Flush activated air freshener

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9976292-B1
Application number	US-201113293486-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Nov 10, 2011
Priority date	Nov 11, 2010
Publication date	May 22, 2018
Grant date	May 22, 2018

Abstract

Various systems and methods are provided for flush activated air freshening. In one embodiment, a method includes sensing the initiation of a flush of a toilet system and discharging aerosol in response to sensing the initiation of the flush. In another embodiment, an air freshener assembly for a toilet system includes a control valve coupled to an aerosol cartridge and a spray control configured to activate the control valve to discharge aerosol from the aerosol cartridge in response to initiation of a flush of the toilet system. In another embodiment, a toilet system includes means for initiating a flush of a toilet, means for sensing initiation of the flush, and means for discharging aerosol in response to sensing the initiation of the flush.

First claim

Therefore, the following is claimed:

1. An air freshener assembly for a toilet system, comprising:
a control valve coupled to an aerosol cartridge; and
a spray control in communication with a switch of a flush activation assembly, where the switch is configured to close in response to initiation of a full flush of the toilet system and to remain open in response to a quick flush of the toilet system, and where the spray control is configured to activate the control valve to discharge aerosol from the aerosol cartridge in response to the switch being closed.

2. The air freshener assembly of claim 1 , wherein the flush activation assembly of the toilet system is configured to transition from a neutral position to an intermediate position to initiate the quick flush, and further transition to a full position to initiate a full flush.

3. The air freshener assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a selector switch configured to select one of a plurality of predefined discrete lengths of time for which the aerosol is dispensed by the air freshener assembly.

4. The air freshener assembly of claim 3 , wherein the selector switch is further configured to disable operation of the air freshener assembly.

5. The air freshener assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a manual initiation configured to activate the control valve to discharge aerosol without initiation of a flush of the toilet system.

6. The air freshener assembly of claim 1 , wherein the spray control is further configured to discharge the aerosol for a predefined length of time corresponding to a position of a selector switch.

7. The air freshener assembly of claim 1 , wherein the spray control is further configured to prevent discharge of the aerosol if a predefined time delay from a previous discharge of aerosol has not elapsed.

8. The air freshener assembly of claim 7 , wherein a manual initiation bypasses the predefined time delay to initiate discharge of the aerosol without initiation of a flush of the toilet system.

9. The air freshener assembly of claim 1 , wherein the air freshener assembly is mounted on a tank of the toilet system.

10. A method, comprising:
sensing an initiation of a flush of a toilet system; and
discharging aerosol from a canister for a predefined discharge time in response to sensing the initiation of the flush, the predefined discharge time selected from a plurality of discrete predefined discharge times.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the predefined discharge time varies over time based upon aerosol usage over a lifetime of the canister.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the predefined discharge time is selected from a plurality of predefined discharge times using a selector switch.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the aerosol is not discharged if a predefined time delay from the previous discharge of aerosol has not elapsed.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the toilet system is a dual flush toilet system configured to discharge a first predetermined amount of water for a quick flush and a second predetermined amount of water for a full flush, the second predetermined amount of water greater than the first predetermined amount of water.

15. A toilet system, comprising:
means for initiating a flush of a toilet;
means for sensing initiation of the flush; and
means for discharging aerosol in response to sensing the initiation of the flush, where the aerosol is discharged for a predefined discharge time that is selected from a plurality of discrete predefined discharge times.

16. The toilet system of claim 15 , wherein the means for discharging aerosol further comprises means for selecting the predefined discharge time from the plurality of discrete predefined discharge times.

17. The toilet system of claim 15 , wherein the means for discharging aerosol further comprises means for manually initiating an aerosol discharge.

18. The toilet system of claim 15 , wherein the toilet is a dual flush toilet configured to discharge a first fixed amount of water for a quick flush and a second fixed amount of water for a full flush, the second fixed amount of water greater than the first fixed amount of water.

19. The toilet system of claim 18 , wherein the means for sensing initiation of the flush distinguishes between activation of a full flush and activation of a quick flush.

20. The toilet system of claim 15 , wherein the means for sensing initiation of the flush comprises a pressure detector.

21. The toilet system of claim 20 , wherein the pressure detector is configured to sense a pressure drop caused by water draining from a tank of the toilet system.

22. The toilet system of claim 16 , wherein the means for selecting the predefined discharge time is further configured to disable operation of the means for discharging aerosol.

Assignees

• Schuster Michael J
• Saunders Douglas C
• Stutzman Duston E A
• Danco Inc

Inventors

• Schuster Michael J
• Saunders Douglas C
• Stutzman Duston E A

Classifications

• E03D9/007 Primary

  Devices for eliminating smells by diffusing deodorants in lavatories · CPC title

• A61L9/14

  using sprayed or atomised substances {including air-liquid contact processes} · CPC title

• A61L2209/111

  Sensor means, e.g. motion, brightness, scent, contaminant sensors · CPC title

• A61L9/00

  Disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air (body deodorants A61Q15/00; purifying air by respirators A62B, A62D9/00; separating dispersed particles from gases or vapours B01D45/00 - B01D51/00, B03C3/00; chemical or biological purification of waste gases B01D53/34; production of ozone C01B13/10; air-conditioning systems incorporating sterilisation F24F3/16, F24F8/20) · CPC title