IP Library Granted Patent US 10,077,897
Granted Patent B2
US 10,077,897 · App. 15/176,728 · Granted Sep 18, 2018

Toilet with an LED diffuser strip

Inventors: David R. Hall (Provo, UT); Dan Allen (Springville, UT); Joshua Larsen (Spanish Fork, UT); Jared Reynolds (Pleasant Grove, UT)
F21V33/004A47K17/02F21S4/24F21V3/00F21V7/005F21V7/0008F21V13/04F21Y2103/37F21Y2115/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,077,897
App. No.
15/176,728
Granted
Sep 18, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A two-piece toilet with a seam and a channel at an intersection of the two toilet pieces is disclosed. An LED strip and diffuser strip are used to fill in the channel and hide seam of the intersection of the two toilet pieces. The LED strip transmits light into the channel and the light is refracted off of the channel and through the diffuser strip on the back side of the LED strip. An exterior and interior of a toilet may be lighted by the LED strip.

Claims (23)

1. A toilet apparatus comprising:

a strip of LEDs (light emitting diodes), the strip of LEDs being adjacent to a first diffuser strip;

a top section of the toilet apparatus attached to a bottom section of the toilet apparatus; and

a seam forming a channel at an intersection of the top section and the bottom section, wherein the strip of LEDs and the diffuser strip are located within the channel and are used to hide the seam, and wherein the strip of LEDs emits a pattern of light intensity and color which indicates a length of time a user has used the toilet.

2. The toilet apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the LEDs transmit light into the toilet apparatus through a partially transparent material.

3. The toilet apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the LEDs transmit light around an external perimeter of the toilet apparatus.

4. The toilet apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the LEDs transmit light into the toilet apparatus and around an external perimeter of the toilet apparatus.

5. The toilet apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the toilet apparatus is made of at least one or more transparent or semi-transparent materials.

6. The toilet apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the LEDs transmits light through the one or more transparent or semi-transparent materials.

7. The toilet apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each LED in the strip of LEDs are individually addressable.

8. The toilet apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a second diffuser strip.

9. The toilet apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the first diffuser strip and the second diffuser strip are located on opposite sides of the strip of LEDs.

10. A method of lighting a toilet comprising:

providing a strip of LEDs (light emitting diodes), within a seam forming a channel at an intersection of a top toilet section and a bottom toilet section, the strip of LEDs being adjacent to a first diffuser strip and filling in the channel and hiding the seam, wherein the strip of LEDs emits a pattern of light intensity and color which indicates a length of time a user has used the toilet; and

using the toilet.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the LEDs transmit light into the toilet through a partially transparent material.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the LEDs transmit light around an external perimeter of the toilet.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the LEDs transmit light into the toilet and around an external perimeter of the toilet.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the toilet is made of at least one or more semi-transparent materials.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the LEDs transmits light through the one or more transparent or semi-transparent materials.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein each LED in the strip of LEDs are individually addressable.

17. The method of claim 10 , further comprising a second diffuser strip.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the first diffuser strip and the second diffuser strip are located on opposite sides of the strip of LEDs.

Assignments (7)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 16, 2024
From: MEDIC, INC.
To: GUARDIAN HEALTH, INC.
Reel/Frame 066337/0771 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 14, 2020
From: HALL LABS LLC
To: MEDIC, INC.
Reel/Frame 052671/0795 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 9, 2020
From: ALLEN, DAN
To: HALL LABS LLC
Reel/Frame 051856/0824 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 16, 2019
From: LARSEN, JOSHUA
To: HALL LABS LLC
Reel/Frame 049200/0397 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 16, 2019
From: REYNOLDS, JARED
To: HALL LABS LLC
Reel/Frame 049200/0287 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 15, 2018
From: HALL, DAVID R
To: HALL LABS LLC
Reel/Frame 046832/0478 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 15, 2018
From: LARSEN, JOSHUA
To: HALL LABS LLC
Reel/Frame 046832/0461 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62303233 · Mar 3, 2016
Related Publication 20170254526A1 · Sep 7, 2017