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US4636474A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Toilet apparatus

Assignee: Toto Ltd
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Filing: 1984-01-24
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Granted: 1987-01-13
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Expires: 2004-01-24
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Abstract

Abstract A toilet apparatus is provided in a lavatory having at least one stool, urinal, bidet, or similar toilet structure. The toilet apparatus comprises a detecting sensor for detecting constituents in the feces, urine, or both of a user, and an indicator for indicating or informing the user of his health based upon abnormalities in the constituents detected by the sensor. The apparatus is particularly useful in informing the user of a toilet of his health each time he uses the toilet.

Inventors

  • 👤 Kenji Ogura
  • 👤 Takeshi Yamazaki

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 15:14
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B10/00; A61B10/0038; E; E03; E03D; E03D9/00

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim 130 words
A toilet apparatus comprising a detecting sensor for detecting constituents contained in the excrements of a user of said toilet apparatus, an arm to which said sensor is connected, operating means for turning said arm with respect to a toilet bowl within which said apparatus is adapted to be positioned, said arm being connected to a rotary solenoid positioned below the seat of said toilet bowl, a mechanical switch comprising means for activating said solenoid and means for turning said arm into said toilet bowl to contact said sensor with said excrement, and an indicator which is electrically connected to said sensor, said indicator comprising means for analyzing and evaluating the health of said toilet user in response to the constituents which are detected in the excrements by said sensor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 130 words
A toilet apparatus comprising a detecting sensor for detecting constituents contained in the excrements of a user of said toilet apparatus, an arm to which said sensor is connected, operating means for turning said arm with respect to a toilet bowl within which said apparatus is adapted to be positioned, said arm being connected to a rotary solenoid positioned below the seat of said toilet bowl, a mechanical switch comprising means for activating said solenoid and means for turning said arm into said toilet bowl to contact said sensor with said excrement, and an indicator which is electrically connected to said sensor, said indicator comprising means for analyzing and evaluating the health of said toilet user in response to the constituents which are detected in the excrements by said sensor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 40 words
A toilet apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said detecting sensor is selected from a group of a biosensors, said group comprising enzyme sensors, organella sensors, tissue sensors, microorganism sensors, immunity sensors, enzyme thermistors, and light emitting immunity sensors.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 20 words
A toilet apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said detecting sensor comprises a BOD sensor or an electrochemical sensor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 33 words
A toilet apparatus in accordance with claim 1, said indicator comprising a central processing unit adapted to retain data corresponding to the values of the constituents of the excrements a healthy human being.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 34 words
A toilet apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein said indicator comprises means for analyzing and evaluating the health of a toilet user in response to the constituents detected the excrements of said user.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 21 words
A toilet apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein said indicator means indicates said analyzed results by emitting a descriminating sound.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 19 words
A toilet apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein said indicating means comprises means for emitting a blinking light.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 54 words
A toilet apparatus comprising means for detecting constituents in the excrements of a user and means for activating said detecting means, said detecting means comprising a detecting sensor and said activating means comprising means for activating said detecting sensor in response to detection of the presence of a user seated on said toilet apparatus.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 54 words
A toilet apparatus comprising means for detecting constituents in the excrements of a user and means for activating said detecting means, said detecting means comprising a detecting sensor and said activating means comprising means for activating said detecting sensor in response to detection of the presence of a user seated on said toilet apparatus.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 14 words
A toilet apparatus in accordance with claim 8, said detecting sensor comprising a biosensor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 34 words
A toilet apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein said biosensor is selected from the group comprising enzyme sensors, organella sensors, tissue sensors, microorganism sensors, immunity sensors, enzyme thermistors, and light emitting immunity sensors.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 24 words
A toilet apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein said detecting sensor is selected from the group consisting of BOD sensors and electrochemical sensors.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 66 words
A toilet apparatus comprising means for detecting constituents in the excrements of a user and means for activating said detecting means, said detecting means comprising a detecting sensor, wherein said means for activating said sensor comprises an electrically conductive light receiving circuit having an infrared radiation emitting element and a receiving element for receiving light radiation reflected by a user from said infrared radiation emitting element.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 66 words
A toilet apparatus comprising means for detecting constituents in the excrements of a user and means for activating said detecting means, said detecting means comprising a detecting sensor, wherein said means for activating said sensor comprises an electrically conductive light receiving circuit having an infrared radiation emitting element and a receiving element for receiving light radiation reflected by a user from said infrared radiation emitting element.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 28 words
A toilet apparatus in accordance with claim 12, wherein said activating means further comprises an amplifier circuit adapted to be activated when said radiation receiving circuit receives light.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 31 words
A toilet apparatus in accordance with claim 13, wherein said activating means further comprises a delay circuit for retarding activation of said detecting sensor for a period of approximately 3-7 seconds.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 23 words
A toilet apparatus in accordance with claim 14 wherein said delay circuit comprises means for preventing activation of said detecting sensor by passersby.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 55 words
A toilet apparatus in accordance with claim 15 further comprising means for pivotally moving said detecting sensor from a position in which it is located below the seat of said toilet into a position in which it is angled downwardly a bowl, said pivoting means comprising a rotary solenoid adapted to activate said indicating means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 42 words
A toilet apparatus in accordance with claim 16 further comprising a strain gauge for repositioning said sensor into a position in which it is located below said stool seat by said solenoid after said sensor has contacted the excrement of a user.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 40 words
A toilet apparatus in accordance with claim 8 further comprising means for indicating the constituents detected by said sensor, and a central processing unit adapted to receive prerecorded values corresponding to the constituents of the excrements of a healthy individual.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 50 words
A toilet apparatus in accordance with claim 18 wherein said toilet apparatus further comprises means for analyzing the health of the user by comparing the value of the constituents detected by said sensor with said prerecorded values, said indicating means adapted to display an analyzed value indicating said user's health.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 23 words
A toilet apparatus in accordance with claim 19 wherein said indicating means comprises means for emitting a sound corresponding to said detected constituents.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 21 words
A toilet apparatus in accordance with claim 19 wherein said indicating means displays said analyzed result by emitting a blinking light.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 14 words
A toilet apparatus in accordance with claim 21 wherein said blinking light is colored.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 177 words
A toilet apparatus comprising a detecting sensor for detecting constituents contained in excrements of a user of said apparatus, an arm on which said sensor is positioned, operating means for turning said arm with respect to a toilet bowl within which said toilet apparatus is adapted to be positioned, said arm being connected to a rotary solenoid positioned below the seat of said toilet, means for activating said detecting sensor, said activating means being connected to said operating means, and an indicator which is electrically connected to said sensor, said indicator comprising means for analyzing and evaluating the health of the toilet user in response to the constituents detected in said excrements, wherein said sensor activating means comprises an electrically conductive light receiving circuit having an infrared radiation emitting element and a receiving element for receiving light radiation reflected by a user from said infrared radiation emitting element, an amplifier circuit adapted to be activated when said radiation receiving element receives light, and a delay circuit for retarding activation of said detecting sensor for a predetermined period.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 177 words
A toilet apparatus comprising a detecting sensor for detecting constituents contained in excrements of a user of said apparatus, an arm on which said sensor is positioned, operating means for turning said arm with respect to a toilet bowl within which said toilet apparatus is adapted to be positioned, said arm being connected to a rotary solenoid positioned below the seat of said toilet, means for activating said detecting sensor, said activating means being connected to said operating means, and an indicator which is electrically connected to said sensor, said indicator comprising means for analyzing and evaluating the health of the toilet user in response to the constituents detected in said excrements, wherein said sensor activating means comprises an electrically conductive light receiving circuit having an infrared radiation emitting element and a receiving element for receiving light radiation reflected by a user from said infrared radiation emitting element, an amplifier circuit adapted to be activated when said radiation receiving element receives light, and a delay circuit for retarding activation of said detecting sensor for a predetermined period.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 28 words
A toilet apparatus in accordance with claim 23 wherein said delay circuit comprises means for preventing activation of said detecting sensor by a passerby for approximately 3-7 seconds.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 42 words
A toilet apparatus in accordance with claim 24 further comprising a strain gauge for repositioning said sensor into a position in which it is located below said toilet seat by said solenoid after said sensor has contacted the excrement of the user.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 34 words
A toilet apparatus in accordance with claim 24 wherein said biosensor is selected from the group comprising enzyme sensors, organella sensors, tissue sensors, microorganism sensors, immunity sensors, enzyme thermistors, and light emitting immunity sensors.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim 24 words
A toilet apparatus in accordance with claim 24, wherein said detecting sensor is selected from the group consisting of BOD sensors and electrochemical sensors.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 32 words
A toilet apparatus in accordance with claim 24, wherein said indicator comprises a central processing unit adapted to receive prerecorded values corresponding to the constituents of the excrements of a healthy individual.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim 48 words
A toilet apparatus in accordance with claim 28 further comprising means for analyzing the health of a user by comparing the value of the constituents detected by said sensor with said prerecorded values, said indicator comprising means for displaying an analyzed value indicating the health of said user.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim 22 words
A toilet apparatus in accordance with claim 29 wherein said indicator comprises means for emitting a sound corresponding to said detected constituents.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim 23 words
A toilet apparatus in accordance with claim 29 wherein said indicator comprises means for displaying said analyzed value by emitting a blinking light.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim 16 words
A toilet apparatus in accordance with claim 31 wherein said blinking light is a colored light.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3918433A Cited
US4315990A Cited
US4411030A Cited
US4466445A Cited
US4554687A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1990-01-12 1990-07-14 1991-01-13 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1994-01-12 1994-07-14 1995-01-13 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1998-01-12 1998-07-14 1999-01-13 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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