# US 2014/0360436 A1 · Training toilet

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- Number: US 2014/0360436 A1
- Document ID: US20140360436A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/468,175
- Filed: 2014-08-25
- Published: 2014-12-11
- Earliest claimed: 2011-12-28
- Assignees: R.A.D. Innovations, Inc.
- Applicants: Rad Innovations, Inc.
- Inventors: James S. KONG
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140360436A1

## CPC

- A01K 1/0107: {Cat trays; Dog urinals; Toilets for pets}
- A01K 15/02: Training or exercising equipment, e.g. mazes or labyrinths for animals (A01K15/04 takes precedence) {; Electric shock devices; Toys specially adapted for animals}
- G09B 19/0076: {Body hygiene; Dressing; Knot tying}
- A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
- G09B: EDUCATIONAL OR DEMONSTRATION APPLIANCES; APPLIANCES FOR TEACHING, OR COMMUNICATING WITH, THE BLIND, DEAF OR MUTE; MODELS; PLANETARIA; GLOBES; MAPS; DIAGRAMS (devices for psychotechnics or for testing reaction times A61B5/16; games, sports, amusements A63; projectors, projector screens G03B)

## Abstract

A training toilet design that can be adapted for either a dog or a cat or other animal and even for a young human child is disclosed. A space or enclosure receives the trainee and upon receipt a switch is actuated. The switch can either be a pressure actuated mechanical switch or a motion detector switch. In response to the switch changing state, a microcontroller is actuated to provide any one of a number of responses. Responses include an audible encouraging comment when the trainee exits the toilet and when the trainee enters the toilet. A timing lapse programmed into the microprocessor can ensure that the exit message is played only when there has been a predetermined lapse time between the entrance and exit of the trainee. Modes that are provided by different combinations of these features are determined by a mode switch that is operable by the user.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A toilet for a pet animal comprising:
a substantially continuous first layer adapted to receive a standing pet animal,
a space above said first layer for receiving said pet animal,
a switch coupled to said first layer automatically changing state in response to receiving said pet animal on said first layer to provide an initiating state for said switch,
said switch automatically changing state in response to removal of said pet animal from said first layer to provide an exiting state for said switch,
said initiating state and said exiting state accompanied by first and second signals, respectively.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The toilet of claim 1, further comprising:
an audio recorder responsive to said initiating state to play an initiating audible record as said first signal.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The toilet of claim 1, further comprising:
an audio recorder responsive to said exiting state to play an exiting audible record as said second signal.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The toilet of claim 2, wherein:
said audio recorder is further responsive to said exiting state to play an exiting audible record as said second signal.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The toilet of claim 2, wherein said audio recorder plays said exiting audible signal only if said exiting state is generated a predetermined time after said initiating state.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The toilet of claim 3, wherein said audio recorder plays said exiting audible signal only if said exiting state is generated a predetermined time after said initiating state.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The toilet of claim 4, wherein said audio recorder plays said exiting audible signal only if said exiting state is generated a predetermined time after said initiating state.

### Claim 8 (depends on 4)

The toilet of claim 4, wherein said initiating and exiting audible records are different.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The training toilet of claim 1, wherein:
said first layer is resilient, flexible and normally upwardly curved,
said space is on top of said first layer and said switch is below said first layer,
receipt of said pet animal on said first layer causes said first layer to deflect down and change the state of said switch,
removal of said pet animal from said space causes said first layer to return to its normal upwardly curved state and change the state of said switch.

### Claim 10 (depends on 2)

The training toilet of claim 2, wherein:
said first layer is resilient, flexible and normally upwardly curved,
said space is on top of said first layer and said switch is below said first layer,
receipt of said pet animal on said first layer causes said first layer to deflect down and change the state of said switch,
removal of said pet animal from said space causes said first layer to return to its normal upwardly curved state and change the state of said switch.

### Claim 11 (depends on 3)

The training toilet of claim 3, wherein:
said first layer is resilient, flexible and normally upwardly curved,
said space is on top of said first layer and said switch is below said first layer,
receipt of said pet animal on said first layer causes said first layer to deflect down and change the state of said switch,
removal of said pet animal from said space causes said first layer to return to its normal upwardly curved state and change the state of said switch.

### Claim 12 (depends on 4)

The training toilet of claim 4, wherein:
said first layer is resilient, flexible and normally upwardly curved,
said space is on top of said first layer and said switch is below said first layer,
receipt of said pet animal on said first layer causes said first layer to deflect down and change the state of said switch,
removal of said pet animal from said space causes said first layer to return to its normal upwardly curved state and change the state of said switch.

### Claim 13 (depends on 5)

The training toilet of claim 5, wherein:
said first layer is resilient, flexible and normally upwardly curved,
said space is on top of said first layer and said switch is below said first layer,
receipt of said pet animal on said first layer causes said first layer to deflect down and change the state of said switch,
removal of said pet animal from said space causes said first layer to return to its normal upwardly curved state and change the state of said switch.

### Claim 14 (depends on 6)

The training toilet of claim 6, wherein:
said first layer is resilient, flexible and normally upwardly curved,
said space is on top of said first layer and said switch is below said first layer,
receipt of said pet animal on said first layer causes said first layer to deflect down and change the state of said switch,
removal of said pet animal from said space causes said first layer to return to its normal upwardly curved state and change the state of said switch.

### Claim 15 (depends on 7)

The training toilet of claim 7, wherein:
said first layer is resilient, flexible and normally upwardly curved,
said space is on top of said first layer and said switch is below said first layer,
receipt of said pet animal on said first layer causes said first layer to deflect down and change the state of said switch,
removal of said pet animal from said space causes said first layer to return to its normal upwardly curved state and change the state of said switch.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The training toilet of claim 1, wherein:
said first layer is attached to a base layer by one or more resilient and flexible springs.
said space is on top of said first layer and said switch is below said first layer,
receipt of said pet animal on said first layer causes said first layer to deflect down and change the state of said switch,
removal of said pet animal from said space causes said resilient spring layer to return to its normal state and change the state of said switch.

### Claim 17

A toilet for a pet animal comprising:
a plurality of modes for providing a positive reinforcement message to the pet animal, each of said modes being selectable by a trainer,
each of said modes providing an audio message activating signal to turn on a positive reinforcement message for the pet animal,
a first one of said selectable modes providing an exit message in response to the concurrence of (a) a time lapse at least equal to a predetermined time period after the entering of pet animal onto said toilet and (b) the exit of the pet animal from the toilet,
a second one of said selectable modes providing an entering message in response to the entrance of the pet animal onto said toilet and an exit message under the time lapse and exit conditions of said first mode,
a third one of said selectable modes providing an exit message whenever the pet animal exits said toilet,
a fourth one of said selectable modes providing an entering message in response to the entrance of the pet animal onto said training toilet and an exit message in response to the exit of the pet animal from the toilet.

### Claim 18

A toilet for a pet animal comprising:
a substantially continuous first layer adapted to receive an animal,
a space above said first layer for receiving said pet animal,
a switch coupled to said first layer automatically changing state in response to receiving said pet animal on said first layer to provide an initiating state for said mechanical switch,
said switch automatically changing state in response to removal of said pet animal from said first layer to provide an exiting state for said switch,

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The toilet of claim 18, further comprising:
an audio click responsive to said initiating state to play an initiating audible click as said first signal.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The toilet of claim 18, further comprising:
an audio click responsive to said exiting state to play an exiting audio click as said second signal.

### Claim 21 (depends on 19)

The toilet of claim 19, wherein:
said audio recorder is further responsive to said exiting state to play an click audible as said second signal.

### Claim 22 (depends on 18)

The training toilet of claim 18, wherein:
said first layer is resilient, flexible and normally upwardly curved,
said space is on top of said first layer and said switch is below said first layer,
receipt of said pet animal on said first layer causes said first layer to deflect down and change the state of said switch,
removal of said pet animal from said space causes said resilient first layer to return to its normal upwardly curved state and change the state of said switch.

### Claim 23 (depends on 19)

The training toilet of claim 19, wherein:
said first layer is resilient, flexible and normally upwardly curved,
said space is on top of said first layer and said switch is below said first layer,
receipt of said pet animal on said first layer causes said first layer to deflect down and change the state of said switch,
removal of said pet animal from said space causes said resilient first layer to return to its normal upwardly curved state and change the state of said switch.

### Claim 24 (depends on 20)

The training toilet of claim 20. wherein:
said first layer is resilient, flexible and normally upwardly curved,
said space is on top of said first layer and said switch is below said first layer,
receipt of said pet animal on said first layer causes said first layer to deflect down and change the state of said switch,
removal of said pet animal from said space causes said resilient first layer to return to its normal upwardly curved state and change the state of said switch.

### Claim 25 (depends on 21)

The training toilet of claim 21, wherein:
said first layer is resilient, flexible and normally upwardly curved,
said space is on top of said first layer and said switch is below said base layer,
receipt of said pet animal on said base layer causes said base layer to deflect down and change the state of said switch,
removal of said pet animal from said space causes said resilient base layer to return to its normal upwardly curved state and change the state of said switch.

### Claim 26

A toilet for a pet animal comprising:
a substantially continuous base layer adapted to receive an animal,
a space above said base layer for receiving said pet animal,
a switch coupled to said base layer automatically changing state in response to receiving said pet animal on said base to provide an initiating state for said laser sensor/switch,
said switch automatically changing state in response to removal of said pet animal from said base to provide an exiting state for said switch.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The toilet of claim 26. further comprising:
an audio recorder responsive to said initiating state to play an initiating audible click as said first signal.

### Claim 28 (depends on 26)

The toilet of claim 26, further comprising:
an audio click responsive to said exiting state to play an exiting audio recorder as said second signal.

### Claim 29 (depends on 27)

The toilet of claim 27, wherein:
said audio recorder is further responsive to said exiting state to play an audio recorder as said second signal.

### Claim 30

A toilet for a pet animal comprising:
a substantially continuous base layer adapted to receive an animal,
a space above said base layer for receiving said pet animal,
a switch coupled to said base layer automatically changing state in response to receiving said pet animal on said base to provide an initiating state for said motion sensor/switch,
said switch automatically changing state in response to removal of said pet animal from said base to provide an exiting state for said switch,

### Claim 31 (depends on 30)

The toilet of claim 30, further comprising:
an audio recorder responsive to said initiating state to play an initiating audible click as said first signal.

### Claim 32 (depends on 30)

The toilet of claim 30, further comprising:
an audio click responsive to said exiting state to play an exiting audio recorder as said second signal.

### Claim 33 (depends on 31)

The toilet of claim 31, wherein:
said audio recorder is further responsive to said exiting state to play an audio recorder as said second signal.