Toilet for public use

• US 5,857,228 A
• Filed: 05/16/1997
• Issued: 01/12/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Berliner Stadtreinigungsbetriebe
• Original Assignee: Berliner Stadtreinigungsbetriebe
• Inventors: Wache, Horst, Waltenberger, Gerhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Walczak, David J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Prunner, Kathleen J.
• Application Number:
  US08/857,982
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 4/662, 4/663, 4/664, 4/222
• US Class Current: 4/662
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 9/002 Automatic cleaning devices
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 1/1216 Public W.C.s

Abstract

A toilet block for public purposes comprises a toilet area and a washroom having a common floor and being accessible through a door. The toilet area comprises a toilet unit and the washroom has a wash basin and associated devices. A technical room, separated from the toilet area and washroom, contains equipment for supply, waste disposal and cleaning. The equipment includes apparatus, provided on an upper side of the floor of the toilet area and washroom, for wetting a surface of the floor with cleaning and/or disinfectant fluid and for evaporating the fluid.

Claims

1. A toilet block for public purposes, the toilet block comprising:

a. a toilet area and a washroom having a common floor and being accessible through a door, the toilet area comprising a toilet unit and the washroom comprising a wash basin and associated devices,

b. a technical room separated from the toilet area and washroom, and

c. supply, waste disposal and cleaning equipment for the toilet area and washroom, said equipment comprising means, provided on an upper side of the floor (32) of the toilet area and washroom (2), for wetting a surface (33) of the floor with cleaning and/or disinfectant fluid and for evaporating said fluid.

2. A toilet block according to claim 1, characterised in that the equipment comprises a spray nozzle system (35) disposed on the surface (33) of the floor (32) and connected to a cleaning fluid/disinfectant supply (38) and an electrical heating system (37).

3. A toilet block according to claim 2, characterised in that the spray nozzle system (35) and the heating system (37) are integrated together in a floor element (34).

4. A toilet block according to claim 3, characterised in that the floor element (34) is a structural supporting double-walled floor element having integrated spray heads (36), a supply line (38) for cleaning fluid/disinfectant and electrical heating elements (42) disposed between the spray heads (36).

5. A toilet block according to claim 4, characterised in that the supply line is connected to a container for the cleaning fluid and/or disinfectant and comprises a valve (41).

6. A toilet block according to claim 5, characterised in that the supply line (38) also comprises a pressure device (40).

7. A toilet block according to claim 1, characterised in that the toilet unit (16) comprises two toilet bowls (16a;

16b) rotatable around a vertical axis (17), one of said toilet bowls being situated in the technical room (4), while the other of said toilet bowls is available for use in the toilet area and wash room (2).

8. A toilet block according to claim 7, characterised in that the toilet unit (16) is automatically rotatable by 180°

around a vertical axis (17), by a drive having radar control, after each use of the toilet and wash room (2) for cleaning by means of a high-pressure spray unit (29) provided in the technical room (4) and connected to a cleaning container, and for subsequent drying by means of a warm-air spray (27).

9. A method for cleaning the toilet area and wash room (2) according to claim 8, the method comprising the steps of:

a. rotating the toilet unit by 180° and

cleaning the toilet bowl situated in the technical room,

b. spraying the wash basin and the floor of the toilet area and washroom with the cleaning fluid and/or disinfectant, and

c. heating the floor to evaporate fluid therefrom.

10. A toilet block according to claim 1, characterised in that an automatic cleaning and disinfection system (19) is provided for the wash basin (15).

11. A toilet block according to claim 1, further comprising at least one device (20, 22) disposed in the vicinity of the toilet unit (16) and movable above head height transversely through the toilet area and wash room (2), each said device comprising means for dispensing toilet seat covers and toilet paper and having an emergency button.

12. A toilet block according to claim 1, further comprising a dispenser for soapy water (23) and for rinsing water (24) and also a warm-air hand drier (25) disposed in the vicinity of the wash basin (15).

13. A toilet block according to claim 1, further comprising an automatic control device (13), located in the technical room (4), for controlling cleaning of the toilet block (2).

14. A toilet block according to claim 1, characterised in that the toilet block (2) comprises a plurality of wall elements (5) in a structurally supporting sandwich design.

15. A toilet block according to claim 14, wherein the toilet block (1) further comprises facilities assembled from essentially similar wall elements (5) to form an overall structural complex.

16. A toilet block according to claim 1, further comprising a waiting room (52) and/or a kiosk (53) combined with the toilet block to form an overall structural complex.