Patent Application
20240423426
The present disclosure relates to toilets. In particular, the present disclosure relates to performing biologic tests within a toilet.
The top of a toilet seat is often soiled because male patrons stand while urinating with the seat in the lowered position resulting in unintended spray or splash of bodily fluids and toilet water on the toilet seat. A subsequent patron who needs to use the seat for sitting is faced with the distasteful choice of sitting on a soiled seat or the task of wiping the seat by hand or placing a paper cover on the seat before sitting to avoid contact with the fluids. To help avoid the unhealthy and unpleasant experience of a soiled toilet seat, some current implementations have taught the use of relatively complicated and expensive means of returning and maintaining the toilet seat in the raised position after being manually lowered by a patron and/or the ineffectual use of other devices requiring user action or a thin paper cover on the seat, which oftentimes doesn't provide an adequate barrier from the fluids. These are not satisfactorily practical solutions because each is overly complicated, expensive, ineffectual, and/or requires user courtesy and action—all factors contributing to such devices not being used or not being used consistently or properly.
Technology for testing the biologic substances deposited in a toilet is described. In one innovative aspect, a device for testing biologic substances is located within the bowl of the toilet.
The biologic testing device may include testing methods for testing the biologic substances within the bowl of the toilet, in a diversion pipe of the toilet, or in a reservoir connected to or located in a toilet.
The biologic testing device may include colorimetric indicators to show the presence of specific compounds, or the concentrations of specific compounds. A scanning device for reading the colorimetric results is a part of the biologic testing system. The scanning device is connected to a computing device which interprets the colorimetric results and, in some embodiments, converts from a colorimetric reading to a text-based analysis which is displayed for a user to review. In some embodiments, the display shows both the colorimetric results and the text-based analysis.
In some embodiments, the biologic testing device is a retrofit kit for use with an existing toilet and includes the testing devices and the scanning device. In some embodiments the retrofit kit replaces the toilet seat of an existing toilet. In some embodiments a toilet seat lifting device is connected to the flushing mechanism and to the testing devices.
Other embodiments of one or more of these aspects include corresponding systems, devices, and methods.
The present disclosure is illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals are used to refer to similar elements.
lowering device.
lowering system.
While the primary use for a toilet is to be a convenient place to deposit bodily waste, the bodily waste that is deposited therein is filled with useful information. It is therefore beneficial to capture and utilize that information instead of letting it get flushed away. The most convenient source of information which is expelled into a toilet is urine. There are multitudes of tests that can be run on urine. General health can be monitored using urine tests. These general health parameters include general kidney function, the presence of potential infections, hydration, and other abnormalities. More specifically, urine can be analyzed for pH, glucose, ketones, white blood cells, red blood cells, creatine, potassium, bilirubin, calcium, and other compounds.
Many tests exist to test urine for these compounds. Some of these tests involve test strips, some use optical devices, some use digital testing apparatus. Some of these tests could be used as daily monitoring to chart the health of an individual. Through daily monitoring through urine tests, changes in an individual's biochemistry could be noticed and can lead to better data for diagnosis of health conditions. Additionally, such monitoring could reveal short term differences that lead to the diagnosis acute conditions.
Tests that utilize test strips are among the most common tests for use with urine. These tests utilize the capillary action of paper and as the liquid urine is wicked through the paper, the urine encounters the testing compounds which are embedded in the paper. Many of these tests are colorimetric, that is they change color according to differing conditions. The wicking test which is most familiar to the general population is a pH test. The pH test changes color according to the pH of a sample. A pH test measures the acidity of a solution, or the amount of hydrogen ions in a solution. The pH scale goes from 0-14, with 0-6 being acidic, 7 being neutral, and 8-14 being basic. The test strips use color to show the pH red to orange to yellow being acidic, or 0-6 pH, green being neutral 7 pH, and blue to indigo being basic. These color changes are easily identifiable and indicate a condition of the fluid. Tests for other conditions utilize similar principles and color gradations to easily identify the condition. Some tests merely indicate the presence or absence of a compound so multiple lines will often indicate the presence of a compound, and a single line will indicate the absence of a compound. Tests such as a pregnancy test and a covid test utilize this type of indicator.
Tests utilizing test strips can be incorporated into a toilet or a toilet seat apparatus. In some embodiments, a testing toilet would include test strips designed to test for specific compounds or specific groups of compounds. These test strips would be incorporated into the toilet so that as an individual urinates, the urine passes over the test strip. In some embodiments, the test strip is included in toilet paper. In some of these embodiments, each individual sheet includes several different tests. In some embodiments, the individual tests are located in individual columns within the sheet of toilet paper. In some embodiments, the columns share borders. In some embodiments, the columns do not share borders. Sheets with test columns that do not share borders are beneficial for tests where any cross contamination would affect the result and change the perception of the test. In some embodiments, the test strips are on rolls of testing paper that hang into the bowl of the toilet. In some of these embodiments, the hanging test strips are free hanging, which means the test strips do not touch the bowl. In some embodiments, the roll of test strips is stored in the toilet seat. In some embodiments, the roll of test strips is automatically advanced. In some embodiments, the toilet seat is automatically raised and lowered, in some of these embodiments, when the toilet seat is lowered after being automatically raised, the test strips will be advanced from the roll when the toilet seat reaches the down position. In some embodiments, the test strips are located at the front of the bowl. In some embodiments, the test strips are located at the back of the bowl. In some embodiments, the toilet is a urinal, and the test strips hang through the middle of the urinal. In some embodiments, the test strips are collected on a roll. In some embodiments, the test strip roll is a mini roll. In some embodiments, the mini roll is attached to an automatic feeder. In some embodiments, the roll and automatic feeder are located within the toilet seat. In some embodiments, the roll and automatic feeder are located at the back of the toilet seat so that the test strips are fed toward the back of the toilet bowl. In some embodiments, the roll and automatic feeder are located at the front of the toilet seat, so the test strips are fed toward the front of the toilet bowl.
It is important that the urine is directed over the test strips. This ensures that the test will be conducted. Additional apparatus may be used to ensure that urine is directed onto the test strips. Such apparatus includes funnels to collect urine and direct it onto the test strips. In some embodiments, the funnel is attached to the bowl of the toilet. In some embodiments, the funnel is attached to a float which sits in the water of the bowl. In some embodiments utilizing a floating funnel, the test strip roll attaches to the floating funnel, and when the toilet is flushed, the floating funnel descends with the water level, this causes the test strips to be advanced out of the roll. A conventional toilet seat cover is used to cover the toilet seat when an individual sits to use the toilet. In some embodiments, a funnel is attached to a toilet seat cover. In these embodiments, the funnel is designed to fold out of the toilet seat cover. In some embodiments, the funnel in the toilet seat cover includes a test strip holder. In some embodiments, the test strip holder is a slot in the narrow end of the funnel through which the test strip is inserted.
Test strips function because of the wicking properties of paper. If the test strips are exposed to water, the test strips may not function. The test strips could disintegrate or the water wicking up the test strips could dilute the test compounds and give inaccurate results. For this reason, the tests run on the test strips are run before the toilet is flushed. The advance mechanism for the test strips is coordinated with the raising and lowering mechanism of the toilet seat. The raising and lowering mechanism of the toilet seat is connected to the flush mechanism as described above. In some embodiments the raising and lowering mechanism of the toilet seat is also connected to the advance mechanism of the test strips. For example, the flush mechanism of the toilet flushes when the toilet seat is raised. The advance mechanism for the toilet seat advances the test strips when the toilet seat is in the lowered position. In some embodiments, the seat raising mechanism and the advance mechanism are connected electrically. In some embodiments, the seat raising mechanism and the advance mechanism are connected by a radio transmitter such as Bluetooth.
Test strips are relatively easy to read and understand. However, reliance on colorimetric tests could lead to confusion or misidentification. Some individuals are unable to distinguish colors. Colorimetric tests also require a key to interpret the meaning of each color, losing the key could result in lack of ability to identify the meaning of the color or could result in misidentification of the meaning of the color. For these and other reasons, it is beneficial to have an automatic reading and identification mechanism. The use of such a mechanism would reduce instances of misidentification and would transfer the results from a colorimetric identification to text. Text results would reduce the likelihood of misunderstanding or misinterpretation. Examples of automatic reading and identification mechanisms include optical scanners, digital cameras, or other visual based devices. The visual device is connected to a computing device. In some embodiments, the computing device includes a screen. In some embodiments, the screen of the computing device displays text. In some embodiments, the computing device is attached to the toilet or to the toilet seat. In some embodiments, the computing device is an app on a smart phone. In some embodiments, the automatic reading and identification device is located on the underside of the toilet seat. In some embodiments, the automatic reading and identification device is connected to the automatic seat raising and lowering device. The automatic reading and identification device automatically reads the test. The reading device is connected to the positioning device, when the user gets off the seat, the reading device, reads the test. The results are sent to the computing device. The computing device converts the colorimetric results to test and displays the results on the screen.
In some embodiments, the testing apparatus is a microfluidics testing device. A microfluidics testing device will function in a similar manner to a test strip in that the fluid of the urine travels up the microfluidics chamber and interacts with the testing compounds in the test chamber. In some embodiments, the microfluidics tests also incorporate colorimetric indicators for the presence or concentration of different compounds. The use of the colorimetric indicators enables the use of optical scanners to read the results. In some embodiments, the colorimetric indicators are the same indicators utilized in test strips. By utilizing the same colors as those used in test strips, the optical scanner used to read the output is compatible across the different testing apparatus. In some embodiments, the microfluidics apparatus includes multiple chambers. In some of these embodiments, each chamber is a separate test. In other words, each chamber tests for a specific compound or biomarker.
Each chamber is replenished from a stock reservoir. The stock reservoir holds the test and refills the microfluidics chambers. In some embodiments, the microfluidics chambers are attached to the toilet bowl. The microfluidics chambers in these embodiments are cleaned with the flushing of the toilet and then replenished from the stock reservoir. The stock reservoir is housed in or near the toilet. For example, the stock reservoir may be located in the flush tank of the toilet, inset into the wall of the toilet, positioned around the base of the toilet or located in some other convenient location. The in-unit computer can monitor the stock volume and send alerts when replacement or refilling is needed.
The microfluidic apparatus is connected to the flush mechanism so that with each flush, water flows through and clears out the microfluidic apparatus and any residual urine from a prior user. Once the flush has cleared out the microfluidic apparatus from the prior user, new bio markers or urine chemistry markers are released into the apparatus. The release of the new bio markers into the apparatus is controlled by the flush. The flushing mechanism is connected to the toilet seat positioning device. Once the toilet seat is in the proper position to flush, the microfluidics device is cleaned out along with the flushing of the toilet.
In some embodiments, the testing apparatus is an electronic testing device. In some embodiments, the electronic testing device is located in the toilet bowl. In some embodiments, the electronic testing device is located in a diversion pipe. Such a diversion pipe diverts water from the bowl as the water is being flushed. In some embodiments, the water diverted to the diversion pipe is all the water from the bowl. In some embodiments, the water diverted through the diversion pipe is a portion of the water in the bowl. The water diverted through the diversion pipe passes the electronic testing device. In some embodiments, the electronic testing device is a biosensor. Biosensors can test for any number of compounds. Each biosensor connects to a computing device. In some embodiments, the computing device includes a screen. In some embodiments, the screen of the computing device displays text. In some embodiments, the computing device is attached to the toilet or to the toilet seat. In some embodiments, the computing device is an app on a smart phone.
In some embodiments, the testing needs to take place in a reservoir. In some of these embodiments, a redirection pipe directs the water and contents of the bowl to the reservoir.
While knowing in the moment the results of tests performed on urine, it is even more beneficial to track the results of urine tests over time. By tracking the results of urine tests over time, trends and changes are apparent. The optical scanner and graphical user interface connect to the computing device. The computing device includes a memory. The memory stores the results of each test, and the processor of the computing device compiles the data to identify trends and anomalies. Additionally, the computing device includes a communication device which connects the computing device to a user account. In some embodiments, the communication device also connects to a health record of a user. In some embodiments, the health record is visible to health care professionals and caretakers. The user account and the health record include user interfaces which display the results of the tests. A user, health care professional, or caretaker can easily view trends in the test results. The health care professional then makes treatment recommendations if necessary.
The movement source 104 is a device for generating force to automatically raise the toilet seat from a lowered position to a raised position. The movement source 104 can generate force based on an input 102. In some embodiments, the movement source 104 may receive the input 102 to raise the toilet seat 112 responsive to the toilet being flushed. For instance, in a fluid-based embodiment, the opening of a flush valve of the toilet (not shown) may flow fluid through the movement source 104, which is converted by the movement source 104 into force 106 that is transferred by the movement transmission mechanism 108 to the toilet seat 112 to raise it from a lowered position to a raised position. In another example, the movement source 104 may be electrically based (e.g., an electric motor) and may receive an electrical input signal signaling it to generate force 106 to raise the toilet seat 112 when the toilet is flushed.
The input 102 can be any form of energy (e.g., kinetic, electrical, thermal, potential, electromagnetic, electrochemical, etc.) that the movement source 104 can convert into force 106. For example, the input 102 may be one or more of a fluid flow and/or fluid pressure (e.g., hydraulic, pneumatic, etc.), an electric current, heat transfer, mass and/or velocity of a physical object (e.g., gear assembly, kinematic assembly, etc.), a combination of the foregoing, etc. In a further example, the movement source 104 may be a fluid-based actuator, such as the actuator 104A discussed below with reference to
For instance, an example embodiment of a torsion-based seat raising and lowering device 100 may include a tension spring assembly, a dampener assembly, and a clasp assembly as a movement source 104, a lever as a movement transmission mechanism 108, and a mounting bracket. The lever may be coupled to the mounting bracket for rotation about the longitudinal axis of the mounting bracket. The mounting bracket can attach the device proximate the toilet bowl, such as the edge of a toilet bowl proximate the rear side where the toilet seat is mounted to the toilet bowl. The lever may be configured to pivot at a base in a rotational plane parallel to that of the toilet seat and apply pressure to the toilet seat to automatically articulate the toilet seat to a raised position by force from a tension spring assembly enclosed in the base. The toilet seat lid may be articulated alone or with its lid. The device may include a clasp assembly component for retaining the toilet seat in the lowered position when first lowered until subsequent pressure is applied to the toilet seat and then removed such as where a patron sits on the toilet seat and then rises.
An example embodiment of a counter-weight-based seat raising and lowering device 100 may include a fluid-based actuator as a movement source 104 and, as a transmission mechanism 108, may include a counter-weight mechanism held by a latch and a lever arm connected to the counterweight mechanism. The fluid based actuator may include an inlet and outlet substantially similar to the actuator 104a, where, upon opening of the flush valve of the toilet, the fluid flow through the actuator can trigger the latch, thus releasing the counter-weight mechanism, which moves along a predetermined path to move the lever arm to raise the toilet seat to the raised position. In an alternative example, the movement source 104 may be electric and may be triggered by an electric signal provided by the flush valve of the toilet when the flush valve has been triggered or opened. It should be understood that numerous other variations and embodiments are also possible, contemplated and within the scope of the present disclosure.
The movement source 104 may, in some embodiments, include a regulator to control or regulate the amount of force applied to the toilet seat 112 to raise or lower it. For example, in an embodiment where the movement source 104 is fluid-based, the movement source 104 may include one or more of a pressure-reduction chamber, a bleed valve, a throttle valve, a reduction valve, a tube with adjustable inlet and outlet orifices, and the like to adapt the force 106 (e.g., pressure) being applied to the movement transmission mechanism 108.
The movement transmission mechanism 108 is a mechanism for transmitting/transferring/exerting the force 106 generated by the movement source 104 to the toilet seat 112 to raise it. In some embodiments, the movement transmission mechanism 108 includes a mechanical device or assembly that is coupled to the movement source 104 to receive the force/movement 106 generated thereby and connected to the toilet seat 112 to transmit the force 106 to the toilet seat 112 to raise it.
The movement transmission mechanism 108 can convert, reduce, or otherwise alter the force 106 (e.g., movement) being transmitted to raise the toilet seat 112 in a controlled manner. For instance, the movement transmission mechanism 108 may adapt the force 106 being applied to the toilet seat 112 so it does not slam into the other components of the toilet, such as a tank or a pipe, when raised.
When lowering the toilet seat 112, the movement transmission mechanism 108, in cooperation with the movement source 104, can also adapt the force 106 being applied to the toilet seat 112 to prevent it from slamming onto the toilet bowl. The closure of the toilet seat 112 may be controlled by a relatively weaker counterforce simultaneously applied to the movement transmission mechanism 108 by the movement source 104. In some embodiments, the counter force is resistance created by the movement source 104 when operated in reverse by the movement transmission mechanism 108 using the force produced by the lowering of the toilet seat 112 (e.g., the acceleration of the toilet seat produced by gravity during lowering of the toilet seat 112).
The lifting and lowering mechanism 114 may be connected to the movement source 104 to receive the force 106 generated by the movement source 104 and transmit the force 106 to the seat coupling device 116, which then applies the force 106 to the toilet seat 112 to raise it. As a further example, the lifting and lowering mechanism 114 may be pushed along a predetermined trajectory by a pressurized fluid flowing through the movement source 104, and in turn, may pivot the seat coupling device 116 from a lowered position to a raised position to raise the toilet seat 112. In some embodiments, the lifting and lowering mechanism 114 may include the cable and piston assembly 114a discussed below with reference to at least
The seat coupling device 116 is a device for coupling with and lifting and lowering the toilet seat 112. In some embodiments, the seat coupling device 116 may be positioned in a manner that allows it to contact a surface of the toilet seat 112 that faces the toilet bowl when lowered and to raise the toilet seat 112 into the raised position. The seat coupling device 116 may be adjustable to accommodate any configuration of toilet or toilet seat. In some embodiments, a proximal end of the seat coupling device 116 may be connected to a distal end of the lifting and lowering mechanism 114, and a distal end of the seat coupling device 116 may interface with the toilet seat 112 to raise and lower it using the force 106 transmitted to the seat coupling device 116 by the seat coupling mechanism 114.
The seat coupling device 116 may have numerous different configurations. For instance, the seat coupling device 116 may couple to the toilet seat 112 by coming in and out of contact with one or more surfaces of the toilet seat 112, the seat coupling device 116 may be integrated with the toilet seat 112 and connect to the lifting and lowering mechanism 114 to receive and transmit force 106 (e.g. movement), the seat coupling device 116 may include one or more couplings and/or fasteners and may detachably couple the lifting and lowering mechanism 114 to the toilet seat 112, etc. A further example of the seat coupling device 116 may include the lever arm 116a discussed in further detail below. In other embodiments, the seat coupling device 116 may be eliminated and the lifting and lowering mechanism 114 may be integrated with the toilet seat 112.
In some embodiments, the intensity and/or speed used to raise or lower the toilet seat 112 may depend upon the net amount of pressure or force 106 that is transmitted via the movement transmission mechanism 108 between the toilet seat 112 and the movement source 104. If the net amount of force 106 is high, then the movement transmission mechanism 108 may lift or close the toilet seat 112 quickly. Conversely, if the amount of force 106 is low, the movement transmission mechanism 108 may raise or lower the toilet seat 112 slowly. In some embodiments, the magnitude and/or direction of the force 106 may be adapted as discussed elsewhere herein. In these or other embodiments, the movement transmission mechanism 108, such as the lifting and lowering mechanism 114 and/or the seat coupling device 116 may include force regulation components, such as regulators, springs, counter-weights, resistance elements such as grommets, washers, and the like, to adjust the force 106 being using used to raise or lower the toilet seat 112.
In some implementations, the seat coupling device further includes a biologic testing device 118. The biologic testing device performs tests on the biologic substances that are deposited in the toilet. Such substances include urine, feces, and vomit. In some embodiments, the biologic testing device is connected to the seat coupling device 116. The biologic testing device may be any device that is capable of performing biologic testing. In some embodiments, the biologic testing device includes test strips which identify the presence of specific compounds.
In the depicted embodiment, the mounting bracket 206 attaches to the toilet bowl 202 in between the toilet seat 112 and the toilet bowl 202. More particularly, the mounting bracket 206 can be configured to attach to the toilet 200 via one or more mounting points used to attach the toilet seat 112 to the toilet 200. In some embodiments, the mounting bracket 206 may be about four to six inches long and about 1 to 2 inches wide and include two holes or u-shaped slots about four to six inches apart where the mounting bracket 206 can be attached to the toilet bowl 202 via the connection points and/or fasteners that connect the toilet seat 112 to the toilet 200. In other embodiments, the mounting bracket 206 may be configured to connect to another component of the toilet 200, such as the tank 204, an underside surface of the toilet bowl 202, the toilet seat 112, or the like.
The lever arm 116a can attach to the actuator 104a and extend out from a housing 208 of the actuator 104a along a surface 112a of the toilet seat 112. The lever arm 116a can be attached to the actuator 104a in a fashion allowing the lever arm 116a to contact the toilet seat 112 and move between a lowered position B and a raised position C as indicated by arrow A. In some embodiments, the lever arm 116a ranges from about one to six inches long and an eighth to a half inch wide and extends from the actuator 104a so that it may run adjacent to, and may come in contact with, the toilet seat 112. In some embodiments, the lever arm 116a may be j-shaped and may be inserted into two holes 117 of the pulley 218 for additional strength and rigidity when pressing against the toilet seat to raise or lower it, as depicted in
The toilet seat 112 can be pivotably fastened to the toilet bowl 202 and may pivot (e.g., about a hinge) to positions C and B, respectively. In some embodiments, to raise the toilet seat 112 from position B to position C, the lever arm 116a, upon actuation, pivots in a rotational plane from position B to position C, thereby pressing against surface 112a of the toilet seat 112 and pivoting the toilet seat 112 about a pivot point (e.g., hinge) from position B to position C. Conversely, to lower the toilet seat 112 from position C to position B, upon actuation, the surface 112a of the toilet seat 112 rests against the lever arm 116a as it pivots in the rotational plane from position C to B, which slows the toilet seat 112's movement sufficiently to prevent it from slamming against the toilet bowl 202, thus achieving a soft close.
While not depicted, in some embodiments, the lever arm 116a includes a tip, such as a wheel rotatably attached to the lever arm 116a at the distal end and configured to come into contact with and roll along the surface 112a when raising and lowering the toilet seat 112. This is advantageous as it can reduce abrasions to the surface 112a of the toilet seat 112 caused by the lever arm 116a coming into contact with and rubbing against the toilet seat 112 during actuation. The lever arm 116a and its actuation are discussed in further detail below with reference to at least
In the depicted embodiments, the housing 208 of the actuator 104a is injection molded using a polymer (e.g., thermoplastic, thermosetting plastic, elastomer, etc.) and is designed to have wall-thicknesses sufficient to withstand fluid pressures exceeding 100 psi. This is advantageous as it reduces the cost of the toilet seat raising and lowering device 100 while producing a toilet seat raising and lowering device 100 that is able to withstand fluid pressures that occur in residential and commercial applications, thus making the toilet seat raising and lowering device 100 well suited for use in a retrofit application on existing toilets 202 and toilet seat 112 assemblies. However, it should be understood that the housing 208 may be formed of any suitable materials (e.g., metal, wood, ceramic, composites, etc.) using any type of suitable manufacturing processes, including one or more of stamped, milled, cast, molded, etc. Moreover, while the actuator 104a is depicted as being made of distinct components, in these or other embodiments, the actuator 104a may be formed of a single component.
The cable and piston assembly 114a includes a pulley 218, a cable 222, and a piston 224. As depicted, the pulley 218 is attached to one end of the cable 222 along an outer rim and is rotatably mounted to the housing 208 about a center axis. For example, as depicted in
As depicted, the piston 224 is attached to the other end of the cable 222. The cable 222 passes through an aperture of a seal 220, such as an NPT O-ring plug, included in the top housing 209. The seal 220 is situated between the pulley 218 and the piston 224 at the inlet end 210 of the piston chamber 226 and provides a fluid-tight seal between the cable 222 and the piston chamber 226 that can withstand high fluid pressures of substantially 100 psi or so and can prevent the fluid to leak out of the piston chamber 226. The piston 224 is situated inside the piston chamber 226 and can slide along and form a circumferential seal therewith. In the depicted embodiment, the piston chamber 226, the regulation chamber 228, and the piston 224 are cylindrical in shape. However, it should be understood that these components may take other shapes and forms without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
The lever arm 116a may be attached to the pulley 218 and rotate around the central axis 217 of the pulley 218 when the pulley 218 rotates. The pulley 218 may include a series of insertion points to receive and secure the lever arm 116a. This allows the lever arm 116a to be adjustably positioned to accommodate various different toilet and toilet seat configurations. For example, as depicted in
In the depicted embodiment, the actuator 104a can actuate the lever arm 116a to raise the toilet seat 112 as follows. When the toilet seat 112 is located in the lowered position B, the lever arm 116a is also in the lowered position B on an underside surface 112a of the toilet seat 112, which further situates the piston 224 near the inlet end of the piston chamber 226. A pressure differential between the inlet 210 and the outlet 212, which can be created by the toilet 200 being flushed, causes fluid to enter through inlet 210 and flow through the chambers 226 and 228 of the actuator 104a, as illustrated by arrows D. By way of further illustration, in some embodiments, when the toilet 200 is flushed, water stored in the tank 204 (e.g., see
While some embodiments provided herein are described within the context of a toilet 200 equipped with a tank 204, it should be understood that the seat raising and lowering device 100 is applicable to any type of toilet design including, for example, a tankless toilet. For instance, the seat raising and lower device 100 may be attached to a commercial toilet 200a that lacks a tank, as depicted in
The fluid flow through the actuator 104a increases the pressure P inside the piston chamber 226, which moves the piston 224 downward as illustrated by arrow E. The downward movement of the piston 224 pulls the cable 222 downward through the seal 220 and rotates the pulley 218 in a counterclockwise direction, as illustrated by arrow G. This counterclockwise rotation presses the lever arm 116a against the toilet seat 112 and lifts it from the lowered position B to the raised position C. The bottom housing 208 may include a rest 252 which may stop the downward movement of the piston 224. In this position, the pulley 218 and lever arm 116a cease rotating (provided they already haven't ceased rotating by the toilet seat 112 having reached the raised position). The rest 252 includes one or more through apertures configured to allow the fluid to flow freely from the connection pipe 232 to and through the outlet 212 (and thus through the actuator 104a) until the tank 204 has been replenished (and its fill valve (not shown) closes) or the fill valve 240 of the tankless toilet 200a closes. As the fluid flow ceases, the pressure at the inlet 210 and outlet 212 equalizes, thus equalizing the pressure P within the chambers of the actuator 104a.
The amount of pressure P that is generated within the piston chamber 226 when actuating the lever arm 116a can be regulated via the regulation portion 227 to control how much force is applied to raise the toilet seat 112. This is advantageous because it can prevent the toilet seat 112 from slamming into the tank 204 or stressing the hinges when raised by the lever arm 116a, and thereby can reduce wear and tear and maintenance costs. It also allows the seat-lifting device 100 to be customized to satisfy the requirements of a variety of different toilet seat designs, as some toilets have seats that are light and open with little force, and other toilets have seats that are heavier and require more force to open.
The regulation portion 227 may include one or more regulators 234 for regulating the flow-rate of the fluid. In the depicted embodiment, the regulators 234 are two angled slots formed in the sidewall of the regulation portion 227 at locations adjacent to the connection pipes 230 and 232, respectively. In this configuration, the regulation portion 227 is adapted to twist in place to change how the angled slots 234 align with the connection pipes 230 and 232. This change in alignment changes the size of the openings connecting the chamber 228 to the connection pipes 230 and 232, and thus increases or decreases the flowrate of the fluid passing through the regulation portion 227, and by extension, the actuator 104a generally. For example, a maximum flowrate can be achieved by twisting the regulation portion/tube 227 to a position where outermost portions 234a of the slots 234 are aligned with the connection pipes 230 and 232, respectively. Conversely, a minimum flowrate can be achieved by twisting the tube 227 to a position where the innermost portions 234b are facing the connection pipes 230 and 232, respectively. Further, a nearly infinite number of intermediate flowrates may be achieved by twisting the tube 227 such that an intermediate portion of the angled slots 234 interface with the connection pipes 230 and 232, respectively.
In other embodiments, the regulator 234 may be or include an adjustable bleed screw 235 that is insertable into the outlet end of a regulation chamber 228 to restrict flow through the regulation chamber 228 by blocking an orifice leading to the connection pipe 232 and the outlet 212, as depicted by
The more the regulator(s) 234 are configured to block the flow through the regulation chamber 228, the higher the pressure P is during actuation of the lever arm 116a, and conversely, the less the regulator(s) 234 are configured to block the fluid flow through the regulation chamber 228, the lower the pressure P during actuation of the lever arm 116a is during actuation.
The actuator 104a can cause the toilet seat 112 to close softly as follows. When a patron wishes to lower the toilet seat 112 from the upright position, the patron triggers lowering of the toilet seat 112 by moving it (e.g., pulling toward him/her). This initial movement presses the toilet seat 112 against the lever arm 116a, which in turn rotates the pulley 218 clockwise, pulls on the cable 222, and begins moving the piston 224 from its resting position upward in the piston chamber 226 toward the inlet 210. Force from the weight of the toilet seat 112 moves the lever arm 116a the remainder of the distance to the lowered position B. However, to prevent the toilet seat 112 from slamming against the toilet bowl 202, the lever arm 116a resists against the movement of the toilet seat 112 to regulate its closure speed. This resistance is produced, at least in part, by the weight of the fluid in the piston chamber 226 above the piston 224 that is being displaced and the suction in the piston chamber 226 below the piston 224 caused by its upward movement. Resistance may also be produced by a rubber grommet (not shown) attached to the pulley 218 at the axle 248.
The construction details of the seat raising and lowering device 100, as shown in
In systems 500 and 550, if the toilet seat 112 is located in position C (see
In one embodiment, the testing device is an in-bowl testing device 510. When the position unit senses that a user has gotten off the toilet seat, a scanning device 516 scans the bowl. The scanning device 516 scans a test strip which is in the bowl. The scanning device 516 is connected to a computing device 508 which receives the scan. The computing device provides the results of the scan to a user or to a connected health record. The test strip is disposed of along with the flush water from the bowl. When the position unit 506b senses the toilet seat is in the raised position, the flush valve flushes the toilet. Additionally, when the position device indicates that the toilet seat is in the raised position, the test advancement unit releases the test strip so that is flushed down the toilet. When the position unit 506b indicates that the seat is in the down position the test advancement device 520 advances the next test strip into position.
In other embodiments using a diversion pipe testing device 512 When the position unit 506a senses the toilet seat is in the raised position, the flush valve flushes the toilet. This activates the diversion pipe test device 512. This diversion pipe test device includes a biosensor which tests the fluid in the diversion pipe. When the position unit 506b indicates that the seat is in the down position the diversion pipe testing device is reset and prepared for the next test.
In another embodiments, the testing device is a reservoir testing device. When the position unit 506a senses the toilet seat is in the raised position, the flush valve flushes the toilet. This activates the reservoir test device 514. The flush contents are diverted into a reservoir. In the reservoir the reservoir test device performs tests while the flush contents are held within the reservoir. The reservoir test device includes a biosensor which tests the fluid in the diversion pipe. When the position unit 506b indicates that the seat is in the down position the diversion pipe testing device is reset and prepared for the next test.
In some embodiments, the position detector 702 may be a mechanism that physically detects the position of the toilet seat 112 through contact with it. For example, as depicted in
In some embodiments, the position unit 506 may be a retrofit component that is compatible with toilets that are already installed and in use. This is advantageous, as any existing toilet can be converted into one which conserves water by fitting the position unit 506 to it. In other embodiments, the toilet 502 may come pre-fitted with the position unit 506 or the position unit 506 may be integrated into the toilet 502.
The position detector 702 may be an assembly configured to detect the position of the toilet seat 112 and coupled to the regulation valve 710 to open or close it based on the position of the toilet seat 112. In some embodiments, the position detector 702 may include a kinematic assembly having one end connected to the regulation valve 710 located within the flow regulation chamber 712 and another end connected to the toilet seat 112. In some embodiments, the position detector 702 may include a first mechanical link 704 and a second mechanical link 706. The first mechanical link 704 may be elongated and extend from the housing 714 to the toilet seat 112. The first link 704 may have holes at its proximal and distal ends. The distal end of the first link 704 may pivotably fasten to the toilet seat 112 via a fastener (e.g., screw, bolt, rivet, etc.) inserted through the hole and secured to the toilet seat 112. In some embodiments, the toilet seat 112 may include a post 602 (see
In other embodiments, the position detector 702 may include an attachment device (not shown) configured to connect the first link 704 to the toilet seat 112. For example, in a retrofit application where a toilet seat 112 may lack a post 602, the attachment device (not shown) may pivotably fasten to the first link at one end via a hinge and may directly fasten to the toilet seat 112 at another end via a fastener (not shown). The fastener may include any fastening means or device capable of reliably attaching the attachment device to the toilet seat 112, such as, but not limited to, an eye bolt. In yet other embodiments where the toilet 502 is fitted with a toilet seat raising and lowering device 100 (not shown), the position detector 702 may be attached/fastened to the seat coupling device 116 (e.g., the lever arm 116a), the movement transmission mechanism 108 (e.g., the pulley 218, cable 222, etc.), or another portion of the toilet seat raising and lowering device 100 capable of indicating/signaling/transmitting the position of the toilet seat 112 to the position detector 702. It should be understood that the above embodiments for connecting the position detector 702 are provided by way of example, and that other equivalent ways of coupling the position detector 702 to the toilet seat 112 and/or toilet seat raising and lowering device 100 are contemplated and fall within the scope of this disclosure.
The proximal end of the first link 704 may moveably/pivotably fasten to the second link 706 at a lower end. The lower end of the second link 706 may include a hole that corresponds to the hole in the proximal end of the first link 704. A fastener (e.g., screw, bolt, rivet, etc.) may be inserted through the holes to pivotably fasten the first link 704 and the second link 706 together. An upper end of the second link 706 may be securely fixed (e.g., fastened, welded, joined, etc.) to the regulation valve 710 to rotate the valve 710 between a restrictive position and an open position when the toilet seat 112 is respectively moved between a raised position and a lowered position. In the restrictive position, the regulation valve 710 is configured to impede the flow of the fluid released by the flush valve 240 into the flow regulation chamber 712. In the open position, the regulation valve 710 is configured to allow the fluid released by the flush valve 240 to flow freely through the flow regulation chamber 712.
In some embodiments, the regulation valve 710 includes a throttle valve 720 situated within the flow regulation chamber 712 to throttle the fluid flow based on the position of the toilet seat 112. For example, the regulation valve 710 may include an axle 708 rotatably supported and secured by two diametrically opposed circular slots 722 formed in the sidewall of the flow regulation chamber 712. A throttle member 720 may be fixed to the axle 708 along a centerline and configured to rotate within the flow regulation chamber 712 when the axle 708 is rotated by the position detector 702. To rotate the axle 708 the second link 706 may, in some embodiments, be fixed to a proximal end of the axle 708 that extends through the circular slot 722 into a rectangular slot 716 that is formed in the housing 714 to accommodate the position detector 702. In some embodiments, the shape of the perimeter of the throttle member 720 corresponds with/matches the cross-sectional shape of the flow regulation chamber 712 so when the throttle member 720 is located in the restrictive position, it impedes the flow of the fluid passing through the flow-regulation chamber 712 by blocking (at least partially) the flow through the regulation chamber 712, and thus reduces the amount of fluid used to flush the toilet 502 during a flush cycle. For example, as depicted, the throttle member 720 may be disk-shaped and configured to have a circumference that ranges between substantially 0-50% less than a circumference of the tubular flow-regulation chamber, depending on the amount of fluid that should be restricted.
While the position unit 506a is depicted in
In addition, in some embodiments, the position detector 702 and the valve 710 may be integrated. For example, while not depicted, the position unit 506 may have a gate valve configuration including a flat elongated rectangular gate having one end attached to the toilet seat 112 and another end that is configured to be slidably inserted into the vertical pipe 242 by the movement of the toilet seat 112 into the raised position and block (at least partially) the cross section of the vertical pipe 242. The gate may further be configured to slide out from the vertical pipe 242 when the toilet seat 112 is moved into the lowered position, thus allowing the fluid released by the flush valve 240 to freely pass through the vertical pipe 242.
The position unit 506 may additionally or alternatively include other components and/or assemblies for the position detector 702. For example, the position detector 702 may include elements such as springs, gears, cables, chains, rods, magnets, etc., to transmit the position of the toilet seat 112 to the valve 710. Moreover, the valve 710 may be a different type of valve, such as ball valve, globe valve, gate valve, needle valve, plug valve, etc., and may be mechanically or electronically activated by the position detector 702. For instance, the position detector 702 may include electronic sensors, including, for example, optical sensors, electronic switches, gyroscopes, etc., configured to sense the position of the toilet seat 112. These sensors may be electronically connected to the valve 710 to transmit a signal indicating the position of the toilet seat 112 to the valve 710. For instance, the sensor may be a gyroscope included on the toilet seat 112 that can detect the vertical and/or horizontal orientation of the toilet seat 112, a switch located on the rim of the toilet bowl 202 that can be contacted/triggered by the toilet seat 112 when it is in a lowered position, an optical sensor placed on the toilet 502 behind or underneath the toilet seat 112 to be triggered by the toilet seat 112 when it enters/obstructs the sensors field of view, etc.
As depicted by the dashed signal lines included in
In these embodiments, the flush valve 504 and the position unit 506 may be connected wirelessly (e.g., via embedded radio transceivers, infrared transceivers, etc.), may be connected using wires, or a combination of the foregoing. The flush valve 504 may include software, circuitry, hardware, etc., to regulate the flushing of the toilet 502. For example, the flush valve 504 may include a flush module (not shown) having logic operable by a processor (not shown) included in the toilet 502 to provide the functionality discussed herein. For instance, the flush module 504 may be stored in memory (not shown) included in the toilet 502 and operable by the processor (not shown) to perform this functionality. In further examples, may be implemented via a circuit, such as an integrated circuit (e.g., an ASIC); sets of instructions stored in one or more discrete memory devices (e.g., a PROM, FPROM, ROM) and operable by a processor; etc. In some embodiments, the flush valve 504 and/or the position unit 506 may be coupled to an electrical power source (not shown) to receive power to operate. For instance, the flush module 504 and/or the position unit 506 may be coupled to an electricity grid, a battery, a solar cell, a fluid powered generator and power storage device that generates power from fluid flow used to flush the toilet 502, etc.
With reference to
Referring to
The microfluidic apparatus is connected to the flush mechanism so that with each flush, water flows through and clears out the microfluidic apparatus and any residual urine from a prior user. Once the flush has cleared out the microfluidic apparatus from the prior user, new bio markers or urine chemistry markers are released into the apparatus. The release of the new bio markers into the apparatus is controlled by the flush.
Referring to
The test strip testing apparatus also includes a scanning device 1267. The scanning device 1267 reads the test strip. The test strips are colorimetric, that is different compounds will cause the test strip to turn to different specific colors. The scanning device identifies the result form the colors and sends the data to a computing device. The computing device changes the colorimetric data to text data and can display that data on a screen for a user to see the results. The scanning device is depicted at the front of the toilet seat. In some embodiments, the scanning device is located toward the rear of the toilet seat. It is important that the scanning device has a clear line of sight to the test strips its specific placement beyond that line of sight is unimportant. The scanning device is also configured to scan the results of tests performed with microfluidics devices. In some embodiments, the microfluidics devices utilize the same colorimetric results as the test strips, this makes the scanning device compatible with both methods of testing. It also enables the ability to upgrade or to back up on test with the other.
For example, in one embodiment a kit to retrofit an existing toilet to be able to perform biologic testing would include a toilet seat with a scanning device in the toilet seat. The kit may also contain a test strip advancement device located in the toilet seat.
Referring now to
The input can be any form of energy (e.g., kinetic, electrical, thermal, potential, electromagnetic, electrochemical, etc.) that the movement source can convert into force. For example, the input 102 may be one or more of a fluid flow and/or fluid pressure (e.g., hydraulic, pneumatic, etc.), an electric current, heat transfer, mass and/or velocity of a physical object (e.g., gear assembly, kinematic assembly, etc.), a combination of the foregoing, etc. In a further example, the movement source is an electric motor 1581, that can be used to generate the movement.
Referring now to
The input can be any form of energy (e.g., kinetic, electrical, thermal, potential, electromagnetic, electrochemical, etc.) that the movement source can convert into force. For example, the input 102 may be one or more of a fluid flow and/or fluid pressure (e.g., hydraulic, pneumatic, etc.), an electric current, heat transfer, mass and/or velocity of a physical object (e.g., gear assembly, kinematic assembly, etc.), a combination of the foregoing, etc. In a further example, the movement source is an electric motor 1681, that can be used to generate the movement.
The advantages of the technology described herein include, without limitation, that it is small so as to be unobtrusive; simple so as to be easy to install, operate, and maintain; durable so as to provide many years of use; relatively inexpensive to own, small size so as to maintain the look and feel of the original toilet configuration, install and operate; and universal to work on all variations of toilets and toilet seats. The technology can be installed by a single individual in a matter of minutes on practically any existing toilet bowl/seat combination to provide its intended functionality. The technology can also conserve substantial amounts of fluid (e.g., water) that is used to flush the toilet, thus reducing costs and preserving the environment. The simple effectiveness and low cost of the technology help to make its use to solve a recognized problem more likely than the overly complicated and expensive related art or related art that may be relatively simple and/or inexpensive but requires user courtesy and action for embodiment.
In the foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the technology. It will be apparent, however, that the technology described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring the invention.
Reference in the specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.
While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is considered presently to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The invention should therefore not be limited by the above-described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention as claimed.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/374,316, entitled “Automatic Raising and Controlled Lowering of a Toilet Seat,” filed Jul. 13, 2021, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/936,315, entitled “Automatic Raising and Controlled Lowering of a Toilet Seat,” filed Mar. 26, 2018, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/720,769, entitled “Automatic Raising and Controlled Lowering of a Toilet Seat,” filed Dec. 19, 2012, which claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119 (e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/695,580, entitled “Device for Automatically Raising a Toilet Seat”, filed on Aug. 31, 2012, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61695580 | Aug 2012 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 17374316 | Jul 2021 | US |
| Child | 18788110 | US | |
| Parent | 16596653 | Oct 2019 | US |
| Child | 17374316 | US | |
| Parent | 15936315 | Mar 2018 | US |
| Child | 16596653 | US | |
| Parent | 13720769 | Dec 2012 | US |
| Child | 15936315 | US |
