Toilet leak prevention system

Abstract

A toilet leak preventing system comprising a conventional toilet, having attached thereto a sensing device able to detect sound or vibration from a leaking toilet, and having means to close the water supply to the toilet after a predetermined time interval.

Description

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Water leaking from toilet tanks is one of the most wasteful dispersal of one of our precious natural resources.

There have been many attempts to solve this vexing problem, using level sensing devices of either mechanical or electrical nature. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,934,977; 6,671,893; 6,367,096; and 5,940,899 are typical for this genre. Such devices do sense leakage if the fill-valve inside the water tank does not close or leak. However, they do not sense if the closure element at the bottom of the tank (typically called a flapper) does not close, causing the water to be wasted. Such closure elements are typically made of rubber which tends to deteriorate over time. In addition, this element attracts deposits, which likewise interfere with proper closure.

My invention, on the other hand, solves both of these problems in that it is able the detect the typical sound, (or associated vibration in the tank's wall) of a leaking toilet. My device also has a timing device to differentiate between the normal flushing noise or, that of any water draining after the flushing, due to leakage. My invention furthermore has a frequency analyzing device to filtering out extraneous sound originating from other noise sources in the bathroom.

These and other advantages of my invention will become more clear, when viewing the accompanying drawings and the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an external view of a toilet system having my sensing and controlling apparatus attached to the side of a toilet tank.

FIG. 2 is the interior view of the sensing and controlling apparatus depicted in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, it shows a conventional toilet consisting of a water tank 5 and a bowl 1. Attached to the tank is a control apparatus 2, a water pipe 4 supplies the water needed for flushing of the toilet. An electrically operated valve, such as a solenoid valve 3 is inserted into the water pipe and is capable to shut-off the water supply following a signal from the control apparatus.

The control apparatus 2 comprises a sensing device 5, typically a microphone or accelerometer, that is mounted attached to, or in close vicinity of the toilet tank, in order to be able to sense the sound made by the escaping water from the tank (typically in the 1000 to 2000 Herz range).

Any signal originating from the sensing device 5 is going to a combination amplifier/frequency filtering device 9, capable of filtering out any sound frequencies unrelated to water leakage.

The filtered signal is wired to an adjustable timing device 12, the purpose of which is, to delay any error signal for the duration of a normal toilet flush. The last stage for an error signal that passed the timing test, is to a relay; or switching device 14. It amplifies the signal 13, if required, and switches on the electrically actuated valve 3 via cable 15, thereby shutting off all water flow to the tank 5.

A manually operated switch 16 is able to discontinue the error signal current in cable 15, to the electrically operated valve 3, in order to restore normal operation of the toilet, once a repair of the leak has been accomplished:

Finally, there is a battery 10, which serves as a power supply for the electronic devices, previously depicted.

While the invention has been shown in a preferred embodiment, numerous changes may be made such as using a hard-wired A/C power source instead of a battery, or, using a hydraulically operated shut-off valve, instead of an electric version; for shut-off purposes in the water pipe, without departing from the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A toilet leak prevention system comprising an acoustical or vibration sensing and controlling apparatus attached to, or near a toilet, able to detect the sound or structure-born vibration caused by water leaking out of a toilet tank into the toilet bowl, wherein the controlling apparatus being able to communicate a signal to a shut-off device terminating further flow of water into the toilet tank.

2. A toilet leak prevention system as in claim 1, wherein the acoustical sensing apparatus incorporates a microphone capable of detecting the sound of escaping water from a toilet tank.

3. A toilet leak prevention system as in claim 1, wherein the vibration sensing apparatus incorporates an accelerometer capable of detecting the structure-born vibrations caused by escaping water from a toilet tank.

4. A toilet leak prevention system as in claim 2, wherein the controlling apparatus incorporates a device limiting the frequency response of said microphone.

5. A toilet leak prevention system as in claim 1, wherein said controlling apparatus incorporates a timing device filtering out signals from the sound or vibration sensing device, unless the time typical for the normal toilet flushing has passed.

6. A toilet leak prevention system as in claim 1, incorporating a relay or other switching device able to activate an electrically operated shut-off valve, once the controlling apparatus senses a leak, in order to prevent any further water from discharging into a toilet tank.

7. A toilet leak prevention system as in claim 1, wherein the controlling apparatus furthermore includes a battery serving as power supply for the electrical elements in my controlling apparatus.

8. A toilet leak prevention system as in claim 6, wherein the system includes a manually operated switch capable to interrupt a signal from the relay or switching device to the electrically operated shut-off valve, in order to restore a normal flushing mode of the toilet.