Portable toilet unit

• US 6,212,700 B1
• Filed: 03/01/2000
• Issued: 04/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dometic Sweden AB (Dometic Group AB)
• Original Assignee: Sealand Technology, Inc. (Dometic Group AB)
• Inventors: Giesler, Rolf-Dieter, Lorek, Manfred
• Primary Examiner(s): Huson, Gregory L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, HUYEN D
• Application Number:
  US09/516,188
• Time in Patent Office: 405 Days
• Field of Search: 442/0, 432/1, 443/1, 443/8, 444/1
• US Class Current: 4/420
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 11/02 Water-closet bowls auxiliary chambers with connections to flushing water for bowl-cleaning utensils E03D9/06; modified for using upwardly-directed sprays E03D9/08; seats or covers A47K13/00 ; Bowls with a double odour seal optionally with provisions for a good siphonic action; siphons as part of the bowl parts or details of bowls E03D11/13
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 5/012 combined with movable closure elements in the bowl outlet bowls with closure elements between bottom or outlet and outlet pipe E03D11/10

Abstract

A lightweight toilet unit is provided particularly for use with vehicles such as boats, RVs, and trailers. The toilet unit includes a plastic toilet bowl having an interior surface, open top, and exterior surface, a plastic body positioned exteriorly of the toilet bowl exterior surface, and a plastic toilet seat for partially closing the open top of the toilet bowl. To enhance the longevity and effectiveness of the toilet bowl without significantly increasing the cost and weight of the toilet unit, a layer, coating, or thin walled insert liner made of a non-polymeric substantially poreless material that is not degraded by contact with excrement, light, or toilet bowl cleaning agents, is disposed interiorly of the plastic toilet bowl and is at least partially supported by the plastic toilet bowl and may comprise porcelain, glazed ceramic, glass, corrosion resistant sheet metal, or sheet metal with a corrosion resistant poreless interior coating. The toilet bowl may be rotatably supported by a socket which mounts a common valve actuator (e.g. pedal) for supplying flushing liquid to the interior of the insert liner and substantially simultaneously opening a spherical segment valve at the outlet at the bottom of the toilet bowl.

Claims

1. A portable or mobile toilet unit comprising:

a plastic toilet bowl, having an interior surface, an open top, and an exterior surface;

a plastic body positioned exteriorly of said plastic toilet bowl exterior surface;

a plastic toilet seat for partially closing said open top of said plastic toilet bowl;

a non-polymeric, substantially poreless, thin-walled insert liner that is substantially not degraded as a result of contact with excrement, light, and toilet bowl cleaning agents, disposed interiorly of said plastic toilet bowl and for contacting liquid and materials passing through said toilet bowl open top, said insert liner having an outlet adjacent the bottom thereof for leading sewage away from said toilet bowl; and

mounting foam between said plastic toilet bowl interior surface and said insert liner and providing noise dampening.

2. A toilet unit as recited in claim 1 wherein said insert liner comprises porcelain or glazed ceramic.

3. A toilet insert as recited in claim 2 wherein said mounting foam provides improved insert liner breaking strength.

4. A toilet unit as recited in claim 2 wherein said insert liner is about 0.3125 inches thick.

5. A toilet unit as recited in claim 2 mounted in a vehicle and connected to a vacuum source and holding tank.

6. A toilet unit as recited in claim 1 wherein said insert liner is replaceable, and said mounting foam comprises polyurethane.

7. A toilet unit as recited in claim 6 wherein said insert liner is replaceable and comprises porcelain, glazed ceramic, glass, corrosion resistant sheet metal, or sheet metal with a corrosion resistant poreless interior coating.

8. A toilet unit as recited in claim 1 wherein said insert liner comprises corrosion resistant sheet metal, or sheet metal with a corrosion-resistant substantially poreless interior coating.

9. A toilet unit as recited in claim 8 wherein said insert liner is about 0.05 inches thick.

10. A toilet unit as recited in claim 8 wherein said liquid flush mechanism includes a liquid flush valve;

and further comprising a spherical segment valve for closing said outlet for leading sewage away from said toilet bowl; and

a common foot pedal actuator for substantially simultaneously operating said liquid flush mechanism valve to introduce liquid into and through said insert, and to open said spherical segment valve to allow sewage to pass through said outlet.

11. A toilet unit as recited in claim 1 wherein said insert liner comprises glass.

12. A toilet unit as recited in claim 1 further comprising a liquid flush mechanism which flushes liquid into and through said insert liner.

13. A toilet unit as recited in claim 12 wherein said toilet bowl includes an upper edge;

and wherein said liquid flush mechanism includes a plurality of nozzles positioned adjacent said upper edge of said toilet bowl, and connected to a source of flushing liquid.

14. A toilet unit as recited in claim 12 further comprising a spherical segment valve body for selectively closing said outlet for leading sewage away from said toilet bowl.

15. A toilet unit as recited in claim 1 further comprising a lip seal which seals a bottom cylindrical section of said insert liner to said plastic toilet bowl adjacent said outlet.

16. A toilet unit as recited in claim 1 wherein said plastic body includes an annular plastic cover adjacent said toilet seat, and wherein said insert liner has an upper rim received by said annular plastic cover.

17. A toilet unit as recited in claim 16 wherein said plastic toilet bowl has a radially extending portion thereof extending radially outwardly from said insert liner, said radially extending portion thereof forming a circumferential seat for said plastic cover.

18. A toilet unit as recited in claim 16 wherein said toilet bowl includes an upper edge;

and wherein said liquid flush mechanism includes a plurality of nozzles positioned adjacent the upper edge of said toilet bowl, and connected to a source of flushing liquid.

19. A toilet unit as recited in claim 18 wherein said nozzles are disposed in said plastic cover and mounted separately from said insert liner.

20. A toilet unit as recited in claim 1 wherein said plastic body and toilet bowl are supported by a socket for rotation about a substantially vertical axis.

21. A toilet unit as recited in claim 20 further comprising a locking mechanism which allows said toilet bowl to be locked with respect to said socket so as to prevent relative rotation therebetween.

22. A toilet unit as recited in claim 21 wherein said outlet is selectively closable by a spherical segment valve body, and wherein said valve body is supported by said socket for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis.

23. A toilet unit as recited in claim 20 further comprising a funnel-shaped structure disposed within said socket for transporting sewage from said outlet to a connecting channel extending through said socket.

24. A portable or mobile toilet unit comprising:

a plastic toilet bowl, having an interior surface, an open top, and an exterior surface;

a plastic body positioned exteriorly of said plastic toilet bowl exterior surface;

a plastic toilet seat for partially closing said open top of said plastic toilet bowl;

a non-polymeric, substantially poreless, a thin-walled insert liner which is disposed within and is at least partially supported by said interior surface of said plastic toilet bowl, and that is substantially not degraded as a result of contact with excrement, light, and toilet bowl cleaning agents, disposed interiorly of said plastic toilet bowl and for contacting liquid and materials passing through said toilet bowl open top, said insert liner having an outlet adjacent the bottom thereof for leading sewage away from said toilet bowl; and

a lip seal which seals a bottom cylindrical section of said insert liner to said plastic toilet bowl adjacent said outlet.