Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Disinfection – Dispensing to or dispenser in flush pipe
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-04
2001-06-19
Huson, Gregory L. (Department: 3751)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Disinfection
Dispensing to or dispenser in flush pipe
C004S224000, C004S309000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06247189
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of sanitizing and cleaning restroom facilities such as toilets and urinals.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In public restrooms it is desirable to provide for frequent cleaning and sanitation of the toilets and urinals to minimize any risk to public health that may arise from the use of such equipment by numerous persons. To that end, a variety of systems have been used. One system used in the past, known as a drip system, has used a reservoir hung on the wall adjacent to the urinal or toilet, containing a liquid disinfectant that is released via a wick or tube into the reservoir or toilet at periodic intervals, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,449,117. In other systems, a solid disinfectant is provided in a reservoir connected with the main flush water line such that water containing the dissolved disinfectant is provided from the reservoir to the urinal the flush cycle, and the reservoir is refilled via a by-pass line after having being emptied in the flush cycle. One example of such a system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,892. Another similar system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,394.
It has been found that in general such systems are complicated to use, and are prone to overflow and/or plugging of the by-pass lines or tubes after extensive use. The drip systems also tend to deliver their cleaning agents only in the center of a urinal, and do not operate to sanitize more remote corners of the urinal. In addition, it is to be appreciated that the deodorant/disinfectant used therein will be depleted over time and that such systems generally require a periodic checking of the deodorant/disinfectant solution to assure that the system is still performing its intended function.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a sanitary conditioning system for urinals and toilets which is simple to install and free of overflow or clogging and plugging problems, and in which provides appropriate notice to maintenance personnel for replacement of the deodorizing/cleaning agent element.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide an inline sanitary conditioning system for urinals and toilets which is simple to operate and which is unlikely to suffer problems of overflow, or clogging of the deodorizing/cleaning agent.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an inline sanitary conditioning system which provides notification to maintenance personnel of the need to replace the deodorizing/cleaning agent element.
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, an inline sanitary conditioning system is provided in a toilet or urinal system. The toilet or urinal system has a flush valve, and a flush line connecting the flush valve to an inlet of a bowl of the toilet or urinal. The inline sanitary conditioning apparatus has a hollow body with open upper and lower ends. The inline sanitary conditioning apparatus is mounted in the flush line by connecting means provided at its upper and lower ends, so that the body is inline with the flush line between the flush valve and the bowl of the urinal or toilet. The body apparatus has a chamber therein having a diameter greater than 0.25 inch, and preferably about 1.75 inches. The apparatus body also has a laterally extending aperture that penetrates the body and connects to the chamber in the body.
A cage is mounted to the apparatus body so that it extends through the aperture and into the chamber. The cage has a diameter or other shapes or configurations which is less than the diameter or other shapes or configurations of the chamber. A solid end cap is provided at one end of the cage. The end cap has a diameter or other shapes or configurations greater than the cage diameter and greater than the diameter of the aperture. The end cap is mounted to the body apparatus by cooperating means provided on the end cap and the body. A seal is provided to seal the end cap to the body, preferably a sealing ring.
A solid tablet comprised of a soluble sanitary conditioning material is retained in the cage so that actuation of the flush valve causes water to flow through the upper end of the apparatus body into the chamber to dissolve a portion of the solid tablet to form a sanitary conditioning solution which is delivered to the urinal or the bowl of the toilet.
Preferably, at least one pocket for receiving an air freshening material is provided on a lateral side of the body. The pocket has openings to permit venting of an air freshening fragrance from the pocket. A removable or preferably, a hinged in any direction, lockable, movable cover encloses the body and cap.
Preferably, the inline sanitary conditioning system further comprises an electronic sensing apparatus having means for detecting the proximity of a person to the toilet or urinal; means for storing a sum representing a total of the number of detections determined by the detecting means; means for comparing the stored sum with a predetermined number; and means for displaying a signal when the comparing means determines that the stored sum exceeds the predetermined number, so that maintenance personnel are alerted to the need to replace the solid tablet and air freshening materials. The electronic apparatus also provides a signal when a certain number of days have passed, or when the battery powering such electronics requires replacement.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1745010 (1930-01-01), Lamprecht
patent: 4331174 (1982-05-01), King, Sr.
patent: 4937892 (1990-07-01), Syrenne
patent: 5367716 (1994-11-01), Huang
patent: 5449117 (1995-09-01), Muderlak et al.
patent: 5513394 (1996-05-01), Kodaira
patent: 4421 (1879-01-01), None
patent: 468282 (1937-06-01), None
Dean John J.
Velezis Nicholas A.
Carmody & Torrance LLP
Huson Gregory L.
Nguyen Tuan
Waterbury Companies Inc.
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