Automatic waste dump and cleaning system
First Claim
1. In combination with a lavatory waste tank having a waste drain and a fluid operated waste drain valve mounted in said tank to open and close said drain and tank rinsing means in said tank for rinsing the interior of said tank:
- (a) flow measuring means adapted to be connected to a source of rinsing fluid under pressure and for measuring at least first and second predetermined volumes of said rinsing fluid flowing therethrough;
(b) controllable valve means coupled between said flow measuring means and waste drain valve and tank rinsing means; and
(c) control means, responsive to said flow measuring means for operating, during the period in which said first predetermined volume is measured, said controllable valve means to receive said fluid under pressure from said flow measuring means and deliver said rinsing fluid to the waste drain valve to open said waste drain valve and to the rinsing means and thence to the waste tank and, during a period in which said second predetermined volume is measured, to receive said rinsing fluid under pressure from said flow measuring means and deliver said rinsing fluid to the rinsing means and thence to the waste tank; and
prevent said rinsing fluid from said flow measuring means from being delivered to said waste drain valve to close said waste drain, whereby said rinsing fluid is supplied through said waste tank for at least a first predetermined period to rinse said tank, and is supplied to said waste tank for at least a second predetermined period to fill the tank.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A waste tank cleaning system in a preferred embodiment includes a flowmeter interposed in the line carrying cleaning fluid to the tank. A pair of solenoid valves are controlled by an electronic counter coupled to the flowmeter. In response to predetermined volumetric flows of fluid, the solenoid valves alternatively deliver fluid to a hydraulically operated drain valve and to a spray/rinse outlet in the waste tank. In one alternative embodiment, a flowmeter is mechanically coupled to a valve structure which alternatively applies fluid to the drain valve and to a spray/rinse outlet in the tank, directly. In other embodiments, the volume of flow can be determined by liquid level sensors in the tank and a predetermined cleaning sequence can be carried out based on the signals sent by the sensors. Power can be furnished by a rechargeable power supply.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. In combination with a lavatory waste tank having a waste drain and a fluid operated waste drain valve mounted in said tank to open and close said drain and tank rinsing means in said tank for rinsing the interior of said tank:
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(a) flow measuring means adapted to be connected to a source of rinsing fluid under pressure and for measuring at least first and second predetermined volumes of said rinsing fluid flowing therethrough; (b) controllable valve means coupled between said flow measuring means and waste drain valve and tank rinsing means; and (c) control means, responsive to said flow measuring means for operating, during the period in which said first predetermined volume is measured, said controllable valve means to receive said fluid under pressure from said flow measuring means and deliver said rinsing fluid to the waste drain valve to open said waste drain valve and to the rinsing means and thence to the waste tank and, during a period in which said second predetermined volume is measured, to receive said rinsing fluid under pressure from said flow measuring means and deliver said rinsing fluid to the rinsing means and thence to the waste tank; and
prevent said rinsing fluid from said flow measuring means from being delivered to said waste drain valve to close said waste drain, whereby said rinsing fluid is supplied through said waste tank for at least a first predetermined period to rinse said tank, and is supplied to said waste tank for at least a second predetermined period to fill the tank. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. In combination with a lavatory waste tank having a waste drain and a fluid operated waste drain valve mounted in said tank to open and close said drain and means for rinsing the interior of said tank;
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(a) flow measuring means adapted to be connected to a source of rinsing fluid under pressure and to measure at least first and second predetermined volumes of said rinsing fluid flowing therethrough; (b) first and second valve means coupled between said flow measuring means and waste drain valve and tank rinsing means to receive said rinsing fluid under pressure from said flow measuring means; (c) transmission means adapted to receive rotational motion from said flow measuring means and to actuate said first and second valve means in response to said at least first and second predetermined volumes, whereby during the period in which said first predetermined volume is measured, said first valve means delivers said rinsing fluid to the waste drain valve and thence to the rinsing means and waste tank and, during the period in which said second predetermined volume is measured said second valve means delivers said rinsing fluid to the rinsing means the thence to the waste tank; and
prevent said rinsing fluid from said flow measuring means form being delivered to said waste drain valve to close said waste drain;
whereby said rinsing fluid is supplied through said waste tank for at least a first predetermined period to rinse said tank, and is supplied to said waste tank for at least a second predetermined period to fill the tank. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. In combination with a lavatory waste tank having a waste drain and a fluid operated waste drain valve mounted in said tank to open and close said drain and tank rinsing means in said tank for rinsing the interior of said tank:
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(a) volume measuring means adapted to generate signals corresponding to a drained waste tank, and a rinse volume and a precharge volume of the rinsing fluid levels in the waste tank; (b) solenoid valve means coupled to receive rinsing fluid under pressure and adapted to be opened and closed for delivering predetermined volumes of said rinsing fluid to the waste drain valve and the rinsing means; (d) valve control means operatively connected to receive signals from said volume measuring means and operable in response thereto to regulate selectively delivery of said rinsing fluid from said solenoid valve means to the waste drain valve or to rinsing means, and thence to the waste tank, based upon said control signals whereby during a first period, said valve means delivers rinsing fluid to said waste drain valve until said waste tank is drained, and, during a second period, said valve means delivers rinsing fluid to said rinsing means until said waste tank contains a rinse volume of rinsing fluid, and, during a third period, said valve means delivers rinsing fluid to said waste drain valve until said waste tank is drained, and, during a fourth period, said valve means delivers rinsing fluid to said rinsing means until said waste tank contains a precharged volume of said rinsing fluid. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification