Sanitaryware cleaning system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10294643-B2
Application number	US-201514723003-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 27, 2015
Priority date	May 27, 2014
Publication date	May 21, 2019
Grant date	May 21, 2019

Abstract

A sanitaryware cleaning system can include a sanitary fixture such as a toilet having a compartment formed on and under its deck. The compartment can house a cleaning tablet that is maintained within a waterway between a tank and a bowl of the sanitary fixture. When the fixture is operated, water flowing down the waterway can dissolve a portion of the cleaning tablet, thus injecting cleaning agents into the bowl along with the water.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sanitary fixture, comprising:
a tank, a deck, and a bowl;
a waterway extending between the tank and the bowl;
a hole in the deck;
a compartment extending through the deck into the waterway; and
a seat-hinge cover for covering a hinge of a toilet seat and for housing the compartment, the seat-hinge cover comprising an aperture formed in a top surface, the seat-hinge cover coupled to a top surface of the deck between the tank and the bowl,
wherein the compartment is in fluid communication with the waterway through the hole in the deck.

2. The sanitary fixture of claim 1 , further comprising:
a cleaning product located in the compartment.

3. The sanitary fixture of claim 2 , wherein the cleaning product comprises one of a water-soluble solid product and a liquid cleaning product.

4. The sanitary fixture of claim 1 , further comprising a cap sealing the compartment off from the outside environment.

5. The sanitary fixture of claim 1 , wherein the hole in the deck extends from a top surface of the deck and at least partially into the waterway.

6. The sanitary fixture of claim 1 , further comprising:
a basket situated in the compartment for maintaining a cleaning product at least partially in the waterway.

7. The sanitary fixture of claim 6 , wherein the basket includes at least one of a plurality of apertures to allow water to flow from the tank, through the basket, and into the bowl.

8. The sanitary fixture of claim 6 , wherein the basket is fully retained within the compartment.

9. The sanitary fixture of claim 6 , wherein the basket comprises an annular lip configured to one of:
rest atop a top surface of the deck; and
rest below a top surface of the deck.

10. The sanitary fixture of claim 6 , wherein the basket is configured to inject cleaning agents into the bowl periodically.

11. The sanitary fixture of claim 10 , wherein the basket comprises:
an inner shell having a plurality of apertures;
an outer shell having a plurality of apertures;
a waterwheel coupled to one of the inner shell and the outer shell, the waterwheel configured to rotate about an axis extending along longitudinal axes of the inner shell and the outer shell when water flows through the waterway; and
a cap coupled to the other one of the inner shell and the outer shell, wherein the cap rotatably fixes the other one of the inner shell and the outer shell.

12. The sanitary fixture of claim 1 , further comprising a cleaning puck situated in the compartment, the cleaning puck comprising:
a hollow cavity in fluid communication with the waterway; and
a cleaning product located in the hollow cavity.

13. The sanitary fixture of claim 1 , further comprising a cleaning cup situated in the compartment, the cleaning cup comprising:
a cap portion; and
a basket portion, the basket portion comprising a plurality of apertures, a hollow cavity, and a cleaning product retained in the hollow cavity.

14. The sanitary fixture of claim 13 , further comprising an sleeve comprising:
an interior annular perimeter configured to mate with an exterior annular perimeter of the basket portion of the cleaning cup; and
an exterior annular perimeter configured to be received proximate to an annular wall of the compartment.

15. The sanitary fixture of claim 14 , further comprising:
a sealing sleeve formed from a resilient material located between the annular wall of the compartment and the exterior annular perimeter of the sleeve for sealing the compartment from the outside environment.

16. A sanitary fixture, comprising:
a tank, a deck, and a bowl;
a waterway extending between the tank and the bowl;
a reservoir for receiving a liquid cleaning product in fluid communication with the waterway through an aperture in the deck; and
a seat-hinge cover for covering a hinge of a toilet seat, the seat-hinge cover comprising an aperture formed in a top surface, the seat-hinge cover housing the reservoir.

17. The sanitary fixture of claim 16 , wherein the reservoir is located below a top surface of the deck.

18. The sanitary fixture of claim 16 , wherein the reservoir is fluidly connected to the waterway via a normally-closed valve that opens when water flows through the waterway.

19. The sanitary fixture of claim 1 , further comprising a hinge configured to be attached to the seat-hinge cover.

20. The sanitary fixture of claim 1 , wherein the seat-hinge cover covers the compartment.

21. The sanitary fixture of claim 1 , wherein the compartment is aligned with the aperture in the seat-hinge cover.

Assignees

• As Ip Holdco Llc

Inventors

• Grover David
• Ishiyama Daigo
• Payne Tim
• Kurth Mark
• Rote Scott
• Anthony Phil
• Eiger Aaron B
• Helmstetter Chris

Classifications

• A47K13/26

  Mounting devices for seats or covers · CPC title

• E03D2009/024

  using a solid substance · CPC title

• E03D9/031 Primary

  Devices connected to or dispensing into the flushing pipe · CPC title

• E03D2009/028

  using a liquid substance · CPC title