Cordless Pedal Flush System for a Tank-type Toilet

Abstract

Apparatus and method for a cordless pedal flush system 12 for a tank-type toilet 10, employing a floor-positioned RF foot pedal transmitter actuator 14 and a tank-mounted RF receiver flusher actuator 16 installed within the tank. The RF receiver flusher actuator 16 operates independently of the manual flush handle lever 24 employed on most tank-type toilets. The system is powered by its own self-contained DC power source and when activated causes a flushing of the toilet. The system is activated when the user depresses and releases, with the foot, a push button foot switch 20 employed on the RF foot pedal transmitter actuator 14. This action will initiate a toilet flush without the act of touching the flush handle with the hand. Once the RF foot pedal transmitter actuator 14 is activated, it transmits an RF coded command signal to the RF receiver flusher actuator 16. Once the code is validated by the RF receiver flusher circuit, the RF receiver flusher actuator 16 activates and pivots upwards the connecting automatic flush lever 22 to raise a flapper valve 26 connected via chain from the valve seat of the tank-type toilet 10 causing the toilet to flush. The cordless pedal flush system 12 also allows for the normal manual hand flush.

1 . A cordless pedal flush system for flushing a tank-type toilet, said system comprising: a cordless pedal housing having a suitable transmitting means for transmitting an encoded command signal wherein electrical power for operation of said transmitting means is derived solely from a Direct Current power source; a receiver housing having a reception means for capturing said encoded command signal transmitted by said transmitting means wherein electrical power for operation of said reception means is derived solely from a Direct Current power source; a decoding means for determining and validating the encoded signal captured by said reception means; a control means for executing programmed steps indicative of verification of said encoded signal verified by said decoding means; and a motorized flush mechanism to complement the conventional manual flush handle employed on tank-type toilets, said motorized flush mechanism having a flushing means for mechanically emulating a manual flushing of a tank-type toilet. 
   
   
       2 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein said transmitting means is a radio frequency transmitter circuit employed within said cordless pedal housing. 
   
   
       3 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein said reception means is a radio frequency receiver circuit employed within said receiver housing. 
   
   
       4 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein said encoded command signal is a transmitter identification code encoded with circuit hardware employed with the transmitter circuitry. 
   
   
       5 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein said decoding means is microprocessor hardware employed with the receiver circuitry. 
   
   
       6 . The system according to  claim 1  wherein said control means is microprocessor hardware employed with the receiver circuitry. 
   
   
       7 . The system according to  claim 6  further comprising a timer circuit employed with said control means. 
   
   
       8 . A cordless pedal flush system for flushing a tank-type toilet, said system comprising: a cordless pedal housing having a suitable transmitting means for transmitting an encoded command signal wherein electrical power for operation of said transmitting means is derived solely from a self contained Direct Current power source; a receiver housing having a detection means for capturing said encoded command signal transmitted by said transmitting means wherein electrical power for operation of said detection means is derived solely from a Direct Current power source; a decoding means for determining and validating the encoded signal detected by said detection means; a control means for executing programmed steps subject to verification of said encoded signal verified by said decoding means; and a motorized flush mechanism having a flushing means for mechanically emulating a manual flushing of a tank-type toilet. 
   
   
       9 . The system according to  claim 8  wherein said transmitting means is an infrared transmitter circuit employed within said cordless pedal housing. 
   
   
       10 . The system according to  claim 8  wherein said detection means is an infrared detection circuit employed within said receiver housing. 
   
   
       11 . The system according to  claim 8  wherein said encoded command signal is a transmitter identification code encoded with circuit hardware employed with the transmitter circuitry. 
   
   
       12 . The system according to  claim 8  wherein said decoding means is microprocessor hardware employed with the detection circuitry. 
   
   
       13 . The system according to  claim 8  wherein said control means is microprocessor hardware employed with the detection circuitry. 
   
   
       14 . The system according to  claim 14  further comprising a timer circuit employed with said control means. 
   
   
       15 . A method for flushing a tank-type toilet comprising: providing a cordless pedal housing having a suitable transmitting means for transmitting an encoded command signal wherein electrical power for operation of said transmitting means is derived solely from a Direct Current power source; providing a receiver housing having a reception means for capturing said encoded command signal transmitted by said transmitting means wherein electrical power for operation of said reception means is derived solely from a Direct Current power source; providing a decoding means for determining and validating the encoded signal captured by said reception means; providing a control means for executing programmed steps indicative of verification of said encoded signal verified by said decoding means; and providing a motorized flush mechanism to complement the conventional manual flush handle employed on tank-type toilets, said motorized flush mechanism having a flushing means for mechanically emulating a manual flushing of a tank-type toilet.