U.S. patent application number 11/916924 was filed with the patent office on 2008-08-21 for handle assembly for a toilet with a rotating sensor assembly.
This patent application is currently assigned to WATERBURY COMPANIES, INC.. Invention is credited to Samuel W. Oakes Jr..
Application Number | 20080196151 11/916924 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39705363 |
Filed Date | 2008-08-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080196151 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Oakes Jr.; Samuel W. |
August 21, 2008 |
Handle Assembly For a Toilet With a Rotating Sensor Assembly
Abstract
A flush actuation assembly for flushing a urinal or a toilet,
the flush actuation assembly comprising a housing a sensor assembly
rotatably coupled to the housing, wherein the sensor assembly
detects the presence/absence of a user in a target area and
transmits a flush signal based on said detecting a flushing
assembly, operatively coupled to the sensor assembly, for receiving
the flush signal and causing the flushing of the urinal or toilet;
wherein the sensor assembly is rotatable relative to the housing
for detecting the presence/absence of a user in differing target
areas.
Inventors: |
Oakes Jr.; Samuel W.;
(Plymouth, CT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ARTHUR G. SCHAIER;CARMODY & TORRANCE LLP
50 LEAVENWORTH STREET, P.O. BOX 1110
WATERBURY
CT
06721
US
|
Assignee: |
WATERBURY COMPANIES, INC.
Waterbury
CT
|
Family ID: |
39705363 |
Appl. No.: |
11/916924 |
Filed: |
June 7, 2006 |
PCT Filed: |
June 7, 2006 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/US2006/022798 |
371 Date: |
December 7, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
11148775 |
Jun 8, 2005 |
|
|
|
11916924 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
4/406 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E03D 5/02 20130101; E03D
5/105 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
4/406 |
International
Class: |
E03D 5/10 20060101
E03D005/10 |
Claims
1. A flush actuation assembly for flushing a urinal or a toilet,
the flush actuation assembly comprising: a housing; a sensor
assembly rotatably coupled to the housing, wherein the sensor
assembly detects the presence/absence of a user in a target area
and transmits a flush signal based on said detecting; a flushing
assembly, operatively coupled to the sensor assembly, for receiving
the flush signal and causing the flushing of the urinal or toilet;
wherein the sensor assembly is rotatable relative to the housing
for detecting the presence/absence of a user in differing target
areas.
2. A flush actuation assembly for flushing a toilet, wherein the
flush actuation assembly comprises the housing, sensor assembly and
flushing assembly as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the toilet is
of the type that comprises a toilet bowl and a toilet tank
operatively coupled to the toilet bowl, wherein the toilet tank has
a flush valve which provides a conduit for water to flow from the
toilet tank to the toilet bowl when the toilet is flushed, wherein
the flush valve includes a valve seat and a pivotable flush valve
flapper which opens and closes the valve, and wherein the flushing
assembly comprises a flush valve flapper lifting assembly,
operatively coupled to the sensor assembly and positioned in the
toilet tank, for pivoting the flush valve flapper from its closed
position to its open position in response to the flush signal; and
wherein: the tank toilet comprises an aperture through a sidewall
through which a conventional handle, comprising a lift arm to lift
a conventional flush valve flapper, is mountable, and wherein the
housing is secured to the toilet tank through the aperture.
3. The flush actuation assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the
housing comprises a handle assembly that itself comprises a stem
that is passable through the aperture in the sidewall of the toilet
tank, and wherein the handle assembly comprises a stem securer for
securing the handle assembly to the sidewall of the toilet
tank.
4. The flush actuation assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the
handle assembly comprises a manually actuatable handle operatively
coupled to the flushing assembly, and wherein the handle assembly
provides the flush signal to the flushing assembly; wherein the
handle assembly transmits the flush signal to the flushing assembly
in response to manual actuation of the handle.
5. The flush actuation assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the
sensor assembly comprises at least one sensor positioned in the
manually actuatable handle and the rotation of the sensor is
relative to the manually actuatable handle.
6. The flush actuation assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the
handle assembly comprises a handle and the sensor assembly
comprises at least one sensor positioned in the handle and the
rotation of the sensor is relative to the handle.
7. The flush actuation assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the
sensor assembly is electrically coupled to the flushing
assembly.
8. (canceled)
9. A flush actuation assembly for flushing a toilet, wherein the
flush actuation assembly comprises the housing, sensor assembly and
flushing assembly as claimed in claim 1, and wherein the toilet is
of the type that comprises a toilet bowl and a toilet tank
operatively coupled to the toilet bowl, wherein the toilet tank has
a flush valve which provides a conduit for water to flow from the
toilet tank to the toilet bowl when the toilet is flushed, wherein
the flush valve includes a valve seat and a pivotable flush valve
flapper which opens and closes the valve, and wherein the flushing
assembly comprises a flush valve flapper lifting assembly,
operatively coupled to the sensor assembly and positioned in the
toilet tank, for pivoting the flush valve flapper from its closed
position to its open position in response to the flush signal; and
wherein: the housing comprises a handle assembly that itself
comprises a stem that is passable through and securable to the
sidewall of the toilet tank.
10. The flush actuation assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein the
sensor assembly comprises a transmitter for transmitting the flush
signal to the flushing assembly and the flushing assembly comprises
a receiver for receiving the flush signal transmitted by the sensor
assembly.
11. The flush actuation assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein the
handle assembly comprises a manually actuatable handle operatively
coupled to the flushing assembly, and wherein the handle assembly
provides the flush signal to the flushing assembly; wherein the
handle assembly transmits the flush signal to the flushing assembly
in response to manual actuation of the handle.
12. (canceled)
13. The flush actuation assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein:
the handle assembly comprises a manually actuatable handle; and the
sensor assembly comprises at least one sensor positioned in the
manually actuatable handle and the rotation of the sensor is
relative to the manually actuatable handle.
14. The flush actuation assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the
sensor assembly comprises: a transmitter for emitting at least one
radiation beam to the target area; and a detector being responsive
to a reflected radiation beam emitted from the transmitter and
reflected off of a user in the target area.
15. The flush actuation assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein the
sensor assembly comprises: a transmitter for emitting at least one
radiation beam to the target area; and a detector being responsive
to a reflected radiation beam emitted from the transmitter and
reflected off of a user in the target area.
16. The flush actuation assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein the
sensor assembly comprises a turret rotatably mounted in the
housing, and wherein the transmitter and the detector are mounted
in the turret.
17. The flush actuation assembly as claimed in claim 13, wherein
the sensor assembly comprises a turret rotatably mounted in the
housing, and wherein the transmitter and the detector are mounted
in the turret.
18. (canceled)
19. The flushing actuation assembly as claimed in claim 17,
including a ring positioned in the housing assembly, and wherein
the turret comprises a plurality of ribs; wherein the ring includes
at least one depending finger that engages at least one or more of
the plurality of ribs to maintain the position of the turret in
each of a plurality of rotated positions.
20. (canceled)
21. The flushing actuation assembly as claimed in claim 17,
including at least one depending finger inside the handle, and
wherein the turret comprises a plurality of ribs; wherein the at
least one depending finger engages at least one or more of the
plurality of ribs to maintain the position of the turret in each of
a plurality of rotated positions.
22. A handle assembly for flushing a urinal or a toilet, the handle
assembly being operatively couplable to a flushing assembly that
receives a flush signal and causes the flushing of the urinal or
toilet wherein the handle assembly comprises: a housing; a sensor
assembly rotatably coupled to the housing, wherein the sensor
assembly detects the presence/absence of a user in a target area
and transmits a flush signal to the flushing assembly based on said
detecting; wherein the sensor assembly is rotatable relative to the
housing for detecting the presence/absence of a user in differing
target areas.
23. The handle assembly as claimed in claim 22, comprising a
manually actuatable handle operatively coupled to the flushing
assembly, and wherein the handle assembly provides the flush signal
to the flushing assembly; wherein the handle assembly transmits the
flush signal to the flushing assembly in response to manual
actuation of the handle.
24. The handle assembly as claimed in claim 23, wherein the sensor
assembly comprises at least one sensor positioned in the manually
actuatable handle and the rotation of the sensor is relative to the
manually actuatable handle.
25. The handle assembly as claimed in claim 22, wherein the handle
assembly comprises a handle and the sensor assembly comprises at
least one sensor positioned in the handle and the rotation of the
sensor is relative to the handle.
26. (canceled)
27. (canceled)
28. The handle assembly as claimed in claim 27, including a ring
positioned in the housing assembly, and wherein the turret
comprises a plurality of ribs; wherein the ring includes at least
one depending finger that engages at least one or more of the
plurality of ribs to maintain the position of the turret in each of
a plurality of rotated positions.
29. The handle assembly as claimed in claim 27, including at least
one depending finger inside the handle, and wherein the turret
comprises a plurality of ribs; wherein the at least one depending
finger engages at least one or more of the plurality of ribs to
maintain the position of the turret in each of a plurality of
rotated positions.
30. A toilet assembly comprising a toilet bowl; a toilet tank
fluidly coupled to the toilet bowl, the toilet tank including a
flush valve which provides a conduit for fluid between the toilet
tank and the toilet bowl; and a flush actuation assembly as claimed
in claim 1.
31. A toilet assembly comprising a toilet bowl; a toilet tank
fluidly coupled to the toilet bowl, the toilet tank including a
flush valve which provides a conduit for fluid between the toilet
tank and the toilet bowl; and a handle assembly as claimed in claim
22.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates generally to automatic flushing
systems for toilets and/or urinals, and more particular, to a flush
actuation assembly for flushing a urinal or a toilet that comprises
a rotatable sensor assembly for detecting the presence/absence of a
user in differing target areas.
[0002] Toilets and urinals with autoflushing capabilities are known
and are the subject of at least two known U.S. patents, namely U.S.
Pat. No. 5,603,127 and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,901,384. A further known
system provides the IR sensor on the wall of the restroom and
detects the presence of the user from this remote (i.e. the wall)
location.
[0003] The inventors of the present invention note that these prior
art systems lack certain desirable features and capabilities.
[0004] For example, it is believed that these prior art systems
cannot be easily retrofitted into existing toilets or urinals. That
is, it is a perceived disadvantage of the prior art that existing
toilets or urinals cannot be easily modified to incorporate such
autoflushing capabilities. U.S. application Ser. No. 10/685,826,
the subject matter of which is incorporated by reference as if
fully set forth herein, is Applicant's answer to overcome certain
perceived deficiencies in the art. However, further advances are
desirable, namely to be able to detect users in differing target
areas and/or further facilitate (e.g. reduce the limitations of)
the mounting and positioning of the sensor and/or handle assembly.
Moreover, while the preferred embodiment of the present invention
is applicable for use with tank toilets, it will be seen that the
present invention is not so limited.
SUMMARY AND OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION
[0005] It is an object and advantage of the present invention to
provide an improved autoflush system for use in a toilet of the
type having a toilet tank and toilet bowl.
[0006] It is a further object and advantage of the present
invention to provide an autoflush system that can be more easily
retrofitted for an existing toilet of the type having a toilet tank
and toilet bowl.
[0007] Another object and advantage of the present invention to
provide an autoflush system that can detect users in differing
target areas.
[0008] Yet another object and advantage of the present invention to
provide a flushing actuation assembly that further facilitates
(e.g. reduces the limitations of) the positioning and mounting of
the sensor and/or handle assembly.
[0009] Still a further object and advantage of the present
invention to provide a toilet assembly comprising a toilet bowl; a
toilet tank fluidly coupled to the toilet bowl, the toilet tank
including a flush valve which provides a conduit for fluid between
the toilet tank and the toilet bowl; and a flush actuation assembly
and/or a handle assembly as set forth herein.
[0010] Still another object and advantage of the present invention
to provide an autoflush system that does not require any change in
habit or accustomed use by a user thereof.
[0011] Further objects and advantages of this invention will become
more apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing
description.
[0012] The invention accordingly comprises the features of
construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts that
will be exemplified in the disclosure hereinafter set forth, and
the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.
[0013] To overcome the perceived deficiencies in the prior art and
to achieve the objects and advantages set forth above and below,
the present invention is, generally speaking in a first embodiment,
directed to a flush actuation assembly for flushing a urinal or a
toilet, the flush actuation assembly comprising a housing; a sensor
assembly rotatably coupled to the housing, wherein the sensor
assembly detects the presence/absence of a user in a target area
and transmits a flush signal based on said detecting; a flushing
assembly, operatively coupled to the sensor assembly, for receiving
the flush signal and causing the flushing of the urinal or toilet;
wherein the sensor assembly is rotatable relative to the housing
for detecting the presence/absence of a user in differing target
areas. The present invention is also directed to a toilet assembly
comprising a toilet bowl; a toilet tank fluidly coupled to the
toilet bowl, the toilet tank including a flush valve which provides
a conduit for fluid between the toilet tank and the toilet bowl;
and a flush actuation assembly as set forth above.
[0014] In another embodiment, the present invention is directed to
a handle assembly for flushing a urinal or a toilet, the handle
assembly being operatively couplable to a flushing assembly that
receives a flush signal and causes the flushing of the urinal or
toilet, wherein the handle assembly comprises a housing; a sensor
assembly rotatably coupled to the housing, wherein the sensor
assembly detects the presence/absence of a user in a target area
and transmits a flush signal to the flushing assembly based on said
detecting; wherein the sensor assembly is rotatable relative to the
housing for detecting the presence/absence of a user in differing
target areas. Similarly, the present invention is also directed to
a toilet assembly comprising a toilet bowl; a toilet tank fluidly
coupled to the toilet bowl, the toilet tank including a flush valve
which provides a conduit for fluid between the toilet tank and the
toilet bowl; and a handle assembly as set forth above.
[0015] The present invention is widely applicable and can be used
for the aforementioned constructed toilets in a wide range of areas
of interest, such as, by example and not limitation, homes,
hospitals, offices both industrial, commercial and/or professional,
as well as all other industrial, commercial and domestic areas.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] The above set forth and other features of the invention are
made more apparent in the ensuing Description of the Preferred
Embodiments when read in conjunction with the attached Drawing,
wherein:
[0017] FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a toilet with a toilet
tank shown partially cut away, having an autoflush system
constructed in accordance with a first embodiment of the present
invention;
[0018] FIG. 2 is top down view looking into the toilet tank of FIG.
1 also showing features and construction of the present invention
(although the flush valve flapper lifting assembly is shown to be
transparent for ease of understanding);
[0019] FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a handle assembly and sensor
assembly constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of
the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 4 shows a mounting arrangement of the handle and sensor
assemblies of FIG. 3, with it being recognized that FIG. 4
illustrates the handle assembly of FIG. 3 rotated 180.degree.;
and
[0021] FIG. 5 is a plan view of a ring illustrated in FIG. 3.
[0022] Identical reference numerals in the figures are intended to
indicate like parts, although not every feature in every figure may
be called out with a reference numeral.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0023] Reference is first generally made to FIGS. 1 and 2, which
illustrate a flush actuation assembly, generally indicated at 10,
for automatically flushing a toilet of the type that comprises a
toilet bowl, generally indicated at 12, and a toilet tank
operatively coupled to toilet bowl 12 and generally indicated at
14. The toilet, generally indicated at 5, is of the type that has a
flush valve 16 which provides a conduit for water W to flow from
toilet tank 14 to toilet bowl 12 when the toilet is flushed. As is
quite old in the art, flush valve 16 includes a valve seat 18 and a
pivotable flush valve flapper 19 which opens and closes valve
16.
[0024] In its broadest embodiment, flush actuation assembly 10
("assembly 10") comprises a handle assembly generally indicated at
100 and a flushing assembly generally indicated at 30, which in the
preferred embodiment is a flush valve flapper lifting assembly,
which is positioned in toilet tank 14. The main function of
assembly 30 is to pivot flush valve flapper 19 from its closed
position to its open position to effectuate a flush. Flushing
assembly 30 initiates the operation to pivot flush valve flapper 19
in response to a "flush" signal from handle assembly 100 (discussed
below) and/or a sensor assembly generally indicated at 120 (see
FIGS. 3 and 4), which is rotatably coupled to handle assembly 100
and provides the functions of detecting the presence/absence of a
user in a target area and transmitting the "flush" signal based on
said detecting as further disclosed below. As will also be further
disclosed below, flushing assembly 30 is operatively coupled to
handle assembly 100 and/or sensor assembly 120 for receiving the
"flush" signal and causing the flushing of the toilet. In its
broadest sense, handle assembly 100 can be considered a housing for
purposes of which will be disclosed below.
[0025] A feature of the present invention is that handle assembly
100 may itself transmit the "flush" signal to flushing assembly
(i.e. flush valve flapper lifting assembly) 30 in response to
manual actuation of handle 110. Therefore, it is a feature of the
present invention that handle assembly 100 detects manual actuation
of handle 110.
[0026] To detect manual actuation of handle 110, handle assembly
100 preferably comprises a switch or other actuation detector,
details of which are more particularly set forth in parent
application Ser. No. 10/685,826. For example, the switch or
detector may operate by the detection or changing of a magnetic
field, it may be a wetted switch operated by a switch position
change, it may comprise a coil plunger core arrangement operating
signal, may be by use of a magnet in conjunction with a Hall-effect
transistor, may utilize some form of a circuit capacitance change
signal by the closeness of a user's hand, or may be of some other
mechanical, electromechanical or electronic type, all of which is
within the scope of one skilled in the art.
[0027] Handle assembly 100 is constructed by coupling handle 110 to
faceplate 150 by use of a screw/plug arrangement 152 or other
coupling/locking means. Handle 110 may be rotatably mounted on a
faceplate stem 154 of faceplate 150. A spring 156 is provided to
spring bias handle 110 back to its rest position after rotation by
a user after use of the toilet in a contemplated manner. A slot or
tab, well-known in the art, may be provided in faceplate 150 to
bias the spring back to its initial position after rotation. Once
handle assembly 100 has detected manual actuation of handle 110, it
transmits the "flush" signal to flushing assembly 30. Accordingly,
handle assembly 100 may comprise a controller 123 on a PC board
(e.g. board 158) that is responsive to the switching of the switch
or detector, which itself is indicative of a manual actuation by
the user. Details of how the "flush" signal is transmitted to
flushing assembly 30 can be obtained by reference to application
Ser. No. 10/685,826. All of the foregoing permits a user to flush
the toilet in accordance with conventional techniques.
[0028] Turning to the specifics of the present invention, handle
assembly 100 (and sensor assembly 120) also comprises at least one
sensor, generally indicated at 20, for detecting the presence of a
user in a target area. Practically speaking, the user will be a
person, and the target area will be that area in front of (and/or
on) toilet bowl 12. That is, sensor 20 operates to sense when a
user approaches toilet 5, presumably to use it, and when the person
has left the target area, presumably having finished using toilet
5. For purposes of a courtesy flush as more fully discussed below,
the sensor can also determine for how long a user is sensed in the
target area. Sensor 20 may be IR, PIR, RF, light, or sonar, by way
of example and not limitation. In the preferred embodiment, sensor
20 is mounted a board 160.
[0029] The present invention discloses one sensor, generally
indicated at 20, but it should be understood that a plurality of
sensors, to provide the aforementioned functionality, is
contemplated hereby. For this reason, the description in U.S. Pat.
No. 5,603,127 regarding the detection of a user in the target area
is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. In the
preferred embodiment sensor 20 is an IR sensor, and thus comprises
a transmitter for emitting at least one radiation beam to the
target area and a detector that is responsive to a reflected
radiation beam emitted from the radiation beam transmitter and
reflected off of a user in the target area. Particulars of such a
sensor are widely available and well-known. In another embodiment,
a light sensor may be used, wherein a photocell measures a change
in ambient light to detect the presence or absence of the user in
the target area.
[0030] Controller 123 is responsive to a "finished" signal from
sensor 20 that is indicative of the intensity of the reflected
beam. More specifically, it is contemplated that sensor 20 will
operate to first detect a user's presence. Presumably, assembly 10
would not want to initiate a flushing cycle until the user has left
the target area, thus presumably being finished using the
toilet.
[0031] Sensor 20 will continually monitor or otherwise detect the
presence of the user until that user leaves the target area. Once
the user has left the target area, sensor 20 sends the "finished"
signal to the controller. Other features may be incorporated into
sensor 20, such as a time delay to wait a predetermined period of
time (i.e. one to several seconds) after the presence of the user
has ceased to be detected. In this way, inadvertent flushing can be
avoided.
[0032] Once the "finished" signal has been transmitted to the
controller, either after a manual actuation of handle 110, or from
sensor 20, the "flush" signal is transmitted to the flushing (e.g.
flush valve flapper lifting) assembly 30.
[0033] Several arrangements for transmitting the "flush" signal to
flushing assembly 30 are contemplated, all of which are illustrated
and set forth in application Ser. No. 10/685,826 and therefore need
not be repeated in detail herein, although for the convenience of
the reader it is noted that the "flush" signal may be transmitted
to flushing assembly 30 via an electrical wire 162 (e.g. a
connector 163 may plug into a socket 164 on a PC board in flushing
assembly 30). Electrically coupling the controller to receive
signals from handle assembly 100 or sensor assembly 120 and to
transmit the proper signal(s) to flushing assembly 30 is well
within the purview of one skilled in the art.
[0034] Wireless transmission of the "flush" signal from handle
assembly 100 and/or sensor assembly 120 to flushing assembly 30 is
also contemplated. In a specific embodiment, the "flush" signal is
transmitted by a transmitter 128, operatively coupled to controller
123 in handle assembly 100 to flush valve flapper lifting assembly
30. In this arrangement, flushing assembly 30 comprises a receiver
32 to receive the "flush" signal. In the wireless configuration,
the "flush" signal may be transmitted from handle assembly 100 or
sensor assembly 120 to flushing assembly 30 by IR, PIR, RF, light
or sonar, by way of example and not limitation. Accordingly,
transmitter 128 and receiver 32 are complementarily designed. A
controller (not shown) in flushing assembly 30 controls the
actuation of flushing assembly 30 upon receipt and processing of
signals from receiver 32. Clearly, both forms of wired and wireless
communication are not necessary, but are provided together for ease
of discussion. However, it should be understood that the present
invention contemplates an embodiment wherein both wired and
wireless communication of the "flush" signal are incorporated into
a single arrangement. That is, wired and wireless communication may
both be provided in a single unit.
[0035] Sensor assembly 120 is rotatably coupled to the housing,
which in the preferred embodiment is handle assembly 100, and
detects the presence/absence of a user in a target area and
transmits the "flush" signal based on said detecting. In accordance
with the present invention, sensor assembly 120 is rotatable
relative to housing assembly 100 for detecting the presence/absence
of a user in differing target areas. In this way a flushing
actuation assembly is provided that further facilitates (e.g.
reduces the limitations of) the location for mounting of the sensor
and/or handle assembly. FIG. 4 illustrates handle assembly 100
secured to the toilet tank through an aperture 17 normally used by
a conventional handle.
[0036] Sensor assembly 120 may be provided in the aforementioned
manually actuatable handle as well as in a handle that that does
not rotate (e.g. a non-manually actuatable handle). In either
embodiment, rotation of the sensor is relative to the handle.
[0037] In the preferred embodiment, sensor assembly 120 comprises a
turret 170 rotatably mounted in the housing (e.g. handle 110).
Preferably, turret 170 is positioned in handle 110 such that a tab
172 engages an aperture or recess 174 in the (bottom) surface of
handle 110. Aperture/recess 174 positions turret 170 in handle 110
and allows for the rotation thereof in the noted "x" and "y"
directions (e.g. see FIGS. 1, 3). A similar tab and recess
combination may be provided on the opposite side of turret 170 to
maintain its orientation/position. The LED/transmitter pair
indicated at 20, positioned in turret 170, are preferably mounted
on PC board 160 (which itself may be mounted to/on the back of
turret 170) and electrically coupled to controller 123. Covers 176
may be provided to protect the LED/transmitter pair.
[0038] Turret 170 is preferably rotatable and positionable in a
plurality of positions. To achieve this multiple positioning,
turret 170 preferably comprises a plurality of ribs 178 on at least
one (e.g. bottom) surface thereof. A ring 180, which remains
stationary in handle 110, is provided and includes at least one
(and preferably more) depending fingers 182 (see FIG. 5 which shows
the underside of ring 180) that extend into the spaces created by
ribs 178 to maintain the position of turret 170 in each of a
plurality of rotated positions. That is, ring 180 provides somewhat
of a ratcheting action, similar to a protruding member to stop a
spinning wheel. In this way, turret 170 can be rotated and
maintained in such positions by the engagement of the one or more
fingers 182 against the ribs 178. Fingers 182 may also be formed on
an inner surface of handle 110. A backing plate 184 is provided to
secure and protect the sensor assembly 120 and the components
positioned inside handle 110.
[0039] Again, reference to application Ser. No. 10/685,826 may be
made for a more detailed description of other non-material aspects
of the present invention, such as mounting arrangements of handle
assembly 100 onto the toilet, the use of differing mounting
configurations for and preferred constructions of flushing assembly
30.
[0040] It will thus be seen that the present invention is both
patentably different from and a significant improvement over the
cited prior art. Specifically, the present invention more easily
lends itself into being retrofittable in an existing toilet of the
type having a toilet tank. In particular, the present invention
provides a rotating sensor assembly that facilitates the ability to
detect users in differing target areas and/or further facilitates
(e.g. reduces the limitations of) the positioning and mounting of
the sensor and/or handle assembly.
[0041] That is, because the sensor assembly can be rotated, more
flexibility (i.e. less restriction) in where the handle assembly
gets mounted (e.g. on the toilet tank) is achieved. For example,
the preferred embodiments disclose a rotating sensor which will
allow aiming of the transmitter and receiver to allow for various
mountings. This aiming allows for the body of the device to be
mounted to a surface that is not necessarily perpendicular to the
desired viewing area and the sensors to be moved to view a target
area as needed. The ability to aim the sensors in the device allows
greater flexibility for mounting a transmitter/receiver unit in
locations where the mounting surface can be variable with respect
to the target. The embodiments disclosed do not require the
rotation or adjustment of an entire housing, as is seen in prior
art, but rather a moveable mount or `turret` within the main
housing to allow the transmitter and receiver to be aimed while not
disturbing the main housing or altering the mounting surface. As
but one example, the turret can thus be mounted on either side of
the toilet bowl. In a preferred construction, the viewing area of
the sensor itself is a 30.degree. cone and this "cone" is able to
be angled 270.degree. (135.degree. right and 135.degree. left of a
centerline). With such a construction for example, the present
invention can accommodate toilet backs that are angled up to
90.degree. in either direction.
[0042] While the invention has been particularly shown and
described with respect to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be
understood by those skilled in the art that changes in form and
details may be made therein without departing from the scope and
spirit of the invention. For example, the present invention
contemplates use of the claimed flushing actuation assembly in
urinals that lend itself to the configuration of a housing with a
rotatable sensor assembly as disclosed herein as well as to toilets
that are not necessarily tank toilets, such as those that utilize
solenoid type flushing assemblies.
* * * * *