Vacuum toilet system

• US 5,515,554 A
• Filed: 04/13/1995
• Issued: 05/14/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Airvac, Inc. (Bilfinger Se)
• Original Assignee: Airvac, Inc. (Bilfinger Se)
• Inventors: Grooms, John M., Clear, Christopher J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Charles E.
• Application Number:
  US08/421,452
• Time in Patent Office: 397 Days
• Field of Search: 4/407, 4/431, 4/432, 4/433
• US Class Current: 4/432
• CPC Class Codes: E03F 1/006 Pneumatic sewage disposal systems; accessories specially adapted therefore
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 137/907 Vacuum-actuated valves

Abstract

A vacuum toilet system efficient transport of waste material from a toilet bowl to a collection station by means of differential pressure, comprising an actuator button, a discharge valve, a water valve, and a controller valve. The various valves are simple in construction and operate on the basis of pneumatic pressure. The system is compact enough to fit into the cabinet of a conventional toilet fixture.

Claims

1. A toilet system for discharging waste materials from a toilet bowl to a collection vessel in response to an actuating pressure for transport to a collection container for subsequent treatment, comprising:

(a) a toilet bowl having a discharge valve connected near the bottom of the toilet bowl, said discharge valve being operable by means of differential pressure, and having an open and a closed position to selectively control waste material transport from the toilet bowl to the collection vessel;

(b) a water valve for delivery of a predetermined volume of water to the toilet bowl;

(c) a button having a first activated position and a second inactivated position and delivering an actuating pressure condition when moved to the activated position;

(d) a source of water;

(e) a source of atmospheric pressure;

(f) a source of vacuum or subatmospheric pressure; and

(g) a differential pressure-operated valve for automatically controlling the operating of the discharge valve in response to the condition of the actuating button, said differential pressure-operated valve having a pressure sensor means operatively in communication with the actuating button for establishing communication of a pressure condition to the discharge valve and the water valve, which, in response thereto, either opens or closes the discharge valve and the water valve to commence or terminate a flush cycle within the toilet bowl, by means of sequentially activated differential pressure responsive diaphragms of said differential pressure-operated valve disposed between said pressure sensor means and said discharge and water valves, wherein vacuum or subatmospheric pressure is delivered to said discharge and water valves while the actuating button is in one position, and wherein atmospheric pressure is delivered to said discharge and water valves while the actuating button is in another position, and wherein said water valve remains open a predetermined time period after closure of said discharge valve to deliver a preset volume of water to the closed toilet bowl;

(h) said discharge valve comprising a valve body having an entry opening and an exit opening and defining a valve housing having a longitudinal axis generally normal to axes defined by the entry and exit openings, a valve stop in said valve body and located offset from the longitudinal axis of said valve housing, a valve plunger disposed within the valve housing for reciprocating movement relative to said valve stop to alternatively open and close said discharge valve, said plunger having a first end and a second end opposite said first end and having seating means connected to said first end and mateable with said valve stop to provide a liquid and air-tight closure of said discharge value when it is in the closed position, and means connecting the second end of said valve plunger to said valve housing for regulating the reciprocating movement of said valve plunger in an arc between the open and closed positions of said discharge valve.

2. A toilet system as recited in claim 1, wherein said seating means on the first end of said plunger comprises an assembly of co-axially disposed seating elements arranged to provide a generally annular beveled seating means, which will eliminate the collection of foreign objects between said elements and ensure valve closure.

3. A toilet system as recited in claim 1, wherein said valve plunger is progressively and sharply reduced in diameter from the first end thereof to the second end thereof to facilitate opening the discharge valve and eliminate jamming the discharge valve caused by lodgement of foreign objects between said plunger and said valve body.

4. A toilet system as recited in claim 1, wherein sealing means are provided relative to said plunger to prevent fluid leakage past said connecting means when said discharge valve is closed.

5. A toilet system as recited in claim 1, wherein said entry opening of said valve body is of a different diameter than said exit opening.

6. A toilet system as recited in claim 5, wherein said entry opening is larger than said exit opening.

7. A toilet system as recited in claim 1, wherein said source of vacuum or subatmospheric pressure comprises the vessel maintained under the influence of vacuum or subatmospheric pressure when said discharge valve is closed.

8. A toilet system as recited in claim 7, further comprising a reservoir disposed in operative communication between said source of vacuum or subatmospheric pressure and said control valve for providing to said control valve a predetermined and dependable volume of vacuum or subatmospheric pressure during a flush cycle.

9. A toilet system as recited in claim 1, wherein said actuating button comprises a bellows contained in a housing for containing a predetermined volume of actuating pressure, a button being connected at one end of said bellows, said bellows being compressed against said housing when said button is pressed by an operator to discharge the predetermined volume of actuating pressure to said pressure sensor means of said control valve.

10. A toilet system as recited in claim 9, further comprising pneumatic means for maintaining said actuating push button in a depressed position when pushed until the flush cycle is completed to prevent repeated cycling of the toilet system.

11. A toilet system as recited in claim 1, further comprising means for regulating the operation of said sequentially actuated differential pressure means of said control valve to return said discharge valve and said water valve from the open position to the closed position.

12. A toilet system as recited in claim 11, wherein said regulating means comprises a needle valve with a restricted passage disposed in a conduit between said pressure source and said sequentially activated differential pressure means.

13. A toilet system as recited in claim 12, wherein said restricted passage of said needle valve is adjustable.

14. A toilet system as recited in claim 1, wherein said means for closing said water valve a predetermined time period after closure of said discharge valve comprises a pneumatic circuit disposed between said control valve and said water valve having barrier means disposed therein.

15. A toilet system as recited in claim 14, wherein said barrier means comprises a split fluidic circuit having a needle valve disposed in a first half and a check valve disposed in a second half said check valve preventing passage of a pressure condition to close said water valve, but not to open said water valve, said pressure condition to close said water valve passing through a passage in said needle valve on a restricted basis.

16. A toilet system as recited in claim 15, wherein said passage in said needle valve is adjustable.

17. A toilet system as recited in claim 1, wherein said control valve comprises a two-position, 3-way valve.

18. A toilet system as recited in claim 17, wherein said pressure sensor means comprises a chamber having a bleeder port regulated by a flexible diaphragm deflected to open said port by communication of atmospheric pressure into said chamber by means of said actuator button, said bleeder port being closed once again by said diaphragm by means of a reduced pressure condition in a second chamber connected to said bleeder port and operatively in communication with the atmospheric pressure in said first port when said diaphragm is deflected.

19. A toilet system as recited in claim 1, wherein said connecting means comprises a flexible diaphragm dividing a piston chamber from the valve housing, a piston cup connected to said diaphragm and having securement means attached thereto, a spring disposed between said piston cup securement means and a second securement means connected to the upper interior surface of the piston housing to bias said valve plunger against said valve stop, said valve plunger being removed from said valve stop by said connecting means once a pressure condition is communicated to said plunger housing that applies differential pressure across said diaphragm.

20. A toilet system as recited in claim 19, wherein the securement means of the piston cup and said piston housing are located in a nonconcentric relation when the valve plunger is positioned against said valve stop in order to facilitate the arced reciprocating movement of said valve plunger.

21. A toilet system as recited in claim 19, wherein said connecting means comprises a reinforced area along said diaphragm.

22. A discharge valve as recited in claim 21, wherein said connecting means is fixed in a nonconcentric relation with the longitudinal axis of the valve housing whereby said valve plunger moves in an arc when reciprocated between the open position and closed position as defined by the reinforced area along said diaphragm to permit a smaller valve housing.

23. A toilet system as recited in claim 1, wherein said connecting means comprises a flexible strip connected at its first end to said valve plunger and at its second end to said valve body.

24. A toilet system as recited in claim 23, wherein said connecting means is fixed in a nonconcentric relation with the longitudinal axis of said valve housing whereby said valve plunger moves in an arc defined by said flexible strip when reciprocated between the open position and closed position to permit a smaller piston housing.