Intelligent dispensing toilet bidet system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9822519-B2
Application number	US-201615063974-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 8, 2016
Priority date	Mar 8, 2016
Publication date	Nov 21, 2017
Grant date	Nov 21, 2017

Abstract

A toilet apparatus provides intelligent bidet dispensing. Dynamic dispensing according to a bidet wand position, type of substance dispensed, user preferences, user gender, and user identification is disclosed. Cleansers, surfactants, moisturizers, medicines, deodorants, and fragrances are dispensed through a bidet wand to a user and are stored reservoirs which are contained in a tank area of the toilet. In other embodiments, reporting of levels of reservoir substances is automated.

First claim

We claim:

1. A toilet apparatus comprising:
a toilet bowl for obtaining body excrements from a user of the toilet
a water storage tank for storing water for flushing the toilet bowel;
at least one or more reservoirs disposed in the water storage tank;
at least one or more level sensors for generating signals associated with at least one or more substances in the one or more reservoirs;
a controller for receiving an input associated with the user and also associated with the one or more substances in the one or more reservoirs; and
a bidet wand for dispensing the one or more substances to the user based on the input, wherein the bidet wand comprises an optical inspection system, and wherein the optical inspection system comprises a camera.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more substances comprise at least one or more of: liquids, powders, gels, granules, foams, cleansers, surfactants, moisturizers, medicines, deodorants, or fragrance.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising generating a status notification.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the status notification is communicated by one or more of: an email, a text message, a visual indicator, or an audio indicator.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the input comprises user settings including at least one of: a selection of the one or more substances, a mixture amount of the one or more substances, a concentration amount of the one or more substances, a duration of application of the one or more substances, a volume dispense amount of the one or more substances, a dispensing pH of the one or more substances, or a pressure dispense amount of the one or more substances.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the status notification comprises a health status of the toilet apparatus.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the health status includes at least one of: an operational state, a failure status, a number of operations, a time in operation, or a maintenance request.

8. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the status notification comprises a level of the one or more substances in the at least one or more reservoirs.

9. The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising a user account which is able to interact with and modify the user settings.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the user account is accessible through at least one of: a wireless connection, a wired connection, an optical connection, or a remote network connection.

11. A method comprising:
providing a toilet bowl for obtaining body excrements from a user of the toilet
providing a water storage tank for storing water for flushing the toilet bowel;
providing at least one or more reservoirs disposed in the water storage tank, the one or more reservoirs comprising one or more substances;
receiving an input generated by an optical inspection system disposed on a bidet wand, the optical inspection system comprising a camera;
and
dispensing the one or more substances to the user based on the input through the bidet wand.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the one or more substances comprise at least one or more of: liquids, powders, gels, granules, foams, cleansers, surfactants, moisturizers, medicines, deodorants, or fragrance.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising generating a status notification.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the status notification is communicated by one or more of: an email, a text message, a visual indicator, or an audio indicator.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the input comprises user settings including at least one of: a selection of the one or more substances, a mixture amount of the one or more substances, a concentration amount of the one or more substances, a duration of application of the one or more substances, a volume dispense amount of the one or more substances, a dispensing pH of the one or more substances, or a pressure dispense amount of the one or more substances.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the status notification comprises a health status of the toilet apparatus.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the health status includes at least one of: an operational state, a failure status, a number of operations, a time in operation, or a maintenance request.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the status notification comprises a level of the one or more substances in the at least one or more reservoirs.

19. The method of claim 11 , further comprising a user account which can interact with and modify the user settings.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the user account is accessible through at least one of: a wireless connection, a wired connection, an optical connection, or a remote network connection.

Assignees

• Hall David R
• Allen Dan
• Swenson Ben
• Larsen Josh
• Reynolds Jared

Inventors

• Hall David R
• Allen Dan
• Swenson Ben
• Larsen Josh
• Reynolds Jared

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

• E03D1/012

  Details of shape of cisterns, e.g. for connecting to wall, for supporting or connecting flushing-device actuators {(mounting frames with incorporated cisterns E03D11/146)} · CPC title

• G05B15/02

  electric · CPC title