Flush toilet control system and related method

Abstract

A control system for a flush toilet includes a water delivery device for delivering a source of flush water to a bowl. The control system includes a controller and a user interface. The controller is operative to control the toilet through a flush sequence in a first mode and a second mode. In the first mode, the controller opens the water delivery device to deliver a predetermined amount of water to the bowl. In the second mode, the controller opens the water delivery device to deliver a user adjustable amount of water to the bowl. The user interface is in communication with the controller for selecting between the first mode and the second mode. Where the toilet is a macerator toilet, the controller monitors current draw unit when the current draw satisfies a predetermined current condition. The controller may operate in a normal mode and a lockout mode.

1 . A control system for a flush toilet, the control system comprising:
 a controller operative to control the toilet to implement a flushing sequence, and being operative in a normal mode and a lockout mode; and   a user interface in communication with the controller, the user interface being operative to initiate the flushing sequence when the controller is in the normal mode, and being inoperative to initiate the flushing sequence when the controller is in the lockout mode.   
     
     
         2 . The flush control system of  claim 1 , further comprising a sensing arrangement subsystem for sensing a waste level of a waste tank in flow communication with the toilet, the sensing subsystem being arrangement operative to generate a signal indicative of the waste level, the controller further being operable to receive the signal from the sensing subsystem arrangement and operate the controller in the lockout mode when the waste tank is substantially full. 
     
     
         3 . The flush control system of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface includes at least one manually operated element for switching the controller between the normal mode and the lockout mode. 
     
     
         4 . The flush control system of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one manually operated element of the user interface is operative to select one of a plurality of flushing modes. 
     
     
         5 . The flush control system of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one manually operated element of the user interface is operative to add water to the bowl prior to initiating the flushing sequence. 
     
     
         6 . The flush control system of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one manually operated element includes a display element for providing a visual signal that the holding tank is substantially full. 
     
     
         7 . The flush control system of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface includes at least one switch which, when pressed for a predetermined time period, operates to override the lockout mode when the lockout mode has been implemented by the controller, to allow one additional flush; and
 wherein the controller is configured to re-enter the lockout mode after the one additional flush is performed, without further action by the user.   
     
     
         8 . The flush control system of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one switch comprises a pair of switches that are engaged for a predetermined time period by the user to implement an override of the lockout mode. 
     
     
         9 . The flush control system of  claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to automatically re-enter the lockout mode when the plurality of switches that are released and the one additional flush is performed. 
     
     
         10 . The flush control system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to automatically enter the lockout mode without user intervention when the signal indicates that the waste tank is substantially full. 
     
     
         11 . A control system for a flush toilet, the control system comprising:
 a controller operative to control the toilet to implement a flushing sequence, and being operative in a normal mode and a lockout mode; and   a user interface in communication with the controller, the user interface being operative to initiate the flushing sequence when the controller is in the normal mode, and being inoperative to initiate the flushing sequence when the controller is in the lockout mode; and   the controller further being configured to automatically enter the lockout mode when a waste tank in flow communication with the toilet is determined to be substantially full.   
     
     
         12 . The control system of  claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to be overridden by a user to permit at least one additional flush of the toilet after the controller has entered the lockout mode. 
     
     
         13 . The control system of  claim 11 , wherein the user interface includes at least one switch engageable by a user for overriding the lockout mode. 
     
     
         14 . The control system of  claim 11 , wherein the user interface includes a pair of user engageable switches, and wherein the controller is configured to allow overriding of the lockout mode when both of the switches are simultaneously depressed for a predetermined time period. 
     
     
         15 . The control system of  claim 11 , further comprising a sensing subsystem for sensing a level of waste in the waste tank, the sensing subsystem being operative to generate a signal indicative of the waste level, the controller further being operable to receive the signal from the sensing subsystem and tp operate the controller in the lockout mode when the waste tank is determined to be substantially full. 
     
     
         16 . The control system of  claim 12 , wherein the controller is configured to re-enter the lockout mode after permitting the one additional flush, without intervention by the user. 
     
     
         17 . A control system for a flush toilet, the control system comprising:
 a controller operative to control the toilet to implement a flushing sequence, and being operative in a normal mode and a lockout mode; and   a user interface in communication with the controller, the user interface being operative to initiate the flushing sequence when the controller is in the normal mode, and being inoperative to initiate the flushing sequence when the controller is in the lockout mode;   the controller further being configured to automatically enter the lockout mode when a waste tank in flow communication with the toilet is determined to be substantially full; and   the control system being configured to implement a lockout override to allow the user to command at least one additional flush from the user interface after the lockout mode has been implemented by the controller.   
     
     
         18 . The control system of  claim 17 , wherein the user interface comprises at least one switch that is configured to generate a signal after being engaged for a predetermined time period, the signal operating to command the controller to perform the at least one additional flush. 
     
     
         19 . The control system of  claim 17 , wherein the user interface comprises a pair of switches that are configured to generate a signal after both being simultaneously engaged for a predetermined time period, the signal operating to command the controller to override the lockout mode to permit the at least one additional flush. 
     
     
         20 . The control system of  claim 17 , wherein the controller is configured to re-enter the lockout mode after being overridden by the user.