This invention is comprised of a method and device for disinfecting a flush toilet. The device is an electrocell mounted in the tank of the toilet, with two wire mesh electrodes immersed in the water in the tank and a battery applying approximately one to two volts of electric potential to the electrodes so that they chemically reduce a portion of the water in the tank to hydrogen peroxide. Then, when the tank is flushed, the peroxide is carried into the bowl where it can kill bacteria

Almon, A. C.

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S-73,660u_COO0000Io<IOE< METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DISINFECTING A TOILET BOWLdInventors: Amy C. AlmonE 410 Waverly Drive< Augusta, Georgia 30909omO_H_OO_H><Z_HZ_<U_ DISCLAIMERo2;_HH This reportwaspreparedas an accountof worksponsored-byan agencyof the UnitedStatesI_ Government.Neitherthe UnitedStatesGovernmentnorany agencythereof,norany of theiremployees,makesanywarranty,expressor implied,or assumesanylegal liabilityor responsi-bilityforthe accuracy,completeness,or usefulnessof anyinformation,apparatus,product,orP', processdisclosed,or representsthat its use wouldnotinfringeprivatelyownedrights.Refer-t'q encehereinto any specificcommercialproduct,process,or serviceby trade name,trademark,O manufacturer,or otherwisedoes not necessarilyconstituteor imply its endorsement,recom-09 mendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof. The views'_P and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of theUnited States Government or any agency thereof._. ituDISTRIBUTION OF FI--tlS DOCUMEN1-IS UNLIMITED1PATENTMETHOD AND DEVICE FOR DISINFECTING A TOILET BOWL5 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention:The present invention relates to methods and devices fordisinfecting the bowl of a flush toilet. The United States Government10 has rights in this invention pursuant to Contract No. DE-AC09-89SR18035 between the U.S. Department of Energy and WestinghouseSavannah River Company.2. Discussion of Background:Use of a flush toilet inevitably leads to the build up of bacteria15 in the bowl. Periodic scrubbing of the bowl in combination with anantiseptic and antibacterial cleaner is a part of normal housekeeping.Cleaning agents are commercially available for installation in a toilettank to reduce the rate of bacterial buildup between manual cleanings.These cleanining agents are usually installed in the tank and introduce20 chlorine bleach direcly into the bowl with each flushing. However,these chemicals are harsh. Furuhermore, the cleaning agent must bereplaced every ninety days or so and is relatively expensive.Hydrogen peroxide is a well-known disinfectant. Furthermore,it is known that hydrogen peroxide can be generated by applying a25 small voltage across two electrodes in waterl See US 2,022,650 issued2to Dawsey in 1935 for a description of the use of peroxide sogenerated for sterilizing drinking water.Also, measuring the change in the conductivity of the liquid in atoilet bowl to initiate a flushing automatically is described in Stiebel,5 Jr.'s patent, US 584,131, issued in 1897.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccording to its major aspects, the present invention is a10 flush toilet, or a device for use with a flush toilet, and a methodfor disinfecting the bowl of a flush toilet. An electrocell ismounted in the tank of the toilet, with two wire mesh electrodesimmersed in the water of the tank and a battery applyingapproximately one to two volts of electric potential to the15 electrodes. The battery is preferably carried in a water-proofcase attached to the tank wall. The electrocell reduces a portionof the water in the tank to hydrogen peroxide, an antiseptic.Then, when the tank is flushed, the peroxide in it kills bacteria !=in the bowl.20 The electrocetl mounted in the tank is an importantfeature of the present invention. In the tank, the electrocell isnot in view, does not interfere with the flushing action and isnot in a position to trap bacteria itself in the wire mesh.The use of hydrogen peroxide as an antiseptic is another25 feature of the present invention. Hydrogen peroxide is notJlikely to harm the toilet tank or bowl and is not hazardous in theconcentrations generated in the present invention.The use of a small battery, such as a 1.5 volt battery, isanother feature of the present invention. Use of a battery5 eliminates an electrical cord and transformer from an ACsource. Also, batteries of this voltage are readily available.The use of metal mesh electrodes, preferably stainless1steel mesh electrodes, is another feature of the presentinvention. Mesh provides a large surface area and steel mesh is10 inexpensive.These and other features of the present invention will bereadily apparent to those skilled in the art of flush toiletdisinfection from a careful reading of the detailed descriptionherein accompanied by the following drawings.15BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSIn the drawings,Fig. 1 is a side, cross-sectional view of a flush toilet according20 to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; andFig. 2 is _ front, cross-sectional view of the tank of a flush toiletaccording to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.4DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENTReferring now to Figs. 1 and 2, the present invention is a devicefor use with a flush toilet that will kill bacteria in the bowl of the toilet5 with each flush. There is illustrated in Fig. 1 a side, cross-sectionalview of a typical flush toilet 10, having a bowl 12 and a tank 14.Bowl 12 has an inlet 20, an outlet 22 and an opening 24 for receipt ofwastes such as urine and feces. Tank 14 has an inlet 26 and an outlet28 and is dimensioned to hold a quantity of water sufficient for10 flushing bowl 12. Inlet 26 receives make-up water following aflushing and water leaves tank 14 through outlet 28 and enters inlet 20of bowl 12 where it is dispersed from the top of bowl 12 down itsinside surface to outlet 22 and thence to a sewer or septic tank (notshown).15 Flushing is usually manually initiated by pressing a lever 30 ontank 14 that opens a valve 32 that normally seals outlet 28. When tank14 is emptied, valve 32 closes and tank 14 refloods with make-upwater.Carried by the wall of tank 14 is a case 34 containing an20 electrical battery 36 capable of producing at least one volt andpreferably between one and two volts, such as a 1.5 volt batter?', as arecommercially available. Case 34 is preferably waterproof and issuspended from the rim of tank by a support 38 so that it remainsabove the water line. Two wires 40, 42 connect the terminals of25 battery 36 to a pair of spaced apart electrodes 44, 46 immersed in thewater. Electrodes 44, 46 are preferably made of a metal mesh for, i5large surface area per unit weight and most preferably made of steelmesh for low cost.In the presence of the voltage applied by battery 36 to electrodes44, 46, a portion of the water molecules in tank 14 are chemically5 reduced to hydrogen peroxide. When tank 14 is flushed, hydrogenperoxide leaves tank 14 and enters bowl 12.The reactions that takes place are:H20 ..... > 2H + + 1/202 + 2e(Anode)10H20 + 1/202 + e ..... > H202(Cathode)Since the peroxide is generated from the water in the tank itself,no additional chemicals are required.15 In use, case 34 is suspended from tank 14 by support 38 so thatelectrodes 44, 46 are immersed in the water and, preferably case 38 isabove it. Battery 36 is placed in case 38 and connected electrically towires 40, 42. Then, toilet 10 is periodically flushed to send thehydrogen peroxide generated by the applied voltage to the inside20 surface of bowl 12.It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many changesand substitutions can be made to the preferred embodiment hereindescribed without departing from the spirit and scope of the presentinvention as defined by the appended claims.i ,i• +°,11ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREMethod and device for disinfecting a flush toilet. Thedevice is an electrocell mounted in the tank of the toilet, with5 two wire mesh electrodes immersed in the water in the tank anda battery applying approximately one to two volts of electricpotential to the electrodes so that they chemically reduce aportion of the water in the tank to hydrogen peroxide. Then,when the tank is flushed, the peroxide is carried into the bowl10 where it can kill bacteria.

Method and device for disinfecting a toilet bowl

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Method and device for disinfecting a toilet bowl

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