Liquid-collecting mechanism with arrayed mesh collection area and smart toilet containing same

Abstract

A liquid collecting mechanism that includes a liquid collection tube arm and a liquid collection tube head fixed at a front end of the tube arm. A sealing spacer is arranged at a joint connecting the liquid collection tube head and the liquid collection tube arm, and the liquid collection tube head is internally provided with a liquid collection cavity. An area of the liquid collection tube head located above the liquid collection cavity is a mesh collection area, and a plurality of collecting holes is provided in the mesh collection area. The mechanism includes a liquid suction tube passing through the tube arm and tube head, and the liquid suction tube has an open first end located in the liquid collection cavity and an open second end configured to connect with a pump body mechanism.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A liquid level sensing device, comprising:
 a needle having a first end arranged in a liquid-collection cavity and a second end, wherein the first end is located at an upper portion of the liquid--collection cavity and lies below a vertical plane of a plurality of collection holes;   a control circuit board configured to control a pump body mechanism; and   a wire electrically configured to connect the second end of the needle to the control circuit board.   
     
     
         2 . The liquid level sensing device of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid is urine. 
     
     
         3 . The liquid level sensing device of  claim 1 , wherein the needle is an input electrode of the control circuit board. 
     
     
         4 . The liquid level sensing device of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuit board controls a start and a stop of the pump body mechanism. 
     
     
         5 . The liquid level sensing device of  claim 1 , wherein the needle is made of steel. 
     
     
         6 . The liquid level sensing device of  claim 1 , wherein the device monitors a urine level collected in the liquid-collection cavity in real time. 
     
     
         7 . The liquid level sensing device of  claim 1 , wherein the pump body mechanism is controlled to suction the liquid in the liquid-collection cavity through a liquid-suction tube. 
     
     
         8 . A smart toilet comprising:
 a liquid level sensing device, the liquid level sensing device comprising:
 a needle having a first end arranged in a liquid-collection cavity and a second end, wherein the first end is located at an upper portion of the liquid--collection cavity and lies below a vertical plane of a plurality of collection holes; 
 a control circuit board configured to control a pump body mechanism; and 
 a wire electrically configured to connect the second end of the needle to the control circuit board. 
   
     
     
         9 . The smart toilet of  claim 8 , wherein the liquid level sensing unit is configured to monitor a liquid volume collected in the liquid-collection cavity in real time. 
     
     
         10 . The smart toilet of  claim 8 , wherein the pump body mechanism comprises an open end of a liquid-suction tube configured to connect with the pump body mechanism. 
     
     
         11 . The smart toilet of  claim 8 , wherein the control circuit hoard controls a start and a stop of the pump body mechanism according to the liquid level. 
     
     
         12 . The smart toilet of  claim 8 , where the liquid is urine. 
     
     
         13 . A method for detecting a liquid level comprising:
 determining if a liquid in a liquid-collection cavity has contacted an end face of a needle;   comparing an external input capacitance of a control circuit to a reference capacitance inside the control circuit and a capacitance of the needle and a wire; and   controlling a pump body mechanism to suction the liquid in the liquid-collection cavity through a liquid-suction tube when the external input capacitance is at least equal to the reference capacitance inside the control circuit plus a capacitance of the needle and the wire,   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the liquid level in the liquid-collection cavity is detected in real time. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the liquid is urine. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein before the liquid has contacted the end face of the needle, the external input capacitance of the control circuit is at least equal to the reference capacitance inside the control circuit plus the capacitance of the needle and the wire. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein, the control circuit outputs a high level, indicating the liquid has yet to contact the end face of the needle. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the liquid-collection cavity is full of the liquid or the liquid contacts the needle, the external input capacitance of the control circuit is at least equal to the capacitance of the urine in the liquid-collection cavity plus the capacitance of the needle and the capacitance of the wire. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the control circuit outputs a low level, indicating the liquid-collection cavity is full of the liquid or the liquid contacted the needle. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the low level from the control circuit controls the pump body mechanism to start to suction the liquid in the cavity through the liquid-suction tribe.