Re: Sat on a Toilet Sensor ?

[Stephen McGarry <Selfbuild@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Seem an ideal use for the Qprox proximity switch ICs i.e QT110
see www.qprox.com or http://uk.farnell.com/jsp/displayProduct.jsp?sku=9775722
These chips can use a hidden metal plate inside the cistern box to detect
the persons
body when near it (can sense upto 6" away)

HTH
Stephen

Marcus Warrington wrote:
>
>
> OK.. I need some ideas for a little problem I have.
>
> I am currently refitting our bathroom and I need a way of activating a
> fan but ONLY when some is SAT on the toilet. The fan is a "pan
fan" that
> extracts air from the toilet bowel to prevent.. err.. smells..
pervading
> the room. I did a mini bulk buy of these a few years ago.. which
reminds
> me, Kevin.. I still have yours in a box somewhere.. let me know your
> address and I'll get them sent to you!
>
> My first thought was a PIR but that would be difficult to restrict to
> only "sitting" on the toilet i.e. it would detect if someone
reached
> down and lifted up the seat , or maybe even some one standing there to
> pee etc.
>
> Next thought was use an ultrasonic sensor mounted on the wall behind
the
> toilet bowel (the cistern is concealed in the wall) and adjusted to
> point down at a 45 degree angle so that it covered the rear half of
the
> toilet. Problem is I'm not too sure how "focused" the beam
can be made
> on these devices.
>
> Another thought was to use a stress sensor (or weight sensor ?) on the
> toilet bowel. In some ways this would be the ideal since it would not
> rely on proximity to trigger. Problem is I have no idea what I'm
looking
> for, how much they are, how easy they are to integrate with a relay
etc
>
> Anyone got any ideas ?
>
> Marcus
>
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>
>