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US 8,984,675 B2Granted
Control system for a plurality of toilets and related method
AssigneeThetford Corporation
InventorsJames Miller, Rick Danks, Ian Vivero
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An adapter includes an interface module that receives signals from a first sensor that indicate a first fill status of a holding tank. A control module of the adapter generates a control signal based on the first fill status. The toilet is at least partially controlled by a toilet control module that restricts a flush capability of the toilet based on the control signal. An isolation module of the adapter isolates the interface module and the control module from at least one of voltage and current fluctuations that are external to the adapter.
Claims18
A waste handling system comprising:
- a plurality of toilets;
- a plurality of toilet control modules, each said toilet control module being independently associated with a respective one of said toilets such that each said toilet control module is able to independently control a flushing operation of its associated said toilet;
- a waste holding tank in communication with each of said toilets;
- a first sensor associated with said waste holding tank that is configured to indicate a first fill status of said waste holding tank;
- a plurality of second sensors each associated with a respective toilet of said toilets and configured to identify a type for said respective toilet of the plurality of toilets;
- an adapter system for interfacing said first sensor to each of said toilet control modules, said adapter system including:
- an interface module that receives signals from the first sensor that indicate the first fill status of the waste holding tank;
- a control module that:
- determines a number and type of the plurality of toilets being used with the system based on input from the plurality of second sensors;
- generates a control signal based on said first fill status, wherein each said toilet is independently controlled by its respective said toilet control module such that each said toilet control module is able to restrict a flush capability of its respective said toilet based on said control signal, irrespective of an operation of any other ones of said toilets, and further such that flushing of any one or more of said toilets may be initiated regardless if any other one of said toilets is being simultaneously flushed;
- the control module being configured to use the interface module to visually indicate:
- a first condition where a level of waste in the waste holding tank is below a first predetermined level, and during which all of the toilets are allowed to flush;
- a second condition where the level of waste in the waste holding tank has reached a substantially full level, but during which all of the toilets are still allowed to flush;
- and
- a third condition in which a level of waste in the waste holding tank is above a predetermined upper level, indicating that the waste holding tank is full, and during which selected ones or more of the toilets are locked out to prevent flushing;
- an isolation module that isolates said interface module and said control module from at least one of voltage and current fluctuations that are external to the adapter.
13 more elements
A toilet control system comprising:
- a plurality of toilets each including respective toilet control modules that independently control flush operations of their respective said toilets, to thus enable any selected one or more of said plurality of toilets to be flushed while any other one or more non-selected ones of said plurality of toilets are disabled from flushing, and further such that operation of any one or more selected ones of said plurality of toilets may occur regardless if flushing is already occurring with any other one or more of said toilets;
- a holding tank that fills based on said flush operations;
- a first sensor that generates a first signal indicative of a current fill status of said holding tank;
- a plurality of second sensors each associated with a respective toilet of said toilets and configured to identify a type for said respective toilet of the plurality of toilets;
- an adapter comprising:
- an interface module that receives said first signal;
- a control module that:
- determines a type and number of the plurality of toilets being used by the system based on input from the plurality of second sensors;
- compares said fill status to a predetermined shut-off fill status that indicates that said holding tank is substantially full and that halts said flush operations based on said comparison, by independently sending a control signal to one or more of said toilet control modules;
- the control module being configured to use the interface module to visually indicate:
- a first condition where a level of waste in the holding tank is below a first predetermined level, and during which all of the toilets are allowed to flush;
- a second condition where the level of waste in the holding tank has reached a substantially full level, but during which all of the toilets are still allowed to flush;
- and
- a third condition in which a level of waste in the waste holding tank is above a predetermined upper level, indicating that the waste holding tank is full, and during which selected ones or more of the toilets are locked out to prevent flushing;
- and
- an isolation module that isolates said adapter from at least one of voltage and current fluctuations between said toilet control modules and said adapter.
13 more elements
A method for controlling a toilet system comprising:
- providing each of a plurality of toilets with an independently controllable toilet control module that is configured to assist in controlling a flushing operating of its associated said toilet;
- providing a plurality of sensors each associated with a respective toilet and configured to identify a type for said respective toilet;
- independently controlling respective flush operations of a plurality of toilets such that any of said toilets may be flushed regardless if a flushing action is already occurring with any other one or more of said toilets;
- filling a holding tank based on said flush operations;
- generating a first signal that indicates a current fill status of said holding tank;
- comparing said fill status to a predetermined shut-off fill status that indicates that said holding tank is substantially full;
- using a control module to:
- determine a type and number of the plurality of toilets being connected to the system with input from the plurality of sensors;
- generate control signals that are applied independently to each of said toilet control modules, to halt said flush operations of at least a subplurality of selected ones of said plurality of toilets based on said comparison;
- visually indicate:
- a first condition where a level of waste in the holding tank is below a first predetermined level, and during which all of the toilets are allowed to flush;
- a second condition where the level of waste in the holding tank has reached a substantially full level, but during which all of the toilets are still allowed to flush;
- and
- a third condition in which a level of waste in the waste holding tank is above a predetermined upper level, indicating that the waste holding tank is full, and during which selected ones or more of the toilets are locked out to prevent flushing;
- and
- isolating at least one of voltage and current fluctuations within the toilet system.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.