U.S. patent application number 11/838707 was filed with the patent office on 2008-02-14 for toilet bench boxed toilet.
Invention is credited to Lisa Adams, Troy Adams.
Application Number | 20080034486 11/838707 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39049042 |
Filed Date | 2008-02-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080034486 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Adams; Troy ; et
al. |
February 14, 2008 |
TOILET BENCH BOXED TOILET
Abstract
A covered toilet includes a cross braced drawer frame positioned
around a wall mounted toilet connected to a wall tank and a
discharge line in the wall. A sliding cover mounted on hidden
tracks covers the toilet in a closed position. A pair of drawers
are provided in the frame and may each be used when the cover is in
the closed position. In operation, the cover may be slid to one
side so that the toilet may be used. Automatic operation may be
provided by sensing the presence of a user to open the cover and
maintain the cover open while the user is present. The user's
departure may be detected so that the cover may be automatically
closed and the toilet flushing operation may be automatically
actuated.
Inventors: |
Adams; Troy; (West
Hollywood, CA) ; Adams; Lisa; (West Hollywood,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
IRELL & MANELLA LLP
1800 AVENUE OF THE STARS, SUITE 900
LOS ANGELES
CA
90067
US
|
Family ID: |
39049042 |
Appl. No.: |
11/838707 |
Filed: |
August 14, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60822372 |
Aug 14, 2006 |
|
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
4/300 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E03D 9/002 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
4/300 |
International
Class: |
E03D 9/00 20060101
E03D009/00 |
Claims
1. A covered toilet comprising: a toilet assembly; a first box
mounted along a first side of the toilet assembly, the first box
having at least a top and a front side; a second box mounted along
a second side of the toilet assembly, the second box also having at
least a top and a front side; and a cover slidably supported along
the second box, the cover having a top and a front side, the cover
slidably to a first position in which the cover is extended toward
the first box to cover the toilet assembly and to a second position
in which the toilet assembly is exposed for use.
2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the toilet assembly further
comprises: a wall mounted tankless toilet.
3. The invention of claim 2 further comprising: a toilet tank
mounted behind the wall and connected through the wall to provide
flush water to the toilet assembly; and a toilet flush button
extending through the wall from the toilet tank for access by a
toilet user.
4. The invention of claim 1 wherein the toilet assembly further
comprises: a floor mounted tankless toilet.
5. The invention of claim 4 further comprising: a toilet tank
mounted behind the wall; and a toilet flush button extending
through the wall from the toilet tank for access by a toilet
user.
6. The invention of claim 5 wherein the toilet tank is connected to
the toilet assembly through the wall to provide flush water to the
toilet assembly.
7. The invention of claim 5 wherein the toilet tank is connected to
the toilet assembly through the floor to provide flush water to the
toilet assembly.
8. The invention of claim 1 further comprising: a cross brace for
support between the first and second boxes along the top side near
the wall behind the toilet assembly; and a front brace for support
between the first and second boxes along the front side nearest the
floor below the toilet assembly.
9. The invention of claim 8 wherein the slidably mounted cover
further comprises: a rear track mounted behind the cross brace and
second box for slidably supporting the top side of the cover; and a
front track mounted underneath the cross brace and second box for
slidably supporting the top side of the cover.
10. The invention of claim 9 wherein the first and second boxes and
the cross brace are configured to be mountable directly to a wall
or supported by feet resting on the floor.
11. The invention of claim 1 further comprising: a control system
for automatically sliding the cover to the first position for use
of the toilet when a person is sensed in front of the toilet and
for sliding the cover to the second position and then automatically
flushing the toilet when the person is no longer sensed.
12. The invention of claim 1 further comprising: a drawer in the
first box openable when the cover is in the first or second
position; and a drawer in the second box openable only when the
cover is in the first position.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of the priority of the
filing U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/822,372, filed Aug.
14, 2006.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] This invention is related to toilets and in particular to
covered toilets.
[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0005] Various toilet and covered toilet designs have been
available for many years. Conventional designs are typically
unattractive and take up otherwise useful space. What is needed is
a new covered toilet design without such limitations.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of covered toilet 10 in a closed
configuration.
[0007] FIG. 2 is an isometric view of covered toilet 10 in an open
configuration.
[0008] FIG. 3 is cross sectional view of covered toilet 10 showing
the hidden tracks on which the cover rides.
[0009] FIG. 4 is a side view of a wall mounted toilet.
[0010] FIG. 5 is a side view of a floor mounted toilet without a
tank.
[0011] FIG. 6 is a top view of a wall mounted covered toilet shown
without the toilet for clarity.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] In a first aspect, a covered toilet may include a toilet
assembly, a first box mounted along a first side of the toilet
assembly, the first box having at least a top and a front side, a
second box mounted along a second side of the toilet assembly, the
second box also having at least a top and a front side and a cover
slidably supported along the second box, the cover having a top and
a front side, the cover slidably to a first position in which the
cover is extended toward the first box to cover the toilet assembly
and to a second position in which the toilet assembly is exposed
for use.
[0013] The toilet assembly may include a wall mounted or a floor
mounted tankless toilet. A toilet tank may be mounted behind the
wall and connected through the wall or the floor to provide flush
water to the toilet assembly and a toilet flush button may extend
through the wall from the toilet tank for access by a toilet user.
Alternately the toilet assembly may include a floor mounted
tankless toilet.
[0014] A cross brace may be provided for support between the first
and second boxes along the top side near the wall behind the toilet
assembly and a front brace provided for support between the first
and second boxes along the front side nearest the floor below the
toilet assembly. The cover may include a rear track mounted behind
the cross brace and second box for slidably supporting the top side
of the cover and a front track mounted underneath the cross brace
and second box for slidably supporting the top side of the cover.
The invention first and second boxes and the cross brace may be
configured to be mountable directly to a wall or supported by feet
resting on the floor.
[0015] A control system may be provided for automatically sliding
the cover to the first position for use of the toilet when a person
is sensed in front of the toilet and for sliding the cover to the
second position and then automatically flushing the toilet when the
person is no longer sensed. A drawer in the first box may be
openable when the cover is in the first or second position and a
drawer in the second box openable only when the cover is in the
first position.
DETAILED DISCLOSURE OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)
[0016] A covered toilet is disclosed in which a cross braced frame
may be positioned to surround a wall mounted toilet connected to a
wall tank and a discharge line in the wall. A sliding cover is
provided which covers the toilet in a closed position and in which
a pair of drawers in the frame may each be accessible. In
operation, the cover may be slid to one side along hidden tracks so
that the toilet may be used.
[0017] Automatic operation may be provided by sensing the presence
of a user to open the cover and maintaining the cover open while
the user is present. When the user leaves, the cover may
automatically close and the toilet flushing operation may be
actuated.
[0018] Referring now to FIG. 1, covered toilet 10 is shown in a
closed configuration and includes drawer frame 12 mounted on a
plurality of legs 14. Drawer frame 12 may include drawer 16 on
cover side 18 of frame 12 and may include second drawer 20 on
non-cover side 22 of frame 12. Drawers 16 and 20, if present, may
be mounted for travel as drawers, generally in the configuration of
file drawers, which may be opened by operation of drawer handles,
such as recessed handles 22. Drawer 20 may, for example,
conveniently be used to house toilet paper.
[0019] Cover 24 having generally vertical front side 26 and
generally horizontal top side 28 is positioned between cover side
18 and non-cover side 22 of frame 12. Cover 24 may conveniently be
fabricated from the same or a contrasting material from which
drawer frame 12 is fabricated. For example, cover 24 may be made of
wood while drawer frame 12 is made from steel or other metal.
[0020] Referring now also to FIG. 2, covered toilet 10 is shown in
an open configuration in which cover 24 has been slid toward cover
side 18 of frame 12, exposing toilet 30, which may conveniently be
a wall mounted toilet (such as the Duravit Caro manufactured by
Duravit AG of Homberg, Germany) mounted against a wall in a
conventional manner. A wall mounted tank may be used (such as the
Geberit Wallmount, manufactured by Geberit of DesPlaines, Ill.).
The tank is shown as tank 32 mounted behind wall 58 in FIG. 3. For
strength and rigidity, frame 12 may be constructed of a pair of
boxes 34 and 36, each of which may contain a sliding drawer, held
rigidly together by cross members 38 and 40 which are hidden from
view by cover 24 in the closed position as shown in FIG. 1. An
additional cross member, parallel and at the same height from the
floor as cross member 38 may be mounted below cross member 40 and
would be hidden from view in this figure by toilet 30.
[0021] Legs 14 may be used to support frame 12 above the floor, for
example at a height of about 6 inches, providing a conveniently
unobstructed area below toilet 30 and frame 12 so that the floor
beneath covered toilet 10 may be conveniently kept clean.
[0022] Toilet 30 may include conventional ceramic toilet bowl 42,
toilet seat 44 and toilet seat lid 48.
[0023] Referring now to FIG. 3, a cross sectional view of covered
toilet 10 is shown including two sided cover 24, drawer frame 12
and legs 14. Wall mounted tank 32 may be mounted in the wall behind
covered toilet 10, for example between wall studs. A conventional
toilet flushing button 50 may also be provided for flushing the
toilet after use. A conventional plumbing arrangement may also be
used in which water from tank 32 is released by operation of flush
button 50 through flush water inlet pipe 52 which may also be
mounted in the wall. Waste pipe or sewer connection 54 may be
connected to the discharge side of bowl 42 and also be mounted in
the wall behind covered toilet 10.
[0024] Cover 24 may be mounted for sliding motion along hidden
tracks 56 and 57. For example, front track 57 may be mounted
underneath the lower forward edge of frame 12 along cross brace 38
and cover side 18. Rear track 56 may be mounted behind the upper
back edge of frame 12 along cross brace 40 and cover side 18.
[0025] In manual operation, the user would slide cover 24 from the
position shown in FIG. 1, which blocks toilet 30 from view, toward
cover side 18 of frame 12 to expose toilet 30 for use as shown in
FIG. 2. The user would lift toilet seat lid 48, and/or toilet seat
44, to use toilet 30. After use, the user would push flush button
50, replace toilet seat lid 48, and/or toilet seat 44 if lifted,
and return cover 24 to the closed position by sliding cover 24
toward non-cover side 22.
[0026] Automatic operation may be provided by a control system,
shown generally as control system 60, which may be mounted beneath
covered toilet 10. Control system 60 may include a forward looking
sensor, such as an IR beam and detector, which detects the presence
of a person in front of bowl 42 whether cover 24 is closed or not.
Control system 60 may also include motors and drivers for sliding
cover 24 from the closed position toward non-cover side 2 to the
open position toward cover side 18. Control system 60 may also
include an electric actuator for operating flush button 50.
[0027] During automatic operation, a person approaching toilet bowl
42 could be detected by control system 60 which would then operate
a motor to slide cover 24 open. If automatic operation is intended
to be used exclusively, toilet seat 44 and/or lid 48 may be
dispensed with. During use, control system 60 would maintain cover
24 in the open position by detecting the continued presence of the
user, for example in the sitting position. After use, control
system 60 would detect the user moving away from toilet bowl 42 and
cause cover 24 to move toward non-cover side 22 to close the
compartment including toilet 30 and also actuate the flush
mechanism so that the operation of covered toilet would be fully
automatic.
[0028] Referring now to FIG. 4, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2,
toilet 30 may be a wall mounted toilet in which bowl 42 is
supported above floor 62 by brace 64 which may for example be
mounted between studs in wall 58.
[0029] Referring now to FIG. 5, toilet bowl 43 may be supported
directly by floor 62. Bowl 43 may be a modified version of a
standard toilet in which the water tank 32 is mounted in wall 58
and flush water inlet 52 reaches bowl 43 through wall 58 as shown,
or alternately through floor 62 in a manner similar to waste
connection 54.
[0030] Referring now to FIG. 6, in an alternate arrangement,
covered toilet 10 may be mounted directly to wall 58, that is
without legs 14 as shown in FIG. 1. Box 36, cross brace 40 and box
34 may be mounted to wall studs 68 and/or various cross bracing
studs not shown, between wall studs 68 in wall 58. Slot 64 may
preferably be provided between the top portion of box 34 and wall
58 to provide for mounting of rear track 56 to which cover 24, not
shown in this figure, may be slidably mounted.
* * * * *