Toilet seat assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021017753-A1
Application number	US-201916681041-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 12, 2019
Priority date	Jul 15, 2019
Publication date	Jan 21, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A toilet seat assembly is provided including a seat base with a housing and a seat lid, and further including a washing apparatus, a drying apparatus, and a spray canister device positioned in the housing. A controller having a user interface is configured to communicate with a control unit of the toilet seat assembly to control operation of the components of the toilet seat assembly. So configured, a user may operate the toilet seat assembly to clean the user's perineal region via the washing apparatus, dry the user's perineal region via the drying apparatus, and spray the user's perineal region with one or more liquid products via the spray canister device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus comprising:
a reservoir including:
a housing configured to contain a liquid therein;
an inlet;
an outlet; and
a heating member configured to adjust a temperature of the liquid;
a pump; a sensor configured to detect a presence of a user; and a control unit including a processor and communication circuitry, the communication circuitry communicatively coupled to the sensor and the pump; wherein the processor is configured to adjust operation of the heating member to adjust the temperature of the liquid in the housing upon the sensor detecting the presence of the user; and wherein the processor is further configured to cause the pump to recirculate the liquid within the housing upon the sensor detecting the presence of the user.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a spray wand having a nozzle, the spray wand fluidically coupled to the outlet of the reservoir and configured to deliver the liquid through the nozzle thereof.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is an infrared sensor.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the heating member is an immersion heater.

5 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the reservoir further includes a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the liquid contained in the housing.

6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the temperature sensor includes one or more copper probes positioned proximate the heating member.

7 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the processor is configured to adjust operation of the heating member upon the temperature sensor detecting that the liquid in the housing is below about 2° C. of a set temperature.

8 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the processor is configured to inhibit operation of the spray wand upon the temperature sensor detecting that the liquid in the housing is above a set temperature.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the liquid comprises one or more of water and a cleanser.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the reservoir further includes a level sensor configured to detect an amount of the liquid in the housing, the level sensor communicatively coupled to the communication circuitry of the control unit; and
wherein the processor is further configured cause the ingress of additional liquid into the housing via the inlet based at least in part on the detected amount of the liquid in the housing.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the level sensor includes a float switch.

12 . A liquid reservoir for use in a toilet seat assembly, the toilet seat assembly having a presence sensor configured to detect a presence of a user, the liquid reservoir comprising:
a housing having a base portion, a cover portion, an inlet, and an outlet, the housing configured to contain a liquid; a heating member; a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of the liquid within the housing; and a level sensor configured to detect an amount of the liquid within the housing; wherein the heating member is configured to heat the liquid contained in the housing upon the presence sensor of the toilet seat assembly detecting the presence of the user.

13 . The liquid reservoir of claim 12 , wherein the liquid comprises one or more of water and a cleanser.

14 . The liquid reservoir of claim 12 , wherein the heating member is an immersion heater positioned in the housing.

15 . The liquid reservoir of claim 14 , wherein the temperature sensor includes one or more copper probes positioned proximate the immersion heater.

16 . The liquid reservoir of claim 12 , wherein the second sensor includes a float switch.

17 . A method of operating a liquid reservoir system, the method comprising:
detecting, via a sensor, a presence of a user; adjusting a temperature of a liquid within a reservoir using a heating member positioned therein upon the sensor detecting the presence of the user; and recirculating the liquid within the reservoir via a pump upon the sensor detecting the presence of the user.

18 . The method of claim 17 wherein the sensor is an infrared sensor.

19 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising spraying the liquid via a spray wand, the spray wand fluidically coupled to an outlet of the reservoir.

20 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
detecting the temperature of the liquid within the reservoir via a temperature sensor; and draining at least a portion of the reservoir upon the detected temperature exceeding a predetermined threshold.

21 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
detecting, via a level sensor, an amount of liquid within the reservoir; and refilling the liquid within the reservoir when the detected amount of liquid falls below a predetermined threshold.

Assignees

• Medline Ind Inc

Inventors

• Sylvia Jacqueline

Classifications

• E03D9/08 Primary

  Devices in the bowl producing upwardly-directed sprays; Modifications of the bowl for use with such devices (showers A47K3/28; bathing devices for special therapeutic or hygienic purposes A61H33/00, for specific parts of the body A61H35/00 ){; Bidets; Combinations of bowls with urinals or bidets; Hot-air or other devices mounted in or on the bowl, urinal or bidet for cleaning or disinfecting} · CPC title

• G05D9/02

  without auxiliary power · CPC title

• E03D9/085 Primary

  Hand-held spray heads for bidet use or for cleaning the bowl · CPC title

• G05D23/27

  with sensing element responsive to radiation · CPC title

• G05D23/1917

  using digital means · CPC title