APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING A FLOW OF A FLUID

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Generally, the present disclosure relates to the field of fluid handling and sanitary equipment. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to an apparatus for facilitating a flow of a fluid.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Normal toilets have no effective system in place to prevent odors and fecal matter particles from leaving the bowl. Additionally, ordinary toilets lack a system to evacuate air that is contaminated with bacteria, viruses, and or particulates from the toilet bowl area.

Therefore, there is a need for improved apparatuses, and devices that may overcome one or more of the above-mentioned problems and/or limitations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter. Nor is this summary intended to be used to limit the claimed subject matter's scope.

The present disclosure provides an apparatus for facilitating a flow of a fluid. Further, the apparatus may include a housing which may be configured to be attached to a toilet bowl. Further, the housing may include of two or more openings. Further, the two or more openings may include an inlet opening which may be configured to be in fluid connection with a bowl interior region of the toilet bowl. Further, the two or more openings may include an outlet opening in fluid connection with the inlet opening. Further, the apparatus may include a flow generator comprising an intake and an exhaust. Further, the intake may be in fluid connection with the inlet opening. Further, the exhaust may be in fluid connection with the outlet opening. Further, an actuation of the flow generator facilitates a flow of a fluid from the inlet opening to the outlet opening.

Both the foregoing summary and the following detailed description provide examples and are explanatory only. Accordingly, the foregoing summary and the following detailed description should not be considered to be restrictive. Further, features or variations may be provided in addition to those set forth herein. For example, embodiments may be directed to various feature combinations and sub-combinations described in the detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate various embodiments of the present disclosure. The drawings contain representations of various trademarks and copyrights owned by the Applicants. In addition, the drawings may contain other marks owned by third parties and are being used for illustrative purposes only. All rights to various trademarks and copyrights represented herein, except those belonging to their respective owners, are vested in and the property of the applicants. The applicants retain and reserve all rights in their trademarks and copyrights included herein, and grant permission to reproduce the material only in connection with reproduction of the granted patent and for no other purpose.

Furthermore, the drawings may contain text or captions that may explain certain embodiments of the present disclosure. This text is included for illustrative, non-limiting, explanatory purposes of certain embodiments detailed in the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view of a toilet 100, in accordance with some embodiments. Accordingly, the toilet 100 may include a toilet bowl 102 and a flow generator 104.

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the toilet 100, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view of the toilet 100, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view of the toilet 100, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view of the toilet 100, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view of the toilet 100, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 7 is a side cross-sectional view of the toilet 100, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 8 is a side cross-sectional view of the toilet 100, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 9 is a side cross-sectional view of the toilet 100, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 10 is a side cross-sectional view of the toilet 100, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 11 is a side cross-sectional view of a toilet 1100, in accordance with some embodiments. Accordingly, the toilet 1100 may include a toilet bowl 1102, a flow generator 1104, an input device 1122, and one or more of an energy storage device 1124 and a power receiving unit 1126.

FIG. 12 is a side cross-sectional view of a toilet 1200, in accordance with some embodiments. Accordingly, the toilet 1200 may include a toilet bowl 1202 and a flow generator 1204.

FIG. 13 is a top right side perspective view of an apparatus 1300 attached to a toilet for facilitating flow of a fluid, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 14 is a top right side perspective view of the apparatus 1300 attached to a toilet for facilitating flow of a fluid, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 15 is a top right side perspective view of the apparatus 1300 attached to a toilet for facilitating flow of a fluid, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 16 is a top right side perspective view of the apparatus 1300 attached to a toilet for facilitating flow of a fluid, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 17 is a top right side perspective view of the apparatus 1300 attached to a toilet for facilitating flow of a fluid, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 18 is a top right side perspective view of the apparatus 1300 attached to a toilet for facilitating flow of a fluid, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 19 is a top right side perspective view of the apparatus 1300 attached to a toilet for facilitating flow of a fluid, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 20 is a top view of the apparatus 1300 for facilitating flow of a fluid, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 21 is a front right side perspective view of the apparatus 1300 for facilitating flow of a fluid, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 22 is a top perspective view of the apparatus 1300 for facilitating flow of a fluid, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 23 is a top perspective view of the apparatus 1300 for facilitating flow of a fluid, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 24 is an illustration of an online platform consistent with various embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 25 is a block diagram of a computing device for implementing the methods disclosed herein, in accordance with some embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As a preliminary matter, it will readily be understood by one having ordinary skill in the relevant art that the present disclosure has broad utility and application. As should be understood, any embodiment may incorporate only one or a plurality of the above-disclosed aspects of the disclosure and may further incorporate only one or a plurality of the above-disclosed features. Furthermore, any embodiment discussed and identified as being “preferred” is considered to be part of a best mode contemplated for carrying out the embodiments of the present disclosure. Other embodiments also may be discussed for additional illustrative purposes in providing a full and enabling disclosure. Moreover, many embodiments, such as adaptations, variations, modifications, and equivalent arrangements, will be implicitly disclosed by the embodiments described herein and fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

Accordingly, while embodiments are described herein in detail in relation to one or more embodiments, it is to be understood that this disclosure is illustrative and exemplary of the present disclosure and are made merely for the purposes of providing a full and enabling disclosure. The detailed disclosure herein of one or more embodiments is not intended, nor is to be construed, to limit the scope of patent protection afforded in any claim of a patent issuing here from, which scope is to be defined by the claims and the equivalents thereof. It is not intended that the scope of patent protection be defined by reading into any claim limitation found herein and/or issuing here from that does not explicitly appear in the claim itself.

Thus, for example, any sequence(s) and/or temporal order of steps of various processes or methods that are described herein are illustrative and not restrictive. Accordingly, it should be understood that, although steps of various processes or methods may be shown and described as being in a sequence or temporal order, the steps of any such processes or methods are not limited to being carried out in any particular sequence or order, absent an indication otherwise. Indeed, the steps in such processes or methods generally may be carried out in various different sequences and orders while still falling within the scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it is intended that the scope of patent protection is to be defined by the issued claim(s) rather than the description set forth herein.

Additionally, it is important to note that each term used herein refers to that which an ordinary artisan would understand such term to mean based on the contextual use of such term herein. To the extent that the meaning of a term used herein—as understood by the ordinary artisan based on the contextual use of such term-differs in any way from any particular dictionary definition of such term, it is intended that the meaning of the term as understood by the ordinary artisan should prevail.

Furthermore, it is important to note that, as used herein, “a” and “an” each generally denote “at least one” but do not exclude a plurality unless the contextual use dictates otherwise. When used herein to join a list of items, “or” denotes “at least one of the items” but does not exclude a plurality of items of the list. Finally, when used herein to join a list of items, “and” denotes “all of the items of the list”.

The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the following description to refer to the same or similar elements. While many embodiments of the disclosure may be described, modifications, adaptations, and other implementations are possible. For example, substitutions, additions, or modifications may be made to the elements illustrated in the drawings, and the methods described herein may be modified by substituting, reordering, or adding stages to the disclosed methods. Accordingly, the following detailed description does not limit the disclosure. Instead, the proper scope of the disclosure is defined by the claims found herein and/or issuing here from. The present disclosure contains headers. It should be understood that these headers are used as references and are not to be construed as limiting upon the subjected matter disclosed under the header.

The present disclosure includes many aspects and features. Moreover, while many aspects and features relate to, and are described in the context of a toilet, embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to use only in this context.

In general, the method disclosed herein may be performed by one or more computing devices. For example, in some embodiments, the method may be performed by a server computer in communication with one or more client devices over a communication network such as, for example, the Internet. In some other embodiments, the method may be performed by one or more of at least one server computer, at least one client device, at least one network device, at least one sensor, and at least one actuator. Examples of the one or more client devices and/or the server computer may include, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a personal digital assistant, a portable electronic device, a wearable computer, a smartphone, an Internet of Things (IoT) device, a smart electrical appliance, a video game console, a rack server, a super-computer, a mainframe computer, mini-computer, micro-computer, a storage server, an application server (e.g., a mail server, a web server, a real-time communication server, an FTP server, a virtual server, a proxy server, a DNS server, etc.), a quantum computer, and so on. Further, one or more client devices and/or the server computer may be configured for executing a software application such as, for example, but not limited to, an operating system (e.g., Windows, Mac OS, Unix, Linux, Android, etc.) in order to provide a user interface (e.g., GUI, touch-screen based interface, voice based interface, gesture based interface, etc.) for use by the one or more users and/or a network interface for communicating with other devices over a communication network. Accordingly, the server computer may include a processing device configured for performing data processing tasks such as, for example, but not limited to, analyzing, identifying, determining, generating, transforming, calculating, computing, compressing, decompressing, encrypting, decrypting, scrambling, splitting, merging, interpolating, extrapolating, redacting, anonymizing, encoding and decoding. Further, the server computer may include a communication device configured for communicating with one or more external devices. The one or more external devices may include, for example, but are not limited to, a client device, a third-party database, a public database, a private database, and so on. Further, the communication device may be configured for communicating with the one or more external devices over one or more communication channels. Further, the one or more communication channels may include a wireless communication channel and/or a wired communication channel. Accordingly, the communication device may be configured for performing one or more of transmitting and receiving of information in electronic form. Further, the server computer may include a storage device configured for performing data storage and/or data retrieval operations. In general, the storage device may be configured for providing reliable storage of digital information. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the storage device may be based on technologies such as, but not limited to, data compression, data backup, data redundancy, deduplication, error correction, data finger-printing, role-based access control, and so on.

Further, one or more steps of the method disclosed herein may be initiated, maintained, controlled, and/or terminated based on a control input received from one or more devices operated by one or more users such as, for example, but not limited to, an end user, an admin, a service provider, a service consumer, an agent, a broker and a representative thereof. Further, the user as defined herein may refer to a human, an animal, or an artificially intelligent being in any state of existence, unless stated otherwise, elsewhere in the present disclosure. Further, in some embodiments, the one or more users may be required to successfully perform authentication in order for the control input to be effective. In general, a user of the one or more users may perform authentication based on the possession of a secret human readable data (e.g., username, password, passphrase, PIN, secret question, secret answer, etc.) and/or possession of a machine readable secret data (e.g., encryption key, decryption key, bar codes, etc.) and/or possession of one or more embodied characteristics unique to the user (e.g., biometric variables such as, but not limited to, fingerprint, palm-print, voice characteristics, behavioral characteristics, facial features, iris pattern, heart rate variability, evoked potentials, brain waves, and so on) and/or possession of a unique device (e.g., a device with a unique physical and/or chemical and/or biological characteristic, a hardware device with a unique serial number, a network device with a unique IP/MAC address, a telephone with a unique phone number, a smartcard with an authentication token stored thereupon, etc.). Accordingly, the one or more steps of the method may include communicating (e.g., transmitting and/or receiving) with one or more sensor devices and/or one or more actuators in order to perform authentication. For example, the one or more steps may include receiving, using the communication device, the secret human readable data from an input device such as, for example, a keyboard, a keypad, a touch-screen, a microphone, a camera, and so on. Likewise, the one or more steps may include receiving, using the communication device, the one or more embodied characteristics from one or more biometric sensors.

Further, one or more steps of the method may be automatically initiated, maintained, and/or terminated based on one or more predefined conditions. In an instance, the one or more predefined conditions may be based on one or more contextual variables. In general, the one or more contextual variables may represent a condition relevant to the performance of the one or more steps of the method. The one or more contextual variables may include, for example, but are not limited to, location, time, identity of a user associated with a device (e.g., the server computer, a client device, etc.) corresponding to the performance of the one or more steps, environmental variables (e.g., temperature, humidity, pressure, wind speed, lighting, sound, etc.) associated with a device corresponding to the performance of the one or more steps, physical state and/or physiological state and/or psychological state of the user, physical state (e.g., motion, direction of motion, orientation, speed, velocity, acceleration, trajectory, etc.) of the device corresponding to the performance of the one or more steps and/or semantic content of data associated with the one or more users. Accordingly, the one or more steps may include communicating with one or more sensors and/or one or more actuators associated with the one or more contextual variables. For example, the one or more sensors may include, but are not limited to, a timing device (e.g., a real-time clock), a location sensor (e.g., a GPS receiver, a GLONASS receiver, an indoor location sensor, etc.), a biometric sensor (e.g., a fingerprint sensor), an environmental variable sensor (e.g., temperature sensor, humidity sensor, pressure sensor, etc.) and a device state sensor (e.g., a power sensor, a voltage/current sensor, a switch-state sensor, a usage sensor, etc. associated with the device corresponding to performance of the or more steps).

Further, the one or more steps of the method may be performed one or more number of times. Additionally, the one or more steps may be performed in any order other than as exemplarily disclosed herein, unless explicitly stated otherwise, elsewhere in the present disclosure. Further, two or more steps of the one or more steps may, in some embodiments, be simultaneously performed, at least in part. Further, in some embodiments, there may be one or more time gaps between performance of any two steps of the one or more steps.

Overview

The disclosed system prevents odors and fecal matter particles from leaving the toilet bowl and entering the used or occupied environment, preventing and/or reducing unwanted odors and fostering public health.

The disclosed system consists of the following: 1) An air intake in the toilet bowl or close proximity to it, which sucks out contaminated air which is relocated; 2) A seal between the toilet seat and toilet bowl reducing surface area for suction/airflow; 3) A back flow preventer for the prevention of contaminated air flowing back into the occupied environment; 4) A duct system to relocate the air; 5) An air flow generator such as a fan to create the suction/pressure difference; 6) A filter to prevent large particles from entering the system; 7) A deodorizer/sanitizer to deodorize/sanitize the air for this system (if contaminated air cannot be relocated to an unoccupied environment). 8) For toilets where it is not feasible to relocate the air to an unoccupied environment, a filter with or without an odor reducer or air sanitizer is used before discharging the contaminated air that passes through the system in the occupied environment.

The disclosed system works by directing airflow from inside the toilet bowl to a desired location such as the sewer or outside a home through a duct system. This creates a pressure differential between inside the toilet bowl and the surrounding environment preventing airborne odors and fecal matter particles from entering the surrounding environment, instead flow with the directed airflow generated by the apparatus.

The disclosed system consists of an air duct/line, an apparatus to generate airflow, and an apparatus to prevent backflow. The system uses the air line (includes line, intake, exhaust, and connectors) to displace air from the toilet bowl and relocate it to the desired location such as the sewer line. The system uses the airflow apparatus to direct the contaminated air in the air line and generate a pressure differential in the toilet bowl for the system to work. The backflow prevention apparatus is used to prevent contaminated air from flowing back into an undesired location. The system may also consist of air filter(s) to protect system components from debris and/or particle buildup.

The air intake is connected to an air duct line which has an airflow generator, and optional air deodorizer/sanitizer, and discharges the air to the desired location/environment at the other end of the air duct line/discharge port. An optional seal between the toilet seat and toilet bowl may be used for efficiency of airflow and/or integrated as the seal and duct itself.

The exhaust from the generated airflow is discharged to a desired location such as (for toilets with a P-trap) past the P-trap so that the unwanted/contaminated air works with the existing system (toilet) to function as intended. System exhaust may be directed to other desired locations as required/desired.

The disclosed system can be integrated into any manufactured toilet or installed as an after-market kit for a toilet.

FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view of a toilet 100, in accordance with some embodiments. Accordingly, the toilet 100 may include a toilet bowl 102 and a flow generator 104.

Further, the toilet bowl 102 may include an upper portion 106 and a base portion 108. Further, the upper portion 106 may include a bowl entry opening 110 and a recessed surface which may be configured to form a bowl interior region 112. Further, the base portion 108 may include a bowl exit opening 114 and a water trap 116. Further, the bowl exit opening 114 may be in fluid connection with the bowl interior region 112. Further, the water trap 116 may be configured to be in fluid connection with the bowl exit opening 114.

Further, the flow generator 104 may include an intake 118 and an exhaust 120. Further, the intake 118 may be in fluid connection with the bowl interior region 112. Further, an actuation of the flow generator 104 facilitates a flow of a fluid from the intake 118 to the exhaust 120.

Further, in some embodiments, the exhaust 120 may be configured to be coupled with an inlet opening 206 (as shown in FIG. 2) of an external conduit 202 (as shown in FIG. 2). Further, the external conduit 202 further includes an outlet opening 204 (as shown in FIG. 2) leading to an external environment.

Further, in some embodiments, the toilet 100 may further include a conduit 302 (as shown in FIG. 3) which may comprise an inlet opening 304 (as shown in FIG. 3) which may be in fluid connection with the exhaust 120. Further the conduit 302 may include an outlet opening 306 (as shown in FIG. 3) leading to an exposed end of the water trap 114.

Further, in some embodiments, the toilet 100 may further include a filtration unit 402 (as shown in FIG. 4) in fluid connection with one or more of the intake 118 and the exhaust 120. Further, the filtration unit 402 may be configured to filter the fluid.

Further, in some embodiments, the toilet 100 may further include a sanitation unit 502 (as shown in FIG. 5) in fluid connection with one or more of the intake 118 and the exhaust 120. Further, the sanitation unit 502 may be configured to sanitize the fluid.

Further, in some embodiments, the toilet 100 may further include a backflow prevention unit 602 (as shown in FIG. 6) which may be configured to restrict the flow of the fluid from the exhaust 120 to the intake 118.

Further, in some embodiments, the toilet 100 may further include a controller 702 (as shown in FIG. 7) and a motion sensor 704 (as shown in FIG. 7). Further, the controller 702 may be coupled with the motion sensor 704. Further, the motion sensor 704 may be configured to generate a motion data based on detection of a motion of a user proximal to the toilet bowl 102. Further, the controller 702 may be configured to actuate the flow generator 104 based on the motion data.

Further, in some embodiments, the toilet 100 may include a controller 802 (as shown in FIG. 8) and a chemical sensor 804 (as shown in FIG. 8). Further, the controller 802 may be coupled with the chemical sensor 804. Further, the chemical sensor 804 may be configured to generate a sensor data based on detection of a contaminating particle associated with the fluid. Further, the controller 802 may be configured to actuate the flow generator 104 based on the sensor data.

Further, in some embodiments, the toilet 100 may further include an input device 902 (as shown in FIG. 9) may be configured to receive an input from a user. Further, the actuation of the flow generator 104 may be based on the receiving of the input.

Further, in some embodiments, the actuation of the flow generator 104 includes altering a flow of the flow generator 104.

Further, in some embodiments, the actuation of the flow generator 104 may be in accordance with a pattern of actuation. Further, the pattern of actuation specifies one or more of a time of actuation, a duration of actuation, and an intensity of a flow generated by the flow generator 104.

Further, in some embodiments, the toilet 100 may include one or more of an energy storage device 1002 (as shown in FIG. 10) and a power receiving unit 1004 (as shown in FIG. 10). Further, the energy storage device 1002 may be configured to power the flow generator 104. Further, the power receiving unit 1004 may be configured to receive power from an external source. Further, the power receiving unit 1004 may be configured to power the flow generator 104.

Further, in some embodiments, the flow generator 104 includes one or more of a fan, a motor and a propeller.

In further embodiments, the toilet 100 may include a fixture configured to be used by a user to one or more of urinate and defecate.

Further, in some embodiments, the toilet bowl 102 may include a bowl-shaped part of the toilet 100 configured to be flushed with water.

Further, in some embodiments, the upper portion 106 of the toilet may be configured to be accessible by a user.

Further, in some embodiments, the base portion 108 of the toilet may be configured to be attached to a sewer management system.

Further, in some embodiments, the base portion 108 of the toilet may be configured to be attached to a ground.

Further, in some embodiments, the water trap 116 may include a p-water trap.

Further, in some embodiments, the water trap 116 may include an s-water trap.

Further, in some embodiments, the fluid connection may be configured to facilitate a flow of the fluid between a connected object.

Further, in some embodiments, the fluid connection may be facilitated by one or more of a conduit and a pipe.

Further, in some embodiments, the fluid connection may be facilitated by a hollow space within the toilet 100.

Further, in some embodiments, the fluid may include one or more of an air associated with the bowl interior region, an air with suspended water particles associated with the bowl interior region, and an air with suspended particles associated with the bowl interior region.