Toilet Bowl Cleaning And/Or Deodorizing Device

Abstract

A device for spraying an inner surface of a toilet bowl with a cleaning fluid is disclosed. The device includes a container for the fluid, a fluid sprayer through which the fluid can be sprayed on the inner surface of the wall of the enclosure, a pumping apparatus for delivering fluid from the container to the fluid sprayer, a sensor for detecting the presence of an object near the fluid sprayer, and a controller. The controller executes a stored program that activates the sensor at a beginning time of a time interval before a scheduled spraying time stored in the controller, monitors electrical signals from the sensor during the time interval to determine if an object is near the fluid sprayer, and if the controller determines that an object has not been near the sensor during the time interval, activates the pumping apparatus for delivering fluid from the container to the fluid sprayer.

1 . A device for spraying an inner surface of a wall of an enclosure with a fluid, the device comprising:
 a container for the fluid;   a fluid sprayer through which the fluid can be sprayed on the inner surface of the wall of the enclosure;   a fluid conduit in fluid communication with the container and the fluid sprayer;   a support for attaching the fluid sprayer near the inner surface of the wall of the enclosure;   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 the fluid sprayer; and   a controller in electrical communication with the pumping apparatus and the sensor and a source of electricity, 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 fluid sprayer, and 
 (iii) if the controller determines that an object has not been near the sensor 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. 
   
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein:
 the controller executes the stored program to:
 (iv) prevent activation of the pumping apparatus at the scheduled spraying time if the controller determines that an object is near the sensor during the time interval, and 
 (v) store in the controller a second scheduled spraying time that is later in time than the scheduled spraying time. 
   
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 2  wherein:
 the controller executes the stored program to:
 (v) activate the sensor at a second beginning time of a second time interval before the second scheduled spraying time stored in the controller, 
 (vi) monitor electrical signals from the sensor during the second time interval to determine if an object is near the fluid sprayer, and 
 (iii) if the controller determines that an object has not been near the sensor during the second 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. 
   
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 1  wherein:
 the controller executes the stored program to:
 (iv) store in the controller a second scheduled spraying time after the pump cycle time ends. 
   
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 5  wherein:
 the controller executes the stored program to:
 (v) activate the sensor at a second beginning time of a second time interval before the second scheduled spraying time stored in the controller, 
 (vi) monitor electrical signals from the sensor during the second time interval to determine if an object is near the fluid sprayer, and 
 (vii) if the controller determines that an object has not been near the sensor during the second 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. 
   
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 1  wherein:
 the controller executes the stored program to:
 (iv) monitor electrical signals from the sensor after any activation of the pumping apparatus, and 
 (v) deactivate the pumping apparatus if the controller determines that an object is near the sensor. 
   
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the enclosure is a toilet. 
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the pumping apparatus comprises:
 a motor in electrical communication with the controller;   a pump chamber in fluid communication with the container;   a discharge conduit in fluid communication with the pump chamber and in fluid communication with the fluid conduit; and   a piston linked to the motor such that the piston reciprocates in the pump chamber upon motor actuation for drawing fluid from the container into the pump chamber and moving fluid from the pump chamber through the discharge conduit and into the fluid conduit.   
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 1  wherein:
 the fluid sprayer comprises a rotating nozzle.   
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 1  wherein:
 the sensor is located on the support.   
   
   
       11 . A device for spraying an inner surface of a wall of an enclosure with a fluid, the device comprising:
 a container for the fluid;   a fluid sprayer through which the fluid can be sprayed on the inner surface of the wall of the enclosure;   a fluid conduit in fluid communication with the container and the fluid sprayer;   a support for attaching the fluid sprayer near the inner surface of the wall of the enclosure;   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 the fluid sprayer;   a manual actuator for the pumping apparatus; and   a controller in electrical communication with the pumping apparatus and the manual actuator and the sensor and a source of electricity, wherein the controller executes a stored program to:
 (i) receive an actuation signal from the 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 fluid sprayer, and 
 (iv) if the controller determines that an object has not been near the sensor during the time period, activate the pumping apparatus for delivering fluid from the container through the fluid conduit and to the fluid sprayer. 
   
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 11  wherein:
 the controller executes the stored program to:
 (v) monitor electric signals from the sensor after activation of the pumping apparatus, and 
 (vi) deactivate the pumping apparatus if the controller determines that an object is near the sensor. 
   
   
   
       13 . The device of  claim 11  wherein:
 the controller executes the stored program to:
 (v) activate the sensor at a beginning time of a time interval before a scheduled spraying time of the fluid, 
 (vi) monitor electric signals from the sensor during the time interval to determine if an object is near the fluid sprayer, and 
 (vii) if the controller determines that an object has not been near the sensor during the time interval, activate the pumping apparatus to delivering fluid from the container through the fluid conduit and to the fluid sprayer. 
   
   
   
       14 . The device of  claim 13  wherein:
 the controller executes the stored program to:
 (viii) store in the controller a second scheduled spraying time after the pump cycle time ends, 
 (ix) activate the sensor at a second beginning time of a second time interval before the second scheduled spraying time stored in the controller, 
 (x) monitor electrical signals from the sensor during the second time interval to determine if an object is near the fluid sprayer, and 
 (xi) if the controller determines that an object has not been near the sensor during the second 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. 
   
   
   
       15 . The device of  claim 11  wherein:
 the controller executes the stored program to delay activating the sensor for a delay time after receiving the actuation signal from the manual actuator.   
   
   
       16 . The device of  claim 11  wherein the enclosure is a toilet. 
   
   
       17 . A device for spraying a fluid into or onto an enclosure, the device comprising:
 a container for the fluid;   a fluid sprayer through which the fluid can be sprayed into or onto 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; and   a controller in electrical communication with the pumping apparatus and a source of electricity, wherein the controller executes a stored program to:
 (i) activate the pumping apparatus for delivering fluid from the container through the fluid conduit and to the fluid sprayer, 
 (ii) monitor voltage provided from the source of electricity to the pumping apparatus, and 
 (iii) adjust a pumping time period for the pumping apparatus based on the monitored voltage. 
   
   
   
       18 . The device of  claim 17  wherein the controller executes the stored program to: (iv) prevent activation of the pumping apparatus if the voltage provided from the source of electricity falls below a predetermined voltage. 
   
   
       19 . The device of  claim 17  wherein the enclosure is a toilet. 
   
   
       20 . The device of  claim 17  wherein the controller activates the pumping apparatus based on a scheduled spraying time stored in the controller. 
   
   
       21 . The device of  claim 17  wherein the controller activates the pumping apparatus when a manual actuator is actuated. 
   
   
       22 . The device of  claim 17  wherein the pumping time period is extended when the monitored voltage falls below a predetermined value. 
   
   
       23 . A device for spraying a fluid into or onto an enclosure, the device comprising:
 a container for the fluid;   a fluid sprayer through which the fluid can be sprayed into or onto 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 the fluid sprayer; 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 oriented such that a longitudinal axis of the sensing element is not normal to a surface supporting the enclosure.   
   
   
       24 . The device of  claim 23  wherein:
 the sensor includes a pair of pyroelectric sensing elements oriented such that a longitudinal axis of each sensing element is not normal to the surface supporting the enclosure.   
   
   
       25 . The device of  claim 23  wherein:
 the sensor includes a pair of pyroelectric sensing elements oriented such that a longitudinal axis of each sensing element is parallel to the surface supporting the enclosure.   
   
   
       26 . The device of  claim 23  wherein:
 the sensor includes a pair of pyroelectric sensing elements oriented such that one of the pair is above the other of the pair.   
   
   
       27 . The device of  claim 23  wherein the enclosure is a toilet.