Patent Application
20120246817
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of toilets in general and in particular to mechanical-trap toilets.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The following definitions and background information will help make this description clearer and easier to understand so that a reader can appreciate why a mechanical trap toilet can meet numerous technical ASME standards, or their functional intent, required by the Uniform Plumbing Code.
ASME A 112.1.2.-1991 defines air-gap as an unobstructed vertical distance through open atmosphere between the lowest opening from a pipe supplying water from a water supply to a toilet bowl and the highest level in the bowl to which water or waste may rise. The minimum ASME requirement is 50 mm (2 inches). The European Union's equivalent minimum dimension is 20 mm (0.8 inch).
Test media acceptable to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), are used by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Operators (IAPMO), toilet-rating laboratories, manufacturers, and inventors to determine the ability of a toilet to expel solids from a toilet bowl in laboratory drain lines. They include standardized polyethylene balls. Toto of USA pioneered the use of condoms of standard capacity filled with tofu of standard weight, also known as sausages.
A professional organization which defines the physical, functional, and health requirements of the Uniform Plumbing Code to be tested by a rating agency such as the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) to determine if a given toilet can legally be offered with the latter's rating, for sale in many US states and Canada.
Political disputes and warfare that occur due to water shortages. They are exemplified by the following broadcast on Public Service Television (PBS), “Your Majesty, Jordan has had great relations with Israel? Can you imagine going to war with Israel for any reason?” The late King Hussein replied, “Yes, water.”
Conventional toilets that may currently legally be offered for sale for residential and business use in the United States are of two kinds, (1) those characterized by siphon waste passageways, and (2) those characterized by wash-down waste passageways.
Corrosion includes erosion, pits, crevasses, etc., due to numerous corrosive acids and alkalis acting on most metals, plastics, and elastomers.
Drain lines are pipes that slope from a toilet to a septic tank, a sewer which discharges into a waste treatment plant, or a receptacle in a laboratory. Ideally, gravity, augmented by automated pumps, water toilets, and water from sources other than toilets can propel, i.e. carry, human waste to a waste treatment plant. Toilet manufacturers and inventors use laboratory drain lines, which are seamless and from which about a third of the uppermost structure has been removed so that laboratory personnel can see, measure, and report drain line carry with artificial test media, as described below.
Drain line carry is the ability of a given toilet to propel human waste (1) to a septic tank, or (2) to a sewer, or (3) to propel artificial test media from the toilet to a receptacle in a laboratory that can be used by laboratory personnel to determine whither the toilet can legally be offered for sale in a business or residence. Since solid human waste varies from person to person and over time, it is not readily possible to measure how well it carries. Consequently, the American Society of Mechanical Engineering (ASME) has devised a laboratory measuring method, defined in section 8.8 of ASME A 112.19.2-2003, which depends on laboratory personnel being able to see and measure how well 100 standard polypropylene balls carry in an seamless pipe which has an inside diameter of 100 mm (4 inches) and a straight run that inclines downward at a 2% angle from the toilet. To be legal to sell a toilet for use in a residence or business with an ASME rating, the toilet must be able to carry the balls a minimum average distance of 12.2 meters (40 feet) with no more than 6 liters (1.6 gallons) of water. Toilets that exhibit greater carrying power in a laboratory drain linen are prized (A) because they can lower the private costs of maintaining standard drain lines, and (B) because they can lower the costs of maintaining, repairing sewers, upgrading sewers and sewage plants, and to combat odor. For example, combating odor can cost San Francisco alone $100 million dollars during a 5 year period. San Francisco may have to pump 8.5 million pounds of bleach into its sewers to combat odors, and thereby further damage its own sewers and sewage treatment plants. Repairing or enlarging a sewage treatment plant for a city as large as San Francisco can cost billions of dollars.
A toilet that permits a person to use less water for urine than solid human waste.
A flush will evacuate bowl contents from a toilet bowl into an adjoining drain-line.
A valve that controls passage of pressurized water to a toilet bowl.
A bowl having an inside surface without concavities or convexities inclined so that human waste is less likely to adhere to the surface and more readily detached with less rinse water.
The ability of a given toilet to flush an adjoining drain line. To earn an IAPMO rating a full flush must be able to carry 100 standard polypropylene test balls an average of at least 12.2 meters (40 feet) in an adjoining drain line that slopes downward from the toilet at an angle of 2%. If it cannot, the toilet may not legally be offered for sale in a residence or business.
Downward movement of bowl contents from a bowl via a waste passageway into an adjoining drain line under no force other that of gravity, there being no thrust or drag other than that of the bowl.
One gallon is a U.S. Gallon that is equivalent to 3.78 liters.
A for-profit corporation, headquartered in Ontario, California, which rates whether a new toilet brand meets ASME standards. If it does, it receives an IAPMO rating. The market for IAPMO rated toilets and toilets that meet other stringent standards is large, at least ten times greater than that for RV, boat, etc., toilets. For example, at least three or four companies that sell siphon toilets gross more than three billion US dollars a year and thereby have cash flows so large that American Standard Companies sold its toilets at a loss for ten years. According to verbal communication with an ASME engineer and an IAPMO official, inventors and makers periodically submit mechanical trap toilets to IAPMO. As of 2008, no mechanical trap toilet received an IAPMO rating, in order to be legally offered for sale as a residential or business toilet.
A drain line, in a private or for-profit, laboratory, used by inventors and testing authorities for observing the ability of a toilet to carry simulated human waste, such as ASME-rated balls, but never solid human waste, towards, or into a receptacle.
On-going costs for maintenance, labor, and replacement of upstream and downstream infrastructures due to inefficiencies in water usage. These costs for one large city can exceed hundreds of millions of dollars. The cumulative costs of oil, gas, coal, and energy substitutes needed to pump water to toilets sometimes hundreds of miles away, and from toilets, are vast. Such costs and health and welfare losses to air, water, and row crop pollution by electric pumps, leaks, and effluents are all increasing.
A toilet that has a trap that can be opened and closed mechanically with respect to a bottom outlet of a toilet bowl.
The psychological costs included mental harm caused by wasting water. Such psychological detriments can include losing one's neighborhood to a water reservoir or waste water treatment plant or losing opportunities to enjoy pristine terrain, such as valleys, streams, rivers, and countryside. These losses can deprive current and unborn generations.
Rebates are money paid by water districts in the United States to encourage those who own toilets to replace them with ones that use less water. In addition, as mentioned below, some water districts and cities, such as the City of London, England, exchange tens of thousands of more water-saving toilets to avoid having to borrow and having to spend billions to build new water reservoirs or waste treatment plants or to enlarge old ones.
A reduced flush is a flush which can expel urine with or without toilet tissue from a toilet bowl but not feces.
A rinse is an attempt to use water to detach adherent toilet tissue, or solid human waste, from the inside of a toilet bowl.
Since the invention of siphon and wash-down toilets about 200 years ago, apparently no significant sanitary toilet authority, or agency, such as today's IAPMO, which protects the health of consumers using toilets and how well the toilets function, has certified a mechanical trap toilet for use in a residence or business, at least as of 2008.
An opening in an upper part of a toilet bowl that permits an over-flowing toilet bowl to discharge into a bathroom. The top of the spillway is the lowest part of Air Gap that can prevent human waste from coming in contact with water outlets. The minimum ASME Air Gap requirement—ASME A 112.1.2.-1991 is 50 mm (2 inches). The European Union minimum is 20 mm (0.8 inch).
A staggered flush is a method for enhancing drain line carry using flush water to strike solid human waste, the above mentioned ball, or tofu-filled condoms, from behind while they are moving in a drain line. This enhancement require an application of a physical principle that it takes less energy to keep an object in motion than to re-start it once it has come to rest.
These politically powerful ecological interest groups are organized groups of people who seek to influence the federal government to enact laws that encourage ever-more water saving toilet technology. These toilet advocates are powerful. In 1992 they persuaded Congress to mandate a full flush may not use more than 6.0 liters (1.6 gallons). Other politically powerful toilet advocates include departments of city, state, and federal governments, plus local and regional water districts responsible for financing the construction and maintenance of numerous new water reservoirs and waste treatment plants needed by burgeoning urban populations. Toilet advocates also include influential public-interest organizations, such as the California Urban Water Council, the Sierra Club, a variety of green organizations, and the water-conservation arms of U.S. cities, states, and federal governments. The list also includes the federal government itself and numerous city and state governments which must pay for toilet water used by numerous millions of civil servants, students, citizens, and armed personnel. Studies show that regulation of toilets by the United States Government in an attempt to save water, despite objections of makers, plumbers, etc., has had significant adverse impacts on the functional efficiency of conventional toilets.
The UPC is a code that defines minimum functional and material attributes of toilets which can legally be offered for sale in the United States. IAPMO, a for-profit company, headquartered in Ontario, California, enforces the UPC for numerous plumbing jurisdictions in Canada and many U.S. states. A committee composed of IAPMO officials, ASME engineers, representatives of toilet companies, toilet jurisdictions, etc., updates the UPC bi-yearly to reflect new plumbing inventions. A maker who wishes to receive a rating for her toilet may submit Interim Guide Criteria to the committee charged with updating the UPC. The maker's criteria should include enough detailed instructions to the UPC Interim Guide Committee how an IAPMO laboratory can test and prove to the satisfaction of the committee that the maker's proposed toilet and its innovation toilet are worthy of further consideration. If the Interim Guide Criteria committee is satisfied, the maker must submit a model of her toilet for rigorous laboratory testing by IAPMO, or an affiliated laboratory. Should the toilet passes all required tests, the committee instructs IAPMO to permit the maker to offer it for sale with its rating in any state, province, or water district that honors the rating. IAPMO informs us it has tested numerous mechanical trap toilets but as of 2008, none have earned its rating.
Urine is highly complex aqueous solution of organic chemicals that can corrode many man-made materials.
A volume of water per person per day is the water used by a specific toilet to satisfy the toilet needs of an average person. Medical science and the toilet industry assume the average person defecates once and urinates four times a day. The average toilet in the United States, Canada, Japan, and Europe uses at least 30 liters (8 gallons) per person per day. Some conventional dual-flush toilets use 18 liters (4 gallons).
A toilet bowl water-seal is enough water in a toilet bowl to prevent volatile toxic sewer gases, at atmospheric pressure, from rising into a bathroom. However, water-seal can evaporate with the passage of time and permit sewer gases to invade the bathroom.
A waste passageway is the part of a toilet between the bottom outlet of a bowl and an adjoining drain line. (1) Normally water in the bottom of the bowl of a siphon and wash-down toilet can prevent potentially toxic and explosive gases from entering bathrooms from adjoining drain lines. However, the water can evaporate and, furthermore, it cannot prevent sewage from backing up from the drain line and, (2) whereas, a rotational mechanical trap, which is normally hermetically sealed against the bottom outlet of the bowl and thereby prevents potentially toxic and explosive mixtures of sewer gases from entering a bathroom from an adjoining drain line, can prevent some sewage from backing up into the bathroom. In contrast, the waste passageways of siphon and wash-down toilets are less than optimal.
A wet spot is the quantity of water in a toilet bowl which is wide or deep enough to slow the momentum of falling feces. The wet spot can prevent feces from sticking to the bowl, or it may permit them to stick less firmly so that they can be more readily be rinsed off. The Uniform Plumbing Code stipulates that a wet spot should have a surface area equal to, or more, than 123×100 mm (5×4 inches) and be 50 mm (2 inches) or more deep.
Viton is an extremely resilient and corrosion resistant elastomer, made and a sold by du Pont under a du Pont Performance Elastomers L.L.C trademark.
As mentioned above, a water seal is the quantity of water in a toilet bowl sufficient to prevent volatile sewer gases, at atmospheric pressure from rising into a bathroom. Furthermore, significant pressure or suction in an adjoining drain line can undo a water seal in conventional toilets, so that those nearby are no longer protected from sewer gases. However, water seals are less than optimal.
Grech et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,871,361, filed on Mar. 29, 2005, show a conventional mechanical trap toilet which can expel human waste only a few inches from its bowl, into a black-water holding tank under the floor of an RV, or a few inches into a lake or sea from a boat. Its ability to carry human waste further than a few inches is less than optimal.
Prior-art toilets almost exclusively have a plurality of water outlets, each of which is oriented to rinse toilet bowls with pressurized water in roughly the same direction, usually clockwise. For example, O'Malley et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,332,229, filed on Dec. 25, 2001, shows a toilet bowl which has at least two water outlets which rinse in the same direction. Huffman et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,715,544, filed on Feb. 10, 1995, show water outlets that rinse in the same and opposite directions. Heinze, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,404,696, filed on Sep. 20, 1983, shows one or more multi-channel water outlets that rinse a bowl in three directions, forward, rearward, and downward. Ament, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,167, filed on Jun. 5, 1990, shows pressurized water flowing in opposite directions within the rim of a toilet. Brower, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,124, filed on Jun. 23, 1992, shows a toilet bowl rinsed by rotating water outlets. Nakamura et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,145,138, filed on Nov. 14, 2000, show an upper part of a toilet bowl shaped so that pressurized water rinses the bowl in opposite directions. Hargraves, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,075,718, filed on Feb. 28, 1978, shows complex multi-channel high pressure nozzles. Grech et al. show two water outlets, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,871,361. One water outlet automatically jets pressurized water along a ledge (20) on one side of an upper part of a bowl in one direction. Then, the water flows over the edge of the ledge to rinse a remainder of the bowl. The other water outlet automatically rinses a second ledge and the other side of the bowl in a similar manner. However, the water outlets do not efficiently rinse an area of toilet above the ledge. Consequently they can not pass 8.6 Surface Wash Test of ASME A 112.19.2-2003 that requires the bowl be rinsed to one inch (25 ml) below the outlets. The outlets are widely separated at the rear of the toilet consequently they can not rinse the rear of the bowl, where, due to the parallel bi-lobed shape of the human buttocks feces are more apt to adhere. Consequently, the configuration of the toilet bowl and its water outlets, taught by Grech et al, are less than optimal.
Schnitzler, in Swiss Pat. No. CH10222, filed on Mar. 13, 1898, and Kimble, in U.S. Pat. No. 988,787, filed on Apr. 4, 1911, both show toilets having spillways in upper parts of bowls. The spillways can help prevent human waste from overflowing onto floors. However, the spillways are too close to water outlets to meet ASME standard A 112.1.2-1991 which requires that there be a sufficiently wide unobstructed air gap between water in a toilet and water entering from a water supply to prevent contamination of the drinking water in the event of a negative pressure in a conduit that delivers drinkable water to the toilet.
Prior-art flush toilets currently use 28% of water used indoors in the U.S. Water reservoirs are required to store water so that there is enough on hand for towns and cities when needed. Waste treatment plants are required for sterilizing sewage and used indoor water. Reservoirs and waste treatment plants can be vast in area and frequently cost one or more billion dollars each. Many citizens do not want them in their neighborhood. Toilets in U.S. commercial buildings use about 1.2 billion gallons (4.6 billion liters) of water a day, the equivalent of the capacity of 48 full-sized water reservoirs a year. It can cost as much to enlarge a water storage reservoir as to build one; it cost approximately US $2 billion to build the Eastside Reservoir to double the storage capacity for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. City and regional water agencies normally borrow the initial money from state governments to build or enlarge water reservoirs and waste treatment plants to accommodate burgeoning urban populations. The state governments in turn borrow from the Federal government. Eventually, taxpayers must repay not only the borrowed billions but interest that can bring their total debt to three times the money borrowed. Current toilets are less than optimal for reducing these financial burdens.
The present invention can be implemented in numerous ways, such as in a toilet, or an equivalent waste disposal. Various aspects of the invention are described below.
In accordance with one aspect, a toilet bowl has a bottom outlet. A sealing ring surrounds the bowl near the bottom outlet. A rotational saucer-shaped seal is positioned adjacent to the bottom outlet at the entrance to a waste passageway. The saucer can be pivoted upward against the sealing ring to hermetically seal the bottom outlet of the bowl. The saucer can be pivoted downward to permit bowl contents to free fall via the waste passageway into an adjoining drain line. An automated two-stage staggered-flush carries human waste or 100 standard balls more efficiently in the adjoining drain line. All parts exposed to urine, feces, or corrosive gas are made of, or coated, by materials resistant to corrosion by the urine, feces, and gas. Moving parts are advantageously mounted with loose tolerances so that they can be operated and the saucer can be opened and closed 75,000 times without the toilet loosing its ability to pass an array of other ASME tests.
Accordingly, several advantages of one or more aspects of the present invention are (a) a staggered flush that improves drain line carry, (b) no need for a water seal, (c) the bottom outlet of the bowl and the waste passageway are much wider than those of a siphon toilet so the bowl and waste passageway are correspondingly more unlikely to clog, (5) it can't contaminate drinking water, (6) the bowl is unlikely to over flow onto a bath room, (7) it can meet or surpass all of the historical health and functional advantages of siphon and wash-down toilets, and (8) and is more ecological because it uses much less water per-person-per-day. Furthermore, for all but very small children, a maker can customize the toilet comfortably to seat a customer of any height and weight, or customer subset, by omitting gasket 45 in
Further advantages of various aspects will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and accompanying drawings.
As shown in
A gasket 45 is sandwiched between an upper support structure 24 and a flange 44 of a waste passageway 34. The waste passageway 34 is an integral part of the lower structure.
A bowl 26 is an integral part of the upper support structure. As shown in
As shown in
Reinforcing ribs 38, shown in
As show in
Shaft 90 is connected to a hub 132. An arm 130 extends from the hub. The distal or free end of arm 130 is connected to one end of a coil spring 50. The other end of the coil spring 50 is connected to a wall of the toilet 141 as also shown in
A second arm 108 extends from hub 132 at an angle of about 130 degrees. 108 is connected to trigger 102. One end of the trigger 102 is formed as catch 112, also shown in
A timing wheel 82 is connected to a timing belt 81, as shown in
In one embodiment, the bottom outlet 32 is about 3.25 inches wide, considerably wider than siphon toilets and, when open, thereby much less likely to clog. When closed, it can (1) retain water, urine, solid human waste, and artificial test media in the bowl, and (2) prevent potentially volatile toxic or explosive mixtures of gases from entering a bathroom from an adjoining drain line. In one embodiment, the trap has the general shape of a saucer.
One embodiment of the invention automatically carries 100 test plastic balls an average distance of more than 12 meters (40 feet) with 1.0 to 2.0 liters of water. Another embodiment of the invention can carry 100 balls in excess of 18.3 meter (60 feet) with 1.0 to 2.0 liters (0.3 to 0.5 gallons) with a staggered flush.
Bowl 26 is an integral part of upper support structure 24. The bottom of the bowl 26 protrudes downward through upper support structure 24.
The upper support structure 24 sits on and is connected to a lower support structure 22. The lower support structure 24 sits on the ground 23 and is connected to an adjoining drain line 36. A waste passageway 34 is an integral part of the lower support structure. Bowl 26 and waste passageway 34 have bottom outlets that are aligned approximately vertically above an inlet to the adjoining drain line. A sealing ring 48 surrounds and is connected to the outside of the bowl near the bottom outlet of the bowl. The sealing ring may be made of compressible material. In one embodiment, it may be made of a fluoro-elastomer, sold under the du Pont trademark Viton, one of the most corrosion proof compressible materials currently available.
The frustum-shaped bowl 26 has a front part 28 and a rear part 30. The front part 28 inclines 30 to 50 degrees forward and the rear part 30 inclines 5 to 15 degrees rearward from the vertical. The front part 28 and rear part 30 of the bowl 26 are linear; they do not form convexities or concavities. In one embodiment, there can be an inclination in the front part 28 of 40 degrees forward and the rear part 30 of 10 degrees rearward. As mentioned above, this lack of concavities and convexities (1) helps prevent feces and toilet tissue from sticking to those parts of the bowl 26 and thereby makes them easier to rinse, and (2) permits rinse and flush water to fall with greater momentum.
The saucer-pivoting shaft 90 is connected to plate 49. The plate 49 is connected to stud 140, as shown in
Electric controls 76 and a flushometer valve 54 are located within the accessory compartment 56, as shown in
As show in
As shown in
As shown in
The flushometer valve 54 is connected to a water feed 52 which is connected to a source of pressurized water, which is suitable for drinking. The flushometer valve 54 contains a diaphragm (not shown). The diaphragm is connected to a push-rod 80. The push-rod 80 is connected to a push button 78, which is located on top of the toilet, adjacent to button 72 and button 74. Manually depressing the push button depresses the push-rod 80 and manually opens the flushometer valve 54.
The flushometer valve 54 is connected to water conduits 60. The water conduits 60 run forward on the outside of both sides of the toilet bowl 26. At least two of the water conduits 60 enter the bowl from opposite directions adjacent to each other. The water conduits 60 end inside of the bowl as water outlets 62. Thus, the water outlets 62 point in opposite directions the inside of the bowl 26.
A spillway 64 is provided in an upper front part of the toilet bowl 26. As mentioned below, there sufficient distance between the spillway 64 and the water outlets 62 to permit bowl contents to flow out of the bowl without coming into contact with the water outlets 62 or, in the event of a drop in pressure in the pressurized water source, being sucked into water that is suitable for drinking. An anti-splash ledge 66 is connected to the bottom of the spillway 64 to prevent turbulent rinse water from leaving the bowl.
Bowl 26 has a front 28 and a rear part 30 and a bottom outlet 32. There is a spillway 64 in the top of the front part of the bowl. The front of bowl 28 below the spillway 64 is indented to form an anti-splash ledge 66. The anti-splash ledge 66 confines rinse water to the bowl 26. Thus, it prevents rinse water from splashing out the front of the bowl 28 where rinsing is particularly strong.
At least two water conduits 60 enter the bowl from opposite directions. The water conduits 60 end as adjacent water outlets 62 that point in opposite directions so that they can rinse areas of the bowl below, between, and beyond the outlets, and with particular turbulence towards the front and rear mid-lines of the bowl where, due to the bi-lobed configuration of the human buttock, feces are prone to adhere.
As shown in
Saucer-pivoting shaft 90 is connected to plate 49. Plate 49 is connected to stud 140. The stud 140 is welded to a rigid plate 134 which is molded within a flat part of a saucer-shaped seal, saucer 46. The rigid plate 134 stiffens the saucer 46. The periphery of the saucer 46 inclines upward and outward from the flat part of the saucer 46. A washer and wave washer 138 and a nut and jam nut 136 secure plate 47 to the stud 140.
Plate 49 and the saucer 46 are shown pivoted clockwise, fully closed, upward, so that the peripheral part of the saucer 46 is hermetically compressed against the sealing ring 48.
Sealing ring 48 is made of a resilient material. In one embodiment, this material may include Viton, a Du Pont product. As shown in
A sprocket on a drive motor (not shown) is connected to a notched timing belt 81. The belt is connected to a notched timing wheel 82. Arm 86 and cam 84 are connected to 82. One end of main spring 50 is fastened to a wall of the toilet; the other end (not shown) is behind the timing wheel 82.
Arm 108 protrudes below the timing wheel 82. Arm 108 is rotationally connected to trigger 102. One end of the trigger 102 is formed as catch 112. The other end of the trigger 102 is connected to the bottom of trigger-centering spring 111. The top of the trigger-centering spring 111 is connected to arm 108. An inside surface of arm 108 is connected to roller 109.
The right end of arm 114 is rotationally attached to a wall of the toilet 141. The other end of arm 114 is free. Roller 115 is connected the outside of arm 114. An adjusting screw 120 is welded to arm 114. The adjusting screw 120 is connected to bracket spring 122. Bracket spring 122 is connected to bracket 124. The bracket 124 is fastened to wall of the toilet 141. The spring 111 urges arm 114 upwards against roller 109 on 108, and a rear end of trigger 102 upward. An electric switch 126 is connected to a wall of the toilet 141 and to electric control 76, as shown in
Main spring 50 can be any mechanical, pneumatic, or magnet spring that opens the saucer fast enough to permit bowl contents to free fall into an adjoining drain line. In one embodiment, the main spring 50 may be a coil spring. The speed with which the main spring 50 snaps open depends on the inertia of the above mentioned multi-part mechanism for opening the saucer 46 and on the strength of the main spring 50. In one embodiment, the saucer 46 may snap open within half of a second.
Roller 109 is connected to an inside lower part of arm 108. The free end of arm 114 is formed as catch 116. Roller 109 is engaged in catch 116. Trigger-centering spring 110 is connected to trigger 102 and to arm 108. The spring 50 urges trigger 102 to rotate to a position that is roughly at a 90° angle to arm 108.
Consequently the toilet is ready (1) to expel urine or (2) solid human waste to a sewer, or (3) to test its ability to carry 100 test balls, or sausages, aka condoms filled with tofu in an adjoining laboratory drain line.
Electric control 76 opens flushometer valve 54 for a predetermined time, preferably about 100 milliseconds, to permit pressurized water to emerge from opposing water outlets 62 to create an extensive and turbulent rinse pattern, to detach urine from the wall of the bowl 26, as shown in
Depression of button 72 also actuates electric control to start saucer opening and closing motor 79 to rotate clockwise until the saucer 46 is fully open as follows: Clockwise rotation of motor 79 rotates timing belt 81 clockwise. Clockwise rotation of 81 rotates timing wheel 82 clockwise. Continued clockwise rotation of the timing wheel 82 causes cam 84 to depress roller 115. Depression of roller 115 depresses the front end of arm 114. Depression of the front end of arm 114 disengages catch 87 on arm 86 from catch 11 on arm 102 and thereby causes main spring 50 to snap closed. Relaxation of main spring 50 snaps arm 130 on 132 counter clockwise.
Counter clockwise rotation of hub 132 rotates key 91 on saucer pivoting shaft 90 counter clockwise and snaps arm 108 counter clockwise to roughly horizontal position as shown in
Further clockwise rotation of timing wheel 82 by motor 79 closes the saucer 46 as follows: (1) Wheel 82 rotates arm 84 rotates clockwise. (2) Clockwise rotation of 84 depresses roller 115 on arm 114. (3) Depression of arm 114 engages catch 87 on arm 86 with catch 112 on trigger 102 and presses the rear end of trigger 102 against bracket spring 112 so that the saucer is fully closed, as shown in
Expelling Solid Human Waste to a Sewer with a Staggered Flush—
Since there is normally no water in the bowl, a wet spot is required to cushion falling feces to prevent them from unduly adhering to the bowl. In one embodiment, there may be a 1.00-liter (0.25 gallon) wet spot. It is about 85 mm (3.45 inches) deep and has a surface area of about 140 mm by 165 mm (5.75 by 6.75 inches). One embodiment of the invention exceeds minimum ASME standards for wet spots.
To create the above mentioned wet spot a user depresses manual push button 74 for long enough to fill the bowl to a 1.0 liter (0.25 gallon) mark, not shown. If the above 1.00 liter (0.25 gallon) wet spot does not suit a user, the user can create a larger one as follows: The user depresses push button 78, shown in
When ready to expel solid human waste to a sewer, the user depresses automated button 74 to actuate a staggered flush, as summarized in chart
Motor 79 rotates the timing belt and the timing wheel 82 clockwise until the saucer 46 has opened to its fully down position, as described in detail above. Opening the saucer 46 permits the wet spot plus, the water used to rinse the bowl 26, and solid human waste to free fall into the adjoining drain line.
While the saucer is open and the solid human waste is still moving in the drain line, the flushometer valve 54 automatically opens again for a predetermined time, preferably about 750 milliseconds, to introduce additional water, about 1.0 to 2.0 liters (0.25 to 0.5 gallons) into the drain line behind the moving solid waste. While the saucer 46 is open, the flushometer valve 54 opens for a predetermined time, preferably about one and half seconds to release a second quantity of water, about 3.0 liters (0.75 gallons) into the drain line while the solid human waste is still moving, for a total consumption of about 5.0 to 6.0 liters, (1.25 to 1.50 gallons.
Releasing the above mentioned second quantity of water into the drain line while the solid human waste is still moving, carries the solid waste further than if both quantities of water were to enter the drain line together.
The saucer automatically closes as described in detail above. The operation for expelling solid human waste to a sewer with a staggered flush is terminated. The toilet is ready for the next user.
Note, since the frustum shaped bowl 26 becomes progressively narrows from top outlet to bottom outlet, the free-falling feces, toilet tissue, urine, and wet spot converge so that their total diameter becomes considerably less than that of the waste passageway 34 they transit. Consequently, they are unlikely to adhere to the waste passageway 34.
Testing a Toilet to Carry Asme-Rated Plastic Balls in a Laboratory Drain Line with a Staggered Flush
A tester inserts 100 plastic balls into the normally empty bowl of the toilet and actuates button 74. Button 74 actuates motor 70 to open the saucer, as described in above, so that the balls free-fall into an adjoining laboratory drain line. While the saucer is open, flushometer valve 54 opens for about 750 milliseconds to release a predetermined amount of water into the drain line to impart more momentum to the balls. After about a 750 millisecond delay, while the balls are moving in the drain line, motor 70 re-opens flushometer valve 54 for about 1.5 seconds to release pressurized water into the drain line to impart additional momentum, and, thus greater carry to the balls. Then, the flushometer valve 54 closes and the saucer 46 closes to its normal closed vertically upright position. The motor stops. The operation is terminated and the toilet is immediately available for additional operations.
As mentioned above, paragraph 8.8 of ASME brochure A112. 19.2-2003 states that toilets that may be legally offered for sale in residences and business with an IAPMO rating in the US and Canada on condition they can carry 100 balls an average of 12.2 meters (40 feet), or more, with 6.0 liters (1.6 gallons) or less of water.
One embodiment of the toilet can carry 100 balls in excess of 18.3 meters (60 feet) with about 1.00 to 2.00 liters (0.3 to 0.5 gallons) of water. Apparently, no prior-art toilet carried this number of balls so far with less than 6.0 liters (1.6 gallons).
Some dual-flush siphon and wash-down toilets use about 18 liters (4.76 gallons) per-person-per-day when conventionally used. Most single-flush siphon toilets, when used as recommended by their makers and most single flush wash-down toilets use about 30.0 liters (8.0 gallons) per person per day. One embodiment of the toilet uses about 9.8 liters (2.6 gallons) per day per person when used as recommended.
Accordingly the reader will appreciate various aspects of the present invention have several advantages such as water efficiency and cleanliness. For example, the steep-sided bowl, having none of the conventional convexities and concavities helps prevent feces from adhering to the bowl. Opposing water outlets rinse the bowl most turbulently where feces are more prone to adhere. Thus, the outlets are more water efficient and the bowl more likely to remain clean. Furthermore, urine adherent to the bowl can be rinsed into the drain line with about 250 ml (0.07 gallon) of water.
The saucer is normally hermetically compressed against the bowl, so that the contents of the bowl remain in the bowl and sewer gases remain in the sewer. One embodiment of the invention has a saucer that has been tested and opened and then hermetically closed about 75,000 times.
The saucer opens with sufficient rapidity that urine, feces, and or toilet tissue in the bowl can free fall into an adjoining drain line. Thus, unlike current indoor toilets, a wet spot is not necessary when a user merely urinates.
If the toilet is provided in a public bathroom, a laser beam can be directed across the bathroom's doorway so that, whenever a user leaves without flushing, the interruption of the beam will automatically trigger the above operation for flushing solid waste.
The manual push button can be repeatedly actuated to accumulate up to seven liters of water in the bowl to flush toilet tissue that may come rest in the drain line adjoining a business because the drain line may not regularly be flushed by showers, dish washers, clothes washers, sinks, etc., as are drain lines adjoining residences; toilets use less than 30% of water used indoors in residences.
Although the above description contains many details, these details should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention, since they are merely illustrative examples of some of the embodiments. Many additional embodiments are possible. For example, the drive motor can be directly connected to the timing-wheel assembly, thus eliminating the need for and expense of a timing belt. In one embodiment, the toilet can utilize a battery capable of powering several thousand automated flushes during a power outage or in buildings not provided with electric power. In one embodiment, the battery can automatically be recharged from the same power source that powers electric controls 76 so that the battery remains charged.
For buyers whose wet spot needs are accommodated by 1 liter (0.25-gallon) of water, a maker can dispense with the manual push button, the manual push rod, and the diaphragm in the flushometer valve 54, thereby reducing its manufacturing costs.
The waste passageway and lower support structure can be up to about 300 mm (12 inches) taller. A manufacture can sell such tall toilets to burgeoning populations for whom today's toilets are uncomfortably low and to myriads of people afflicted with a wide variety of painful disabilities that hamper them when they sit on conventional toilets.
The main spring can be any of a variety of mechanical, pneumatic, or magnetic spring. In one embodiment, the main spring may be a coil spring.
A variety of shock absorbers can be used to dampen an upward thrust of arm 108 and thereby prevent the main spring from shocking and damaging moving parts which open and close the saucer. This will extend the useful life of these parts.
In lieu of a fluoro-elastomer, the sealing ring can be made of a variety other resilient materials, such as varieties of rubber or equivalent polymers that can be compressed many times and promptly rebound to their pre-compression state. Instead of the saucer compressing the point of an apex, in another embodiment it can compress a resilient fold.
The seat, rim, and cover can be conventionally sloped for initial buyer acceptance. In various embodiments the seat, bowl, and waste passageway can be made of a variety of corrosion resistant materials which include, but are not limited to, vitreous china, plastics, metals, or anodized aluminum coated with PTFE.
The weight of a toilet is important to makers, distributors, plumbers, and handy owners. The bowl, upper support, waste passageway, and lower support structure can be made of light corrosive-resistant plastics, or anodized aluminum coated with PTFE. This will reduce the weight of some embodiments of the present invention to about half that of current indoor toilets.
If the toilet is destined for use by males only, a maker. can delete the supplemental flush, and thereby save about 4.00 liters (1.0 gallon) of water per-person-per-day.
The bowl and waste passageway can be made of vitreous china, the surface of which has a finish which repels urine, so that no rinsing of urine is required. Such a finish permits saving of about 250 ml (0.07 gallon) of water each time a male uses the toilet for urination alone.
Thus, the scope is determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.
This application is a continuation application and claims priority from a U.S. utility patent application, Ser. No. 13/066,891, filed Apr. 26, 2011, entitled “Mechanical Trap Toilet and Staggered Drain Carry,” which is to be abandoned, which in turn was a continuation-in-part of the application entitled “Mechanical Sealable Rapid-Opening Stagger-Flush Residential Toilet,” Ser. No. 12/151,015, filed May 2, 2008, which is to be abandoned.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 13066891 | Apr 2011 | US |
| Child | 13244359 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 12151015 | May 2008 | US |
| Child | 13066891 | US |
