Patents by Inventor Bob Maehre

Bob Maehre has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6028520
    Abstract: An annunciator for training individuals in toilet etiquette and sanitation. The annunciator has a small housing that hangs on the side of the toilet tank, is incorporated into the seat of the toilet or hangs from the flush handle of the toilet. The housing is preferably plastic and can be animal shaped, for example, like a frog. A sound module, batteries, internal sensors, controller and speaker are mounted in the housing and the controller is connected to the external sensors by electrical wires. A small light such as an LED can be included to indicate that the unit is working. The sensors detect a person near the toilet, the position of the toilet seat (lowered or raised), a person sitting on the seat, and operation of the flush handle. The controller decides what messages to play based on the sensed conditions. Additionally, the housing may contain a small separate tape player for music or prerecorded humorous sounds. The tape player is controlled by the annunciator to coordinate with any played messages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2000
    Inventor: Bob Maehre