US 11,739,514 B2
Automated urinal
Mahendra Gunawardena, Hillsborough, NJ (US); Verne Myers, Fort Wayne, IN (US); Behnam Heydari, Ridgewood, NJ (US); Niloy Talukder, San Jose, CA (US); and Nitin S. Kolekar, Hillsborough, NJ (US)
Assigned to AS America, Inc., Piscataway, NJ (US)
Filed by AS America, Inc., Piscataway, NJ (US)
Filed on May 2, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/734,560.
Application 17/734,560 is a continuation of application No. 16/962,874, granted, now 11,346,090, previously published as PCT/US2019/014149, filed on Jan. 18, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/619,202, filed on Jan. 19, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0251814 A1, Aug. 11, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. E03D 5/10 (2006.01); E03D 13/00 (2006.01)
CPC E03D 5/105 (2013.01) [E03D 13/00 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An automated urinal comprising
a basin configured to receive a fluid;
a wall;
a trapway in fluid communication with the basin;
a flush valve; and
an automatic flush system,
wherein,
the automatic flush system comprises a first capacitive sensor and a controller,
the first capacitive sensor is coupled to an underside of the basin, and
the controller is in electrical communication with the first capacitive sensor and is in electrical communication with the flush valve,
wherein,
the automatic flush system is configured
to detect introduction of a fluid into the basin,
to detect a urinal normal state wherein the fluid flows through the basin and trapway over a defined period of time,
to detect a urinal abnormal clog state or abnormal slow-drain state wherein the fluid does not drain from the basin through the trapway, or drains from the basin slowly for more than a defined period of time, and
to detect a urinal abnormal flush valve leak state wherein the fluid is introduced to the basin for more than a defined period of time, and
wherein,
the automatic flush system is configured
to send a flush signal to the flush valve to initiate a flush if the urinal is in the normal state, and
to not send a flush signal to the flush valve to initiate a flush if the urinal is in the abnormal clog state, the abnormal slow-drain state, or the abnormal flush valve leak state.