Toilet Bowl Cleaning and/or Deodorizing Device

Abstract

A device for spraying a fluid onto a wall of an enclosure (e.g. a toilet bowl) is disclosed. The device includes a fluid container, a fluid sprayer through which the fluid can be sprayed onto the wall of the enclosure, a fluid conduit, a pumping apparatus for delivering fluid from the container through the fluid conduit and to the fluid sprayer, a sensor for detecting the presence of an object near an opening of the enclosure, and a controller in electrical communication with the pumping apparatus and the sensor. The controller activates the pumping apparatus for delivering fluid from the container to the fluid sprayer if the controller determines that an object is not near the sensor. The sensor can include a pyroelectric sensing element and a lens positioned such that a sensor footprint image is focused onto the pyroelectric sensing element. The sensor can include first and second pyroelectric sensing elements wherein only one of the first and the second pyroelectric sensing elements is exposed to incident radiation from the object.

1 . A device for spraying a fluid into an enclosure or onto a wall of the enclosure, the device comprising:
 a container for the fluid;   a fluid sprayer through which the fluid can be sprayed into or onto the wall of the enclosure;   a fluid conduit in fluid communication with the container and the fluid sprayer;   a pumping apparatus for delivering fluid from the container through the fluid conduit and to the fluid sprayer when the pumping apparatus is activated;   a sensor for detecting the presence of an object near an opening of the enclosure; and   a controller in electrical communication with the pumping apparatus and the sensor, wherein the controller executes a stored program to activate the pumping apparatus for delivering fluid from the container through the fluid conduit and to the fluid sprayer if the controller determines that an object is not near the sensor,   wherein the sensor includes a pyroelectric sensing element and a lens configured and positioned such that a sensor footprint image is focused onto the pyroelectric sensing element.   
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein:
 the lens is a Fresnel lens.   
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 1  wherein:
 the entire sensor footprint image is located within a perimeter of the opening of the enclosure.   
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 1  wherein:
 at least part of the sensor footprint image is located within a perimeter of the opening of the enclosure.   
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 1  wherein:
 the sensor includes a second pyroelectric sensing element and the lens is configured and positioned such that a second sensor footprint image is focused onto the second pyroelectric sensing element.   
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 5  wherein:
 at least part of the sensor footprint image is located within a perimeter of the opening of the enclosure, and   at least part of the second sensor footprint image is located on a wall of the enclosure.   
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 5  wherein:
 the entire sensor footprint image is located in within the perimeter of the opening of the enclosure, and   the entire second sensor footprint image is located on the wall of the enclosure.   
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 7  wherein:
 the enclosure is a toilet bowl,   a rim of the toilet bowl defines the perimeter of the opening, and   the second sensor footprint image is located on an inside surface of the wall of the toilet bowl.   
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 8  wherein:
 the controller executes a stored program to:
 (i) activate the sensor at a beginning time of a time interval before a scheduled spraying time stored in the controller, 
 (ii) monitor electrical signals from the sensor during the time interval to determine if an object is near the opening, and 
 (iii) if the controller determines that an object has not been near the opening during the time interval, activate the pumping apparatus for a pump cycle time for delivering fluid from the container through the fluid conduit and to the fluid sprayer. 
   
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 8  wherein:
 the controller executes a stored program to:
 (i) receive an actuation signal from a manual actuator, 
 (ii) activate the sensor, 
 (iii) monitor electric signals from the sensor during a time period after receiving the actuation signal to determine if an object is near the opening, and 
 (iv) if the controller determines that an object has not been near the opening during the time period, activate the pumping apparatus for delivering fluid from the container through the fluid conduit and to the fluid sprayer. 
   
   
   
       11 . The device of  claim 1  wherein:
 the sensor includes a second pyroelectric sensing element and a second lens configured and positioned such that a second sensor footprint image is focused onto the second pyroelectric sensing element.   
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 12  wherein:
 the sensor footprint image and the second sensor footprint image are spaced apart.   
   
   
       13 . A device for spraying a fluid into an enclosure or onto a wall of the enclosure, the device comprising:
 a container for the fluid;   a fluid sprayer through which the fluid can be sprayed into or onto the wall of the enclosure;   a fluid conduit in fluid communication with the container and the fluid sprayer;   a pumping apparatus for delivering fluid from the container through the fluid conduit and to the fluid sprayer when the pumping apparatus is activated;   a sensor for detecting the presence of an object near an opening of the enclosure; and   a controller in electrical communication with the pumping apparatus and the sensor, wherein the controller executes a stored program to activate the pumping apparatus for delivering fluid from the container through the fluid conduit and to the fluid sprayer if the controller determines that an object is not near the sensor,   wherein the sensor includes a first pyroelectric sensing element and a second pyroelectric sensing element, and   wherein only one of the first pyroelectric sensing element and the second pyroelectric sensing element is exposed to incident radiation from the object.   
   
   
       14 . The device of  claim 13  wherein:
 the lens is a Fresnel lens.   
   
   
       15 . The device of  claim 13  wherein:
 the sensor includes a lens configured and positioned such that a first sensor footprint image is focused onto the first pyroelectric sensing element.   
   
   
       16 . The device of  claim 15  wherein:
 the entire first sensor footprint image is located within a perimeter of the opening of the enclosure.   
   
   
       17 . The device of  claim 16  wherein:
 the enclosure is a toilet bowl, and   a rim of the toilet bowl defines the perimeter of the opening.   
   
   
       18 . The device of  claim 17  wherein:
 the controller executes a stored program to:
 (i) activate the sensor at a beginning time of a time interval before a scheduled spraying time stored in the controller, 
 (ii) monitor electrical signals from the sensor during the time interval to determine if an object is near the opening, and 
 (iii) if the controller determines that an object has not been near the opening during the time interval, activate the pumping apparatus for a pump cycle time for delivering fluid from the container through the fluid conduit and to the fluid sprayer. 
   
   
   
       19 . The device of  claim 17  wherein:
 the controller executes a stored program to:
 (i) receive an actuation signal from a manual actuator, 
 (ii) activate the sensor, 
 (iii) monitor electric signals from the sensor during a time period after receiving the actuation signal to determine if an object is near the opening, and 
 (iv) if the controller determines that an object has not been near the opening during the time period, activate the pumping apparatus for delivering fluid from the container through the fluid conduit and to the fluid sprayer. 
   
   
   
       20 . The device of  claim 13  wherein:
 the first pyroelectric sensing element is exposed to incident radiation from the object, and   the first pyroelectric sensing element is in a circuit having a 8-14 micrometer spectral bandpass filter.