Annular Toilet Overflow Containment System with Moisture Sensor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Toilets are prone to clogging and overflowing, leading to maintenance challenges that can result in slips and sanitation issues, and existing solutions require scheduled interventions by custodial workers.
Innovation Solution
A toilet overflow containment system featuring an annular fluid basin around the toilet base to collect spills, a drain to bypass the S-bend, a moisture sensor to detect spills, and a communication system to notify maintenance personnel, including door locking and fluid shutoff mechanisms to manage overflow situations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If scheduled maintenance intervals are used for clogged and overflowing toilets, then custodial workers can provide maintenance, but slips and sanitation issues cannot be prevented in real-time
Solution Approach 1:
The moisture sensor detects spills and overflows before they become hazardous, triggering immediate alerts to custodial workers. This preliminary detection and response mechanism prevents slips and sanitation issues rather than reacting to them after occurrence, resolving the contradiction between reliability and response time.
2Reliability
If an annular fluid containment basin is added to collect spills, then overflow containment is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The annular basin segments the containment function from the main toilet structure, creating a separate overflow collection zone that channels spills to a designated drain. This segmentation provides reliable overflow containment while maintaining relatively simple implementation through modular addition to the existing toilet base.
3Extent of automation
If a moisture sensor and communication system are implemented, then automatic spill detection is achieved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The moisture sensor automatically detects spills and triggers communication alerts without human intervention, enabling self-service overflow monitoring. This automation achieves reliable spill detection while keeping the system relatively simple through the use of straightforward sensor technology and pre-established notification protocols.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a drain to bypass the S-bend is installed, then fluid diversion capability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bypass drain acts as an intermediary fluid pathway that diverts overflow around the S-bend trap to the annular basin collection system. This intermediary drain provides versatile fluid diversion capability while maintaining ease of manufacture through straightforward plumbing integration that follows existing drainage routes.
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
The system effectively contains toilet overflows, prevents slips, ensures sanitation, and optimizes maintenance by automatically detecting spills and directing custodial workers to the most critical areas based on severity and proximity.
Implementation Method 1
a moisture sensor disposed within the annular fluid containment basin and configured to sense and communicate the presence of a spill
Data Source
AI summary
Methodologies, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for containing fluid from an overflowing toilet. An annular fluid containment basin is located near the base of a toilet and is configured to encircle the base of the toilet and collect fluid flowing down the exterior surface of the toilet. A moisture sensor is located within the annular fluid containment basin and configured to sense a spill. A drain is also located within the annular fluid containment basin to direct fluid to bypass an S-bend or trap connected to the toilet.