Patent ID: 7500277

Claim:
A method for retrofitting a toilet comprising a toilet bowl, a water holding tank, and a flush valve providing fluid communication between the toilet bowl and the water holding tank, the holding tank defining a handle opening having an actuating handle mounted therein used to actuate the flush valve, the method comprising: removing the actuating handle; and replacing the actuating handle with an automatic flush assembly, the automatic flush assembly comprising a sensor section positioned to detect the presence of a person in an area in front of the toilet bowl, a control section operatively connected to the sensor section for receiving a detection signal from the sensor indicating the presence of the person in the area in front of the toilet bowl, and an actuating mechanism adapted to actuate the flush valve in response to a flush signal from the control section, wherein the sensor section is contained within a first portion of a housing positioned exterior to the water holding tank, and the actuating mechanism is contained within a second portion of the housing extending interior to the water holding tank, the first portion and the second portion forming a unitary housing, at least a portion of the unitary housing extending through the handle opening.