Toilet overflow prevention system and method
AssigneeLimit, Inc.
InventorsFarshid Salemi Parizi, Josh Fromm
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for preventing overflow of a toilet includes a capacitance sensor arrangement as in combination with certain features (e.g., flap valve disablement). The system can detect an overflow flush condition of a toilet by sensing the value of a parameter of one or more normal flush cycles of the toilet and establishing a normal range for the value of the parameter using the sensed value. The system can also store the normal range in a memory for comparison to a value of the parameter during subsequent flush cycles. The system can perform sensing over a predetermined timeframe. The system can include the time frame being sufficient to include the entire push cycle of the toilet.
Claims19
A toilet overflow prevention system for use with a toilet, comprising:
- a capacitance sensor arrangement configured to emit a signal indicative of a dielectric constant, said capacitance sensor arrangement including a first and second conductive plate, said first conductive plate is disposed above said second conductive plate, the capacitance sensor arrangement further configured to receive a first signal at a first time and a second signal at a second time, wherein at least one of said first and second conductive plates include a pivot point configured to enable a degree of rotation;
- one or more processors configured to:
- determine a duration of a normal flush cycle based on said first signal indicative of said dielectric constant;
- establish a first threshold associated with the first signal indicative of the duration of the normal flush cycle;
- determine an overflow flush condition based on said second signal and the first threshold;
- and
- generate a control signal in response to determining said overflow flush condition in order to close a valve that stops a flow of water within said toilet.
A toilet overflow prevention system for use with a toilet, comprising:
- a capacitance sensor arrangement configured to emit a signal indicative of a dielectric constant, said capacitance sensor arrangement including a first and second conductive plate, said first conductive plate is disposed adjacent to said second conductive plate, the capacitance sensor arrangement further configured to receive a first signal at a first time and a second signal at a second time, wherein at least one of said first and second conductive plates include a pivot point configured to enable a degree of rotation;
- one or more processors configured to:
- determine a duration of a normal flush cycle based on said first signal indicative of said dielectric constant;
- establish a first threshold associated with the first signal indicative of the duration of the normal flush cycle;
- determine an overflow flush condition based on said second signal and the first threshold;
- and
- generate a control signal in response to determining said overflow flush condition in order to close a valve that stops a flow of water within said toilet.
A toilet overflow prevention system for use with a toilet, comprising:
- a capacitance sensor arrangement configured to emit a signal indicative of a dielectric constant, said capacitance sensor arrangement including a first and second conductive plate, said first conductive plate and said second conductive plate disposed adjacent to a processor housing, the capacitance sensor arrangement further configured to receive a first signal at a first time and a second signal at a second time, wherein at least one of said first and second conductive plates include a pivot point configured to enable a degree of rotation;
- wherein the processor housing houses one or more processors, the one or more processors configured to:
- determine a duration of a normal flush cycle based on said first signal indicative of said dielectric constant;
- establish a first threshold associated with the first signal indicative of the duration of the normal flush cycle;
- determine an overflow flush condition based on said second signal and the first threshold;
- and
- generate a control signal in response to determining said overflow flush condition in order to close a valve that stops a flow of water within said toilet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.