Aircraft vacuum toilet system splashguard

• US 10,301,805 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2016
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: B/E Aerospace, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: B/E Aerospace, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Hardwick, Christopher, Hoang, Thao, Buniak, Bradley J., Kurshinsky, Christian C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Angwin, David P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ros, Nicholas A
• Application Number:
  US15/084,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20160289940A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,155 Days
• Field of Search: 42453-2455, 43003, 4431-433, 4657-658, 4902, D23308, D23310
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/02 Toilet fittings of general application A47K
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 11/13 Parts or details of bowls; Special adaptations of pipe joints or couplings for use with bowls , e.g. provisions in bowl construction preventing backflow of waste-water from the bowl in the flushing pipe or cistern, provisions for a secondary flushing, for noise-reducing
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 11/135 Supports for bowls
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 11/16 Means for connecting the bowl to the floor, e.g. to a floor outlet
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 5/012 combined with movable closure elements in the bowl outlet bowls with closure elements between bottom or outlet and outlet pipe E03D11/10
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 5/02 operated mechanically or hydraulically E03D5/01, E03D5/12 take precedence(or pneumatically) also details such as push buttons, levers and pull-card therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 5/10 operated electrically E03D5/01, E03D5/12 take precedence, e.g. by a photo-cell; also combined with devices for opening or closing shutters in the bowl outlet and/or with devices for raising/or lowering seat and cover and/or for swiveling the bowl
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 9/00 Sanitary or other accessories for lavatories hand tools for cleaning the toilet bowl A47K11/10; seats or covers for closets A47K13/00; body supports, other than seats for closets A47K17/02; devices for preventing contamination of drinking-water pipes E03C1/10 ; Devices for cleaning or disinfecting the toilet room or the toilet bowl; Devices for eliminating smells cleaning, disinfecting or deodorising the seat A47K13/30
• CPC Class Codes: E03F 1/006 Pneumatic sewage disposal systems; accessories specially adapted therefore
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 3/04 with pivoted closure members
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/047 characterised by mechanical means between the motor and the valve, e.g. lost motion means reducing backlash, clutches, brakes or return means F16K31/043 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/465 by flexible transmission means, e.g. cable, chain, bowden wire

Abstract

A toilet bowl system for use on-board an aircraft includes a toilet bowl body comprising a toilet bowl and a shroud. The toilet bowl has a rim. A removable splash guard is positioned between the toilet bowl and the shroud, and comprises a generally flat, flexible, planar shield having a central opening. The shield includes a top portion and a rear portion, the top portion faces the shroud and the lower portion faces the toilet bowl, and the lower portion is shaped to correspond with an upper portion of the rim of the toilet bowl and is configured to secure the removable toilet splash guard to the toilet bowl.

Claims

1. A toilet bowl system for use on-board an aircraft, the system comprising:

a toilet bowl body comprising a toilet bowl and a shroud;

the toilet bowl comprising a rim;

a removable splash guard positioned between the toilet bowl and the shroud, the removable splash guard comprising a generally flat, flexible, planar shield having a central opening, wherein

the shield includes a top portion and a lower portion,

the top portion faces the shroud and the lower portion faces the toilet bowl,

the lower portion is shaped to correspond with an upper portion of the rim of the toilet bowl and configured to secure the removable toilet splash guard to the toilet bowl, the lower portion including a first ridge extending along an outside circumference of the shield and extending substantially perpendicular to the planar shield, a second ridge extending concentric to the first ridge and also extending substantially perpendicular to the planar shield, the planar shield forming an extension projecting inwardly from the second ridge as a continuation of the planar shield, and

in a fully assembled state, the extension of the removable splash guard is configured to be in a first position in contact with the shroud to substantially block waste disposed into the toilet bowl from contacting the shroud, and configured to be in a second position spaced from the shroud to maintain an airflow path from inside the toilet bowl to outside the toilet bowl when a user is seated on the shroud to seal a top shroud portion of the shroud.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the rim of the toilet bowl is configured to fit in a space between the first ridge and the second ridge.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the removable splash guard is secured to the rim of the toilet bowl by removable fasteners.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein a shape of the removable splash guard is customizable to correspond to an opening of the shroud.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein

the first ridge includes a free end, and

a lip extends substantially perpendicularly from the free end of the first ridge and extends towards the central opening of the planar shield.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein

the lip of the first ridge is configured to overlap a portion of the rim of toilet bowl to secure the removable splash guard to the toilet bowl.

7. A removable toilet splash guard for use with toilets on-board an aircraft comprising:

a generally flat, flexible, planar shield having a central opening, wherein

the shield includes a top portion and a lower portion,

the top portion faces a shroud and the lower portion faces a toilet bowl,

the lower portion is shaped to correspond with an upper portion of a rim of the toilet bowl and configured to secure the removable toilet splash guard to the toilet bowl, the lower portion including a first ridge extending along an outside circumference of the shield and extending substantially perpendicular to the planar shield, a second ridge extending concentric to the first ridge and also extending substantially perpendicular to the planar shield the planar shield forming an extension projecting inwardly from the second ridge as a continuation of the planar shield, and

in a fully assembled state, the extension of the removable splash guard is configured to substantially block waste disposed into the toilet bowl by extending a first distance from the rim of the toilet bowl to contact the shroud, and configured to maintain an airflow path from inside the toilet bowl to outside the toilet bowl by extending a second distance from the rim of the toilet bowl less than the first distance to be spaced from the shroud.

8. The removable toilet splash guard of claim 7, wherein the rim of the toilet bowl is configured to fit in a space between the first ridge and the second ridge.

9. The removable toilet splash guard of claim 7, wherein

the first ridge includes a free end, and

a lip extends substantially perpendicularly from the free end of the first ridge and extends towards the central opening of the planar shield.

10. The removable toilet splash guard of claim 9, wherein

the lip of the first ridge is configured to overlap a portion of the rim of toilet bowl to secure the removable splash guard to the toilet bowl.