Mechanical trap toilet with dual flush of solid waste for water efficiency

A toilet to reduce water consumption for waste disposal. One embodiment uses a toilet which has a frustum-shaped bowl, whose outlet can be hermetically sealed by a saucer-shaped valve, wherein the bowl contains no water. In one embodiment, a user who deposits only urine can depress one button to automatically open the saucer vertically down and rinse and flush the urine into an adjoining drain line with about 250 ml (0.25 gallon) of water. If the user deposits solid waste, another button is depressed to release a staggered flush (first and second quantities of water) capable of causing solid human waste, test plastic balls, or equivalents to carry further in an adjoining drain line.

BACKGROUND

Prior Art

The following definitions and background information will help make this description clearer and easier to understand so that a reader can appreciate why a mechanical trap toilet can meet numerous technical standards, or their functional intent, required by the Uniform Plumbing Code.

Air Gap

ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) Standard A 112.1.2.-1991 defines an air-gap as an unobstructed vertical distance through open atmosphere between the lowest opening from a pipe supplying water from a water supply to a toilet bowl and the highest level in the bowl to which water or waste may rise. The minimum ASME requirement is 50 mm (≈2 inches). The European Union's equivalent minimum dimension is 20 mm (≈0.8 inch).

Artificial Test Media

Test media acceptable to the ASME are used by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Operators (IAPMO), toilet-rating laboratories, manufacturers, and inventors to determine the ability of a toilet to expel solids from a toilet bowl in laboratory drain lines. They include standardized polyethylene balls. Toto of USA pioneered the use of condoms of standard capacity filled with tofu of standard weight, also known as sausages.

American Society of Mechanical Engineering (ASME)

The ASME is a professional organization which defines the physical, functional, and health requirements of the Uniform Plumbing Code. A rating agency such as the IAPMO is used to determine if a given toilet can legally be offered with the latter's rating for sale in many US states and Canada.

Conflicts Caused by Water Shortages

Political disputes and warfare have occurred due to water shortages. They are exemplified by the following broadcast on Public Service Television (PBS), “Your Majesty, Jordan has had great relations with Israel? Can you imagine going to war with Israel for any reason?” The late King Hussein replied, “Yes, water.”

Conventional Toilets

Conventional toilets that may currently legally be offered for sale for residential and business use in the United States are of two kinds, (1) those characterized by siphon waste passageways, and (2) those characterized by wash-down waste passageways.

Corrosion

Corrosion includes erosion, pits, crevasses, etc., due to numerous corrosive acids and alkalis acting on most metals, plastics, and elastomers.

Drain Lines

Drain lines are pipes that slope from a toilet to a septic tank, a sewer that discharges into a waste treatment plant, or a receptacle in a laboratory. Ideally, gravity, augmented by automated pumps, water toilets, and water from sources other than toilets can propel, i.e., carry, human waste to a waste treatment plant. Toilet manufacturers and inventors use laboratory drain lines, which are seamless and from which about a third of the uppermost structure has been removed, so that laboratory personnel can see, measure, and report drain line carry with artificial test media, as described below.

Drain Line Carry

Drain line carry is the ability of a given toilet to propel human waste (1) to a septic tank, (2) to a sewer, or (3) to propel artificial test media from the toilet to a receptacle in a laboratory. Laboratory personnel measure drain line carry to determine whether the toilet can legally be offered for sale in a business or residence. Since solid human waste varies from person to person and over time, it is not readily possible to measure how well it carries. Consequently, the ASME has devised a laboratory measuring method, defined in Section 8.8 of their Standard A 112. 19.2-2003, which depends on laboratory personnel being able to see and measure how well 100 standard polypropylene balls carry in an seamless pipe which has an inside diameter of 100 mm (4 inches) and a straight run that inclines downward at a 2% angle from the toilet. To be legal to sell a toilet for use in a residence or business with an ASME rating, the toilet must be able to carry the balls a minimum average distance of 12.2 meters (40 feet) with no more than 6 liters (1.6 gallons) of water. Toilets that exhibit greater carrying power in a laboratory drain line are prized (A) because they can lower the private costs of maintaining standard drain lines, and (B) because they can lower the costs of maintaining, repairing sewers, upgrading sewers and sewage plants, and to combat odor. For example, combating odor can cost San Francisco alone $100 million during a 5-year period. San Francisco may have to pump 8.5 million pounds of bleach into its sewers to combat odors, and thereby further damage its own sewers and sewage treatment plants. Repairing or enlarging a sewage treatment plant for a city as large as San Francisco can cost billions of dollars.

A toilet that permits a person to use less water for urine than solid human waste.

Flush

A flush is an action that will evacuate the contents of a toilet bowl into an adjoining drain-line.

A valve that controls passage of pressurized water to a toilet bowl.

A bowl having an inside surface without concavities or convexities and inclined so that human waste is less likely to adhere to the surface and more readily detached with less rinse water.

Full Flush

The ability of a given toilet to flush an adjoining drain line. To earn an IAPMO rating a full flush must be able to carry 100 standard polypropylene test balls an average of at least 12.2 meters (40 feet) in an adjoining drain line that slopes downward from the toilet at an angle of 2%. If it cannot, the toilet may not legally be offered for sale in a residence or business.

Free Fall

Downward movement of bowl contents from a bowl via a waste passageway into an adjoining drain line under no force other that of gravity, there being no thrust or drag other than that of the bowl.

Gallon

One U.S. Gallon is equivalent to 3.78 liters.

International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Operators-IAPMO

A for-profit corporation, headquartered in Ontario, Calif., which rates whether a new toilet brand meets ASME standards. If it does, it receives an IAPMO rating. The market for IAPMO rated toilets and toilets that meet other stringent standards is large, at least ten times greater than that for RV, boat, etc., toilets. For example, at least three or four companies that sell siphon toilets gross more than three billion US dollars a year and thereby have cash flows so large that American Standard Brands sold its toilets at a loss for ten years. According to verbal communication with an ASME engineer and an IAPMO official, inventors and makers periodically submit mechanical trap toilets to IAPMO. As of 2008, no mechanical trap toilet received an IAPMO rating, which is needed in order to be legally offered for sale as a residential or business toilet.

Laboratory Drain Line

A drain line, in a private or for-profit laboratory, used by inventors and testing authorities for observing the ability of a toilet to carry simulated human waste, such as ASME-rated balls, but never solid human waste, towards, or into a receptacle.

Maintenance Costs of Wasting Water

On-going costs for maintenance, labor, and replacement of upstream and downstream infrastructures due to inefficiencies in water usage. These costs for one large city can exceed hundreds of millions of dollars. The cumulative costs of oil, gas, coal, and energy substitutes needed to pump water to toilets sometimes hundreds of miles away, and from toilets, are vast. Such costs and health and welfare losses to air, water, and row crop pollution by electric pumps, leaks, and effluents are all increasing.

A toilet that has a trap or valve that can be opened and closed mechanically against a bottom outlet of a toilet bowl for allowing or preventing the contents of the bowl from exiting the toilet.

Psychological Costs of Wasting Water

The psychological costs include mental anguish by wasting water. Such psychological detriments can include losing one's neighborhood to a water reservoir or a wastewater treatment plant or losing opportunities to enjoy pristine terrain, such as valleys, streams, rivers, and countryside. These losses can affect current and unborn generations.

Rebates

Rebates are payments by water districts in the United States to encourage those who own toilets to replace them with ones that use less water. In addition, some water districts and cities, such as the London, England, exchange tens of thousands of more water-saving toilets to avoid having to borrow and having to spend billions to build new water reservoirs or waste treatment plants or to enlarge old ones.

Reduced Flush

A reduced flush is a flush which can expel urine with or without toilet tissue from a toilet bowl but not feces.

Rinse

A rinse is an attempt to use water to detach adherent toilet tissue, or solid human waste, from the inside of a toilet bowl.

Siphon and Wash-Down Toilet History

Since the invention of siphon and wash-down toilets about 200 years ago, apparently no significant sanitary toilet authority, or agency, such as today's IAPMO, which protects the health of consumers using toilets and how well the toilets function, has certified a mechanical trap toilet for use in a residence or business, at least as of 2008.

An opening in an upper part of a toilet bowl that permits an over-flowing toilet bowl to discharge into a bathroom. The top of the spillway is the lowest part of Air Gap that can prevent human waste from coming in contact with water outlets.

Staggered Flush and Drain Line Carry

A staggered flush is a method for enhancing drain line carry using flush water to urge solid human waste, the above mentioned ball, or tofu-filled condoms, from behind while they are moving in a drain line. This enhancement employs the principle that it takes less energy to keep an object in motion than to re-start it once it has come to rest.

Toilet Advocates

Toilet Advocates are politically powerful ecological interest groups that seek to influence the federal government to enact laws that encourage ever-more water saving toilet technology. In 1992 they persuaded Congress to mandate that a full flush may not use more than 6.0 liters (1.6 gallons). Other politically powerful toilet advocates include departments of city, state, and federal governments, plus local and regional water districts responsible for financing the construction and maintenance of numerous new water reservoirs and waste treatment plants needed by burgeoning urban populations. Toilet advocates also include influential public-interest organizations, such as the California Urban Water Council, the Sierra Club, a variety of green organizations, and the water-conservation arms of U.S. cities, states, and federal governments. The list also includes the federal government itself and numerous city and state governments that must pay for toilet water used by numerous millions of civil servants, students, citizens, and armed personnel. Studies show that regulation of toilets by the United States Government in an attempt to save water, despite objections of makers, plumbers, etc., has had significant adverse impacts on the functional efficiency of conventional toilets.

Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC)

The UPC defines minimum functional and material attributes of toilets that can legally be offered for sale in the US. IAPMO the UPC for numerous plumbing jurisdictions in Canada and many U.S. states. A committee composed of IAPMO officials, ASME engineers, representatives of toilet companies, toilet jurisdictions, etc., updates the UPC bi-yearly to reflect new plumbing developments. A maker who wishes to receive a rating for a toilet may submit Interim Guide Criteria to the committee charged with updating the UPC. The maker's criteria should include enough detailed instructions to the UPC Interim Guide Committee how an IAPMO laboratory can test and prove to the satisfaction of the committee that the maker's proposed toilet and its innovation toilet are worthy of further consideration. If the Interim Guide Criteria committee is satisfied, the maker must submit a model of the toilet for rigorous laboratory testing by IAPMO, or an affiliated laboratory. Should the toilet passes all required tests, the committee instructs IAPMO to permit the maker to offer it for sale with its rating in any state, province, or water district that honors the rating.

IAPMO informs us it has tested numerous mechanical trap toilets but as of 2008, none have earned its rating.

Urine

Urine is highly complex aqueous solution of organic chemicals that can corrode many man-made materials.

Volume Of Water Per Person Per Day

A volume of water per person per day is the water used by a specific toilet to satisfy the toilet needs of an average person. Medical science and the toilet industry assume the average person defecates once and urinates four times a day. The average toilet in the US, Canada, Japan, and Europe uses at least 30 liters (8 gallons) per person per day. Some conventional dual-flush toilets use 18 liters (4 gallons).

Waste Passageway

A waste passageway is the part of a toilet between the bottom outlet of a bowl and an adjoining drain line. (1) Normally water in the bottom of the bowl of a siphon and wash-down toilet can prevent potentially toxic and explosive gases from entering bathrooms from adjoining drain lines. However, the water can evaporate and, furthermore, it cannot prevent sewage from backing up from the drain line and, (2) A rotational mechanical trap, which is normally hermetically sealed against the bottom outlet of the bowl, prevents potentially toxic and explosive mixtures of sewer gases from entering a bathroom from an adjoining drain line. It can prevent some sewage from backing up into the bathroom. In contrast, the waste passageways of siphon and wash-down toilets are less than optimal.

Wet Spot Or Plash

A quantity of water in a toilet bowl which is wide or deep enough to slow the momentum of falling feces is called a wet spot, puddle, or plash. It can prevent feces from sticking to the bowl, or it may permit them to stick less firmly so that they can be more readily be rinsed off. The UPC requires that a wet spot should have a surface area equal to, or greater than, 123×100 mm (5×4 inches) and be 50 mm (2 inches) or more deep.

Viton is a trademark for an extremely resilient and corrosion resistant elastomer, made and a sold by du Pont.

Water Seal

As mentioned, a water seal occurs when the quantity of water in a toilet bowl is sufficient to prevent volatile sewer gases, at atmospheric pressure, from rising into a bathroom. Furthermore, significant pressure or suction in an adjoining drain line can undo a water seal in conventional toilets, so that those nearby are no longer protected from sewer gases. However, water seals are less than optimal.

Mechanical Trap Toilets

Grech et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 6,871,361, filed Mar. 29, 2005, show a conventional mechanical trap toilet which can expel human waste only a few inches from its bowl, into a black-water holding tank under the floor of an RV, or a few inches into a lake or sea from a boat. Its ability to carry human waste further than a few inches is less than optimal.

Water Outlets

Prior-art toilets almost exclusively have a plurality of water outlets, each of which is oriented to rinse toilet bowls with pressurized water in roughly the same direction, usually clockwise. For example, O'Malley et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,332,229, filed Dec. 25, 2001, shows a toilet bowl which has at least two water outlets which rinse in the same direction. Huffman et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,715,544, filed Feb. 10, 1995, show water outlets that rinse in the same and opposite directions. Heinze, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,404,696, filed Sep. 20, 1983, shows one or more multi-channel water outlets that rinse a bowl in three directions, forward, rearward, and downward. Ament, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,167, filed Jun. 5, 1990, shows pressurized water flowing in opposite directions within the rim of a toilet. Brower, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,124, filed Jun. 23, 1992, shows a toilet bowl rinsed by rotating water outlets. Nakamura et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,145,138, filed Nov. 14, 2000, show an upper part of a toilet bowl shaped so that pressurized water rinses the bowl in opposite directions. Hargraves, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,075,718, filed Feb. 28, 1978, shows complex multi-channel high pressure nozzles. Grech et al., supra, show two water outlets. One outlet automatically jets pressurized water along a ledge (20) on one side of an upper part of a bowl in one direction. Then, the water flows over the edge of the ledge to rinse a remainder of the bowl. The other water outlet automatically rinses a second ledge and the other side of the bowl in a similar manner. However, the water outlets do not efficiently rinse an area of toilet above the ledge. Consequently they cannot pass the Surface Wash Test of ASME Standard A 112.19.2-2003, Sec. 8.6, that requires the bowl be rinsed to one inch (25 ml) below the outlets. The outlets are widely separated at the rear of the toilet; consequently they cannot rinse the rear of the bowl, where, due to the parallel bi-lobed shape of the human buttocks, feces are more apt to adhere. Consequently, the configuration of the toilet bowl and its water outlets, taught by Grech et al., supra, are less than optimal.

Schnitzler, in Swiss Pat. No. CH10222, filed Mar. 13, 1898, and Kimble, in U.S. Pat. No. 988,787, filed Apr. 4, 1911, both show toilets having spillways in upper parts of bowls. The spillways can help prevent human waste from overflowing onto floors. However, the spillways are too close to water outlets to meet ASME Standard A 112.1.2-1991. This requires that there be a sufficiently wide unobstructed air gap between water in a toilet and water entering from a water supply to prevent contamination of the drinking water if there is negative pressure in the conduit that delivers drinkable water to the toilet.

Economic and Ecologic Costs of Toilet Water

Prior-art flush toilets currently use 28% of water used indoors in the U.S. Water reservoirs are required to store water so that there is enough on hand for towns and cities when needed. Waste treatment plants are required for sterilizing sewage and used indoor water. Reservoirs and waste treatment plants can be vast in area and frequently cost one or more billion dollars each. Many citizens do not want them in their neighborhood. Toilets in U.S. commercial buildings use about 1.2 billion gallons (4.6 billion liters) of water a day, the equivalent of the capacity of 48 full-sized water reservoirs a year. It can cost as much to enlarge a water storage reservoir as to build one. E.g., it cost approximately US $2 billion to build the Eastside Reservoir to double the storage capacity for the Metropolitan Water District of a Southern California. City and regional water agencies normally borrow the initial money from state governments to build or enlarge water reservoirs and waste treatment plants to accommodate burgeoning urban populations. The state governments in turn borrow from the Federal Government. Eventually, taxpayers must repay not only the borrowed billions but interest that can bring their total debt to three times the money borrowed. Current toilets are less than optimal for reducing these financial burdens.

SUMMARY

The present waste disposal system can be implemented in numerous ways, such as in a toilet, or an equivalent waste disposal. Various aspects are described below.

In accordance with one aspect, a toilet bowl has a bottom outlet. A sealing ring surrounds the bowl near the bottom outlet. A rotational saucer-shaped seal is positioned adjacent the bottom outlet at the entrance to a waste passageway. The saucer can be pivoted upward against the sealing ring to hermetically seal the bottom outlet of the bowl. The saucer can be pivoted downward to permit bowl contents to free fall via the waste passageway into an adjoining drain line. An automated two-stage staggered-flush carries human waste or 100 standard balls more efficiently in the adjoining drain line. All parts exposed to urine, feces, or corrosive gas are made of, or coated, by materials resistant to corrosion by the urine, feces, and gas. Moving parts are advantageously mounted with loose tolerances so that they can be operated and the saucer can be opened and closed 75,000 times without losing its ability to pass an array of other ASME tests.

DRAWING Reference Numerals22 lower support structure23 ground24 upper support structure26 frustum-shaped bowl28 front of bowl30 rear of bowl32 bottom outlet of bowl34 waste passageway36 inlet to adjoining drain line38 reinforcing rib44 flange of passageway45 gasket between upper and lower support structures46 rotational saucer or valve element47 periphery of saucer 4648 sealing ring49 plate50 main spring51 apex of sealing ring 4852 pressurized water feed53 base of sealing ring 4854 flushometer valve56 accessory compartment60 water conduits62 opposing water outlets64 spillway66 anti-splash ledge67 wet spot, puddle, or plash68 rim70 seat72 button74 larger button76 electric control77 wall78 wall79 motor for opening and closing 4680 manual push rod81 timing belt for 7982 timing wheel that rotates freely on 9084 cam86 arm on timing wheel 8287 catch on arm 8690 saucer-pivoting shaft91 key94 gasket96 hermetic radial seal100 support bushing102 trigger108 second arm connected to hub109 roller on 108111 trigger-centering spring112 catch on trigger 102114 arm connected to roller 115115 roller on 114116 catch on arm 114120 adjusting screw122 bracket spring124 bracket126 electric switch130 arm connected to spring 50132 hub on shaft 90134 plate molded into saucer 46136 washer and wave washer138 nut and jam nut140 stud welded to plate 134142 lever that actuates 126

ADVANTAGES

Accordingly, several advantages of one or more aspects of the present toilet are as follows: (a) it provides a staggered flush that improves drain line carry, (b) it has no need for a water seal, (c) the bottom outlet of the bowl and the waste passageway are much wider than those of a

siphon toilet so the bowl and waste passageway are correspondingly more unlikely to clog, (5) it can't contaminate drinking water, (6) the bowl is unlikely to over flow onto a bathroom, (7) it can meet or surpass all of the historical health and functional advantages of siphon and wash-down toilets, and (8) it is more ecological because it uses much less water per-person-per-day. Furthermore, for all but very small children, a maker can customize the toilet comfortably to seat a customer of any height and weight, or customer subset, by omitting gasket45inFIGS. 1 and 2. Also the maker can separate the upper support structure of the toilet from the lower support structure by a vertical distance comparable to the height difference between a four-year-old child and the customer, or customer subset and fusing a sturdy cylinder, that sits on the ground, to the separated upper and lower support structures. The cylinder can blend with bathroom colors other than that of a sink, bath, shower, etc, so that from the doorway of the bathroom, the cylinder mostly hides that the toilet is a toilet and makes the toilet more attractive to the eye.

Further advantages of various aspects will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and accompanying drawings.

Structures and Connections—FIGS. 1,2,5a,5b

As shown inFIG. 1, a mechanical-trap toilet according to a first embodiment comprises a lower structure22that supports the toilet. The lower support structure sits on and is attached to a bathroom floor (not shown) and is connected to a conventional adjoining drain line36.

A gasket45is sandwiched between an upper support structure24and a flange44of a waste passageway34. Waste passageway34is an integral part of the lower structure.

A bowl26is an integral part of the upper support structure. As shown inFIG. 2, the shape of bowl26below the level of an anti-splash ledge66resembles a frustum, an inverted cone that lacks an apex and ends in a bottom outlet32.

As shown inFIGS. 2 and 5A, a sealing ring48is press fitted into a groove that surrounds an outside part of bowl26above bottom outlet32.

Reinforcing ribs38, shown inFIG. 1, help support waste passageway34, bowl26, and lower support structure22.

A saucer-pivoting shaft90extends from the right and left sides of upper support structure24. Shaft90is connected to a plate49. Plate49passes forward from sight under a saucer-shaped valve element46. Plate49and valve element or saucer46are shown in their fully up, closed positions. Shaft90emerges (not shown) from the right and left sides of upper support structure24. It is surrounded, in order, from inside out, by a hermetic radial seal96, a support bushing100, and a gasket94.

Shaft90is connected to a hub132. An arm130extends radially from the hub. The distal or free end of arm130is connected to one end of a coil spring50. The other end of spring50is connected to a wall as also shown inFIGS. 6,7, and9.

A second arm108(FIG. 1) extends down from hub132. Arm108is connected to a trigger102. One end of trigger102is formed as catch112, also shown inFIGS. 6 to 10and11. The other end of trigger102is connected to one end of trigger-centering spring111. The other end of spring111is connected to arm108, as shown inFIGS. 6,7,8,10, and11.

A timing wheel82is connected to a timing belt81, as shown inFIGS. 7 and 8. Belt81is connected to a sprocket (not shown) of rotary motor79(FIG. 3). Wheel82rotates freely on saucer-pivoting shaft90and is connected to cam84, as shown inFIGS. 1,6, and11.

In one embodiment, bottom outlet32was about 3.25 inches wide, considerably wider than siphon toilets and, when open, thereby much less likely to clog. When closed, it can (1) retain water, urine, solid human waste, and artificial test media in the bowl, and (2) prevent potentially volatile toxic or explosive mixtures of gases from entering a bathroom from an adjoining drain line. In one embodiment, the trap has the general shape of a saucer.

One embodiment was able to carry 100 test plastic balls an average distance of more than 12 meters (40 feet) with 1.0 to 2.0 liters of water. Another embodiment was able to carry 100 balls in excess of 18.3 meters (60 feet) with 1.0 to 2.0 liters (0.3 to 0.5 gallon) with a staggered flush.

Structures and Connections—FIGS. 1 and 2

Bowl26is an integral part of upper support structure24. The bottom of bowl26protrudes downward through structure24.

Structure24sits on and is connected to lower support structure22. Structure24sits on the floor or ground23(FIG. 2) and is connected to an adjoining drain line36. Waste passageway34is an integral part of the lower support structure. Bowl26and waste passageway34have bottom outlets that are aligned approximately vertically above an inlet to the adjoining drain line. Sealing ring48surrounds and is connected to the outside of the bowl near the bottom outlet of the bowl. The sealing ring may be made of compressible material. In one embodiment, it was made of Viton elastomer.

Bowl26(FIG. 1) has a front part28and a rear part30. Front part28inclines 30 to 50 degrees forward and rear part30inclines 5 to 15 degrees rearward from the vertical. The front and rear parts are linear; they do not form convexities or concavities. In one embodiment, there can be an inclination in the front part of 40 degrees forward and the rear part of 10 degrees rearward. As mentioned, this lack of concavities and convexities (1) helps prevent feces and toilet tissue from sticking to those parts of the bowl and thereby makes them easier to rinse, and (2) permits rinse and flush water to fall with greater momentum.

Shaft90is connected to plate49. Plate49is connected to stud140(FIG. 5A). Stud140is welded to a stiff plate134that is molded within, and entirely surrounded by, saucer or valve element46. Sealing ring48has a wedge-shaped apex51and a roughly flat base53. The base of ring48is press fitted into a groove. The groove surrounds the outside surface of bowl26above and close to bottom outlet32, as shown inFIG. 5B. Apex51of ring48extends outward from the bowl. It is compressible and resilient. Thus forceful closure of saucer46forcefully compresses apex51against bowl26, and thereby hermetically seals bottom outlet32of the bowl. Plate49, stud140, and the saucer-shaped valve element are shown in their fully open, vertically down positions inFIG. 2.

Electric controls76and a flushometer valve54are located within an accessory compartment56(FIG. 2). Valve54is connected to a pressurized water feed52. Feed52has an inside diameter of about 12.50 mm (0.50 inch). Feed52can be regulated by a conventional anti-siphon valve, pressure regulator, and or anti-water hammer valve.

As show inFIGS. 2 and 3, spillway64is an aperture in an upper front part of bowl26. Anti-splash ledge66is connected to the bottom of spillway64. There is sufficient distance between spillway64and water outlets62to permit bowl contents, when large enough to overflow, to overflow without coming in contact with the water outlets. Thus, in the event of a drop in pressure in the normally pressurized water source, the separation between spillway64and water outlets62prevents bowl contents from being sucked into a drinking water line.

As shown inFIG. 3, a front part of a toilet seat70and a front part of a toilet rim68are approximately horizontally oriented. The rear parts of seat70and rim68are inclined upward and rearward and are connected to an immobile part of the upper toilet. An aperture in seat70and rim68is roughly centered above bottom outlet32of the bowl and inlet36of an adjoining drain line.

Structures and Connections—FIG. 3

As shown inFIG. 3, rim68is formed at the upper part of the bowl. Seat70sits on the rim. A button72and a button74are located on top of the rear of the toilet. The buttons are connected to electric control76. Control76is connected to a motor79and to flushometer valve54.

Valve54is connected to water feed52which is connected to a source of pressurized water, which is suitable for drinking. Valve54contains a diaphragm (not shown). The diaphragm is connected to a push rod80. Rod80is connected to a push button78, which is located on top of the toilet, adjacent to buttons72and74. Manually depressing button78depresses rod80and manually opens valve54.

Valve54is connected to water conduits60. Conduits60run forward on the outside of both sides of bowl26. At least two of conduits60enter the bowl from opposite directions adjacent each other. Conduits60end inside of the bowl as water outlets62. Outlets62point in opposite directions the inside of bowl26.

Spillway64is provided in an upper front part of bowl26. There is sufficient distance between spillway64and outlets62to permit bowl contents to flow out of the bowl without coming into contact with outlets62or, in the event of a drop in water pressure, being sucked into drinking water. Anti-splash ledge66is connected to the bottom of spillway64to prevent turbulent rinse water from leaving the bowl.

Water conduits60end as adjacent water outlets62that point in opposite directions so that they can rinse areas of the bowl below, between, and beyond the outlets. This creates turbulence towards the front and rear mid-lines of the bowl where, due to the bi-lobed configuration of the human buttock, feces are prone to adhere.

Rigid plate134(FIG. 5A) stiffens saucer46. The periphery of saucer46inclines upward and outward from the flat part of the saucer. A plain washer and a wave washer138and a plain nut and jam nut136secure plate49to stud140.

Plate49and saucer46are shown pivoted clockwise, fully closed, upward, so that the peripheral part of saucer46is hermetically compressed against sealing ring48.

As shown inFIG. 5B, sealing ring48has a wedge-shaped apex51and a roughly flat base53. Ring48is press fitted into a groove. The groove surrounds the outside surface of bowl26above its bottom outlet32. The apex faces outward from the bowl. Closure of saucer46forces a small area of periphery47of saucer46against a small area of apex51.

Structures and Connections—FIG. 6

FIG. 6shows a side-view from the right of a multi-part external mechanism for opening-and-closing saucer46shown inFIGS. 1,2, and5when it is hermetically locked closed. The mechanism is located outside of structure24and passageway34(FIGS. 1 and 2).

A sprocket on a drive motor (not shown) is connected to a notched timing belt81(FIG. 6). The belt is connected to a notched timing wheel82. Arm86and cam84are connected to wheel82. One end of spring50is fastened to a wall of the toilet; the other end (not shown) is behind timing wheel82and is connected to the distal end of arm130(FIG. 1).

Arm108(FIG. 6) protrudes below wheel82. Arm108is rotationally connected to trigger102. One end of trigger102is formed as catch112. The other end of trigger102is connected to the bottom of trigger-centering spring111. The top of spring111is connected to arm108. An inside surface of arm108is connected to roller109.

The right end of arm114is rotationally attached to a wall77. The other end of arm114is free. Roller115is connected the outside of arm114. An adjusting screw120is welded to arm114. Screw120is connected to bracket spring122. Bracket spring122is connected to bracket124. Bracket124is fastened to wall77. Spring111urges arm114upwards against roller109on arm108and a rear end of trigger102upward. An electric switch126is connected to a wall77and to electric control76(FIG. 3).

Structures and Connections—FIG. 7

FIG. 7is similar toFIG. 6, but without wheel82or belt81in order to show parts of the mechanism for opening and closing saucer46. One end of arm108is connected to hub132and the other end to roller109. Arm130is connected to one end of fully extended main spring50. The other end of spring50is anchored to a wall78of the toilet. Spring50urges arm130and hub132counter-clockwise and locks arms114and108together and thereby locks saucer46in its normal position, fully closed.

Main spring50can be any mechanical, pneumatic, or magnet spring that opens the saucer fast enough to permit bowl contents to free fall into an adjoining drain line. In one embodiment, spring50was a coil spring. The speed with which spring50snaps open depends on the inertia of the above multi-part mechanism for opening saucer46and on the strength of spring50. In one embodiment, saucer46snapped open within half of a second.

Roller109is connected to an inside lower part of arm108. The free end of arm114is formed as catch116. Roller109is engaged in catch116. Trigger-centering spring110is connected to trigger102and to arm108. Spring50urges trigger102to rotate to a position that is roughly at a 90° angle to arm108.

Structures and Connections—FIG. 9

FIG. 9shows a side-view from the right, minus the timing wheel and timing belt, of parts of the multi-part external mechanism for opening and closing saucer46when it46has been rotated counter-clockwise to the fully open position shown inFIG. 2. Spring50is fully contracted. Spring50has urged arm130, hub132, and arm108counter-clockwise so that roller109on arm108no longer engages catch112on arm114. Consequently, spring50causes arm108and trigger102to a roughly horizontal position. As show inFIG. 10, relaxation of spring111permits trigger102to lock saucer46in a normally closed position.

FIG. 10shows parts of the mechanism for opening and closing saucer46. Arm86is connected to timing wheel82. Clockwise rotation of wheel82engages catch87on arm86against catch112on arm102to rotate arm102clockwise, as shown by the arrow. Further rotation of timing wheel82causes arm86to activate lever142of switch126and thereby electronically terminate operations.

Structures and Connections—FIG. 11

FIG. 11shows the positions of structures when saucer46is closed in its normal position, fully up, hermetically compressed against sealing ring48. Catch112on arm102is disengaged from catch87on arm86. Bracket spring122urges adjusting screw120upward against the rear end of arm102. Upward pressure by spring122on screw120rotates the rear end of arm102upward and the front end of trigger arm102downward. Spring122urges the free front end of arm114upward to lock against roller109and thereby locks the mechanism for rotating saucer46in its fully closed position.

Consequently the toilet is ready (1) to expel urine or (2) solid human waste to a sewer, or (3) to test its ability to carry 100 test balls, or sausages, aka condoms filled with tofu in an adjoining laboratory drain line.

FIG. 6shows the multi-part external mechanism for opening and closing saucer46, with saucer46normally locked hermetically closed. A user urinates into bowl26and depresses button72. This automatically actuates the following events, summarized inFIG. 12.

Electric control76(FIG. 3) opens flushometer valve54for a predetermined time, preferably about 100 milliseconds, to permit pressurized water to emerge from opposing water outlets62to create an extensive and turbulent rinse pattern, which detaches urine from the wall of bowl26, as shown inFIGS. 3 and 4.

Depression of button72also actuates electric control to start motor79to rotate clockwise until saucer46is fully open as follows: Clockwise rotation of motor79rotates timing belt81clockwise. Clockwise rotation of belt81rotates wheel82clockwise. Continued clockwise rotation of wheel82causes cam84to depress roller115. This depresses the front end of arm114. This disengages catch87on arm86from catch112(FIG. 10) on arm102and thereby causes main spring50to snap closed. Relaxation of spring50pulls or snaps arm130on hub132counter-clockwise (FIGS. 7-9).

Rotation of hub132rotates key91on saucer pivoting shaft90counter clockwise and snaps arm108counter-clockwise to a roughly horizontal position (FIG. 9). This snaps plate49of saucer47vertically downward to its fully open position to permit urine and water to free fall into adjoining drain line36(FIG. 2). The water and urine gravitationally flow the length of drain line36to a sewer system, not shown. A volume of 200 to 300 ml (0.05 to 0.08 gallon) is adequate. The amount may be up to 250 ml (0.06 gallon). When released, apex51of seal ring48rebounds to a decompressed state within less than one second.

Further clockwise rotation of wheel82by motor79closes saucer46as follows: (1) Wheel82rotates arm84clockwise. (2) Clockwise rotation of arm84depresses roller115on arm114. (3) Depression of arm114engages catch87on arm86with catch112on trigger102and presses the rear end of trigger102against bracket spring122so that the saucer is fully closed, as shown inFIGS. 1,2,5A, and5B. (4) Motor79stops and (5) the operation terminates. The toilet is immediately available for a next user.

Since there is normally no water in the bowl, a wet spot or plash of water is first required to cushion falling feces to prevent them from unduly adhering to the bowl. In one embodiment, there may be a 1.00 liter (0.25 gallon) plash. It is about 85 mm (3.45 inches) deep and has a surface area of about 140 mm by 165 mm (5.75 by 6.75 inches). This embodiment exceeds minimum ASME standards for wet spots.

To create the plash a user depresses manual push button74, which (FIG. 13) opens valve54long enough (about 750 ms) to fill the bowl to a 1.0 liter (0.25 gallon) mark, not shown.

If this does not suit a user, the user can create a larger one as follows: The user depresses button78(FIGS. 2 and 3), which depresses push rod80. The rod disengages the diaphragm in flushometer valve54. This in turn opens valve54and permits a quantity of pressurized water to jet into bowl26. The user holds button78down until there is 1.0 liter (0.25 gallon) of water in the bowl; enough to fill it to a mark (not shown). Later, the user can experiment with progressively smaller plashes. Eventually, the user may find an ecologically desirable 1.0 liter (0.25 gallon) plash is adequate.

When ready to expel solid human waste to a sewer, the user depresses button74again to actuate a staggered or two-part flush, as also shown inFIG. 13: Valve54opens again for the first part of the flush, about 750 milliseconds, to rinse bowl26free of solid human waste with about 1.0 to 2.0 liters (0.25 to 0.50 gallon) of water.

Concurrently motor79rotates the timing belt and timing wheel82clockwise until saucer46has opened to its fully down position, as described. Opening saucer46permits the plash and the first part of the flush, plus the solid human waste, to free fall into the adjoining drain line.

As further indicated inFIG. 13, while the saucer is open and the solid human waste is moving in the drain line, valve54automatically opens for a second predetermined time, preferably about 500 milliseconds, to introduce a second quantity of water, about 1.0 to 2.0 liters (0.25 to 0.5 gallon) into the drain line behind the moving solid waste. (While saucer46is open, valve54can open for a predetermined longer time, preferably about one and half seconds, to release a larger second quantity of water, about 3.0 liters (0.75 gallon) into the drain line while the solid human waste is still moving.) The total water consumption is about 5.0 to 6.0 liters (1.25 to 1.50 gallons).

Releasing the second quantity of water into the drain line while the solid human waste is still moving carries the solid waste further than if both quantities of water were to enter the drain line together.

The saucer automatically closes as described in detail above. The operation for expelling solid human waste to a sewer with a staggered flush is terminated. The toilet is ready for the next user.

Since bowl26progressively narrows from top to bottom, the free-falling feces, toilet tissue, urine, and wet spot converge so that their total diameter becomes considerably less than that of passageway34. Consequently, they are unlikely to adhere to waste passageway34.

Testing Toilet to Carry ASME-Rated Plastic Balls in Laboratory Drain Line with Staggered Flush

To test the toilet, a tester inserts100plastic balls into the normally empty bowl and actuates button74. Motor70opens the saucer, as described, so that the balls free-fall into an adjoining laboratory drain line. While the saucer is open, valve54opens for about 750 milliseconds to release a predetermined amount of water into the drain line to impart more momentum to the balls. After about a 750 millisecond delay, while the balls are moving in the drain line, motor70re-opens valve54for about 1.5 seconds to release pressurized water into the drain line to impart additional momentum, and, thus greater carry to the balls. Then valve54closes and saucer46closes to its normal closed vertically upright position. The motor stops so that the operation is terminated and the toilet is immediately available for additional operations.

As mentioned, the ASME standard states that toilets that may be legally offered for sale in residences and business with an IAPMO rating in the US and Canada on condition they can carry 100 balls an average of 12.2 meters (40 feet), or more, with 6.0 liters (1.6 gallons) or less of water.

One embodiment can carry 100 balls in excess of 18.3 meters (60 feet) with about 1.00 to 2.00 liters (0.3 to 0.5 gallon) of water. Apparently, no prior-art toilet carried this number of balls so far with less than 6.0 liters (1.6 gallons).

Per-Person-Per-Day Water Consumption

Some dual-flush siphon and wash-down toilets use as much as 18 liters (4.76 gallons) per-person-per-day when conventionally used. Most single-flush siphon toilets, when used as recommended by their makers and most single flush wash-down toilets use up to 30.0 liters (8.0 gallons) per person per day. In contrast, one embodiment of my toilet uses about 9.8 liters (2.6 gallons) per day per person when used as recommended.

CONCLUSIONS, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE

Accordingly the reader will appreciate various aspects of the present invention have several advantages such as water efficiency and cleanliness. For example, the steep-sided bowl, having none of the conventional convexities and concavities helps prevent feces from adhering to the bowl. Opposing water outlets rinse the bowl most turbulently where feces are more prone to adhere. Thus, the outlets are more water efficient and the bowl more likely to remain clean. Furthermore, urine adherent to the bowl can be rinsed into the drain line with about 250 ml (0.07 gallon) of water.

The saucer is normally hermetically compressed against the bowl, so that the contents of the bowl remain in the bowl and sewer gases remain in the sewer. One embodiment has a saucer that has been tested and opened and then hermetically closed about 75,000 times.

The saucer opens with sufficient rapidity that urine, feces, and or toilet tissue in the bowl can free fall into an adjoining drain line. Thus, unlike current indoor toilets, a wet spot is not necessary when a user merely urinates.

If the toilet is provided in a public bathroom, a laser beam can be directed across the bathroom's doorway so that, whenever a user leaves without flushing, the interruption of the beam will automatically trigger the above operation for flushing solid waste.

The manual push button can be repeatedly actuated to release up to seven liters of water in the bowl to flush toilet tissue that may come rest in the drain line adjoining a business if the drain line is not regularly be flushed by showers, dish washers, clothes washers, sinks, etc., as are drain lines adjoining residences. (Toilets use less than 30% of water used indoors in residences.)

Although the above description contains many details, these details should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention, since they are merely illustrative examples of some of the embodiments. Many additional embodiments are possible. For example, the drive motor can be directly connected to the timing-wheel assembly, thus eliminating the need for and expense of a timing belt. In one embodiment, the toilet can utilize a battery capable of powering several thousand automated flushes during a power outage or in buildings not provided with electric power. The battery can automatically be recharged from the same power source that powers electric controls76so that the battery remains charged.

For buyers whose wet spot needs are accommodated by 1 liter (0.25-gallon) of water, a maker can dispense with the manual push button, the manual push rod, and the diaphragm in valve54, thereby reducing its manufacturing costs.

The waste passageway and lower support structure can be up to about 300 mm (12 inches) taller. A manufacture can sell such tall toilets to burgeoning populations for whom today's toilets are uncomfortably low and to myriads of people afflicted with a wide variety of painful disabilities that hamper them when they sit on conventional toilets.

A variety of shock absorbers can be used to dampen an upward thrust of arm108and thereby prevent the main spring from shocking and damaging moving parts which open and close the saucer. This will extend the useful life of these parts.

In lieu of a fluoro-elastomer, the sealing ring can be made of a variety other resilient materials, such as varieties of rubber or equivalent polymers that can be compressed many times and promptly rebound to their pre-compression state. Instead of the saucer compressing the point of an apex, in another embodiment it can compress a resilient fold.

The seat, rim, and cover can be conventionally sloped for initial buyer acceptance. In various embodiments the seat, bowl, and waste passageway can be made of a variety of corrosion resistant materials which include, but are not limited to, vitreous china, plastics, metals, or anodized aluminum coated with PTFE.

The weight of a toilet is important to makers, distributors, plumbers, and handy owners. The bowl, upper support, waste passageway, and lower support structure can be made of light corrosive-resistant plastics, or anodized aluminum coated with PTFE. This will reduce the weight of some embodiments of the present invention to about half that of current indoor toilets.

The bowl and waste passageway can be made of vitreous china, the surface of which has a finish which repels urine, so that no rinsing of urine is required. Such a finish permits saving of about 250 ml (0.07 gallon) of water each time a male uses the toilet for urination alone.

Thus, the scope is determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.