System and method for self-cleaning toilet rim

Abstract

A toilet assembly with a self-cleaning rim system is provided. The toilet assembly includes a toilet tank for storing water used by the toilet assembly. The toilet assembly includes a flush valve disposed within the toilet tank that opens and closes to deliver the stored water in the toilet tank. The toilet assembly includes a toilet bowl comprising a rim having a hollow section and a top surface forming an area suitable for water flow. The toilet assembly includes a rinse channel including a rinse channel inlet for receiving water from the toilet tank, the rinse channel configured to deliver the water for cleaning the top surface of the rim with each activation of the flush valve.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A toilet assembly with a self-cleaning rim system comprising:
 a toilet tank for storing water used by the toilet assembly;   a flush valve disposed within the toilet tank that opens and closes to deliver the stored water in the toilet tank;   a toilet bowl comprising a rim having a hollow section and a top surface forming an area suitable for water flow; and   a rinse channel comprising a rinse channel inlet for receiving water from the toilet tank, the rinse channel configured to deliver the water for cleaning the top surface of the rim with each activation of the flush valve.   
     
     
         2 . The toilet assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a siphonic outlet port for receiving water from the toilet tank, the siphonic outlet port configured to deliver water to a trapway of the toilet assembly to engage a siphon action. 
     
     
         3 . The toilet assembly of  claim 1  further comprising one or more shut off valves configured to block off all or substantially all water flow through the rinse channel inlet based on a volume of water passing through the one or more shut off valves. 
     
     
         4 . The toilet assembly of  claim 1  further comprising an interchangeable flow rate adjuster module for controlling either or both of a water volume or flow velocity through the rinse channel. 
     
     
         5 . The toilet assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the interchangeable flow rate adjuster module comprises any combination of flow path restrictors, flow expanders, and aerator cap for controlling either or both of the water volume or the flow velocity through the rinse channel. 
     
     
         6 . The toilet assembly of  claim 3  further comprising a toilet seat coupled to the one or more shut off valves and/or a stopper, the toilet seat configured to: a) set the one or more shut off valves and/or the stopper to an open position when the toilet seat is in the up position and b) set the one or more shut off valves and/or the stopper to a closed position when the toilet seat is in the down position. 
     
     
         7 . The toilet assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a second rinse channel, with a rinse channel on each side of the rim. 
     
     
         8 . The toilet assembly of  claim 7 , wherein where left and right rim pathways, and an anterior rim pathway, are shaped substantially like a geometric stadium to preserve rim surface cleaning water velocity. 
     
     
         9 . The toilet assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a drain located at an anterior portion of the rim surface, the drain having a flow path to the trapway. 
     
     
         10 . A toilet assembly with a self-cleaning rim system comprising:
 a toilet tank for storing water used by the toilet assembly;   a flush valve disposed within the toilet tank that opens and closes to deliver the stored water in the toilet tank;   a toilet bowl comprising a rim having a hollow section and a top surface forming an area suitable for water flow; and   a rinse channel comprising a rise channel inlet for receiving water from the toilet tank, the rinse channel configured to deliver the water for cleaning the top surface of the rim with activation of a coupled element that functions independently of the flush valve.   
     
     
         11 . The toilet assembly of  claim 10  further comprising a rinse valve coupled to the rinse channel inlet, the rinse valve controlled by the coupled element to open for delivering the water upon activation of the coupled element. 
     
     
         12 . A method for using a toilet assembly with a self-cleaning rim system, the method comprising:
 activating a flush lever coupled to a flush valve disposed within a toilet tank that opens and closes to deliver the stored water in the toilet tank, wherein the flush valve opens upon activation of the flush lever;   upon activation of the flush lever, water from the toilet tank flowing through a rim inlet port for cleaning liquid and solid waste in a bowl comprising a rim having a hollow section and a top surface forming an area suitable for water flow; and   upon activation of the flush lever, water from the toilet tank flowing through a rinse channel configured to deliver the water for cleaning the top surface of the rim.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein upon activation of the flush lever, water from the toilet tank flows through a siphonic outlet port configured to deliver water to a trapway to engage a siphon action. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising selecting an interchangeable flow rate adjuster module for controlling either or both of a water volume or flow velocity through the rinse channel. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the toilet assembly comprises a toilet seat coupled to a shut off valve disposed within the rinse channel, the method further comprising:
 one of a) lowering a toilet seat to engage the shut off valve to the closed position to shut off all or substantially all of water flow through the rinse channel, or b) raising the toilet seat to disengage the shut off valve to the open position to allow water flow through the rinse channel.   
     
     
         16 . A toilet assembly with a self-cleaning rim system comprising:
 a flush valve disposed within a toilet body of the toilet assembly, the flush valve opening and closing a diaphragm to deliver water from an inlet valve;   a toilet bowl comprising a rim having a hollow section and a top surface forming an area suitable for water flow; and   a rinse channel comprising a rinse channel inlet for receiving water from the inlet valve, the rinse channel configured to deliver the water for cleaning the top surface of the rim with each activation of the flush valve.   
     
     
         17 . The toilet assembly of  claim 16  further comprising a shutoff valve coupled to the rinse channel, the shutoff valve controlling a volume of water entering the rinse channel inlet. 
     
     
         18 . The toilet assembly of  claim 16  wherein the diaphragm controls an equilibrium water pressure for releasing the water from the inlet valve to the toilet bowl. 
     
     
         19 . A toilet assembly with a self-cleaning rim system comprising:
 a toilet tank for storing water used by the toilet assembly;   a fill valve disposed within the toilet tank that opens and closes to deliver water from an inlet to the toilet tank;   a flush valve disposed within the toilet tank that opens and closes to deliver the stored water from the toilet tank for removing waste from a toilet bowl;   the toilet bowl comprising a rim having a hollow section and a top surface forming an area suitable for water flow; and   a rinse channel comprising a rinse channel inlet coupled to the fill valve via an overflow tube, the rinse channel inlet for receiving water for cleaning the top surface of the rim with each activation of the flush valve during a refill operation initiated by the fill valve.   
     
     
         20 . The toilet assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the fill valve comprises an opening to divert a portion of the refill water to the rinse channel, with the other portion of the refill water filling the toilet tank.