Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Flush closet – Urinals only
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-06
2003-02-04
Eloshway, Charles R. (Department: 3751)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Flush closet
Urinals only
C004S661000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06513173
ABSTRACT:
The invention which is the subject of this application is a device and system which can be used for any of entertainment, educational and/or practical purposes and can, in one particular, but not exclusive use, allow a facility such as a urinal, which are provided as standard in most commercial premises, to perform a function in addition to that for which it is installed.
At the present time urinals are manufactured from any of sheet metal or ceramic or plastics material, typically of a uniform colour and are installed individually or as a group in public houses, restaurants, football grounds, concert halls and in general in any premises where there may be a demand for their use by a number of persons. Once installed the urinals form part of the fabric of the premises and no further use of the same is made other than for the purpose for which they are installed.
The aim of the present invention is to provide a device and system which allows the utility of urinals and toilet bowls to be improved so that the same can be used, in one embodiment, to commercial advantage and/or to provide entertainment to the person using the same. In other potential uses as herein described the device and system can be used for educational purposes and in one alternative embodiment can be used in the training of children to use the conventional toilet bowls installed in domestic premises.
In a first aspect of the invention there is provided a facility against which a liquid is impacted and said facility includes a system comprising at least one sensor adapted to be activated by the liquid and wherein the sensor is provided as part of a surface of said facility against which the liquid is impacted, and connected to a means in the form of an audible and/or visual display to allow a change in condition of the display upon impact of the liquid on the sensor.
In one embodiment, the display is activated for the duration of impact or, alternatively for a predetermined period of time.
In one embodiment the at least one sensor is mounted on a retaining means, said retaining means passing from the rear of a wall of the urinal to the front surface of the facility and carrying therealong electrical connection means to and from the sensor so that said sensor is exposed on the surface. In a preferred embodiment the surface where the sensor is positioned is provided with a lip portion to prevent contact of flushing liquid onto the sensor. Alternatively the facility is provided with a means for detecting when a person is in the vicinity of the facility and during which time the facility does not flush so as to prevent flushed liquid contacting the sensor. In a further alternative, when the presence of a user of the urinal is detected then the sensor can be on standby for subsequent activation by contact with the liquid and at other times is not operational. In a further alternative, sensors are provided to detect the passage of flushing liquid, typically in the pipe which supplies the flushing liquid to the urinal and, when the liquid is detected the device and system is rendered inoperable for the duration of the supply of the flushing liquid.
The urinal facility can either be in the form of male or female urinals or a toilet bowl.
In one embodiment the sensor which is used reacts to changes in the condition of the temperature of the same. Preferably the face of the sensor is provided with a shim of material to mask the same from direct contact with the liquid and hence reduce the temperature change caused by the liquid upon impact.
In an alternative embodiment the sensor used is a conductive sensor, which utilises two electrodes, a cathode and anode, mounted side by side on the surface preferably in a horizontal plane, which is provided to be activated when liquid impacts on the same and causes the completion of an electrical circuit between the electrodes. In this embodiment it is preferred that the sensor is provided in conjunction with an a.c. detection circuit to prevent electrolysis of the sensor. It is known that when the sensor is used, over time at least one of the electrodes will not operate as efficiently as desired due to electrolysis of the same. The provision of an a.c. detection circuit allows the transferring and switching of the direction of current at intervals of operation so as to prevent any one electrode from being constantly used as the anode or cathode by reversing polarity and so as the operation of each electrode is swapped with the other at frequent intervals. Typically the switch is operated 1,000 times per second, and high quality stainless steel is used for the electrodes to prevent corrosion of the same.
Typically each of the electrodes is provided with a means for securing the same in position on the urinal surface, such as a screw thread, rivet formation etc, and alternative sensors can also be fixed in this way.
In alternative systems a pressure sensor can be utilised in which the pressure sensor is mounted under the surface or alternatively may be covered on the surface by a material which may be printed or otherwise provided to define a larger area and indicate the position of the sensor or sensors. Alternatively a proximity switch
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or sensor is provided so that when a person is using the facility proximity switch beam is broken and the system is operational and when they stop using the facility, the system returns to a standby condition.
A further feature of these embodiments is that the flushing of water doesn't affect the sensor operation.
Typically the urinal facility will include a plurality of urinal locations or units in the same facility and each of said urinal locations can include at least one sensor, said sensors connected to a common display and/or processing means so as to allow competition between person at different urinal locations, or alternatively, each urinal location has its own display and processing system, and there may also be provided a master control system which controls more than one display.
In use it is envisaged that the sensor can be adapted to provide an indication of one or a combination of aspects relating to the liquid impacting thereon such as any or any combination of the height of impact of the liquid on the facility, the duration of impact, the volume of liquid, the pressure of impact, the velocity at which the liquid hits the same, the constituents of the liquid and so on.
In one embodiment the results from the at least one sensor are indicated via a display screen on the facility and/or elsewhere in the premises in which the facilities are fitted. In one embodiment a spaced array of sensors are provided and the sensor or sensors in the array which are impacted by liquid affects the display generated.
In a further feature of the invention the power supply to allow the function of the display and/or sensor system can be a mains supply in conjunction with a transformer which reduces the voltage. Typically a failsafe power supply breaking facility is provided. Alternatively a battery power system can be provided.
In one embodiment the display means is an electronically generated display screen and the display and/or processing means for using the signal from the at least one sensor to generate the display can be controlled from a remote source via a communications link provided as part of the facility. It is envisaged that the material displayed can be changed as frequently as required and can be adapted to display current marketing promotions and the like as well as instructions on how to use the system of the invention. In another embodiment of the invention the screen can be used to display pictures, the content of which change during the application of liquid to the at least one sensor and in reaction to the signals received from the at least one sensor. Typically, in this embodiment, the person applying the liquid will be aware of targets which they have to meet to cause the change in display.
The facility can be provided as a free facility or alternatively is required to be activated by the input of a coin or coins or other
Eloshway Charles R.
Woodard, Emhardt, Naughton Moriarty & McNett LLP
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