Handle Assembly For a Toilet With a Rotating Sensor Assembly

Abstract

A flush actuation assembly for flushing a urinal or a toilet, the flush actuation assembly comprising a housing a sensor assembly rotatably coupled to the housing, wherein the sensor assembly detects the presence/absence of a user in a target area and transmits a flush signal based on said detecting a flushing assembly, operatively coupled to the sensor assembly, for receiving the flush signal and causing the flushing of the urinal or toilet; wherein the sensor assembly is rotatable relative to the housing for detecting the presence/absence of a user in differing target areas.

1 . A flush actuation assembly for flushing a urinal or a toilet, the flush actuation assembly comprising:
 a housing;   a sensor assembly rotatably coupled to the housing, wherein the sensor assembly detects the presence/absence of a user in a target area and transmits a flush signal based on said detecting;   a flushing assembly, operatively coupled to the sensor assembly, for receiving the flush signal and causing the flushing of the urinal or toilet;   wherein the sensor assembly is rotatable relative to the housing for detecting the presence/absence of a user in differing target areas.   
   
   
       2 . A flush actuation assembly for flushing a toilet, wherein the flush actuation assembly comprises the housing, sensor assembly and flushing assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , and wherein the toilet is of the type that comprises a toilet bowl and a toilet tank operatively coupled to the toilet bowl, wherein the toilet tank has a flush valve which provides a conduit for water to flow from the toilet tank to the toilet bowl when the toilet is flushed, wherein the flush valve includes a valve seat and a pivotable flush valve flapper which opens and closes the valve, and wherein the flushing assembly comprises a flush valve flapper lifting assembly, operatively coupled to the sensor assembly and positioned in the toilet tank, for pivoting the flush valve flapper from its closed position to its open position in response to the flush signal; and wherein:
 the tank toilet comprises an aperture through a sidewall through which a conventional handle, comprising a lift arm to lift a conventional flush valve flapper, is mountable, and wherein the housing is secured to the toilet tank through the aperture.   
   
   
       3 . The flush actuation assembly as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the housing comprises a handle assembly that itself comprises a stem that is passable through the aperture in the sidewall of the toilet tank, and wherein the handle assembly comprises a stem securer for securing the handle assembly to the sidewall of the toilet tank. 
   
   
       4 . The flush actuation assembly as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the handle assembly comprises a manually actuatable handle operatively coupled to the flushing assembly, and wherein the handle assembly provides the flush signal to the flushing assembly;
 wherein the handle assembly transmits the flush signal to the flushing assembly in response to manual actuation of the handle.   
   
   
       5 . The flush actuation assembly as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the sensor assembly comprises at least one sensor positioned in the manually actuatable handle and the rotation of the sensor is relative to the manually actuatable handle. 
   
   
       6 . The flush actuation assembly as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the handle assembly comprises a handle and the sensor assembly comprises at least one sensor positioned in the handle and the rotation of the sensor is relative to the handle. 
   
   
       7 . The flush actuation assembly as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the sensor assembly is electrically coupled to the flushing assembly. 
   
   
       8 . (canceled) 
   
   
       9 . A flush actuation assembly for flushing a toilet, wherein the flush actuation assembly comprises the housing, sensor assembly and flushing assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , and wherein the toilet is of the type that comprises a toilet bowl and a toilet tank operatively coupled to the toilet bowl, wherein the toilet tank has a flush valve which provides a conduit for water to flow from the toilet tank to the toilet bowl when the toilet is flushed, wherein the flush valve includes a valve seat and a pivotable flush valve flapper which opens and closes the valve, and wherein the flushing assembly comprises a flush valve flapper lifting assembly, operatively coupled to the sensor assembly and positioned in the toilet tank, for pivoting the flush valve flapper from its closed position to its open position in response to the flush signal; and wherein:
 the housing comprises a handle assembly that itself comprises a stem that is passable through and securable to the sidewall of the toilet tank.   
   
   
       10 . The flush actuation assembly as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the sensor assembly comprises a transmitter for transmitting the flush signal to the flushing assembly and the flushing assembly comprises a receiver for receiving the flush signal transmitted by the sensor assembly. 
   
   
       11 . The flush actuation assembly as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the handle assembly comprises a manually actuatable handle operatively coupled to the flushing assembly, and wherein the handle assembly provides the flush signal to the flushing assembly;
 wherein the handle assembly transmits the flush signal to the flushing assembly in response to manual actuation of the handle.   
   
   
       12 . (canceled) 
   
   
       13 . The flush actuation assembly as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein:
 the handle assembly comprises a manually actuatable handle; and   the sensor assembly comprises at least one sensor positioned in the manually actuatable handle and the rotation of the sensor is relative to the manually actuatable handle.   
   
   
       14 . The flush actuation assembly as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the sensor assembly comprises:
 a transmitter for emitting at least one radiation beam to the target area; and   a detector being responsive to a reflected radiation beam emitted from the transmitter and reflected off of a user in the target area.   
   
   
       15 . The flush actuation assembly as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the sensor assembly comprises:
 a transmitter for emitting at least one radiation beam to the target area; and   
     a detector being responsive to a reflected radiation beam emitted from the transmitter and reflected off of a user in the target area. 
   
   
       16 . The flush actuation assembly as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the sensor assembly comprises a turret rotatably mounted in the housing, and
 wherein the transmitter and the detector are mounted in the turret.   
   
   
       17 . The flush actuation assembly as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the sensor assembly comprises a turret rotatably mounted in the housing, and
 wherein the transmitter and the detector are mounted in the turret.   
   
   
       18 . (canceled) 
   
   
       19 . The flushing actuation assembly as claimed in  claim 17 , including a ring positioned in the housing assembly, and wherein the turret comprises a plurality of ribs;
 wherein the ring includes at least one depending finger that engages at least one or more of the plurality of ribs to maintain the position of the turret in each of a plurality of rotated positions.   
   
   
       20 . (canceled) 
   
   
       21 . The flushing actuation assembly as claimed in  claim 17 , including at least one depending finger inside the handle, and wherein the turret comprises a plurality of ribs;
 wherein the at least one depending finger engages at least one or more of the plurality of ribs to maintain the position of the turret in each of a plurality of rotated positions.   
   
   
       22 . A handle assembly for flushing a urinal or a toilet, the handle assembly being operatively couplable to a flushing assembly that receives a flush signal and causes the flushing of the urinal or toilet wherein the handle assembly comprises:
 a housing;   a sensor assembly rotatably coupled to the housing, wherein the sensor assembly detects the presence/absence of a user in a target area and transmits a flush signal to the flushing assembly based on said detecting;   wherein the sensor assembly is rotatable relative to the housing for detecting the presence/absence of a user in differing target areas.   
   
   
       23 . The handle assembly as claimed in  claim 22 , comprising a manually actuatable handle operatively coupled to the flushing assembly, and wherein the handle assembly provides the flush signal to the flushing assembly;
 wherein the handle assembly transmits the flush signal to the flushing assembly in response to manual actuation of the handle.   
   
   
       24 . The handle assembly as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein the sensor assembly comprises at least one sensor positioned in the manually actuatable handle and the rotation of the sensor is relative to the manually actuatable handle. 
   
   
       25 . The handle assembly as claimed in  claim 22 , wherein the handle assembly comprises a handle and the sensor assembly comprises at least one sensor positioned in the handle and the rotation of the sensor is relative to the handle. 
   
   
       26 . (canceled) 
   
   
       27 . (canceled) 
   
   
       28 . The handle assembly as claimed in  claim 27 , including a ring positioned in the housing assembly, and wherein the turret comprises a plurality of ribs;
 wherein the ring includes at least one depending finger that engages at least one or more of the plurality of ribs to maintain the position of the turret in each of a plurality of rotated positions.   
   
   
       29 . The handle assembly as claimed in  claim 27 , including at least one depending finger inside the handle, and wherein the turret comprises a plurality of ribs;
 wherein the at least one depending finger engages at least one or more of the plurality of ribs to maintain the position of the turret in each of a plurality of rotated positions.   
   
   
       30 . A toilet assembly comprising a toilet bowl; a toilet tank fluidly coupled to the toilet bowl, the toilet tank including a flush valve which provides a conduit for fluid between the toilet tank and the toilet bowl; and a flush actuation assembly as claimed in  claim 1 . 
   
   
       31 . A toilet assembly comprising a toilet bowl; a toilet tank fluidly coupled to the toilet bowl, the toilet tank including a flush valve which provides a conduit for fluid between the toilet tank and the toilet bowl; and a handle assembly as claimed in  claim 22 .