US20060206997A1 - Toilet disinfection system - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a toilet seat with a disinfection unit comprising a toilet cover connected to the toilet seat, a disinfection unit is equipped to the toilet seat or the toilet cover for disinfecting the toilet seat. A trigger is equipped on the seat or the cover to trigger the disinfection unit when the cover is closed on the seat. The disinfection unit includes UV-light source.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention relates to a toilet, and more particular, to a toilet with a disinfection system.
BACKGROUND
• Toilet is necessary to everyone for daily life. Some prior arts disclose a toilet seat-lifting device having a lever assembly mounted on a platform that rests on the floor such that depressing a foot pedal downward causes upward movement of a link connected to a lift arm attached to the toilet seat. U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,446 to Crocker discloses a similar device including a cable that pulls on a lever attached to the toilet seat. U.S. Pat. No. 6,308,347 to King discloses a toilet seat lifting system having a bracket secured to a toilet seat of a toilet. U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,165 to Wescott, Sr., discloses a commode flush and seat lift device in which foot pedals are linked to the flush lever and to the toilet seat lid via four conduits. U.S. Pat. No. 6,807,687, entitled “Toilet seat and cover system”, discloses a cover system for a toilet. U.S. Pat. No. 6,769,194, entitled “Toilet seat having a cleansing facility”, discloses a toilet seat having a cleansing facility with a pivotal arm supplied with warm water for cleaning and warm air for drying the anal and genital areas of a user.
• None of the prior toilet seat or toilet cover discloses the facility to eliminate the bacteria or germ on the toilet seat.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention provides a toilet comprising a toilet bowl and a seat pivotally equipped to the bowl. A cover is pivotally equipped on the toilet for the seat. A disinfection unit is equipped for disinfecting the seat and a trigger is equipped on the surface of the seat or the cover to turn on the disinfection unit when the cover is closed on the seat.
• The other purpose of the present invention is to provide a toilet seat comprising: a toilet cover connected to the toilet seat. A disinfection unit is equipped to the toilet seat or the toilet cover for disinfecting the toilet seat, a trigger is equipped on the seat or the cover to trigger the disinfection unit when the cover is closed on the seat. The disinfection unit includes UV-light source. The toilet seat may be made of polymer (such as plastic, fiberglass, acrylic or resin), ceramic (glass or quartz) or the combination thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• Further objects and advantages of the present invention can be found in the detailed description of the preferred embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
• FIG. 1 diagrammatically illustrates a functional diagram according to the present invention.
• FIGS. 2A-2D illustrate the toilet with a disinfection system.
• FIGS. 3A-3D illustrate the toilet with a disinfection system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
• The present invention relates to a toilet seat and cover with a disinfection system, FIG,1,2 and3 diagrammatically illustrate the toilet seat disinfection system including aseat14 disposed on atoilet bowl12. The toilet seat and cover disinfection system is used for eliminates the bacteria or germ on or around theseat14 or thecover16 of the toilet. The disinfection system is designed to be retrofit using a preexisting toilet seat and toilet cover, or as a device to replace the preexisting toilet seat and cover. The toilet seat and toilet cover may be manufactured as part of the mechanical components that make up the toilet seat and cover disinfection system. The disinfection system is designed to be mounted atop thetoilet bowl12. The toilet seat cover, the toilet seat and the mechanical components discussed below may be constructed of polymer (such as plastic, fiberglass, acrylic or resin), ceramic (glass or quartz) or the combination thereof. Similar items are referenced by the same reference numerals throughout the drawings. Please refer toFIG. 1, thedisinfection unit18 is provided to thetoilet cover16 or theseat14 on thetoilet bowl12. A power source orpower supply19 is coupled to thedisinfection unit18. Atrigger24 is coupled between thepower source19 and thetoilet cover16 or theseat14. Acontrol circuit26 maybe coupled to thetrigger24 and thepower supply19.
• InFIG. 2A-2D and3A-3D,toilet seat14 andtoilet cover16 are substantially planar members as is known in the art. Theseat14 is disposed on the toilet opening via a plurality ofspacers14athat are typically rubber or plastic. However, other suitable materials may be used. The distal end of theseat14 is attached via bracket to ahinge member21. The distal end is furthest away from the front side edge of the toilet. Similarly,seat cover16 is disposed on thetoilet seat12 via a plurality ofspacers16a. The spacers are optional parts but are customarily used to absorb some of the energy resulting from either the seat or cover. The distal end oftoilet cover16 is attached via the same or a second bracket to hinge member. The seat and bracket are manufactured as a single piece. Likewise, cover and respective bracket may be manufactured as a single piece. The bracket and hinge for toilet cover and seat are well known in the art. This embodiment is merely exemplary as other means of securing seat and cover may be employed as known to those skilled in the art.
• One aspect of the present is that the present invention includes at least one disinfection ordecontamination unit18 equipped in the seat unit14 (seeFIG. 3A-3D) or cover16 (seeFIG. 2A-2D) to eliminate bacteria. In one preferred embodiment, the disinfection orbacteria eliminating unit18 includes UV light source or the like that could illuminate UV (ultraviolet) light substantially through or partially through theseat14, thereby killing or eliminating the bacteria or germ on or around theseat14. For instance, the UV light source could be equipped into asocket20 set at the lower surface of theseat14 or cover16. In one embodiment, the wave length of the UV light source is about 150-360 nm, preferably, 260-280 nm. The energy of the UV light source is substantially higher than 0.1 Joule/m². Preferably, higher than 20 Joule/m².
• Thetoilet seat14 may be constructed of polymer (such as plastic, fiberglass, acrylic or resin), ceramic (glass or quartz) or the combination thereof. A power source orpower supply19 is provided to thedisinfection unit18. In another embodiment, please refer toFIG. 2A-2D, thedisinfection unit18 could be equipped into asocket20 set at the lower surface of thecover16. Thedisinfection unit18 could be constructed by a plurality ofUV light bulbs18 attached on the lower surface of thecover16, as shown inFIG. 2B. Conductive lines (in the dash line area) are used to electrically connect the UV light bulbs18 (FIG. 2B). In another example, thedisinfection unit18 could be a UV light tube with a shape similar to the seat shape (FIG. 2C) and substantially aligned to thetoilet seat14. Similar arrangement of above could be arranged on theseat14. It should be understand that any type of the UV tube and arrangement could be used.
• In the embodiment, thedisinfection unit18 could illuminate UV light on the upper surface ofseat14 while the cover is closed on theseat14, thecover16 will trigger a switch to power on the UV light, thereby eliminating the bacteria or germ on or around theseat14. Thus, atrigger24 is coupled to thecover16 orseat14 to turn on thedisinfection unit18 while thecover16 is closed on theseat14, Owing to the UV light will injure the human eyes, therefore, the UV light should be power on after thecover16 is closed to prevent the UV light from hurting the eyes. Thetrigger24 could be a sensor (such as IR sensor or pressure sensor) or a switch set either on thecover16 orseat14. Acontrol circuit26 is coupled to thetrigger24 to allow the UV light to turn on or off. In another case, the trigger is formed in thespacer16a.
• In another embodiment, thedisinfection unit18 could be equipped in the seat14 (FIG. 3B) for the toilet. In further case, thedisinfection unit18 could be attached any suitable location for the cover or seat. An optical fiber30 (please refer toFIG. 3C) could guide the illumination generated by theUV source18 to the desired area of theseat14 orcover16. The optical fiber306 includes a rough surface to allow the light penetrating through the surface of thefiber30. Please refer toFIG. 3D, aheating element28 is also provided in theseat14 to provide thermal.
• The toilet disinfection system10 functions as follows, a person could trigger the trigger by closing thecover16 of the toilet for instance. Thedisinfection unit18 will generate the UV light to expose the seat of thetoilet12 after the trigger responses the action. Any person will not be exposed in the UV light environment when it functions due to theseat12 is covered by thecover16, Any bacteria or germ on or around the seat will be eliminated by the disinfection unit.
• As known in the art, the toilet in these illustrations includesbowl12, tank (not shown),toilet seat14,toilet seat cover16, In this embodiment, thetoilet seat14 and toilet cover16 are similar to the well-know art, they could downward or upward pivotal movement of seat or cover to its lower or upper position. The seat or cover is rotatably coupled to the toilet at joint as well known in the art also. The above embodiments could be practiced alone or combination.
• While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be appreciated that various changes can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims (20)

1. A toilet comprising:

a toilet bowl;

a seat pivotally equipped to said bowl;

a cover pivotally equipped on said toilet for said seat; and

a disinfection unit equipped for disinfecting said seat.

2. A toilet as claimed inclaim 1, further comprising a trigger equipped on the surface of said seat or said cover to turn on said disinfection unit when said cover is closed on said seat.

3. A toilet seat as claimed inclaim 2, wherein said trigger includes a switch or a sensor.

4. A toilet seat as claimed inclaim 3, wherein said sensor includes a pressure sensor or IR sensor.

5. A toilet seat as claimed inclaim 1, wherein said disinfection unit includes UV-light source.

6. A toilet seat as claimed inclaim 5, wherein the wave length of said UV-light source is about 150-360 nm, preferably, 260-280 nm.

7. A toilet seat as claimed inclaim 5, wherein the energy of said UV light source is substantially higher than 0.1 Joule/m², preferably, higher than 20 Joule/m².

8. A toilet seat as claimed inclaim 1, wherein said seat is made of a material that includes polymer.

9. A toilet seat as claimed inclaim 8, wherein said polymer includes plastic, fiberglass, acrylic or resin.

10. A toilet seat as claimed inclaim 8, wherein said seat is made of a material that includes glass or quartz.

11. A toilet seat comprising:

a toilet cover pivotally connected to said toilet seat; and

a disinfection unit equipped to said toilet seat or said toilet cover for disinfecting said toilet seat.

12. A toilet as claimed inclaim 11, further comprising a trigger equipped on the surface of said seat or said cover to turn on said disinfection unit when said cover is closed on said seat.

13. A toilet seat as claimed inclaim 12, wherein said trigger includes a switch or a sensor.

14. A toilet seat as claimed inclaim 13, wherein said sensor includes a pressure sensor or IR sensor.

15. A toilet seat as claimed inclaim 1, wherein said disinfection unit includes UV-light source.

16. A toilet seat as claimed inclaim 15, wherein the wave length of said UV-light source is about 150-360 nm, preferably, 260-280 nm.

17. A toilet seat as claimed inclaim 15, wherein the energy of said UV light source is substantially higher than 0.1 Joule/m², preferably, higher than 20 Joule/m².

18. A toilet seat as claimed inclaim 11, wherein said toilet seat is made of a material that includes polymer.

19. A toilet seat as claimed inclaim 18, wherein said polymer includes plastic, fiberglass, acrylic or resin.

20. A toilet seat as claimed inclaim 18, wherein said seat is made of a material that includes glass or quartz.

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