WATER RECYCLING DEVICE

Abstract

A water recycling system utilizes gray water from a gray water source, such as a bathroom sink, to flush a toilet.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an example of a water recycling system made in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the gray water reservoir and disinfecting tablet dispenser of the water recycling system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2A is a sectional view of the tee in FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is a side view of one of the hollow bolts used in the water recycling system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a broken away sectional view through the toilet showing the hollow bolt of FIG. 3 connecting a toilet tank and toilet bowl together;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the toilet tank of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a front elevation view of one embodiment of a fill control unit used in the water recycling system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6A is rear elevation view of the fill control unit of FIG. 6;

FIG. 6B is a detailed view of the portion 6B circled in FIG. 6A;

FIG. 7 is a broken away plan view of the fill control unit of FIG. 6;

FIG. 7A is a view taken along line 7A-7A of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the fill control unit of FIG. 6 in the process of being installed in a toilet tank;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the fill control unit of FIG. 6 installed in a toilet tank;

FIG. 10 is a view taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 11 is a view taken along line 11-11 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 12 is a schematic view of a toilet tank with a first embodiment of the water recycling system installed, and with the toilet in the default position awaiting a toilet flush;

FIG. 13 is a schematic view of a first embodiment of a control system, including a circuit board, made in accordance with the present invention as it is in the default position awaiting a toilet flush as in FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a schematic view of the toilet tank and water recycling system of FIG. 12 just after the toilet has been flushed;

FIG. 15 is a schematic view of the control system of FIG. 13 just after the toilet has been flushed;

FIG. 16 is a schematic view of the toilet tank and water recycling system of FIG. 12 during the initial stage of filling the toilet tank with gray water;

FIG. 17 is a schematic view of the control system of FIG. 13 during the initial stage of filling the toilet tank with gray water;

FIG. 18 is a schematic view of the toilet tank and water recycling system of FIG. 12 as it moves from the initial to the secondary tank filling stage;

FIG. 19 is a schematic view of the control system of FIG. 13 as it moves from the initial to the secondary tank filling stage;

FIG. 20 is a schematic view of the toilet tank and water recycling system of FIG. 12 during the secondary tank filling stage;

FIG. 21 is a schematic view of the control system of FIG. 13 during the secondary tank filling stage;

FIG. 22 is a schematic view of the toilet tank and water recycling system of FIG. 12 after the secondary tank filling stage, with the toilet tank and water recycling system back in the default position;

FIG. 23 is a schematic view of the control system of FIG. 13 after the secondary tank filling stage, with the toilet tank and water recycling system back in the default position;

FIG. 24 is a schematic view of the toilet tank and water recycling system of FIG. 12 after the toilet has been flushed when there is no gray water in the reservoir to fill the tank;

FIG. 25 is a schematic view of the control system of FIG. 13 corresponding to the situation of FIG. 24;

FIG. 26 is a schematic view of a second embodiment of a control system, including an infrared switch, made in accordance with the present invention as it is in the default position awaiting a toilet flush as in FIG. 12;

FIG. 27 is a schematic view of the control system of FIG. 26 just after the toilet has been flushed; and

FIG. 28 is a perspective view of the infrared switch of FIG. 26.

Claims

1. A water recycling device, comprising: a gray water reservoir disposed to receive and collect gray water from a gray water source;a toilet water tank including a toilet float valve controlling incoming potable water to said tank:a pump:a gray water line in communication with said pump, said gray water reservoir, and said toilet water tank, such that said pump transfers gray water from said gray water reservoir to said toilet water tank through said gray water line;a pivoting seesaw mechanism mounted in said toilet water tank, said seesaw mechanism including first and second arms mounted so as to pivot together about a pivot point fixed relative to said toilet water tank, wherein said first arm includes a receptacle which receives gray water from said gray water reservoir, and said second arm cooperates with said toilet float valve so that, when said first arm receptacle is filled with water, the weight of the water pivots said second arm into position to maintain said toilet float valve in a closed position: anda switch that activates said pump in response to the pivoting movement of said pivoting seesaw mechanism.

2. A water recycling device as recited in claim 1, and further comprising a timer control circuit that shuts off said pump after a certain time period.

3. A water recycling device as recited in claim 2, wherein said timer control circuit includes means for shutting off said pump after a short time period if said receptacle for receiving gray water is not filled during said short time period and means for allowing said pump to run for a longer time period if said receptacle is filled with gray water during said short time period.

4. A water recycling device as recited in claim 1, wherein said switch is a snap-action switch.

5. A water recycling device as recited in claim 4, and further comprising a cam on the pivot point of said seesaw mechanism that contacts said snap-action switch.

6. A water recycling device as recited in claim 1, wherein said switch is an infrared switch, including means for detecting the position of said pivoting seesaw mechanism.

7. A water recycling device as recited in claim 3, wherein said timer control circuit includes means for adjusting the length of said longer time period.

8. A water recycling device as recited in claim 1, and further comprising: a frame defining a left side and a right side, wherein said seesaw mechanism is pivotally attached to said frame;an elongated bar having a left end and a right end and slidably received by said frame for sliding in the left-to-right direction; andmeans for fixing the elongated bar to said frame to prevent said elongated bar from sliding.

9. A water recycling device as recited in claim 8, wherein said toilet tank includes a back wall, and further comprising a mounting bracket for hanging said frame on said back wall of said toilet tank, including means for adjusting the height of said seesaw mechanism within said toilet tank.

10. A water recycling device as recited in claim 1, and further comprising a toilet bowl, a hollow bolt, and a nut, wherein said hollow bolt cooperates with said nut to secure said toilet bowl and said toilet tank together and said gray water line passes through said hollow bolt.

11. A water recycling device, comprising: a gray water reservoir disposed to receive and collect gray water from a gray water source;a toilet, including a toilet water tank defining a potable water inlet;a toilet float valve which controls the flow of incoming potable water to said tank;a pump;a gray water line in communication with said pump, said gray water reservoir, and said toilet water tank, such that said pump transfers gray water from said gray water reservoir to said toilet water tank through said gray water line; anda timer control circuit electrically connecting said pump to a power supply, and including: a first timed relay that is energized in response to flushing said toilet, activating said pump for an initial time period; anda second timed relay that is energized in response to gray water being pumped into said toilet tank during said initial time period, keeping said pump activated for a secondary time period.

12. A water recycling device as recited in claim 11, wherein said secondary time interval is set to fill said toilet tank to a desired fill level.

13. A water recycling device, comprising: a gray water reservoir disposed to receive and collect gray water from a gray water source;a toilet including a bowl and a tank, said tank defining a potable water inlet;a first hollow bolt extending through said tank and said bowl and securing said tank and said bowl together:a pump; anda first gray water line in fluid communication with said pump, said gray water reservoir, said hollow bolt, and said tank, such that said pump transfers gray water from said gray water reservoir, through said first gray water line and said hollow bolt, and into said tank.

14. A water recycling system as recited in claim 13, wherein said tank has a bottom, said hollow bolt extends through the bottom of said tank, and said first gray water line terminates inside said tank at a height substantially above said bottom.

15. A water recycling system as recited in claim 13, and further comprising: a second hollow bolt extending through said tank and said bowl and securing said tank and said bowl together: anda second gray water line providing fluid communication from said gray water reservoir through said second hollow bolt into said tank.

16. A water recycling system as recited in claim 13, and further comprising: a toilet float valve for controlling the flow of water through said potable water inlet; anda pivoting seesaw mechanism mounted in said toilet water tank and including a first arm including a receptacle and a second arm in communication with said toilet float valve, so that, when said first arm receptacle is filled with water, the weight of the water pivots said second arm into position to maintain said toilet float valve in a closed position; wherein said first gray water line supplies gray water to said receptacle.

17. A water recycling system as recited in claim 13, wherein said gray water source is a bathroom sink, and further comprising: a drain line from said sink, said drain line splitting into first and second legs, said first leg going to said gray water reservoir and said second leg going to a P-trap and then on to a sewer line; anda diverter in said drain line, said diverter splitting the water flow from said bathroom sink drain line so that some water flows into each of said first and second legs.

18. A toilet filling system as recited in claim 17, and further comprising a tablet dispenser holding at least one sanitizing tablet, said tablet dispenser in fluid communication with said first leg of said drain line for sanitizing gray water from said sink prior to entering said gray water reservoir.

19. A method of installing a water saver unit in a toilet tank, comprising the steps of: providing a standard toilet tank including left, right, front and rear walls and containing a toilet float valve;hanging a water saver unit on the back wall of said toilet tank, said water saver unit including a frame and an elongated bar slidably received by said frame for sliding in the left-to-right direction;moving said water saver unit along the back wall of said toilet tank until the left end of said elongated bar is aligned with the toilet float valve; thensliding the elongated bar to the right relative to said frame until the right end of said elongated bar abuts the right wall of said toilet tank; and thenfixing the position of said elongated bar relative to said frame.

20. A method of installing a water saver unit in a toilet tank as recited in claim 19, and further comprising the step of adjusting the vertical position of said water saver unit in said tank.