Systems, methods, and devices relating to a urinal

Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices relating to urinal, in some examples having a movable portion able to pivot from a generally closed to a generally open position. The urinal may have a drain line engaged with a proximal end of the funnel for conveying urine and rinse water into a sewer line or a toilet bowl and a rinse line coupled with a water supply for rinsing urine therein. The urinal may be movable with the assistance of one or more sensors that may automatically signal other electrical or mechanical components to move one or more portions of the urinal, and may be include elements that seal portions of the urinal when not in use or during cleaning to reduce gas or liquid escaping from the urinal system.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A urinal comprising:
 a. a housing;   b. a funnel coupled to the housing, wherein the funnel is configured to pivot between a first position within the housing and a second position at least partially outside of the housing;   c. a water inlet coupled to the funnel, the water inlet configured to spray water within the funnel to at least partially rinse the funnel when the funnel is in the first position;   d. a drain coupled to the funnel, the drain configured to permit water and urine to be removed from the funnel when the funnel is in the first position.   
     
     
         2 . The urinal of  claim 1  where in the urinal is coupled to a base that supports the urinal. 
     
     
         3 . The urinal of  claim 1  wherein the urinal includes brackets for mounting to a wall. 
     
     
         4 . The urinal of  claim 1  wherein the urinal includes near field communication circuitry programmed to detect the presence of a user. 
     
     
         5 . The urinal of  claim 1  wherein the urinal includes one or more infrared sensors configured to detect the presence of a user. 
     
     
         6 . The urinal of  claim 1  wherein the urinal includes a wireless interface configured to communicate data via the Internet to or from the urinal. 
     
     
         7 . The urinal of  claim 1  further comprising a manual valve configured to be used by a user to cause water to be dispensed through the water inlet into the funnel. 
     
     
         8 . The urinal of  claim 1  wherein the urinal is retrofitted to plumbing fixtures of an existing residential toilet. 
     
     
         9 . The urinal of  claim 1  wherein the funnel is flexible and thereby configured to be reduced in volume into a volume at least 25% smaller than its expanded volume. 
     
     
         10 . A method of operating a urinal comprising:
 a. detecting the nearby presence of a user using one or more sensors;   b. based on the detection of a user, signaling one or more motors or one or more actuators to move at least a portion of the urinal into an angled position ready to receive urine;   c. detecting the absence of the user using one or more sensors;   d. based on the detected absence of the user, signaling the one or more motors or one or more actuators to move at least a portion of the urinal into a closed position;   e. spraying water through a water inlet to at least partially wash the interior of the urinal;   f. opening a drain of the urinal to drain urine or water from the urinal.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein detecting the nearby presence of a user includes the use the use of near field communication. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein detecting the nearby presence of a user includes the use of RFID. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  wherein detecting the nearby presence of a user includes the use of Bluetooth. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the urinal is further to configured to transmit to a remote location via a wireless interface data relating to the operation or status of the urinal. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the urinal uses suction to drain urine or water from the urinal. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the urinal is substantially sealed from the release of air or liquid when in the closed position. 
     
     
         17 . A method for operating an Internet server comprising:
 a. transmitting, via network interface hardware, an interface for the creation of a user account;   b. receiving, via network interface hardware, settings of a user relating to the operation of a urinal;   c. receiving, via network interface hardware, a data transmission from a remotely-located urinal indicating that a user corresponding to the user account is nearby the urinal;   d. transmitting, via network interface hardware, settings or operation parameters for the positioning or use of the urinal.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising receiving a review of the urinal and storing the review in a memory. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising storing maintenance information related to a urinal in a memory associated with the Internet server. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising transmitting data, via network interface hardware, the data configured to cause the urinal to change the height at which it is positioned.