Toilet, toilet seat, and cleaning method thereof

Abstract

A toilet at least includes a container, a cover, and an inflator. The container includes a top opening and a bottom drain. The cover connects the container with a pivot for selectively shielding or exposing the top opening. When the cover shields the opening, the inflator supplies air into the container and makes the air pressure inside the container higher than the outside. And therefore, air flows and takes away wastes through the drain to the outside of the toilet due to the pressure differential.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Taiwan Application Serial Number 96100067, filed Jan. 2, 2007, which is herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to sanitary equipment. More particularly, the present invention relates to a toilet.

2. Description of Related Art

Toilet is one of the most important equipment in modern life. Among the many kinds of toilets, the most common type is a flush toilet, in which water takes away waste and cleans the surface of the toilet. However, flushing the flush toilet wastes large volumes of water. Although there are many kinds of low-flush toilets for water saving, the effect is limited due to how the flush toilet works. Therefore, a new toilet and a new cleaning method in needed for water conservation.

SUMMARY

A toilet is provided, which comprises a container, a cover, and an inflator. The container includes a top opening and a bottom drain, located on the top and the bottom of the container separately. The cover pivotally connects the container, and is used to shield or expose the top opening selectively. When the cover shields the top opening, the inflator supplies air into the container and makes the air pressure inside the container higher than the outside. And therefore, air flows and takes away wastes through the bottom drain to the outside of the toilet due to air pressure differential.

The invention also provides a toilet seat for installing on a toilet. The toilet seat has a cover for selectively shielding or exposing a top opening of the toilet. When the cover shields the top opening, an inflator, which is connected to the cover, supplies air into the toilet and makes the air pressure increase. Because air pressure inside the toilet is higher than the outside, this may drive air flowing and taking away waste through the bottom drain to the outside of the toilet.

On the other hand, the invention also provides a cleaning method for toilet. First, closing a top opening of a toilet. Then, increasing the air pressure inside the toilet and making air take away waste through a drain of the toilet to the outside of the toilet.

In the foregoing, the pressure differential between the inside and the outside of the toilet drives air flowing and therefore brings waste out of the toilet without water. Therefore, using the embodiments of the present invention can clean the toilet and conserve water.

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are by examples, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention can be more fully understood by reading the following detailed description of the embodiment, with reference made to the accompanying drawings as follows:

FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B are two different states of a toilet according to one embodiment of the present invention, wherein FIG. 1A is about a state of exposing an opening of the toilet and FIG. 1B is about a state of shielding the opening;

FIG. 2 is a three dimensional view of a toilet according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B are two different states of a toilet seat according to another embodiment of the present invention for installing on a toilet, wherein FIG. 3A is about a state of a cover of the toilet seat shielding an opening of the toilet and FIG. 3B is about a state of revealing the opening;

FIG. 3C and FIG. 3D are sectional views of the toilet seat shown in FIG. 3A; and

FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B are flow diagrams of the cleaning method according to another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the present embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.

FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B each illustrate a three dimensional view of a toilet 100 of an embodiment of the present invention in two different states. A toilet 100 includes a container 110 with an opening 112 on the top of the container 110 and a drain 114 on the bottom of it. A cover 120 can be put on the container 110 and shield the opening 112. Or, the cover 120 can be lifted up and thus expose the opening 112. When the cover 120 shields the container 110, an inflator 130 supplies air into the container 110 for increasing the air pressure inside the container 110. While the air pressure inside the container 110 is higher than the outside of the container 110, the air pressure differential would drive air to flow and bring a waste 150 with it through the drain 114 to the outside.

In the embodiment, the cover 120 connects to the container 110 with a pivot 122 on an end of the cover 120. The cover 120 can be made by rubber. When a user pushes down the inflator 130 on the cover 120, also presses the cover 120 against the container 110, and thus seals the opening 112.

In addition, in order to seal the opening 112 for preventing air escaping from the opening 112, the toilet 100 has a lock 140 to fix the cover 120 tightly on the container 110. The lock 140 could be a fastener, a latch, a bolt, a pivot, etc. The lock 140 can be divided into two elements, a first lock element 142 and a second lock element 144 located on the cover 120 and the container 110 separately. When the cover 120 shields the opening 112, the first lock element 142 and the second lock element 144 may hold together and therefore locks the cover 120 and the container 110. In the embodiment, the first lock element 142 and the second lock element 144 are a mortise and a tenon. In another embodiment, the first lock element 142 and the second lock element 144 are a group of gear wheels on the pivot 122, which could lock up after the cover 120 shielding the opening 112. The cover 120 remains over the container 110 until the gear wheels unlock.

The inflator 130 is a device that is used to force air into the container 110, for example an air pump, a compressor, a blower, etc. FIG. 1B shows the inflator 130 as one kind of air pumps placed on the cover 120. The user push down the inflator 130 and squash air into the container 110.

FIG. 2 illustrates another embodiment. The inflator 130 is driven by electricity and electrically connects to a sensor switch 160 for switching the inflator 130. The sensor switch 160 includes a sensor 162 for detecting if the opening 112 shielded and a switch 164 for turning the inflator 130 on or off. If the sensor 162 detects that the cover 120 has shielded the opening 112, the sensor 162 send a signal to the switch 164 for turning on the inflator 130. The sensor 162 may be a light sensor on the container 110 near the opening 112 for sensing luminance. While the cover 120 shields the opening 112, it also blocks light and lowers luminance. The sensor 162 may be a motion sensor, a distance sensor, a position sensor, a pressure sensor, or an infrared sensor, etc. It is noteworthy that the location of the sensor 162 is not limited as shown in FIG. 2. In fact, the sensor 162 could be placed in anywhere according to its function.

In order to prevent the surface 116 of the container 110 from staining and adhered by the waste 150, the surface 116 has been spread with material, such as Teflon, porcelain glaze, or nano-scale graze, to form a smooth coating.

Additionally, toilet 100 further has a cleaning device 170 for cleaning the toilet 100 and moistening the surface 116 to prevent the surface 116 from adhering by the waste 150. The cleaning device 170 connects to the cover 120 and includes a tank 172 for storing liquid, for example water and cleansers. The user may pour liquid in the tank 172 through an inlet nozzle 173 located on the tank 172, or fill tap water in the tank 172 by linking the inlet nozzle 173 and a water tap. A spout 174 links the tank 172 and the container 110 and sends liquid out of the tank 172 in order to create a layer of water over the surface 116, which may stop the waste 150 staining and adhering on the surface 116. A water valve 176 connects the spout 174 and controls the flow liquid out of the spout 174. The water valve 176 may open the spout 174 and let the liquid flow, or may block the spout 176 and, therefore, stop the flow.

Furthermore, a second sensor 178 electrically connects the water valve 176. The second sensor 178 may sense the user's movement and send a signal to the water valve 176. The water valve 176 operates according to the signal. The second sensor 176 may be an infrared sensor, a pressure sensor, or a motion sensor. Take an infrared sensor as an example. The infrared sensor may detect the movement of the user while the user comes over, and turn on the water valve 176 to create a layer of water over the surface 116 before the user uses the toilet 100. The second sensor 178 may be a pressure sensor for detecting weight changing over the toilet 100 when the user sits on or leaves the toilet 100. Furthermore, the second sensor 178 may be a kind of sensor that is operated by a touch of the user.

In the foregoing, the pressure differential between the inside and the outside of the toilet 100 drives air flowing and therefore bring waste out of the toilet 100 instead of flushing. Therefore the toilet 100 may achieve the goal of water conservation.

Nowadays, toilets have become an indispensable part of our life. Toilets could be found in almost all public facilities and everyone's house, and most of them are flush toilets, which wastes large volumes of water. Therefore, the present invention provides a toilet seat that is used to install on a toilet, which the user already has, and cleans the toilet by using air pressure differential.

FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B are two different states of a toilet seat 300 according to another embodiment of the present invention for installing on a toilet 200. FIG. 3A illustrates a cover 120 of the toilet seat 300 shields an opening 112 of the toilet 200. FIG. 3B illustrates the cover 120 reveals the opening 112. The toilet 200 is a common flush toilet.

The toilet seat 300 includes the cover 120 and an inflator 130. The cover 120 can be put on the toilet 200 and shield an opening 112 of the toilet 200. Otherwise, the cover 120 can be lifted up and thus expose the opening 112. The inflator 130 connects the cover 120. When the cover 120 shields the opening 112, the inflator 130 supplies air into the toilet 200 for increasing the air pressure inside the toilet 200. While the air pressure inside the toilet 200 is higher than the outside of the toilet 200, the air pressure differential would drive air to flow and bring an waste 150 with it to the outside through a drain 114 of the toilet 200.

A seat 310 pivots on the cover 120 and interposes between the cover 120 and the opening 112 of the toilet 200. The seat 310 may be placed on the edge of the opening 112 for the user to sit on. On the other hand, the seat 310 may be lifted up to expose the edge. Of cause, there is a hole 312 on the center of the seat 310 to expose part of the opening 112.

The inflator 130 is a device that is used to force air into the toilet 200, for example an air pump, a compressor, a blower, etc. For example, the inflator 130 may be a kind of air pump that could be pushed down and squash air into the toilet 200.The inflator 130 may be driven by electricity or human force.

FIG. 3C is a sectional view of the toilet seat 300 according A-A′ lines shown in FIG. 3A. The inflator 130 electrically connects to a sensor switch 160 for switching the inflator 130. The sensor switch 160 includes a sensor 162 for detecting if the opening 112 shielded and a switch 164 for turning the inflator 130 on or off. If the sensor 162 detects that the cover 120 has shielded the opening 112, the sensor 162 sends a signal to the switch 164 for turning on the inflator 130. The sensor 162 may be a light sensor for sensing luminance. The sensor 162 may be a motion sensor, a distance sensor, a position sensor, a pressure sensor, or an infrared sensor, etc.

In addition, in order to seal the opening 112 for preventing air escaping from the opening 112, the toilet seat 300 has a lock 140 to lock the cover 120 tightly on the toilet 200. The lock 140 may be a fastener, a latch, a bolt, a pivot, etc. In the embodiment, the lock 140 comprises a mortise and a tenon located on the cover 120 and the seat 310 separately. When the cover 120 shields the opening 112, the mortise and the tenon may hold together and therefore locks the cover 120 tightly on the toilet 200.ln another embodiment, the lock 140 has a group of gear wheels between the cover 120 and the seat 310. The group of gear wheels may lock up after the cover 120 shielding the opening 112. The cover 120 remains over the container 110 until the group of gear wheels unlocked.

As described before, the toilet 200 is a common flush toilet, which may have a water tank 210 for storing water to flush. Water flows through a water outlet 212 into the toilet 200 while flushing. However, if the air pressure inside the toilet 200 increases, for the inflator 130 starting supplying air, air may escape through every opening on the toilet 200, which includes the water outlet 212. Therefore, the toilet seat 300 has a gas valve 320 for stopping air escaping through the water outlet 212. The gas valve 320 may allow fluid, such as gas and liquid, flowing from the water tank 210 to the toilet 200 and block flows in a reverse direction. Besides, the gas valve 320 may be a bung for plugging in the water outlet 212 or a lid for covering the water outlet 212.

FIG. 3D is a sectional view of the toilet seat 300 according B-B′ lines shown in FIG. 3A. In order to clean the toilet 200 and to prevent the toilet 200 from adhering by the waste 150, the toilet seat 300 further has a cleaning device 170 connected to the cover 120. The cleaning device 170 includes a tank 172 for storing liquid, for example water and cleansers. The user may pour liquid in the tank 172 through an inlet nozzle 173 located on the tank 172, or fill tap water in the tank 172 by linking the inlet nozzle 173 and a water tap. A spout 174 links the tank 172 and the toilet 200, and sends liquid out of the tank 172 in order to create a layer of water over the surface 116 of the toilet 200, which may stop the waste 150 staining and adhering on the surface 116. A water valve 176 connects the spout 174 and controls the flow liquid out of the spout 174. The water valve 176 may open the spout 174 and let liquid flow, or may block the spout 176 and, therefore, stop the flow. Furthermore, a second sensor 178 electrically connects the water valve 176 for turning the water valve 176 on or off. The second sensor 178 may be an infrared sensor, a pressure sensor, a motion sensor, or a kind of sensor that is operated by a touch of the user.

The embodiment of the present invention is convenient for users to clean toilet in air instead of water. The users only needs to install the toilet seat on the toilet, which they already have, rather than replace whole sanitary equipment.

FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B are flow diagrams of the cleaning method according to another embodiment of the present invention. Please refer to FIG. 4A. The first step of the cleaning method 400 is step 410: closing an opening of a toilet. Then, step 420 is increasing the air pressure inside the toilet. Step 430 is spraying liquid on a surface of the toilet. It is noteworthy that the sequence of step 430 is not limited, which means that step 430 may be performed before, between, or after step 410.

Please refer to FIG. 4B. The purpose of closing the opening of the toilet in step 410 is to prevent air escaping out of the toilet. The method to close the opening is many. For example, using a cover shielding the opening or a bung plugging into the opening may close the opening. In the embodiment, step 410 further includes step 412: shielding the opening with a cover, and step 414 locking the cover and the opening up. A lock, such as a fastener, a latch, a bolt, a pivot, etc., may apply to lock the cover and the opening up.

Please refer to FIG. 4A. In step 420, increasing the air pressure inside the toilet makes the pressure inside higher than the outside. And furthermore, air starts to flow because of the pressure differential, and blows to the outside, which may be used to take away wastes through the drain to the outside of the toilet. In the embodiment, the method to increase air pressure is supplying air into the toilet. More specifically, it is forcing gas into the toilet by using an inflator, an air pump, or a compressor, etc.

Step 430 is to spray liquid over the toilet for create a layer of water over the surface of the toilet and cleaning the surface with cleansers as well. The water layer over the surface may stop the wastes staining and adhering on the surface.

Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference and certain embodiments thereof, other embodiments are possible. Therefore, their spirit and scope of the appended claims should no be limited to the description of the embodiments contained herein.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A toilet, comprising:

a container, comprising a top opening and a bottom drain;

a cover, pivotally connected with the container for selectively shielding or exposing the top opening; and

an inflator, supplying air into the container for increasing air pressure inside the container higher than the outside of the container when the cover shields the top opening, thereby ridding the container of wastes through the drain.

2. The toilet of claim 1, wherein the inflator is an air pump.

3. The toilet of claim 2, further comprising a sensor switch electrically connecting to the air pump and comprising:

a first sensor, detecting if the top opening is shielded by the cover; and

a switch, turning the air pump on or off selectively, wherein the first sensor detects the top opening shielded by the cover, the switch turns on the air pump respectively.

4. The toilet of claim 1, wherein the cover comprises rubber.

5. The toilet of claim 1, further comprising a lock for locking the cover tightly on the container.

6. The toilet of claim 5, wherein the lock comprises:

a first lock element, located on the cover; and

a second lock element, located on the container, wherein the first lock element grips the second lock element when the cover shields the top opening.

7. The toilet of claim 1, wherein a surface of the container comprises Teflon, porcelain glaze, or nano-scale graze.

8. The toilet of claim 1, further comprising a cleaning device, connecting to the cover, the cleaning device comprising:

a tank, for storing liquid;

an inlet nozzle, located on the tank for filling liquid into the tank through the inlet nozzle;

at least a spout, linking the tank and the container for sending out liquid from the tank to the container; and

a water valve, controlling the flow of liquid out of the spout.

9. The toilet of claim 8, wherein the cleaning device further comprises a second sensor electrically connecting to the water valve, wherein the second sensor switches the water valve on when the second sensor is driven, and thus makes liquid flow out of the spout.

10. A toilet seat for installing on a toilet, comprising:

a cover, selectively shielding or exposing a top opening of the toilet; and

an inflator, connecting to the cover and supplying air into the toilet for increasing air pressure inside the toilet higher than the outside of the toilet when the cover shields the top opening, thereby ridding the toilet of wastes through the drain.

11. The toilet seat of claim 10, wherein the inflator is an air pump.

12. The toilet of claim 11, further comprising a sensor switch electrically connecting the air pump and comprising:

a first sensor, detecting if the top opening is shielded by the cover; and

a switch, turning the air pump on or off selectively, wherein the first sensor detects the top opening shielded by the cover, the switch turns on the air pump respectively.

13. The toilet seat of claim 10,further comprising a seat pivotally connected with the cover, interposing between the cover and the top opening, and for selectively placing on an edge of the top opening or exposing the edge.

14. The toilet seat of claim 13, further comprising a lock for locking the cover tightly on the toilet.

15. The toilet seat of claim 10, further comprising a gas valve fitting in a water outlet in the toilet for preventing air escaping into a water tank on the toilet through the water outlet.

16. The toilet of claim 10, further comprising a cleaning device connecting to the cover, the cleaning device comprising:

a tank, for storing liquid;

a inlet nozzle, located on the tank for filling liquid in the tank through the inlet nozzle;

at least a spout, linking the tank and the toilet for sending out liquid from the tank to the toilet; and

a water valve, controlling the flow of liquid out of the spout; and

a second sensor, electrically connecting the water valve, wherein the second sensor switches the water valve on when the second sensor is driven, and thus makes liquid flow out of the spout.

17. A cleaning method for toilet, comprising:

Closing a top opening of a toilet; and

Increasing the air pressure inside the toilet higher than the outside after closing the top opening, thereby ridding the toilet of wastes through a drain of the toilet.

18. A cleaning method of claim 17, wherein the step of closing the top opening comprising:

shielding the top opening with a cover.

19. A cleaning method of claim 17, wherein the step of increasing the air pressure inside the toilet is supplying air into the toilet.

20. A cleaning method of claim 17, further comprising spraying liquid on a surface of the toilet.