Content-Detecting Toilet Flush Valve for Clog Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional toilet maintenance methods, such as manual inspection or scheduled cleanings, are time-consuming and impractical, especially in large public restrooms, and can lead to costly plumbing issues and hygiene concerns due to undetected clogs.
Innovation Solution
A toilet flush valve assembly equipped with infrared and time-of-flight sensors that detect user presence and toilet contents, respectively, transmitting data to a controller for status determination and alerting maintenance staff of clogs, and regulating flush volume and duration to prevent overflow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual inspection or scheduled cleanings are used for toilet maintenance, then the maintenance process is simple and low-cost, but it is time-consuming and impractical for large public restrooms, leading to undetected clogs and plumbing damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical inspection with automated optical sensors (infrared and time-of-flight sensors) that non-contactedly detect toilet contents and clogs. This substitution eliminates the need for manual cleaning and inspection while providing continuous monitoring, thereby improving maintenance efficiency without requiring complex mechanical intervention systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The toilet flush valve assembly performs self-diagnosis by incorporating sensors and a controller that automatically detect contents, determine status, and identify clogs without human intervention. The system monitors itself continuously and can alert maintenance staff when intervention is needed, enabling proactive maintenance while reducing the time and labor required for routine inspections.
2Reliability
If traditional maintenance methods are used, then the system remains simple, but clogs cause significant damage to plumbing systems, leading to costly repairs and hygiene concerns
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary detection of clogs and abnormal contents before they cause damage to the plumbing system. The sensors continuously monitor toilet contents and the controller identifies clog conditions early, allowing maintenance staff to intervene before the clog progresses to a point where it damages the plumbing system, thereby preventing costly repairs and maintaining system integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system establishes a feedback loop where sensors continuously monitor toilet contents, the controller analyzes the data to determine status and detect clogs, and the system alerts maintenance staff. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures that clogs are detected and addressed in a timely manner, preventing them from developing into harmful conditions that would damage the plumbing system.
3Extent of automation
If the toilet flush valve assembly includes multiple sensors (infrared and time-of-flight) for content detection, then automated detection and prevention of clogs is enabled, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the infrared sensor and time-of-flight sensor into a single integrated flush valve assembly, combining multiple detection functions in one unit. This consolidation provides automated content detection and clog identification while minimizing the increase in device complexity by housing all sensors and electronic components within a single assembly that interfaces with existing toilet infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor system is designed with multi-functionality, where the same sensor assembly performs multiple tasks: detecting user presence, measuring water level, identifying contents type, and detecting clogs. This universal approach enables automated detection of various toilet conditions using a single integrated system, reducing the need for separate specialized devices and limiting the increase in overall system complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables automated detection and prevention of clogs, reducing maintenance time and costs while ensuring plumbing system integrity and hygiene.
Implementation Method 1
One sensor may be an infrared (IR) sensor configured to detect a user presence at the toilet
Implementation Method 2
the other sensor may be a time-of-flight (ToF) sensor. The ToF sensor can collect data on the contents of a toilet bowl
Data Source
AI summary
A toilet assembly is provided which includes a flush valve assembly. The flush valve assembly includes a valve inlet fluidly coupled to a water source inlet pipe, a valve outlet fluidly coupled to the vacuum breaker, a solenoid flush valve, and a power source. The flush valve assembly further includes a first sensor configured to collect and transmit a first set of data corresponding to a user presence at the toilet assembly; a second sensor configured to collect and transmit a second set of data corresponding to contents of a toilet bowl; and a controller configured to determine whether a user is present based on the first set of data, determine a status of the toilet assembly based on the second set of data, and transmit a third set of data corresponding to a status of the toilet assembly to a computing device.