Patent Application
20140090162
The present technology relates to portable toilets, also known as a porta potty or port-a-potty, and related devices. More particularly, the present technology relates to a porta potty composting system and method for making compost.
Portable toilets have been used for many years, and have been particularly popular since the 1960s. They are typically used to fulfill the need for a toilet at construction sites and large gatherings of many kinds. In order to remain easily portable, they remain self-contained units, which means that human waste remains inside of the porta potty enclosure until it is manually emptied. This has the negative effect of creating mal odors, which is unpleasant and may also be unsafe for the user. In an effort to combat this problem, a variety of different methods have been introduced, with the most successful being chemical treatments. These chemicals have ranged from Lyes, bleaches, formaldehydes, nitrates, and others. However, recent trends have seen the use of other compounds, such as glutaraldehyde and quaternary ammonium compounds, and also enzyme hybrids, which are less likely to cause irritation to the user and are generally accepted with greater ease at treatment facilities. While these chemical means have been accepted by those in the industry, they can remain costly for the vendor and are not an ideal solution. Further, with the amount of porta potty use ever increasing, there remains a need to more effectively dispose of this waste.
Composting is a form of aerobic decomposition that dates back to at least early Roman Empires, although the modern era did not really utilize it in industry until around 1920. Composting has proven to be very beneficial to the agriculture industry because it is rich in nutrients. It is generally added to soil, or other matrices such as coir and peat, as a tilth improver. It is also useful for its pesticidal qualities, allowing a user to eliminate unwanted plants or seeds.
Composting toilets have also evolved, allowing human excrement to become compost. Typical methods involve the addition of paper and an additional carbon source, such as sawdust, to the excrement. This commences thermophilic decomposition, in which bacteria that thrive at high temperatures oxidize the waste into its components, some of which are consumed in the process, reducing volume, and eliminating potential pathogens. However, these systems have always been non-portable solutions.
Therefore, there remains a need to reduce the waste, odor, and chemical cost and treatment of porta potties. The present invention seeks to solve these and other problems.
In one embodiment, a composting porta potty comprises a housing, an access panel, a waste holding container, and a composting system. In one embodiment, the composting system comprises an open container, a scoop, and a suitable composting material (e.g. sawdust).
In another embodiment, the composting system comprises an enclosed container, an outlet, an outlet covering, and a handle for releasing the composting material directly into the waste holding container.
In another embodiment, an enclosed container comprises a rotatable device. A user may actuate the device to release a predetermined amount of composting material into the outlet.
In yet another embodiment, the outlet is received beneath the toilet seat to allow the flow of composting material directly into the waste holding container.
In another embodiment, a composting porta potty comprises a space for receiving an adjustable container, a horizontally advancing means, a gear mechanism, and an actuating pedal.
The following descriptions depict only example embodiments and are not to be considered limiting of its scope. Any reference herein to “the invention” is not intended to restrict or limit the invention to exact features or steps of any one or more of the exemplary embodiments disclosed in the present specification. References to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “various embodiments,” and the like, may indicate that the embodiment(s) so described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but not every embodiment necessarily includes the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Further, repeated use of the phrase “in one embodiment,” or “in an embodiment,” do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although they may.
Accordingly, the particular arrangements disclosed are meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the invention, which is to be given the full breadth of the appended claims and any and all equivalents thereof. Moreover, many embodiments, such as adaptations, variations, modifications, and equivalent arrangements, will be implicitly disclosed by the embodiments described herein and fall within the scope of the present invention. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Unless otherwise expressly defined herein, such terms are intended to be given their broad ordinary and customary meaning not inconsistent with that applicable in the relevant industry and without restriction to any specific embodiment hereinafter described. As used herein, the article “a” is intended to include one or more items. When used herein to join a list of items, the term “or” denotes at least one of the items, but does not exclude a plurality of items of the list. For exemplary methods or processes, the sequence and/or arrangement of steps described herein are illustrative and not restrictive.
It should be understood that the steps of any such processes or methods are not limited to being carried out in any particular sequence, arrangement, or with any particular graphics or interface. Indeed, the steps of the disclosed processes or methods generally may be carried out in various different sequences and arrangements while still falling within the scope of the present invention.
In general, a composting porta potty 100 is illustrated in
In one embodiment, as shown in
In another embodiment, as shown in
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In yet another embodiment, as shown in
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It will be appreciated that while some illustrations generally show an enclosed container as being a pentagon, and the outlets as being tubular in shape, other shapes, sizes, and locations may be utilized without departing herefrom.
A method of creating compost using a porta potty, the method comprising using a portable toilet, human waste, and a composting material (e.g. sawdust). The portable toilet may be comprised of a standard porta potty, or may be comprised of the composting porta potty system disclosed herein.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/708,975, filed on Oct. 2, 2012, which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61708975 | Oct 2012 | US |
