Disposable toilet system

• US 6,116,780 A
• Filed: 01/20/1999
• Issued: 09/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: American Innotek Incorporated
• Original Assignee: American Innotek Incorporated
• Inventors: Bradley, Joseph A. III, Young, Daniel L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pascua, Jes F.
• Application Number:
  US09/234,401
• Time in Patent Office: 601 Days
• Field of Search: 600/573, 600/580, 604/332, 604/327, 383/36, 383/44, 383/33, 383/63, 383/75, 383/61, 383/89, 4/144.1, 4/144.2
• US Class Current: 383/44
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 11/02 Dry closets, e.g. incinerator closets
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/30 Against vector-borne diseases, e.g. mosquito-borne, fly-borne, tick-borne or waterborne diseases whose impact is exacerbated by climate change

Abstract

A disposable toilet receptacle includes a bag and a funnel made of a sheet-like liquid-impermeable material, such as plastic film. The plastic film of which the bag is made may be a vapor barrier film. The top edge of the bag has a closure. The tapering body of the funnel is connected to the interior of the bag along a line extending between the side edges of the bag that defines a boundary between an upper chamber and a lower chamber. The portion of the funnel having the wide opening or inlet is disposed in the upper chamber, and the portion of the funnel having the narrower opening or outlet is disposed in the lower chamber. The lower chamber may have in it a gellable hydrophilic material that absorbs liquid waste. The portion of the funnel disposed in the upper chamber is, when fully extended, longer than the upper chamber. The outlet end of the funnel may be a flutter valve that prevents backflow of waste. To use the bag, a user opens the closure and extends the funnel. The user can then support the bag in preparation for use as a toilet by draping the inlet end of the funnel over the rim of such a bucket or other support structure. After use, the funnel can be stuffed into the upper chamber. The user can then close the closure, sealing the soiled funnel inside the upper chamber.

Claims

1. A receptacle for harmful or offensive waste, comprising:

a bag made of a sheet-like liquid-impermeable material and having a top edge, two side edges and a bottom edge defining a hollow interior, a closure on said top edge of said bag for sealing said bag;

a funnel made of a sheet-like liquid-impermeable material and having a large opening at an inlet end, a small opening at an outlet end, and a tapering body between said inlet and outlet ends, said body being connected to said interior of said bag along a line extending between said side edges of said bag, said line defining a lower chamber in said bag bounded by said line, said bottom edge, and said side edges, said line also defining an upper chamber in said bag bounded by said line, said top edge, and said edges; and

a distance between said line and said inlet end of said funnel being greater than a distance from said line to said top edge of said bag, whereby said inlet end of said funnel is extendible out of said upper chamber of said bag in an extended state and is storable inside said upper chamber of said bag in a folded state.

2. The receptacle claimed in claim 1, wherein a heat-seal between opposing surfaces of said sheet-like material of said bag and said sheet-like material of said funnel defines said line joining opposing inner surfaces of said receptacle up to a point at which said funnel intervenes between said surfaces, and said heat seal line continues along inner surfaces of said receptacle and outer surfaces of said funnel where said funnel intervenes.

3. The receptacle claimed in claim 1, wherein said outlet end of said funnel comprises a flutter valve.

4. The receptacle claimed in claim 1 further comprising a sorbent material in said lower chamber.

5. The receptacle claimed in claim 4, wherein said sorbent material is an absorbent.

6. The receptacle claimed in claim 5, wherein said absorbent comprises a gellable hydrophilic material.

7. The receptacle claimed in claim 1, wherein said closure of said bag comprises a flexible snap zipper.

8. The receptacle claimed in claim 1 wherein said closure of said bag comprises an adhesive line with a protective removable backing strip.

9. The receptacle claimed in claim 1, wherein said inlet end of said funnel has a closure.

10. The receptacle claimed in claim 9, wherein said closure of said funnel comprises a draw tape.

11. The receptacle claimed in claim 9, wherein said closure of said funnel comprises a foldable, generally planar support having a hole with a perimeter, and said inlet end of said conduit is attached to said support about said perimeter.

12. The receptacle claimed in claim 1, wherein said sheet-like liquid-impermeable material of said bag comprises an odor barrier plastic film.

13. The receptacle claimed in claim 12, wherein said sheet-like material is light impervious.

14. The receptacle claimed in claim 12, wherein said sheet-like material is gas impervious.

15. The receptacle claimed in claim 1, further comprising a stiffener disposed around said funnel.

16. The receptacle claimed in claim 15, wherein said stiffener comprises plastic tubing.