Recreational vehicle use system particularly tank installation

• US 4,974,899 A
• Filed: 11/22/1989
• Issued: 12/04/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thetford Corporation (Recreational Vehicle Group)
• Original Assignee: Thetford Corporation (Recreational Vehicle Group)
• Inventors: Sargent, Charles L.
• Primary Examiner(s): PEDDER, DENNIS H
• Application Number:
  US07/440,664
• Time in Patent Office: 377 Days
• Field of Search: 296/24.1, 296/37.1, 296/37.6, 296/156, 296/164, 296/168, 296/171, 296/208, 4/300, 4/321, 4/378, 4/459, 4/460, 108/145, 312/212
• US Class Current: 296/156
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 15/00 Arrangements or adaptations of sanitation devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 15/04 Toilet facilities in railway vehicles B61D35/005
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 5/01 using flushing pumps

Abstract

The body of a recreational vehicle (RV) is configured to have a stowage compartment within the body'"'"'s interior but separate from the interior occupant space. The stowage compartment contains a tank which serves water use fixtures in the interior occupant space. The stowage compartment is disposed adjacent the sidewall of the RV body and an opening is provided through the sidewall from the stowage space to the exterior. This opening is closed by a door. When the door is open, the tank can pass through the opening into and out of the stowage space. The tank can be either a fresh water tank containing a supply of fresh water for use at sanitary fixtures in the RV or alternatively it can be a waste water tank of either the gray water or black water type which collects waste from the water use fixtures.

Claims

1. In a recreational vehicle which comprises a wheeled chassis on which a vehicle body is supported, said body comprising a horizontal floor which overlies the chassis and a vertical sidewall which extends upwardly from the floor, said floor and sidewall being exterior walls of said body, said body having an occupant space which contains a water use sanitary toilet, the improvement which comprises wall means cooperatively associated with said floor and sidewall to form a stowage compartment in the interior of the body but separated from said occupant space, said toilet being coupled with said wall means and said stowage compartment being positioned below said toilet, said toilet having a bowl with an open lower end for discharge of waste from said bowl, an opening between said stowage compartment and the exterior of the body, a closure for opening and closing said opening, a liquid waste tank within said stowage compartment for collection of waste water which has been used in the sanitary toilet bowl, said tank being positioned within said stowage compartment and hidden from view in said occupant space by said wall means, said tank having a size and shape which allows it to pass bodily through said opening when said closure opens said opening, said tank and said toilet bowl being relatively located when said tank is positioned within said stowage compartment so that waste can pass downwardly from the toilet bowl into the tank, an opening in said tank through which said waste passes into said tank, a valve disposed on said tank which opens and closes said tank opening, said valve, when open, enabling said waste from said toilet bowl to enter said tank and said valve when closed, sealing the tank contents from the stowage compartment and closing said tank opening to enable said tank to be removed from said stowage compartment without spillage of the tank contents, and an operator for said valve which is accessible from within said interior occupant space.

2. The improvement set forth in claim 1 further comprising a disconnectable fluid connection between said tank and said toilet bowl which when connected enables waste to pass from said toilet into said tank and when disconnected allows said tank to be bodily removed from said stowage compartment.

3. The improvement set forth in claim 2 further comprising a coupling means between said operator and valve which includes a separable connection.

4. The improvement set forth in claim 3 in which the separable connection of said coupling means connects and disconnects