  150  by raising the toilet seat  205  of the toilet  200 , step  60 . Upon activation, the activation device  150 , the controller  156  provides power from the power supply  155  to the light source  140 , and starts a timer function, as shown in step  70 . With the toilet bowl  210  now illuminated, the operator may urinate into the lighted toilet bowl  210 . After urinating, the operator moves away from the toilet  200 . The process moves to step  80 , wherein the controller  156  determines if the predetermined timer delay has expired. If the timer delay period has not expired, the process returns to step  80 . If the timer delay has expired in step  80 , the process moves to step  90 , wherein the controller  156  determines if the toilet seat  205  is still upright. If the toilet seat  205  has been lowered by the user, the process returns to step  50 , wherein the activation device  150  waits for an input signal. If the toilet seat  205  is still upright after the timer has expired in step  90 , the. controller  156  then powers the courtesy alarm  160  to warn the operator of the toilet seat  205  remaining in the upright position, step  95 . The operator may lower the toilet seat  205  to deactivate the light source  140 . The process then returns to step  80 , where it awaits the end of predetermined timer period to determine if the toilet seat  205  has been lowered.  
         [0040]     Although the present invention has been described in terms of the foregoing preferred embodiment, such description has been for exemplary purposes only and, as will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, many alternatives, equivalents, and variations of varying degrees will fall within the scope of the present invention. That scope, accordingly, is not to be limited in any respect by the foregoing detailed description; rather, it is defined only by the claims that follow.