Patent Application
20250092657
The present invention generally relates to toilets. More specifically the invention relates to ligature resistant toilets
Toilets typically include a bowl and a seat. Often the seat is hingedly mounted to the bowl such that the seat can be rotated between two positions, a down position where the seat overlies the rim of the bowl and an up position where the seat extends generally vertically upward from the bowl. On some toilets, the bowl and the seat may be monolithically formed, such that the seat cannot be rotated relative to or otherwise removed from the bowl. Toilets of this type are often used in institutional settings, including long term care facilities and prison, and may be referred to as ligature-resistant toilets since the design of the toilet reduces points that would allow for the fixation of a ligature to the toilet.
To evacuate waste from the toilet, toilets may be gravity-assisted, pressure-assisted or vacuum-assisted.
In a gravity-assisted toilet, water is supplied to the bowl from a tank located in elevated in position relative to the bowl. Water, under the force of gravity, is provided to the bowl to assist with the evacuation of waste from the bowl, thought the bowl's outlet and a waste conduit coupled to the drain pipe of a waste collection system or sanitary sewer system.
In a pressure-assisted, water is provided from a pressurized source, such a pressurized water supply line. Pressurized water is directed into the bowl where after gravity operates to empty the contents of the bowl into the waste conduit and drain pipe.
In both the gravity-assisted and pressure-assisted toilets, the waste conduit may be provided with a blow-out jet. The blow-out jet provides a jet of water, bypassing the bowl, into the waste conduit at a location downstream of the P-trap located immediately after the bowl outlet. The jet of water initiates a siphon action on the water in the P-trap to begin clearing of the water and waste in the bowl.
In a vacuum-assist toilet, the evacuation of waste from the bowl through the waste conduit is facilitated by the application of a vacuum to the waste conduit.
One common issue with toilets used in institutional settings, particularly long term care facilities, is the aesthetics of the toilet. Current institutional toilets have an “institutional” look and are typically constructed completely of stainless steel with a prominently defined bowl and a unitarily formed seat. As such, the institutional toilet has a “hard” look and lacks aesthetics more similar to a conventional toilet found in a residential setting. A toilet having the functionality of an institutional toilet, but the aesthetics of a residential toilet is not currently available.
In one aspect of the invention, a toilet is provided for connecting a flush valve to a drain pipe of a waste drainage system. The toilet includes a housing, a bowl, a seat and a P-trap assembly. The bowl is enclosed by the housing and includes a waste receptacle defined between an upper opening and a waste outlet of the bowl. The seat is coupled to the bowl and defines a seating surface with a central opening above the bowl. Additionally, the seat cooperates with the bowl to define a rinse slot that extends about at least a portion of the bowl. The P-trap assembly includes an inlet positioned at and connected to the waste outlet of the bowl.
In another aspect, the rinse slot is open along its length.
In a further aspect, the rinse slot is open along its entire length.
In an additional aspect, the rinse slot is defined at least in part by an upper surface of the bowl.
In yet another aspect, the rinse slot is defined at least in part by a rinse channel defined in an upper surface of the bowl.
In a further aspect, the upper surface of the bowl is formed as a flushing rim, the flushing rim being attached to an upper portion of a receptacle of the bowl.
In an additional aspect, the rinse slot includes a floor defined in an upper surface of the bowl, the floor extending radially inward from an outboard wall defined in an upper surface of the bowl.
In still another aspect, the floor is downwardly sloped from the outboard wall to a central opening defined by bowl.
In yet a further aspect, the rinse slot decreases in width along opposing sides progressing from the rear of the bowl toward the front of the bowl.
In an additional aspect, the rinse slot includes a raised land formed therein, the raised land being located toward a rear side of the bowl.
In another aspect, the seat includes a downwardly extending lip located along at
least a portion of the central opening of the seat.
In a further aspect, the lip is located toward a rear side of the seat.
In an additional aspect, the toilet further includes a rinse water supply line, a refill reservoir and a flush valve spud connection. The flush valve spud connection is configured for connection to the flush valve, while the rinse water supply line includes a nozzle terminating at and configured for directing rinse water into the rinse slot. The refill reservoir is fluidly connects the flush valve spud connection to the rinse water supply line and including a plurality of walls defining a reservoir chamber having a upper end and a lower end.
In another aspect, the rinse water supply line is coupled to the refill reservoir adjacent to the lower end of the reservoir chamber.
In further aspect, a blow-out jet water supply line is included with the toilet and includes a blow-out jet nozzle connected to the P-trap assembly such that the refill reservoir fluidly connects the flush valve spud connection to the blow-out jet water supply line.
In an additional aspect, the blow-out jet water supply line is coupled to the refill reservoir adjacent to the lower end of the reservoir chamber.
In another aspect, the refill reservoir is positioned at a height in the toilet above a height in the toilet where the blow-out jet nozzle is coupled to the P-trap assembly.
In a further aspect, the refill chamber defines a volume and has a shape that decreases in volume from the upper end to the lower end of the refill reservoir.
In an additional aspect, the plurality of walls includes side walls, at least one side wall being angled toward an opposing side wall proceeding from the upper end to the lower end.
In another aspect, the housing the housing, bowl and seat are constructed of a first material, and the refill reservoir is constructed of a second material, the first material being a solid surface material and the second material being different than the first material.
According to another aspect of the invention, a hybrid toilet is provided. The hybrid toilet includes a housing, a bowl enclosed by the housing and including portions defining a receptacle having a waste outlet. A seat is coupled to the bowl and defines a seating surface above the bowl. The housing, bowl and seat are formed of a first material, which is a solid surface material. The hybrid toilet also includes a P-trap assembly having an inlet positioned at and connected to the waste outlet of the bowl. The P-trap assembly is constructed of a second material, that is different than the first material.
In another aspect, the second material is stainless steel.
In a further aspect, the P-trap assembly includes a reverse bend having a first section extending downward from waste outlet and a second section extending upward from the first section.
In an additional aspect, the second section extends upward to a position above the waste outlet.
In another aspect, the seat is fixed and immoveable relative to the housing.
In a further aspect, a transition area between the seat and housing is formed as a smooth transition surface.
Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent to persons skilled in the art after review of the following description with reference to the drawings and the claims that are appended to inform a part of this specification.
As used in the description that follows, directional terms such as “upper” and “lower” are used with reference to the orientation of the elements as presented in the figures or as the device would be installed. Accordingly, “upper” indicates a direction toward the top of the figure and “lower” indicates a direction toward the bottom of the figure. The terms “front,” “rear,” “left” and “right” are similarly interpreted. The terms “inward” or “inner” and “outward” or “outer” indicate a direction that is generally toward or away from a central axis of the referred to part, whether or not such an axis is designated in the figures showing the part. An axial surface is one that faces in a direction along the axis. In other words, an axial surface is provided in a plane oriented generally perpendicular to the central axis. A radial surface is therefore in a plane incorporating the axis and faces radially, generally toward or away from the central axis. It will be understood, however, that in actual implementation, the directional references used herein may not necessarily correspond with the described installation and orientation of the corresponding components or device.
Referring now to the drawings, toilets embodying the principles of the present invention are generally illustrated in
Referring now to
Referring back to
The housing halves 13 are manufactured (molded) out of an engineered solid surface material, which may be a combination of minerals (e.g. aluminum trihydrate), binding resin (e.g. acrylic), pigment and catalyst. The result is a strong, non-porous material for the toilet 10, 110 without the industrial feel of stainless steel and generally mimicking the appearance of a modernistic china toilet.
The bowl 14 and seat16, which are also formed of solid surface materials, are integrated together and mounted to an upper surface 40 and adjacent step 42 of the housing 12. As seen in
As seen in
Included in the rear of the rinse channel 46, near the spreader 50, is a crescent shaped, raised land 51. The width of the land 51, as seen in
The spreader 50 is a nozzle connected to the water supply line 22 and emits water in an approximately 180° fan pattern thereby directing the rinse water along the rinse channel 46 and toward the front end of the flushing rim 44. The rise water is directed so as to smoothly engage the side of the rinse channel 46, whose tapered width reduces in the direction of the front of the channel 46. Along with the provision of the land 51, by smoothly engaging the side of the rinse channel 46, with an angle of incidence of 75° or more, the flow of rinse water progresses along the length of the channel 46 and a substantially equal amount of water flows over the edge of the central opening 48 at any point along the rinse channel's inner perimeter. To further aid in this flow, the floor of the rinse channel 46 may be angled slightly downward and radially inward toward the central opening 48 from an outboard wall of the rinse channel 46.
As previously noted, the seat 16 is integrated with the bowl 14. When mounted to the bowl 14, the seat 16 cooperates with the rinse channel 46 and forms an upper surface thereover, defining a continuously open slot, slit or channel about the bowl 14 and providing uniform dispersion of rinse water that is directed into the bowl 14. As shown herein, the rinse slot is seen as extending completely about the bowl 14. However, the rinse slot may extend less than completely about the bowl 14. This extent, however, should be substantially about the bowl 14, namely at least 75% about the bowl 14. Additionally, the seat 16 may have a contrasting color relative to the remainder of the toilet 10, 110. The contrasting color of the seat 16 allows for a person to more easily visual identify the seat 16 prior to use.
To aid in directing water downward onto the collection surface 52 of the receptacle 45 of the bowl 14, the seat 16 may include a diverter dam 54 along the inner rear edge of the seat 16, in other words, on the large radii of the oval forming the correspond central opening 56 of the seat 16 and adjacent to the land 51. The diverter dam 54 is provided as a downwardly directed lip, spaced just inward from the central opening 48 of the flushing rim 44, and extends over an angle of between 110° to 180° measured from the center of the opening 56. This angle may be greater than the corresponding angle defined by the land 51. The diverter dam 54 is seen in
As readily seen in
The receptacle 45 of the bowl 14, includes an outlet port 60 for discharging water and waste from the bowl 14 during flushing. The outlet port 60 is configured to have secured thereto a mounting flange 62 of the P-trap assembly 18, which is preferably made of stainless steel. As seen in
The P-trap assembly 18, in addition to the mounting flange 62, includes at its proximal end a curvature of about 135° to 180° such that the conduit initially extends downward from the outlet port 60, then curves rearward and upward. This curvature is generally referred to as the U-bend or trap 67. Thereafter, the trap arm turns rearward and, preferably, slightly downward to define the weir of the P-trap assembly 18. Provided in this manner, residual water collects in the bowl 12 and P-trap assembly 18, up to the weir, and prevents odorous gas, traveling upward from the drain pipe, from being emitted through the outlet port 60, to the bowl 14 and into the room where the toilet 10, 110 is installed. After the trap 67 and trap arm, the connected waste conduit 66 is provided with a curvature that redirects the waste conduit 66 from an upwardly extending direction to a downwardly extending direction (in a floor outlet configuration) or rearwardly extending direction (in a rear outlet configuration), depending on the installation, and to the discharge end 68 of the waste conduit 66. The discharge end 68 is secured to the drain pipe by appropriate means, including, for example, a gasket flange 70 (see
Referring now to
During flushing of the toilet 10, 110, the flush valve (not shown) allows water to be introduced, via the flush valve spud connection 20, 120, into the refill reservoir 21 and from the reservoir 21 through the water supply lines 22, 24 to the spreader 50 and blow-out jet 58. From the spreader 50, water is distributed into the bowl 14 via the rinse channel 46, while the blow-out jet 58 initiates a siphon action in the waste conduit 66. The refill reservoir 21 defines a extra volume of water that is employed after flush valve has closed. Once the flush valve has closed, the extra volume of water in the refill reservoir 21 drains from the refill reservoir 21, under the influence of gravity, through the water supply lines 22, 24, spreader 50 and blow-out jet 58 and into the trap 67. As a result, the trap 67 and lower portion of bowl 14 are refilled with residual water to block odorous gas.
To aid in the above, the refill reservoir 21 is preferably positioned as high as possible in the toilet 10 and, relatively speaking, at a height greater than one or both of the spreader 50 and blow-out jet 58. More specifically, the refill reservoir 21 is positioned in the toilet 10 at a height greater than the weir of the P-trap assembly 18, which will correspond to the height of the residual water in the bowl 12 after flushing. As such, the refill reservoir 21 may be located immediately below and adjacent to a rear access cover 28, 128, which is further discussed below.
The refill reservoir 21 includes an internal chamber defined by a plurality of walls so as to contain a predetermined volume of rinse water therein that corresponds with the desired volume of residual water in the bowl 14 and P-trap assembly 18 after flushing of the toilet 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the refill reservoir 21 has an elongated, box-shaped construction that decreases in volume, i.e. narrows, toward a lower end of the refill reservoir 21. As such, one of the side walls of the refill reservoir 21, such as front wall 23, is angled relative to an opposing side wall, such as rear wall 25. Further, the water supply lines 22, 24 are connected to the refill reservoir 21 at a location toward the bottom of the refill reservoir 21. As shown, this connection is made in the front wall 23, adjacent to the bottom wall 29 of the refill reservoir 21. Alternatively, the connection could be made in the bottom wall 29 or another wall of the refill reservoir 21.
The flush valve spud connection 20, 120 is provided with the refill reservoir 21 in a manner for the specific spud connection, at the top thereof for a top-supply flush toilet and at the rear thereof for a rear-supply flush toilet. A support bracket 27, 127 supports the refill reservoir 21 and flush valve spud connection 20, 120. Like the flushing rim 44, the support bracket 27, 127 is supported on the housing 12 by the step 42. As seen in
To aid in installation of the toilet 10, 110, a removeable top access cover 28, 128 is provided rearward of the seat 16. The access cover 28, 128 extends laterally between the halves 13 of the housing 12, resting on the upper surface 40 thereof, and is provided so as to be flush with the rear end of the seat 16 when mounted to the housing 12. The flush mounting further facilitates easy cleaning of the present toilet 10, 110. To facilitate positioning of the access cover 28, 128, as seen in
Further when employed with a top-supply flush valve spud connection 20, the toilet 10 may include a valve cover 84, as seen in
When the access cover 28, 128 is removed from the housing 12, as seen in
The above description is meant to be illustrative of at least one preferred implementation incorporating the principles of the invention. One skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the true spirit and fair scope of the invention, as defined in the claims that follow. The terminology used herein is therefore intended to be understood in the nature of words of description and not words of limitation.
