JP2023518638A - Programmable toilet flush activation, monitoring and control system and method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a toilet flush activation, monitoring and control system that is activated by unlocking a locking member on a door installed in a cubicle commonly found in toilets such as public toilets. Signal patterns from the flush and door housing controls are recorded and analyzed to identify relevant fault conditions. Notifications of relevant fault conditions are output and communicated to authorized users, such as facility managers.

Description

Technical field of invention
[0001] The present invention relates to toilets, e.g. It relates to a system for managing toilet flushing and monitoring wastewater consumption in toilets.

background
[0002] In public restrooms, such as those found in offices, schools, airports, and parks, for example, the restrooms are located in private rooms to maintain user privacy. A user normally locks the private room door after entering the room and unlocks the private room door when leaving the room.

[0003] In toilets designed to serve large numbers of people, there are two standard types of toilet flush mechanisms: manual flushes such as toilet handles, levers, or buttons, and sensor-activated and automatic flush mechanisms. There is an automatic flush that is done.

[0004] In a manual flush, the toilet has a handle, lever, or button operably coupled to a flush mechanism that is manually activated and flushes the toilet when activated. This method relies entirely on users intentionally flushing the toilet, which can be problematic for locations where high sanitation standards are required. For example, flushing requires extra time and effort to produce consequences that are not personally important to the user, or risks contamination of the user, so the user may not flush the toilet. I often feel uncomfortable.

[0005] To alleviate the problem of users failing to flush, many facilities have installed self-flush toilets. Automatic flush toilets typically have infrared or ultrasonic sensors that detect the distance between the user and the toilet. When the user enters the cubicle and then walks away from the toilet, the sensor detects that a predetermined distance between the user and the toilet has been met and the sensor triggers the toilet to flush.

[0006] Automatic toilet flush systems are very popular and even required in some places. These systems keep toilets clean and reduce the incidence of pathogen transfer and the possibility of transmitting contagious diseases. Disadvantageously, automatic flush toilets sometimes do not flush enough or, more commonly, flush too often. Actions such as hanging a coat, putting down a backpack, or placing toilet paper on a seat can cause a user to unintentionally or unnecessarily trigger an automatic toilet flushing sequence. Extra flushes can build up significantly over time, causing a great deal of water wastage, especially in the case of public restroom toilets, which may be used hundreds or even thousands of times per day.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] A primary advantage of the present invention is water savings by significantly more accurately determining when the toilet should be flushed and how often the toilet has been used compared to currently existing automatic toilet flushing systems. . Prior art systems measure the user's distance from the toilet, which determines whether the user actually used the toilet or engaged in some unrelated behavior as discussed above. Not an effective predictor of when and if a user has used the toilet due to errors in use. The best indicator of toilet use and water consumption is unlocking the toilet cubicle door to open the door so that the user can exit the cubicle. Since the present invention is based on the reliability of a user unlocking the cubicle door as the only indication that the toilet has been used, the present invention uses the cubicle door unlock behavior to unlock the toilet. Decide when to wash. Thus, the chances of the toilet flushing as needed and flushing only once per toilet use are improved as other user behavior does not trigger unintentional flushing. Not only is the level of toilet hygiene improved compared to existing systems, but the number of unnecessary flushes that result in excessive and undesirable water wastage is significantly limited.

[0008] A second important advantage of the present invention is that flushing need not inconvenience the user. Since users almost always lock and unlock the cubicle door to maintain privacy, by modifying the lock-unlock step to trigger flushing of the toilet, the toilet provides a user with something to do. will flush when the user leaves the toilet cubicle without additional effort.

[0009] Optionally, signage is added to the interior or exterior of the stall door to inform users that the toilet is equipped to automatically flush when the stall door is unlocked, thereby Inadvertent manual washing with water can be avoided or reduced.

[0010] A third important advantage of the present invention is that it includes the same hygienic benefits associated with sensor-based automatic toilet flush systems.

[0011] According to one aspect, the present invention relates to a system for managing toilet flushing in a toilet cubicle. The system includes a door lock member, a toilet flush control and a toilet flush actuator.

[0012] In one embodiment of the invention, the door lock members of the system comprise a door lock chamber, typically attached to the compartment post, and a slider, typically attached to the compartment door and aligned with the door lock chamber. , a door lock member and a housing enclosing an associated signal emitter for transmitting a wireless signal to a flush signal receiver associated with a toilet flush mechanism including a toilet flush controller and a toilet flush actuator. configured to The locking member includes a sensor for sensing the position of the slider, a door housing controller for receiving input from the sensor to initiate transmission of a signal by the signal emitter to the flush signal receiver, and a normal cover. One or more batteries and an SD card enclosed in a housing having a power supply. The door housing controller can also optionally regulate battery and SD card functionality. The SD card can optionally store data received from the door housing controller, including but not limited to sensor inputs and signal emitter outputs.

[0013] The slider is translatable from a first position to a second position and includes a first or proximal end and an opposite second or distal end. In the slider first position the slider first end is inserted into the door lock chamber and in the second position the slider first end is positioned outside the door lock chamber, i.e. released from the door lock chamber. be done. The compartment door cannot be opened unless the slider is in the second position. A sensor is configured to sense the slider when the slider is in the second position and is operatively connected to the signal emitter to communicate the detected position of the slider to the door housing controller. The door housing controller triggers the signal emitter to send a signal to the flush signal receiver. A toilet flush controller is operatively coupled to the flush signal receiver.

[0014] The toilet flush actuator is controlled by a toilet flush controller.

[0015] The signal emitter sends a signal, e.g., a Bluetooth ® or radio frequency signals, and the toilet flush controller is configured to control the flush actuator to initiate a single flush when the cubicle door is unlocked. be.

[0016] In one embodiment, the system further includes a system controller configured to set a time interval between 5 seconds and 240 seconds in which the flush can be activated. The system controller can communicate with both the door housing controller and the toilet flush controller wirelessly or through a wired connection. The system controller can set the duration of the flush interval for all toilets in the restroom and/or the duration of the flush interval for all toilets in the building, allowing any toilet to wait between 5 and 240 seconds after the last flush. It may be configured to prevent flushing for a period of time.

[0017] In another embodiment according to the invention, the system includes a toilet handle, lever or button and/or sensor for manually flushing the toilet, a door housing controller, a signal emitter, a flush signal receiver, a toilet Further includes one or more solar cells or batteries for energizing one or more of the flush controller and the toilet flush actuator.

[0018] According to another aspect, the invention relates to a method for managing toilet flushing in a toilet cubicle. In one embodiment, the method is responsive to receiving a wireless signal from a signal emitter in the compartment door latch, the wireless signal indicating pullback of a slider in the compartment door lock member, and receiving the wireless signal. and triggering a flush actuator to initiate flushing of the toilet.

[0019] In another embodiment, a method for managing toilet flushing in a toilet compartment comprises sensing retraction of a compartment latch slider by a sensor and by a signal emitter in response to sensing retraction by the slider. emitting a wireless signal, the wireless signal matching the flush signal receiver. The method includes receiving a wireless signal by a flush signal receiver and, in response to receiving the wireless signal by the flush signal receiver, triggering a flush actuator by a toilet flush controller in communication with the flush signal receiver. and.

[0020] In yet another embodiment, a method for managing toilet flushing in a toilet cubicle includes a slider having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, a signal emitter, and a sensor. and a flush signal receiver, a toilet flush control, and a toilet flush actuator. Additionally, the method includes transmitting a signal by the signal emitter to the flush signal receiver upon detection of the position of the second end of the slider by the sensor; controlling the toilet flush actuator by the toilet flush controller; activating a single toilet flush by the toilet flush actuator when the position of the slider second end is detected by the sensor; and recording on an SD card.

Description of the drawing
[0021] Fig. 1 illustrates an embodiment of an automatic toilet flush system according to the present invention; [0022] FIG. 2 is an exemplary isometric view of one embodiment of the stall door lock mechanism illustrated in FIG. 1, in accordance with the present invention; [0023] Figure IB is an exploded view of the device illustrated in Figure IB; [0024] FIG. 1B is an open front view of a representative housing enclosing the electronic components of the locking mechanism illustrated in FIG. 1B; [0025] FIG. 1C illustrates one embodiment of a stall door slider lock in the closed (first) position of the embodiment of the toilet flush system illustrated in FIG. 1B in accordance with the present invention; [0026] Figure IB illustrates one embodiment of a stall door slider lock in the open (second) position of the embodiment of the toilet flush system illustrated in Figure IB. [0027] FIG. 1C illustrates a side view of the housing of the embodiment of the locking mechanism illustrated in FIG. 1B, in accordance with the present invention; [0028] FIG. 1B illustrates a side view of a slider of the embodiment of the locking mechanism illustrated in FIG. [0029] Fig. 4 is a process flow diagram illustrating a management method according to one aspect of the present disclosure; [0030] FIG. 4 is a process flow diagram illustrating a method of providing information for managing facility toilet flushing according to one aspect of the present disclosure.

Description of the invention
[0031] Definition
[0032] The following table contains representative non-limiting definitions of certain terms used throughout the specification.

[0033] Computer: A laptop, desktop, tablet, or smart device that allows a facility manager to view signals from the system controller and to send signals to the system controller to initiate certain actions.

[0034] System controller: receives signals from the door housing controller, the toilet flush controller, and the computer; A central component of the overall system that can coordinate the time delay between flushing of toilets, all toilets in a lavatory, or toilets of the entire building. The system controller can also be used to determine and change the flush water volume. The system controller can be a separate module or integrated into the computer through hardware or software.

[0035] Feedback loop: The door housing controller and toilet flush controller signal to the system controller that the action is complete, along with an indicator for the action completed (i.e. toilet flushed), date, time, and Event for which battery life is recorded.

[0036] Usage Cycle: The process of a patron entering a cubicle, using the restroom, and then leaving the cubicle. There are multiple possibilities of what can happen during this cycle (ie, user manually flushes, or latch unlocking causes flushing). Each application should have these three steps in this exact order. This means that the system controller should expect to receive information from feedback loop 1 first, then feedback loop 2, then feedback loop 3 in that exact order each time it is used. is. If the information received is from out-of-order feedback, or if information from one or more loops is missing, it may indicate that a component is malfunctioning.

[0037] Time Bucket: A time interval that can range from 1 hour to 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 1 year, to multiple years. A time bucket can be any block of time or interval between set times.

[0038] "X" and "Y": Placeholders or variables that indicate values that can be programmed into the system.

[0039] Opt-out button: An additional component to the door lock member that the user can press to prevent automatic flushing (e.g., if the user only uses a cubicle to change clothes and use the restroom). (if no washing was required).

[0040] Distance sensor: A sensor used to activate the flush based on the user's distance from the automatic toilet. This is the first method for automatic flushing using existing technology, often using infrared technology. In this application, it is an optional additional method of determining when to flush.

[0041] The present solution addresses shortcomings, such as too little or too much flushing, characteristic of current toilet flushing mechanisms, without sacrificing user functionality or convenience. This solution is a device and method for activating the toilet flushing sequence by unlocking the toilet cubicle door.

[0042] As used herein, a cubicle, with or without a roof or ceiling, will provide a typical restroom user with sufficient privacy to encourage its use, a door and any It can be any walled enclosure with a number of sides and can be of any shape including, but not limited to, rectangular, pyramidal, cylindrical, and trapezoidal.

[0043] The inventions disclosed herein are directed to toilet flush management systems and automated toilet flush systems that do not require manual flushing of the toilet. Manual flushing of toilets is an optional feature that may be included with the present invention.

[0044] FIGS. 1A-1D illustrate a toilet flush management system. The overall scheme of toilet flush management system 10 is illustrated in FIG. 1A. The system 10 includes a compartment door lock member 110 attached to the door 100 of the compartment housing the toilet 7 (hereinafter referred to as the toilet compartment).

[0045] The system 10 includes a toilet flush mechanism 112 including a flush signal receiver 3, a flush actuator 5, and a toilet flush controller 16 associated with the toilet flush actuator 5 for activating flushing by the toilet 7. further includes

[0046] Referring to FIGS. 1B-1D, locking member 110 includes slider 12, housing 19 enclosing sensor 4 for sensing slider position, and flush signal receiver 3 associated with toilet flush mechanism 112. a door housing controller 27; a battery compartment 26 enclosing one or more batteries 25; an SD card 28; Lock member 110 further includes lock chamber 6 positioned on compartment post 8 . Lock chamber 6 is aligned with slider 12 .

[0047] Referring to Figures 2A and 2B, the slider 12 is manually reciprocable between a first (closed) position and a second (open) position. In a first position illustrated in FIG. 2A, proximal end 15 of slider 12 is inserted into lock chamber 6 when compartment door 100 is closed and locked. The proximal end 15 of the slider 12 cannot be inserted into the lock chamber 6 unless the compartment door 100 is closed.

[0048] In the second position illustrated in FIG. 2B, the proximal end 15 of the slider 12, which had been inserted into the chamber 6 illustrated in FIG. be released from In a second position, the distal end 17 of the slider 12 opposite the slider proximal end 15 contacts and/or is sensed by the sensor 4 and the housing 19 when the compartment door 100 is open. Activating a signal from a signal emitter 1 enclosed within (FIG. 1D) produces a signal that is transmitted to a flush signal receiver 3 positioned on the toilet or associated toilet plumbing.

By moving the slider 12 from a first position in which the proximal end 15 of the slider 12 is positioned within the lock chamber 6 to a second position in which the proximal end 15 of the slider 12 is released from the chamber 6 Each time the compartment door is unlocked, the opposite tip 17 of slider 12 contacts and/or is sensed by sensor 4 . When the sensor 4 contacts and/or senses the tip 17 of the slider 12, it sends a wireless signal, such as a radio frequency or Bluetooth® signal, or a wired signal to the flush signal receiver 3 to initiate flushing. Triggering the signal emitter 1 to trigger a toilet flush controller 16 operatively coupled to the flush actuator 5 on the toilet 7 to start up.

[0050] The sensor 4 can be a variety of different sensors or combinations of sensors. Examples of possible sensors include, but are not limited to, contact sensors, magnetic proximity sensors, vibration sensors, infrared sensors, or ultrasonic sensors.

[0051] In one embodiment of the invention, the contact sensor 4 is mounted on the housing 19 such that the slider 12 is in physical contact with the sensor 4 each time the slider 12 moves from the first position to the second position. or on the cubicle door 100 . Such contact signals a flush operation.

[0052] In another embodiment, a magnetic proximity sensor 4 positioned in or on the housing 19 or on the compartment door 100 is used to detect magnets or magnetized materials attached to the slider 12, such as metal strips 14a, Detect the presence of b. When the slider 12 moves to the second position, the magnets or magnetized metal strips 14a,b trigger the magnetic proximity sensor 4 to signal a flushing operation. The number of magnets or magnetizing materials is not limited to those illustrated.

[0053] In yet another embodiment, a vibration sensor 4, similar to a contact sensor, is arranged such that the slider 12 is in physical contact with the sensor 4 each time the slider 12 moves from the first position to the second position. , in or on the housing 19 or on the compartment door 100 . A vibration sensor 4 detects the impact of the slider 12 and signals the washing operation.

[0054] In yet another embodiment, an infrared sensor 4 is mounted in or on the housing 19 or on the cubicle door 100. As shown in FIG. The infrared sensor 4 emits an infrared signal to detect the distance of nearby objects. An infrared sensor is arranged to detect the distance of the slider 12 from the sensor so as to trigger a flush operation upon movement of the slider 12 from the first position to the second position.

[0055] In yet another embodiment, the ultrasonic sensor 4 is mounted in or on the housing 19 or on the cubicle door 100. As shown in FIG. The sensor 4 detects returning sound waves reflected by nearby objects, thereby enabling the sensor to record distance. For example, the sensor 4 detects sound waves reflected back by the slider 12 depending on the distance of the slider 12 from the sensor 4 . Based on the predetermined distance between slider 12 and sensor 4, a flush operation will be activated following translation of slider 12 from the first position to the second position.

[0056] Each locking member's signal emitter 1 is matched to a corresponding toilet flush signal receiver 3, and other nearby systems 10, for example signal emitters 1 and flushes in other systems 10 in the same restroom. A unique signal that is different from the rest of the signal receivers 3 is used. Application of unique signals prevents one signal emitter 1 from activating and flushing the flushing system of another toilet.

[0057] In one embodiment of the invention, the system 10 further includes a toilet flush actuator 5 that activates flushing as occurs in the toilet 7. The system 10 described herein can be retrofitted to existing toilet and lavatory cubicles as an attachment or manufactured directly into new toilets and applied to lavatory WC cubicles or prefabricated lavatory cubicles. can be done. In one implementation, the toilet flush actuator 5 may be designed to fit over a manual alternative exemplary embodiment, and the toilet flush actuator 5 may be installed externally over existing toilet plumbing. It may be designed to be attached and configured to operate an existing manual flush mechanism. This implementation does not require water isolation to the system and does not directly interact with flowing water, thus reducing the reliability risk of electronics exposure to water. This embodiment of the toilet flush actuator does not require a plumber as it can be easily installed over existing manual flush mechanisms and is relatively easy and inexpensive to install in existing toilet installations.

[0058] Embodiments that use an external implementation of the toilet flush control device 5 are not directly connected to the water supply stream, such as by interacting with the water stream, or the flush used in other embodiments. Continuous flushing cannot be detected based on the signal from the actuator solenoid. However, in one exemplary embodiment, an external implementation of the flush controller may include acoustic and/or ultrasonic sensors to detect successive flushes based on their acoustic patterns. Acoustic and/or ultrasonic sensors may similarly be implemented in other flush control embodiments of the disclosed system in addition to or instead of other flow sensors.

[0059] FIG. 3 illustrates the location of the magnet or magnetizable plate 18 on the portion of the housing 19 facing the end 17 of the slider 12 opposite the insertable end 15 of the slider 12. FIG. The shape of the plate is not limited to the illustrated shape, as the shape can be rectangular, circular, triangular, trapezoidal or another shape. Magnetizable materials include, but are not limited to, iron, nickel, cobalt, rare earth metals, and natural magnets. The locations of magnets or magnetizable materials on housing 19 and the number of magnets or magnetizable materials are not limited to those illustrated.

[0060] Referring now to Figure 4, a side view of the slider 12 is illustrated. The locations of slider magnets or magnetizable material 14a and 14b on ends 17 of slider 12 are positioned to magnetically interact with magnetic or magnetizable plate 18 on housing 19. As shown in FIG. Slider magnets or magnetizable materials 14a and 14b are aligned with magnetic or magnetizable plates 18 of housing 19 to (i) be between slider 12 and housing 19 such that slider 12 is aligned with sensor 4; (ii) prevents the slider 12 from bouncing back and forth during the opening and closing of the compartment door; Pulls slider 12 to housing 19 when not moving.

[0061] The strength of the magnet or magnetisable material is sufficient to attract the slider 12 to connect with the housing 19 upon unlocking, but the magnet or magnetizable material is sufficient to prevent the slider 12 from reaching its extended locked position. Not as powerful as magnetizable materials prevent. As soon as the housing 19 and the locking slider 12 are unlocked, i.e. moving the slider 12 from the first position illustrated in FIG. 2A to the second position illustrated in FIG. Or magnetizable materials 14a and 14b are at a predetermined or adjustable distance apart from each other such that they are in contact with magnets or magnetizable material 18 of housing 19. FIG. This ensures that when the user unlocks the cubicle door 100, the slider 12 does not move all the way to the second position, and the signal emitter 1 emits a signal that is received by the flush signal receiver 3 to trigger an event leading to flushing. The possibility that the slider 12 will not be able to initiate the process of activating the is avoided. In other words, by fully reaching the second position, which is ensured with a magnet, the sensor 4 will produce a flush signal regardless of the type of sensor being used, such as the sensors disclosed above. is emitted by signal emitter 1 to flush signal receiver 3 to appropriately sense the presence of slider 12 in the second position.

[0062] The electronic circuitry for the electronic components inside the housing 19 may be powered by, for example, one or more solar cells 23 or by one or more batteries 25 contained within the housing 19. can be done. The electronics for flush mechanism 112, including flush signal receiver 3, toilet flush controller 16, and toilet flush actuator 5, are powered by one or more solar cells or by one or more batteries. be able to.

[0063] In one embodiment of the present invention, the toilet flush controller 16 and/or the door housing controller 27 are preferably controlled between 1-5 seconds, 1-10 seconds, 5-25 seconds, 5-50 seconds, A program installed to set the minimum interval between flushes, ranging from but not limited to 25-50 seconds, 50-100 seconds, 100-200 seconds, 150-250 seconds, preferably 5-240 seconds. Configured to implement possible time delays. A programmable time delay, which sets the minimum interval between flushes, can similarly be set to less than 5 seconds or more than 240 seconds. A programmable time delay can be manually programmed or determined through an algorithm that uses machine learning or deep learning techniques to determine the optimal time interval. A programmable time delay allows the user to repeatedly toggle the slider 12 of the compartment locking member 110 back and forth between a locked position (first position) and an unlocked position (second position). This prevents repeated flushing of the toilet at short time intervals. Restroom managers can manipulate the time delay range at their discretion using system controller 114, e.g., a computer, mobile application, or combination of various electronic and/or computer-based technologies. become.

[0064] In one embodiment, the system controller 114 may specialize in one restroom, alternatively all restrooms in the same restroom, or a central location for all restrooms in an entire building. with the ability to adjust the time delay at each or every individual toilet.

[0065] In one particular embodiment, because handicap toilets may be used differently than non-handicap toilets, different time delays may be appropriate for handicap toilets as opposed to regular toilets. There is The system controller 114 measures the number of times the toilet flushes, allowing facility managers to collect data and adjust settings to maximize water efficiency. The system controller 114 sends data wirelessly to the flush signal receiver, eg, via Bluetooth® or radio frequency. Similarly, to keep the toilet clean, the system 10 can be programmed with the daily flushing required for unused toilets. The system controller 114 can record the frequency of slider movement and optionally record and store additional functional data and time stamps, for example, regarding any actions of the system or signals generated by the system.

[0066] A method for automatically activating a toilet flush using a flush activation system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to FIG. According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the system is programmed and/or configured such that unlatching the cubicle door sends a wireless signal to the toilet flush controller that triggers the toilet flush actuator to activate flushing. obtain. In one exemplary embodiment of the disclosed systems and methods, a normal usage cycle 502 begins when a user enters a toilet cubicle 504, then the user locks the door 506, then the user After using the restroom 508, the patron unlocks the door 510 and then the patron leaves the cubicle. During a normal usage cycle, unlocking the cubicle door 510 by the user triggers flushing 512 of the toilet. Ordinary cycles are effective as a substantial water saving technique.

[0067] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the disclosed systems and methods can be programmed and/or configured to allow and/or accept toilet cubicle usage that does not include a normal usage cycle. can. For example, in some cases, the user does not use the restroom and only uses the restroom cubicle to change clothes. In other cases, male users may choose to refrain from latching the cubicle door, for example, to use the toilet as if it were a urinal. In other cases, manual flushing may be intentionally triggered by patrons who may not be aware that the stall door latch activates flushing. At other times, for example, a maintenance worker may trigger a manual flush to clean the toilet.

[0068] In this exemplary embodiment, the flush activation system includes a distance sensor in communication with a programmable logic circuit configured to recognize and/or accept toilet cubicle usage that does not include normal usage cycles. This adaptation to common usage cycle systems and methods greatly improves water conservation and facilitates improved management techniques. In one exemplary embodiment, functional adaptation of the range sensor and programmable logic circuit can be enabled or disabled by, for example, a facility manager.

[0069] According to aspects of the invention, a feedback loop may record a timestamp upon recognition of a particular event. An identification of the type of event that occurred can be recorded by the feedback loop along with the corresponding timestamp.

[0070] Some events that fall into the category of events that occur during feedback loop 1, such as "customer does not lock cubicle door", are not necessarily recorded by feedback loop 1. However, such events may be recognizable by their absence upon the occurrence of events that normally follow, such as the occurrence of feedback from subsequent feedback loops 2 and 3, for example. In such cases, events may be recorded retrospectively by the system. If this is a frequent occurrence of this event, the facility manager can be alerted, for example, to the fact that it is not receiving feedback from feedback loop 1 consistently.

[0071] Similarly, even if the "toilet does not flush" event may not positively trigger the sending of a signal in feedback loop 3, the expected "user presses the opt-out button" A lack of toilet flushing events may be noted, for example, after a period of time.

[0072] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, normal usage cycles may be supplemented or adapted to accommodate various system failures. In a first example of system failure handling according to one aspect of this disclosure, a system failure may occur when one or more components of the system fail. In this situation, the system controller may, for example, detect that it is receiving information only from feedback loops 2 and 3 and not from feedback loop 1 . The computer may be configured to recognize when it is not receiving signals from all feedback loops and, in response, send an alert to a platform having a user interface for the facility manager to view the data. The alert may include an identification of the probable failure type and a time stamp of failure recognition.

[0073] In a second example of system failure handling according to one aspect of the present disclosure, a system failure may occur when all components of the system fail. In one exemplary embodiment, the computer continuously stores data as it is received from the feedback loop. An algorithm running on the computer sorts the data indicating the frequency of flushing data into multiple time buckets. Time buckets may include, for example, hours, days, weeks, months, and years. In an exemplary embodiment, the computer can then calculate the frequency of new flushes within each bucket and compare the calculated frequency to historical data for the same time bucket. For example, the computer may calculate whether the current frequency is within, above, or below a percentage range of historical values. According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the percentage range is selectable by the facility manager. The system, for example, notifies the facility manager when the current frequency is outside the selected range.

[0074] When none of the feedback loops provide a signal, the computer determines that the flushing frequency is 0%. If this frequency is consistent for a given time interval, during which historical data indicates that flushing should be much more frequent, facility management is automatically notified. This fault handling system and method allows the facility manager to perform timely inspections of the equipment in the corresponding private room. In one exemplary embodiment, a facility manager can program and/or configure the system to change the time buckets in which frequency determinations and fault analysis will occur, or the computer can, for example, It can be programmed to automatically complete the process.

[0075] In a third example of system failure handling according to one aspect of this disclosure, a system failure may be recognized when one component signals more frequently than expected. According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the system controller can compare the frequency of signals received within a specified time bucket from each and every feedback loop to historical data. When significant deviations from expected results are recognized, such as numerous toilet flushes recorded for only one user lock and unlock sequence, the system controller captures relevant data. , and send it to the computer. The computer then communicates the appropriate specific fault alert to the facility manager.

[0076] In a fourth example of system failure handling according to one aspect of this disclosure, a system failure may occur when one component signals unexpectedly. When the system controller receives signals out of order, such as flushing the toilet before the patron locks or unlocks the door, the system can send a signal to the computer to alert the facility manager. This can be particularly useful information for facility managers to quickly identify and repair toilets that are continuously flushing and wasting large amounts of water. According to one aspect of the present disclosure, such continuous flushing is quickly recognized based on constant feedback signals sent to the system controller.

[0077] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, various alerts may optionally be communicated to the facility manager. Alerts provided extensive insight into the real-time and historical capabilities of system components and overall restroom utilization. Alerts can be managed by the facility manager on the user interface of the system controller or a platform communicating with the system controller.

[0078] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the facility manager can, for example, look at the toilet flushing records daily, weekly, monthly, yearly or over a multi-year period and determine the pattern for best managing toilet flushing. can be determined. This information can be useful for identifying times when the toilet has historically not been flushed, eg, when the facility is closed. In such cases, the facility manager can schedule a sentinel flash to occur at that time to ensure that the sentinel flash does not occur when patrons are present. A "sentinel flush" is an industry standard term for an automatic flush programmed to occur to keep the toilet clean.

[0079] In another example where such data may be useful, the data may allow facility managers to recognize when the flushing mechanism was not powerful enough to remove solid waste. have a nature. In such cases, the data may indicate that multiple users are manually flushing the toilet before using it, and flushing again when they leave. If this pattern persists or increases over time, the facility manager can recognize that there is a problem with the flushing mechanism and can then make timely replacements or adjustments to the flushing mechanism, for example.

[0080] In another exemplary embodiment, during normal system operation, the facility manager can configure the system to display the real-time or historical frequency with which signals from feedback loops 1-3 are recorded. can. The frequency can be displayed numerically or graphically, for example, and can be categorized by building, restroom, or specific restroom/cubicles. They can likewise be classified between real-time and historical recordings.

[0081] In another exemplary embodiment, during normal system operation, the facility manager may configure the system to provide notifications for periods of higher or lower usage than other periods.

[0082] In another exemplary embodiment, during normal system operation, the facility manager may configure the system to display a notification that the battery life of any of the system components is low. , or the system may be configured to automatically display this. For example, the system can indicate that the battery life for any component is low, that the component must be replaced in a certain number of days, that the battery is dead, so that the component can be recharged or , or the battery can be replaced at the appropriate time.

[0083] In another exemplary embodiment, during normal system operation, the facility manager may configure the system to display notifications of unexpected signals or signal sequences, or the system may It can be configured to display automatically. For example, the system can provide notification when the system controller does not receive feedback loops 1, 2 and 3 in sequence. In another embodiment, the system controller may provide notification when multiple signals are received from feedback loops 1, 2 or 3 within a single utilization cycle. In another embodiment, the system may provide notification when the system controller is not consistently receiving signals from any or all of the feedback loops. Occurrences of unexpected signals or signal sequences can be recorded and the frequency of such occurrences can be displayed, for example, to a facility manager.

[0084] According to aspects of the present disclosure, facility managers can remotely respond to certain alerts. Such remote response can reduce response time and limit the likelihood of catastrophic problems arising from any of the technologies. For example, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, a facility manager can program the system controller to set system parameters and control system functions, e.g., via a computer in communication with the system controller. can. Some facility manager programming functions according to aspects of the present disclosure include, for example, preventing flushing, delaying flushing, activating flushing, reducing flushing volume, preventing cubicle occupancy, and/or controlling alerts.

[0085] Although the term facility manager is used throughout this application to describe an entity responsible for operating and managing the disclosed system, such entity does not necessarily have the title facility manager. or function. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that in some implementations of the disclosed system, the system may be operated by persons other than facility managers, including virtually any authorized user. An authorized user may be, for example, a facility employee or a remote service provider.

[0086] In an exemplary embodiment, the facility manager prevents flushing by programming the toilet flush controller to stop activating flushing by sending a signal to the toilet flush actuator. System can be programmed. Alternatively, or in addition, the facility manager similarly prevents flushing by programming the door housing controller to signal the signal emitter to stop emitting signals to the flush signal receiver. You can program the system to According to one aspect of the present disclosure, flush prevention can be manually implemented at virtually any time, or a facility manager can, for example, periodically set a time for this to occur. This programmable feature to prevent flushing can be used to set long-term intervals when toilets should not be flushed, for example when a building is closed for the night, facility managers can There are times when you want to shut off the flushing function. A facility manager can similarly set this to occur after certain types of feedback, such as, but not limited to, lack of signal from a particular feedback loop.

[0087] In one exemplary embodiment, the facility manager can program the system so that the toilet flush controller signals the toilet flush activation device to activate flushing. Alternatively, or in addition, the facility manager may program the system controller so that the door housing controller sends a signal to the signal emitter to signal the flush signal receiver to activate the flush. According to one aspect of the present disclosure, flush activation can be performed manually at any time, or a facility manager can, for example, periodically set the time at which this occurs.

[0088] In one exemplary embodiment, the facility manager sets a default flush volume for normal operation and configures the system to set a specific flush volume and duration for which the toilet should flush with that volume. Can be programmed.

[0089] In an exemplary embodiment, the system may be configured to allow, for example, a facility manager to remotely manipulate the position of the cubicle latch slider to prevent its locking or unlocking. This feature can be implemented when a facility manager notices unusual activity, but does not have time to leave the problem immediately. In this embodiment, the system controller may, for example, command the door lock chamber to prevent the slider from reaching the locked position. This prevents users from locking the cubicle to gain privacy, thus subtly discouraging them from using the cubicle.

[0090] Alternatively, the system may be programmed, for example, to have the housing impede slider movement, thereby preventing the slider from reaching the unlocked position.

[0091] In another exemplary embodiment, the system controller may be programmed to delay flushing by setting a selected time interval beginning after an instance of flushing, during which the system may, for example, , to prevent another flush from occurring until the time interval has passed. In yet another exemplary embodiment, a facility manager can set to receive notifications when a certain percentage threshold of expected or unexpected flushes occur, e.g., within a time bucket. can.

[0092] In some situations, toilets do not need to be flushed with regular volumes. In these situations, flushing with regular flushing volumes wastes a significant amount of water. Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure include proactive methods for reducing flush volume. According to this embodiment, the system is configured so that the toilet flushes less than necessary initially. The system then reacts to adjust the flushing rate based on user activity. In one embodiment, this feature is useful during times of high facility usage, such as during sports half-time, when urinal overflows often result in cubicle toilets being used as urinals. According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the facility manager may temporarily reduce the flush volume of each restroom to conserve water, and then, after halftime, use such a In some cases the system controller can be programmed. According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the facility manager may similarly program the system controller through the management system to simultaneously activate flushing of all toilets, eg, at the end of halftime.

[0093] In another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the toilet can be set to always operate at a reduced flush volume unless the user locks the cubicle. This is because when the cubicle is locked, the user is more likely to use the toilet to defecate instead of urinating. In an exemplary embodiment, when the signal emitter detects that the slider is in the locked position or is transitioning to the rocket position, the signal emitter transmits to the original receiver, thereby activating the toilet flush control. Command the device to increase the flush rate back to normal levels.

[0094] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the facility manager may optionally automatically set the A reduced amount of flushing can be triggered at a selected time or range of times, such as at. A wide range of flush volumes can be triggered for specific times or conditions. In one exemplary embodiment, the flush volume can be set at, for example, 0 to 5 gallons of water. Alternatively, the flush volume can be controlled based on the amount of water allowed into the toilet bowl and/or the volume of water used for flushing. The amount of water wash can also be recorded, for example in a feedback loop.

Claims (16)

A system for managing toilet flushing in a toilet cubicle,
(i)
a door lock chamber;
A slider translatable from a first position to a second position, said slider including a first end and a second end opposite said first end, wherein said slider includes: a slider wherein the slider first end at a position is inserted into the door lock chamber and the slider first end at the second position is released from the door lock chamber;
a signal emitter associated with a door lock member, said signal emitter configured to send a wireless signal to a flush signal receiver when said slider is in said second position;
a sensor configured to sense the slider when the slider is in the second position, the sensor operatively connected to the signal emitter;
a door housing controller comprising:
(ii) a toilet flush controller operatively coupled to the flush signal receiver;
(iii) a toilet flush actuator controlled by said toilet flush controller, wherein said signal emitter transmits a signal to said flush signal receiver upon sensing that said slider has translated to said second position; a toilet flush actuator, wherein the toilet flush controller is configured to control the toilet flush actuator to activate a single toilet flush when a door is unlocked; ,
(iv) a system controller in communication with the toilet flush controller and the door housing controller;
including
the system controller is configured to output a particular fault notification in response to corresponding signal patterns received from the toilet flush controller and the door housing controller;
system. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein said particular failure notification includes a time stamp identifying a time when said corresponding signal pattern was received by said system controller. The system controller causes an authorized user to cause the system to output one or more selected types of fault notifications corresponding to different types of system faults identifiable by the system in response to corresponding signal patterns. 2. The system of claim 1, configurable by: The system controller is malfunctioning in response to receiving signals from one or more sensors in a sequence associated with another sensor without receiving expected signals from the other sensors. 4. The system of claim 3, configured to output component failure notifications. 4. The system of claim 3, wherein the system controller is configured to group the frequency of flushing information into multiple time buckets. 6. The system controller of claim 5, wherein the system controller is configured to calculate a frequency of flushes within each of the time buckets and compare the calculated frequency to the historical frequency of the corresponding bucket. system. 7. The system of claim 6, further comprising determining that the frequency of flushing for one or more buckets is outside a predetermined frequency range. 8. The system of claim 7, further comprising outputting a notification indicating that said frequency of flushing is outside said predetermined range. A method for managing toilet flushing in a toilet cubicle, comprising:
outputting, by a toilet flush system, a particular fault indication in response to corresponding signal patterns received from a toilet flush controller and a door housing controller of said toilet flush system, said toilet flush system comprising:
(i)
a door lock chamber;
A slider translatable from a first position to a second position, said slider including a first end and a second end opposite said first end, wherein said slider includes: a slider wherein the slider first end at a position is inserted into the door lock chamber and the slider first end at the second position is released from the door lock chamber;
a signal emitter associated with a door lock member, said signal emitter configured to send a wireless signal to a flush signal receiver when said slider is in said second position;
a sensor configured to sense the slider when the slider is in the second position, the sensor operatively connected to the signal emitter;
the door housing control device comprising:
(ii) said toilet flush controller operatively coupled to said flush signal receiver;
(iii) a toilet flush actuator controlled by the toilet flush control device, comprising:
The signal emitter is configured to send a signal to the flush signal receiver upon sensing that the slider has translated to the second position, and the toilet flush controller outputs a signal when the door is unlocked. a toilet flush actuator configured to control said toilet flush actuator to activate a single toilet flush to;
(iv) a system controller in communication with the toilet flush controller and the door housing controller;
A method, including 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the particular fault notification includes a time stamp identifying the time when the corresponding signal pattern was received by the system controller. The system controller causes an authorized user to cause the system to output one or more selected types of fault notifications corresponding to different types of system faults identifiable by the system in response to corresponding signal patterns. 10. The method of claim 9, configurable by: The system controller is malfunctioning in response to receiving signals from one or more sensors in a sequence associated with another sensor without receiving expected signals from the other sensors. 12. The method of claim 11, configured to output component failure notifications. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the system controller is configured to classify the frequency of flushing information into multiple time buckets. 14. The system controller of claim 13, wherein the system controller is configured to calculate a frequency of flushes within each of the time buckets and compare the calculated frequency to the historical frequency of the corresponding bucket. Method. 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising determining that the frequency of flushing for one or more buckets is outside a predetermined frequency range. 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising outputting a notification indicating that the frequency of flushing is outside the predetermined range.

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