System and method for waterless urinal cartridge usage determination and indication

Abstract

Described is a system for waterless urinal cartridge usage determination and indication. The system comprises a measuring device for measuring a consumption factor. The consumption factor represents a usage measure of a waterless urinal cartridge. The system further includes an indicator for signaling/indicating when the consumption factor reaches a predetermined threshold. The consumption factor can be time-based, use-based, frequency-based, or physical characteristic-based. The system can also include a detector for detecting a use of the urinal cartridge. The detector communicates with the measuring device to provide use information to the measuring device. The predetermined threshold can help an operator of a urinal using a waterless urinal cartridge in determining when to replace the cartridge.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for waterless urinal cartridge usage determination and indication comprising:
 a measuring/computing device for measuring a consumption factor where the consumption factor represents a usage measure of a waterless urinal cartridge; and   an indicator for indicating when the consumption factor reaches a predetermined threshold.   
     
     
         2 . A system for waterless urinal cartridge usage determination and indication as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the consumption factor is selected from a group consisting of a time-based consumption factor, a use-based consumption factor, a frequency-based consumption factor, and a physical characteristic-based consumption factor. 
     
     
         3 . A system for waterless urinal cartridge usage determination and indication as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the time-based consumption factor is time and wherein the indicator indicates when a predetermined amount of time has passed since an installation of the waterless urinal cartridge. 
     
     
         4 . A system for waterless urinal cartridge usage determination and indication as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the use-based consumption factor is a number of usages of the waterless urinal cartridge and wherein the indicator indicates when a predetermined number of usages has accumulated since an installation of the waterless urinal cartridge. 
     
     
         5 . A system for waterless urinal cartridge usage determination and indication as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the time-based consumption factor is time and the use-based consumption factor is a number of usages of the waterless urinal cartridge and wherein the indicator indicates when a predetermined amount of time has passed or when a predetermined number of usages has accumulated since an installation of the waterless urinal cartridge, whichever occurs first. 
     
     
         6 . A system for waterless urinal cartridge usage determination and indication as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the time-based consumption factor is time, the use-based consumption factor is a number of usages of the waterless urinal cartridge, and the frequency-based consumption factor is a frequency of use of the waterless urinal cartridge, and wherein the predetermined threshold is a function of the time-based consumption factor, the use-based consumption factor, and the frequency-based consumption factor. 
     
     
         7 . A system for waterless urinal cartridge usage determination and indication as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the time-based consumption factor is time, and the frequency-based consumption factor is a frequency of use of the waterless urinal cartridge and wherein the predetermined threshold is a function of the time-based consumption factor and the frequency-based consumption factor. 
     
     
         8 . A system for waterless urinal cartridge usage determination and indication as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the use-based consumption factor is a number of usages of the waterless urinal cartridge, and the frequency-based consumption factor is a frequency of use of the waterless urinal cartridge, and wherein the predetermined threshold is a function of the use-based consumption factor and the frequency-based consumption factor. 
     
     
         9 . A system for waterless urinal cartridge usage determination and indication as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the physical characteristic-based consumption factor is selected from a group consisting of a measurement of an oil layer within the waterless urinal cartridge, a measurement of solid buildup within the waterless urinal cartridge, a measurement of a weight of the waterless urinal cartridge, a measurement of fluid flow through the cartridge, and a measurement of an erosion-based usage gauge. 
     
     
         10 . A system for waterless urinal cartridge usage determination and indication as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined threshold determines when the waterless urinal cartridge should be replaced and wherein the indicator indicates that the waterless urinal cartridge should be replaced when the consumption factor reaches the predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         11 . A system for waterless urinal cartridge usage determination and indication as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising a detector for detecting a use of the urinal cartridge, the detector communicatively connected with the measuring/computing device to provide use information to the measuring/computing device when a use occurs and where the measuring/computing device tracks the consumption factor based on the use information. 
     
     
         12 . A system for waterless urinal cartridge usage determination and indication as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the predetermined threshold determines when the waterless urinal cartridge should be replaced and wherein the indicator indicates that the waterless urinal cartridge should be replaced when the consumption factor reaches the predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         13 . A system for waterless urinal cartridge usage determination and indication as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the measuring/computing device, the indicator, and the detector are housed in a body selected from a group consisting of a urinal body; a cartridge body; a combination of a urinal body and a cartridge body; a combination of a urinal body and an extra-urinal location; a combination of a cartridge body and an extra-urinal location; and a combination of a urinal body, a cartridge body, and an extra-urinal location. 
     
     
         14 . A system for waterless urinal cartridge usage determination and indication as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein the predetermined threshold determines when the waterless urinal cartridge should be replaced and wherein the indicator indicates that the waterless urinal cartridge should be replaced when the consumption factor reaches the predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         15 . A system for waterless urinal cartridge usage determination and indication comprising:
 a measuring/computing device for measuring a consumption factor where the consumption factor represents a usage measure of a waterless urinal cartridge; and   a detector for detecting a use of the urinal cartridge, the detector communicatively connected with the measuring/computing device to provide use information to the measuring/computing device when a use occurs and where the measuring/computing device tracks the consumption factor based on the use information.   
     
     
         16 . A method for waterless urinal cartridge usage determination and indication comprising acts of:
 measuring a consumption factor where the consumption factor represents a usage measure of a waterless urinal cartridge; and   indicating when the consumption factor reaches a predetermined threshold.   
     
     
         17 . A method for waterless urinal cartridge usage determination and indication as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein the consumption factor is selected from a group consisting of a time-based consumption factor, a use-based consumption factor, a frequency-based consumption factor, and a physical characteristic-based consumption factor. 
     
     
         18 . A method for waterless urinal cartridge usage determination and indication as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein the predetermined threshold determines when the waterless urinal cartridge should be replaced and wherein the act of indicating indicates that the waterless urinal cartridge should be replaced when the consumption factor reaches the predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         19 . A method for waterless urinal cartridge usage determination and indication as set forth in  claim 16 , further comprising an act of detecting a use of the urinal cartridge and providing use information for use in the measuring act when a use occurs and where in the measuring act, the consumption factor is tracked based on the use information. 
     
     
         20 . A method for waterless urinal cartridge usage determination and indication as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein the predetermined threshold determines when the waterless urinal cartridge should be replaced and wherein the act of indicating indicates that the waterless urinal cartridge should be replaced when the consumption factor reaches the predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         21 . A method for waterless urinal cartridge usage determination and indication as set forth in  claim 19 , wherein the acts of measuring, indicating, and detecting are performed in body selected from a group consisting of a urinal body; a cartridge body; a combination of a urinal body and a cartridge body; a combination of a urinal body and an extra-urinal location; a combination of a cartridge body and an extra-urinal location; and a combination of a urinal body, a cartridge body, and an extra-urinal location. 
     
     
         22 . A method for waterless urinal cartridge usage determination and indication as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein the predetermined threshold determines when the waterless urinal cartridge should be replaced and wherein the act of indicating indicates that the waterless urinal cartridge should be replaced when the consumption factor reaches the predetermined threshold.