# US 11,111,662 B2 · Flush toilet

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- Number: US 11,111,662 B2
- Document ID: US11111662B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/998,945
- Filed: 2017-02-16
- Published: 2019-05-23
- Granted: 2021-09-07
- Earliest claimed: 2016-02-19
- Assignees: LIXIL Corporation
- Applicants: LIXIL Corporation
- Inventors: Saori Ichihara; Isato Hirasawa; Tomoya Sasaki; Takeya Ichiyanagi; Sou Okuizumi; Makoto Saruta
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11111662B2

## CPC

- E03D 11/02: Water-closet bowls (auxiliary chambers with connections to flushing water for bowl-cleaning utensils E03D9/06; modified for using upwardly-directed sprays E03D9/08; seats or covers A47K13/00 ){; Bowls with a double odour seal optionally with provisions for a good siphonic action; siphons as part of the bowl (parts or details of bowls E03D11/13)}
- E03D 5/105: {touchless, e.g. using sensors}
- E03D 11/00: Other component parts of water-closets (pipe-joints or couplings in general F16L ){, e.g. noise-reducing means in the flushing system (noise-reducing means in combination with flushing valves E03D9/14), flushing pipes mounted in the bowl, seals for the bowl outlet, devices preventing overflow of the bowl contents; devices forming a water seal in the bowl after flushing, devices eliminating obstructions in the bowl outlet or preventing backflow of water and excrements from the waterpipe}
- G01F 23/56: using elements rigidly fixed to, and rectilinearly moving with, the floats as transmission elements
- E03D: WATER-CLOSETS OR URINALS WITH FLUSHING DEVICES; FLUSHING VALVES THEREFOR
- G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME

## Abstract

A flush toilet includes: a toilet main body; a rim which is provided on an upper portion of a toilet bowl of the toilet main body and which flows a flush water into the toilet bowl; and a water level detection sensor which is provided inside the rim.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A flush toilet comprising;
a toilet main body comprising a longitudinal axis extending down a center of the toilet main body from a rear of the toilet main body to a front of the toilet main body;
a rim which is provided on an upper portion of a toilet bowl of the toilet main body and along which a flush water flows into the toilet bowl; and
a detection part of a water level detection sensor, wherein the water level detection sensor is suspended within a cavity formed in the rim, wherein the cavity and the detection part are offset from the longitudinal axis, and the detection part is configured such that a lowermost position of the detection part is spaced apart from a lower wall of the cavity, at a position lower than an upper surface of a front and a side surrounding the toilet bowl, wherein the water level detection sensor is provided with a float which is attached to a lower portion of a supporting shaft extending vertically and is configured to move vertically, and the water level detection sensor is provided with a stopper fixed to the lower portion of the supporting shaft.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The flush toilet of claim 1, wherein the water level detection sensor is provided on a base portion which is positioned on an upper portion of the rim and at which a functional portion is installed, or is installed to a back surface of an eaves portion of the rim.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The flush toilet of claim 1, wherein
the rim has a rim water passage and a rim headrace that is provided upstream of the rim water passage,
the water level detection sensor is installed at the rim headrace.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The flush toilet of claim 2, wherein
the rim has a rim water passage and a rim headrace that is provided upstream of the rim water passage,
the water level detection sensor is installed at the rim headrace.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The flush toilet of claim 3, further comprising a spouting pipe in the rim, where the water detection sensor is positioned higher than the spouting pipe.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The flush toilet of claim 4, further comprising a spouting pipe in the rim, where the water detection sensor is positioned higher than the spouting pipe.

### Claim 7

A flush toilet comprising;
a toilet main body;
a rim which is provided on an upper portion of a toilet bowl of the toilet main body and along which a flush water flows into the toilet bowl; and
a water level detection sensor provided inside a cavity formed in the rim, wherein the water level detection sensor is mounted on a base plate, at a position lower than an upper surface of a front and a side surrounding the toilet bowl, on an upper portion of the rim and at which a functional portion is installed;
wherein the base plate is mounted to an upper surface of a rear portion of the toilet bowl and is provided above an uppermost portion of the cavity formed in the rim, the water level detection sensor is provided with a float which is attached to a lower portion of a supporting shaft extending vertically and is configured to move vertically, and the water level detection sensor is provided with a stopper fixed to the lower portion of the supporting shaft.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The flush toilet of claim 1, comprising
a private part cleaning device located at the rear of the toilet main body, wherein the private part cleaning device is mounted on a base plate provided above an uppermost portion of the cavity formed in the rim.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The flush toilet of claim 7, comprising a private part cleaning device located at the rear of the toilet main body, wherein the private part cleaning device is mounted on the base plate.

### Claim 10

A flush toilet comprising;
a toilet main body comprising a longitudinal axis extending down a center of the toilet main body from a rear of the toilet main body to a front of the toilet main body;
a rim which is provided on an upper portion of a toilet bowl of the toilet main body and along which a flush water flows into the toilet bowl; and
a detection part of a water level detection sensor, wherein the water level detection sensor is suspended within a cavity formed in the rim, wherein the cavity and the detection part are offset from the longitudinal axis, and the detection part is configured such that a lowermost position of the detection part is spaced apart from a lower wall of the cavity, at a position lower than an upper surface of a front and a side surrounding the toilet bowl, wherein
the water level detection sensor has a reed-switch-type float switch which is provided with a float having a magnet inside the float, and the reed-switch-type float switch is configured to turn on by detecting the magnet when a position of the float rises from a lower limit position to an upper limit position due to a rise of the water level.

### Claim 11

A flush toilet comprising;
a toilet main body;
a rim which is provided on an upper portion of a toilet bowl of the toilet main body and along which a flush water flows into the toilet bowl; and
a water level detection sensor provided inside a cavity formed in the rim, wherein the water level detection sensor is mounted on a base plate, at a position lower than an upper surface of a front and a side surrounding the toilet bowl, on an upper portion of the rim and at which a functional portion is installed;
wherein the base plate is mounted to an upper surface of a rear portion of the toilet bowl and is provided above an uppermost portion of the cavity formed in the rim, wherein
the water level detection sensor has a reed-switch-type float switch which is provided with a float having a magnet inside the float, and the reed-switch-type float switch is configured to turn on by detecting the magnet when a position of the float rises from a lower limit position to an upper limit position due to a rise of the water level.