Sensor-Controlled Flush Toilet Covering to Limit Splash
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flush toilets require manual operation and often lead to hygiene issues due to forgotten flushing and water splash during automatic flushing.
Innovation Solution
A flush toilet equipped with a sensor-controlled electric switching valve and driver mechanism that automatically flushes and covers the bowl after user detection, ensuring hygiene and reducing water splash.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual flushing operation is used, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates due to forgotten flushing
Solution Approach 1:
The toilet flushing system operates automatically without requiring manual user intervention. The sensor detects when the toilet has been used and automatically triggers the flushing mechanism, making the system self-serving and eliminating the reliability issue of forgotten manual flushing operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical button-pressing system with an automated sensor-based control system. The sensor detects user presence and automatically activates the flushing mechanism, substituting manual mechanical operation with automated sensing and control to improve reliability.
2Ease of operation
If toilet cover remains open after use, then ease of operation is improved, but object-generated harmful factors worsen due to water splash and hygiene issues
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor control system performs preliminary detection of user presence and automatically closes the toilet cover before the user completes their business. This preliminary action prevents water splash and hygiene contamination while maintaining user convenience through automated operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor provides continuous feedback about user presence to the control system, which automatically adjusts the toilet cover position. When the sensor detects the user has finished using the toilet, it automatically closes the cover, creating a feedback loop that prevents water splash and maintains hygiene without requiring manual user action.
3Reliability
If automatic flushing system is implemented, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The automatic flushing system is designed to be self-service, where the sensor automatically detects when flushing is needed and activates the mechanism without requiring complex control interfaces or manual intervention, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while maintaining high reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A flush toilet includes a toilet stool unit, a toilet seat, a toilet cover, a water tank unit defining a water storage space, a pipe unit, an electric switching valve, a flush valve, a manual actuating unit, a driver coupled to the toilet cover, and a sensor control unit. The pipe unit includes a flow-out pipe, and first and second flow-in pipes disposed downstream of the water storage space and upstream of the flow-out pipe. The electric switching valve is connected in series between the flow-out pipe and the first flow-in pipe. The flush valve is disposed upstream of the second flow-in pipe and is actuated to move by the manual actuating unit. The sensor control unit is disposed for controlling switching of the electric switching valve between blocked and communicated states, and for controlling the driver to drive the toilet cover to move between covering and uncovering positions.