The present invention relates to washing toilet seats, and more particularly to washing toilet seats operable to dispense medication or fragrance.
In one aspect, a washing toilet seat assembly includes a toilet seat and a housing configured to be coupled to a toilet bowl to support the toilet seat about a pivot axis. The housing includes a first cartridge interface structure, a second cartridge interface structure, and a cover moveable between an open position allowing access to the first and second cartridge interface structures and a closed position blocking access to the first and second cartridge interface structures. The washing toilet seat assembly includes a first cartridge selectively coupled to the first cartridge interface structure. The first cartridge includes a first dispensable solution. The washing toilet seat assembly includes a second cartridge selectively coupled to the second cartridge interface structure. The second cartridge includes a second dispensable solution. The washing toilet seat assembly includes a dispenser supported by at least one of the toilet seat or the housing. The dispenser is in communication with the first cartridge to dispense the first dispensable solution. The dispenser is also in communication with the second cartridge to dispense the second dispensable solution.
In another aspect, a washing toilet seat assembly includes a toilet seat and a housing configured to be coupled to a toilet bowl to support the toilet seat relative to the toilet bowl. The housing includes a single cavity, a first cartridge interface structure positioned within the single cavity, and a second cartridge interface structure positioned within the single cavity. The first cartridge interface structure is configured to selectively receive a first cartridge. The second cartridge interface structure is configured to selectively receive a second cartridge. The washing toilet seat assembly includes a dispenser supported by at least one of the toilet seat or the housing. The dispenser is coupled to the first cartridge interface structure and the second cartridge interface structure. The dispenser is configured to dispense a first dispensable solution from the first cartridge. The dispenser is also configured to dispense a second dispensable solution from the second cartridge.
In yet another aspect, a washing toilet seat assembly includes a toilet seat and a housing configured to be coupled to a toilet bowl to support the toilet seat about a pivot axis. The housing includes a cavity, a first cartridge interface structure positioned within the cavity, and a second cartridge interface structure positioned within the cavity. The housing also includes a cover moveable between an open position allowing access to the first and second cartridge interface structures and a closed position blocking access to the first and second cartridge interface structures. The washing toilet seat assembly includes a first cartridge selectively coupled to the first cartridge interface structure. The first cartridge includes a first dispensable solution. The washing toilet seat assembly includes a second cartridge selectively coupled to the second cartridge interface structure. The second cartridge includes a second dispensable solution. The washing toilet seat assembly includes a first dispenser selectively movable relative to the toilet seat. The first dispenser is configured to be in communication with a water supply source to dispense water of the water supply source. The washing toilet seat assembly includes a second dispenser selectively movable relative to the toilet seat. The second dispenser is in communication with the first cartridge to dispense the first dispensable solution. The second dispenser is also in communication with the second cartridge to dispense the second dispensable solution.
In addition, other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.
Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of supporting other embodiments and being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. Terms of degree, such as “substantially,” “about,” “approximately,” etc. are understood by those of ordinary skill to refer to reasonable ranges outside of the given value, for example, general tolerances associated with manufacturing, assembly, and use of the described embodiments.
The illustrated housing 15 includes a bottom surface 40 contacting a bowl surface 45 of the toilet bowl 20, an upper surface 50 opposite the bottom surface 40, and side surfaces 55 for supporting the toilet seat lid 25 and the toilet seat 35 about the pivot axis 30. The housing 15 also includes a cavity 60 (
Each illustrated cartridge 80a, 80b, 80c includes a dispensable solution. For example, the dispensable solution is medication (e.g., for hemorrhoids, etc.) or perfume/fragrance. In other embodiments, the dispensable solution can be a different solution desirable while using the washing toilet seat assembly 10.
With continued reference to
In other embodiments, the cartridges 80a, 80b, 80c and the cartridge interface structures 65a, 65b, 65c are constructed such that a particular cartridge 80a, 80b, 80c can only properly connect with a particular cartridge interface structure 65a, 65b, 65c. For example, the medication cartridge 80a, 80b can be different (e.g., in size, shape, configuration, type, etc.) relative to the fragrance cartridge 80c such that the medication cartridge 80a, 80b can only be coupled to the medication cartridge interface structure 65a, 65b and the fragrance cartridge 80c can only be coupled to the fragrance cartridge interface structure 65c. In other embodiments, the medication cartridge interface structure 65a, 65b can be different (e.g., in size, shape, configuration, type, etc.) to the fragrance cartridge interface structure 65c such that the medication cartridge 80a, 80b can only be coupled to the medication cartridge interface structure 65a, 65b and the fragrance cartridge 80c can only be coupled to the fragrance cartridge interface structure 65c.
The housing 15 also includes a cover or door 90 coupled to the upper surface 50 between a closed position (
With reference to
With reference to
In particular, the medication apertures 140 are fluidly coupled to each cartridge interface structure 65a, 65b, 65c, and the fragrance apertures 145 are also fluidly coupled to each cartridge interface structure 65a, 65b, 65c. As such, the second dispenser 125 is operable to dispense medication in any medication cartridge 80 coupled to the cartridge interface structures 65a, 65b, 65c through the medication apertures 140, and the second dispenser 125 is operable to dispense fragrance in any fragrance cartridge 80 coupled to the cartridge interface structures 65a, 65b, 65c through the fragrance apertures 145. The medication apertures 140 and the fragrance apertures 145 are fluidly isolated from each other such that cross-contamination is prevented between medication and fragrance applications. For example, the control processor 115 identifies an orientation of the cartridges 80 coupled to the cartridge interface structures 65a, 65b, 65c, and if all of the cartridges 80 are medication cartridges, the control processor 115 is then operable to selectively dispense any one of the medications (or a mixture of medications) through the medication apertures 140. Alternatively, if all or some of the cartridges 80 are fragrance cartridges, the control processor 115 is then operable to selectively dispense any one of the fragrances through the fragrance apertures 145.
In some embodiments, the medication apertures 140 are fluidly coupled to only some of the cartridge interface structures 65a, 65b, 65c, and the fragrance apertures 145 are fluidly coupled to only the remaining cartridge interface structures 65a, 65b, 65c. Again, the medication apertures 140 and the fragrance apertures 145 are fluidly isolated from each other. For example, the medication apertures 140 are only fluidly coupled to the two cartridge interface structures 65a, 65b, and the fragrance apertures 145 are only fluidly coupled to the third cartridge interface structure 65c. As such, only medication cartridges 80a, 80b are coupled to the cartridge interface structures 65a, 65b for the control processor 115 to selectively dispense the medication from the medication apertures 140, and only the fragrance cartridge 80c is coupled to the cartridge interface structure 65c for the control processor 115 to selectively dispense the fragrance from the fragrance apertures 145.
In the illustrated embodiment, the dispensers 120, 125 are coupled to the housing 15 such that the toilet seat 35 pivots relative to the dispensers 120, 125. In other embodiments, the dispensers 120, 125 are coupled to the toilet seat 35 to move with the toilet seat 35. In addition, the washing toilet seat assembly 10 includes dryers 150 positioned on opposite sides of the dispensers 120, 125. The dryers 150 are operable to produce warm, drying air during operation. In the illustrated embodiment, the washing toilet seat assembly 10 includes two dryers 150. In other embodiments, the washing toilet seat assembly 10 may include fewer or more dryers 150, and/or the dryers 150 may be located elsewhere relative to the dispensers 120, 125.
The illustrated electronic device 155 includes a set of start buttons 165a, 165b, 165c each associated with one cartridge interface structure 65a, 65b, 65c. For example, the first start button 165a is operable to extend the second dispenser 125 relative to the toilet seat 35 and to dispense a first medication within the first medication cartridge 80a to the user of the washing toilet seat assembly 10. The second start button 165b is operable to also extend the second dispenser 125 relative to the toilet seat 35, but dispenses a second medication supported within the second medication cartridge 80b to the user. The third start button 165c is operable to again extend the second dispenser 125 relative to the toilet seat 35, but dispenses fragrance supported within the fragrance cartridge 80c to the user. In one embodiment, the second dispenser 125 can automatically retract relative to the toilet seat 35 after a determined period of time after the corresponding start button 165a, 165b, 165c has been depressed. The electronic device 155 can also include controls to adjust a spray or misting characteristic of the medicine/fragrance being dispensed from the second dispenser 125.
The illustrated electronic device 155 also includes a washing button 170 operable to extend the first dispenser 120 relative to the toilet seat 35 to dispense the water from the water supply source 130, a drying button 175 to operate the dryers 150, an assistance button 180 operable to alert for help if the user requires assistance using, standing up from, or sitting down on the washing toilet seat assembly 10, and a stop button 185 that manually stops various functions of the washing toilet seat assembly 10 (e.g., stops the washing fluid from being dispensed from the first dispenser 120, stops medicine/fragrance from being dispensed from the second dispenser 125, stops the dryers 150, etc.). In addition, the electronic device 155 includes programs for different applications of the washing toilet seat assembly 10. For example, the electronic device 155 includes a first program to operate the first dispenser 120 (the washing dispenser) for a determined or adjustable period of time, a second program to operate the second dispenser 125 to dispense medication for another determined or adjustable period of time, a third program to operate the second dispenser 125 to dispense fragrance for yet another determined or adjustable period of time, etc. The electronic device 155 can also include a self-clean button utilizing ultraviolet light and/or sanitized water to clean the washing toilet seat assembly 10.
The washing toilet seat assembly 210 includes a single dispenser 320 having at least one washing aperture 335, a group of medication apertures 340, and a group of fragrance apertures 345. The washing aperture 335 is in fluid communication with the water supply source 130, and the medication apertures 340 and the fragrance apertures 345 are in fluid communication with the cartridge interface structures 65a, 65b, 65c and ultimately the cartridges 80a, 80b, 80c. The washing toilet seat assembly 210 simply includes one dispenser 320 (rather than two dispensers 120, 125 of the washing toilet seat assembly 10) to selectively dispense water, medication, and/or fragrance from the single dispenser 320.
Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments, variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of one or more independent aspects of the invention as described. Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/782,240, filed Dec. 19, 2018, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
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