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US 9,068,331 B2Granted
Toilet overflow prevention device
AssigneeNone recorded
InventorAdam Joshua Blom
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AssigneeNone recorded
InventorAdam Joshua Blom
Estimating the term…
The invention is directed to a toilet overflow prevention device. The device is a toilet tank shutoff system, composed of a sensor for use in the toilet bowl or tank, an electro-mechanical actuator, and an electronic communication link. The electromechanical actuator is configured to raise the control rod, which controls the filler valve of the toilet. A latch mechanism would retain the control rod, once it is raised. The system would raise the control rod upon receiving a signal from the sensor that the toilet is at risk of overflowing; the control rod would be retained in the raised position by the latch mechanism without requiring electric current, until released manually by the user. The sensor in the toilet bowl would preferably be in electronic communication with the electro-mechanical actuator in the toilet tank by a wire covered in a durable material, or by a short range, wireless communication protocol.
A toilet overflow prevention device comprising:
A toilet overflow prevention device comprising:
A toilet overflow prevention device comprising:
A toilet overflow prevention device comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
Operated mechanically or hydraulically also details such as push buttons, levers and pull-card therefor: devices preventing overflow or locks…
Other component parts of water-closets , e.g. noise-reducing means in the flushing system , flushing pipes mounted in the bowl, seals for the…
Water-closets or urinals with flushing devices
About 7 years 2 months of term left · ends 1 Jan 2034 (estimated)
Not Applicable
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The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated into and constitute a part of the specification. They illustrate one embodiment of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
FIG. 1 shows a cutaway view of the first exemplary embodiment, displaying the sensor 10, the actuator 11, the first exemplary embodiment of the latch mechanism 12, the control rod 13, the filler valve 14, and the electronic communication link 15, as well as the latch mechanism spring-loaded pin 20 and solenoid rod hole 21.
FIG. 2 shows the angular view of a toilet with the first exemplary embodiment installed, displaying the sensor 10, and the electronic communication link 15.
Referring now to the invention in more detail, the invention is directed a toilet overflow prevention device. The device is a toilet tank shutoff system, composed of a sensor 10 for use in the toilet bowl or toilet tank, an electro-mechanical actuator 11, and an electronic communication link 15. The electro-mechanical actuator 11, such as a solenoid switch, is configured to raise the control rod 13, which controls the filler valve 14 of the toilet. A latch mechanism 12 would retain the control rod 13, once it is raised. The system would raise the control rod 13 upon receiving a signal from the sensor 10 via the electronic communication link 15, that the toilet is at risk of overflowing; the control rod 13 would be retained in the raised position by the latch mechanism 12 without requiring electric current, until released manually by the user when the toilet is safe for use.
The latch mechanism 12 may take any of several forms. In one embodiment, a spring-loaded pin may engage with the solenoid rod as the rod is pulled up through the coil. The pin may then be made directly accessible to the outside of the solenoid housing for manual disengagement, or may be indirectly accessible for disengagement, for example via a mechanical button. The latch mechanism may alternatively provide a pair of spring-tensioned arms which are urged together but may be forced apart by the rising fill valve control rod and then allowed to close behind the control rod until manually released.
Any type of sensor 10 or heuristic may be used to determine when to activate the shutoff. In the first exemplary embodiment, the water level in the bowl may be monitored, and the system activated when the water level in the bowl exceeds a threshold, such as imminent overflow. To that end, the sensor 10 of the first exemplary embodiment is equipped with a plurality of hooks by which the sensor 10 may be suspended from the bowl edge. In a second exemplary embodiment, the sensor 10 may be mounted in the toilet tank to detect the control rod 13 being in the open position, and would monitor the time that the filler valve 14 is open or that the tank water level is low; if a time threshold is exceeded, the system is activated. An additional advantage of this embodiment is that it would detect and stop water from being wasted if the toilet is running, for example, due to the flapper being stuck open. In either embodiment or in embodiments utilizing different types of sensors and heuristics, the sensor 10 may include a microprocessor, computer memory, and power source, with appropriate software residing in a persistent region of the memory for execution by the microprocessor; the logic of the heuristic used may alternatively be embodied directly in digital or analog logic circuits. Because of the variable location of the sensor 10, the location of the sensor in FIG. 1 should not be understood as a literal location of the sensor 10 relative to the other components, but merely is a convenient position to illustrate the separate parts of the system functioning together.