Truck urine reservoir

A urine reservoir is provided for a truck allowing a trucker to utilize the urine reservoir while underway and/or without having to detour from a highway while traveling thereby saving precious travel time and greatly increasing the efficiency of a trucker. The urine reservoir includes a holding tank with a fill system which includes a fill tube with an in-line carbonatious filter which helps eliminate foul odors from entering into the truck cab. The holding tank is positioned and mounted on the truck for quick and easy removal by use of wing nuts and a quick release fill tube disconnecting member. The level of the holding tank is monitored by a float mechanism which audibly and/or visually indicates to the trucker when the urine holding tank should be emptied. The holding tank also includes a deodorant dispensing device which either automatically or manually releases deodorant into an interior of the holding tank helping to prevent foul odors from emanating from the holding tank.

TECHNICAL FIELD 
The present invention relates to devices and methods for urine reservoirs 
and more particularly to a mobile truck urine reservoir which includes an 
easy to remove and empty urine holding tank, a filling system which is 
comprised of a filling tube with a quick disconnect from the holding tank 
and further quick disconnect men's and women's adapter, a fluid level 
monitor and a tank level audible and visual indicator mounted in the 
driver's cab of the truck while noxious odors are reduced by an in-line 
carbonatious filter located in the filling tube and a deodorant dispensing 
device which dispenses deodorant into the holding tank. 
BACKGROUND ART 
Long haul truckers have always experienced the problem of finding time and 
a location to relieve themselves while traveling on the road. Bathroom 
stops cut into a truckers valuable time and decrease the trucker's 
efficiency and increase travel time. The inventor has found that this 
problem can be overcome by the use of the present invention. Additionally, 
the inventor has found that the use of the urine reservoir with its 
portable holding tank which quickly and easily disconnects from a filling 
tube, and with a urine level monitoring system, and the filling tube 
adapters which allows the reservoir to be used by either a female or male 
trucker provide a device which greatly enhances the efficiency of a 
trucker. Prior art consists of the following patents: 
Sealy, U.S. Pat. No. 5,285,532 which discloses a portable urine device. 
Smith, U.S. Pat. No. 5,117,511 which discloses a liquid disposable 
automotive accessory. 
Wise, U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,483 which discloses an integrated passenger seat 
and toilet apparatus and method. 
Cook, U.S. Pat. No. 4,042,981 which discloses a toilet waste holding 
apparatus. 
Sargent, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,882,799 which discloses a waste disposal 
system and method. 
Avila, U.S. Pat. No. 1,905,881 which discloses and automotive commode. 
Freitag, U.S. Pat. No. 1,722,199 which discloses an attachment for 
automobiles. 
Randle, U.S. Pat. No. 1,650,155 which discloses an automobile commode. 
As can be seen from the prior art there has never been a device as the 
present which solves the problem of providing a trucker with a convenient 
on board urine reservoir which is easy to empty and includes a urine level 
monitoring system, a carbonatious filter for removing noxious odors which 
may emanate from the holding tank, a deodorant dispensing device which 
further helps eliminate odors from the holding tank, an audible and visual 
urine level tank indicator mounted within the truck cab, and further 
includes a filling tube with quick disconnect at the holding tank and 
quick disconnect men's and women's adapter allowing the urine reservoir to 
be utilized by either a man or woman trucker. 
GENERAL SUMMARY DISCUSSION OF INVENTION 
It is thus an object of the invention to provide a Truck Urine Reservoir 
that increases the efficiency of a trucker by allowing a trucker to 
utilize the onboard urine reservoir without having to make intermittent 
stops thereby increasing the trucker's efficiency and decreasing the 
trucker's time on the road. 
It is a further object of the invention to provide a Truck Urine Reservoir 
that includes a holding tank with a quick disconnect filling tube which 
allows the urine reservoir to be easily removed and emptied by the 
trucker. 
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a Truck Urine 
Reservoir that includes an in-line carbonatious filter in-line with a 
filling tube which helps prevent noxious odors from emanating from the ho 
lding tank through the filling tube, and further includes a deodorant 
dispensing unit contained on a top portion of the holding tank which 
dispenses deodorant into the holding tank and thereby helps reduce noxious 
odors from emanating from the holding tank. 
It is a further object of the invention to provide a Truck Urine Reservoir 
that includes a fluid level indicating mechanism which is comprised of a 
float mechanism positioned within a holding tank with a magnetically 
actuated float fluid level indicator which sends an electrical signal to 
an audio and visual fluid level indicator mounted within the truck cab so 
that the trucker can visually and/or audibly monitor the tanks level and 
empty the tank when necessary. 
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a Truck Urine 
Reservoir that is easily converted for use by a male or female by the use 
of a quick disconnect mens adaptor and a quick disconnect women's adaptor 
on a filling tube which is positioned within a convenient location within 
the truck's cab and/or sleeper area. 
Accordingly, a Truck Urine Reservoir is provided which comprises a holding 
tank that is detachably connected to the truck thereby allowing for easy 
removal and emptying and cleansing of the holding tank, a holding tank 
level monitoring system which comprises a float mechanism mounted on a 
guide rod wherein the guide rod has a magnetically actuated switch 
positioned thereon and the float has a magnet mounted thereon in a manner 
such that when a predetermined float level is achieved the magnetically 
actuated switch is closed activating an audible and/or visual alarm to 
alert the trucker that the tank must be emptied, a fill system comprising 
a quick disconnect fill tube disconnectable at the holding tank with a 
receiving end positioned within the trucks cab or other convenient 
location for the trucker further comprising a quick disconnect mens 
adaptor or women's adapter mounted on the receiving end of the fill tube, 
further comprising a in-line carbonatious odor capturing filter positioned 
on the holding tank in-line with the fill tube for illuminating odors 
which may emanate from the holding tank through the fill tube, a deodorant 
dispensing device mounted on a top portion of the holding tank providing a 
constant releasable deodorant composition to be slowly released into the 
holding tank thereby helping eliminate odors within the holding tank.

EXEMPLARY MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
It can be seen from the following description that in use a trucker would 
mount the truck urine reservoir inside a tool box or along the floor board 
of his or her tractor trailer rig using supplied brackets which are 
provided with the urine reservoir and utilizing quick release wing nuts 
provided with the urine reservoir. Next the trucker would attach the 
filling hose, the wiring for the holding tank level, and the appropriate 
male or female adaptor. Should the trucker need to relieve him or herself 
while driving he or she would relieve his or herself inside the adaptor, 
allowing the filling hose to deliver the urine into the urine reservoir 
holding tank. A carbonatious filter mounted inside the filling hose would 
aid an illuminating odor that may travel up from the holding tank before 
disposal of the holding tank contents. As the holding tank fills, an 
expanded plastic foam flat surrounding a slide tube would rise with the 
level of the urine inside. Once the float has reached the top of the slide 
tube, a magnet mounted inside the float would make contact with a magnetic 
switch inside the slide tube, completing an electrical connection and 
sending an electrical signal to an audible and/or visual tank level 
indicator mounted inside the truck cab warning the trucker that the 
holding tank needs to be emptied. To empty the tank the trucker would 
remove the filling tube utilizing a quick disconnect tubing connector from 
the top of the holding tank, unfasten the wing nuts from the brackets 
holding the tank to the truck, remove the holding tank, transport the 
holding tank to an appropriate location to drain the urine and then open a 
ball valve on a lower portion of the holding tank allowing the contents of 
the holding tank to be emptied. At this point the trucker may also 
visually inspect the deodorant dispensing device mounted on top of the 
holding tank assuring that sufficient deodorant compound is in the 
deodorant container. After emptying the trucker would replace the holding 
tank and connect the filling tube, and the electrical wiring for the level 
indicating device for further use. 
Referring to the figures in detail FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the 
holding tank 20 illustrating the major component parts of the urine 
reservoir which include the filling system 60, a deodorizing canister 70, 
ball valve 25, holding tank mounting brackets 26, holding tank inspection 
cap 24, while FIG. 2 illustrates the placement of the level indicating 
mechanism 30. 
Holding tank 20 is preferably constructed of polyethylene, ABS plastic, or 
any other appropriate polymer which is suitable for containing urine. 
Additionally, the material used to manufacture the holding tank 20 is 
preferably translucent so that a trucker may be able to glance at the 
holding tank 20 and determine the level of urine contained within without 
having to rely upon the fluid level devices described herein. Mounting 
brackets 26 are "L" shaped brackets and may be molded of continuous 
material with the holding tank 20 or may be constructed as separate metal 
"L" shaped brackets attached by screws 27 to the holding tank side. Wing 
nuts 28 are used to secure the holding tank 20 to a floor of the truck 
floorboard or tool box or other appropriated flat location within the 
truck and further provide a quick release device allowing the user to 
quickly remove the storage tank 20 for emptying. The holding tank 20 is 
preferably about twelve inches in height, twenty inches in length, and 
twelve inches in width. This dimension allows the device to be placed 
easily within a truck tool box or other location within a truck. A ball 
valve 25 is positioned on an end or side of the holding tank 20 and 
preferably is located near a bottom portion of the holding tank to allow 
all of the contents of the holding tank to be released when the ball valve 
is opened without having to tilt the holding tank. Clean out cap 24 is 
positioned on a top surface 21 of the storage tank and is a round "bungee" 
type cap threadably secured to a female threaded portion 29 of the holding 
tank 20. The clean out cap 24 further has a diameter of about three to 
four inches allowing visual inspection of the interior of the tank if 
necessary. Additionally, the dimension of the inspection cap 24 allows a 
user, if necessary to insert tools and/or a hand to work on the interior 
components of the holding tank is necessary. 
The holding tank 20 also includes a level indicating mechanism 30 which 
indicating system is contained within an interior 22 of the holding tank 
20 the mechanism system 30 is further comprised of a magnetic read switch 
31, a magnet 32, a slide tube 33, an expanded plastic foam float 34, and 
wiring 35. The magnetic read switch 31 is fixedly secured to a top portion 
of the slide tube 33 while the magnet 32 is attached to the float 34, 
which is shaped as a donut to fit around the slide tube 33, so that as 
urine fills the holding tank 20, the float 34 travels up the slide tube 33 
and when the magnet 32 contacts the magnetic read switch 31 the wiring 35 
sends an electrical signal to an audio visual tank level indicator 50 
which is installed in the truck cab in a convenient location. Furthermore, 
the wiring 35 includes a quick disconnect for quickly disconnecting the 
level indicating mechanism 30 when the tank is to be removed from the 
truck and emptied. The audio visual tank level indicator 50 includes an 
audio speaker 51 which signals an alarm when the tank reaches a filled 
level. The audio/visual tank level indicator 50 also includes a visual red 
indicating warning light 52 which is illuminated when the level in the 
holding tank 20 reaches a full level. The level indicating mechanism 30 
functions so that when a predetermined float level is achieved, the 
magnetic switch 31 is closed activating the audio/visual tank level 
indicator 50 to alert the user that the tank must be emptied. 
The filling system 60 is comprised of a filling tube 61 which includes a 
holding tank connecting end 62 which is connected to a top portion 21 of 
the holding tank. The holding tank connecting end 62 also includes a quick 
disconnect 63 which allows the trucker to quickly disconnect the tubing 61 
at the connection of the holding tank 20 so that the holding tank can be 
carried away from the truck without the filling tube 60 dangling or 
causing any other obstruction. The filling tube 61 also includes a 
receiving end 64 which has a specially adapted end for quick release of 
urine receiving adapter which is either a men's adaptor 65 or a women's 
adaptor 66. Both the mens 65 and womens 66 urine receiving adapters 
include a connecting portion 67 which are identical, which allows the mens 
and womens adapters to be attached easily and quickly to the receiving end 
64 of the fill tube 61. The mens and womens adapters 65 and 66 are 
preferably constructed of supple rubber material such as NEOPRENE.TM. 
providing for comfort when engaging the adapters to the genital areas of 
the user for operation of the device. Additionally, fill tube 60 is 
constructed of a flexible plastic material which provides flexibility of 
the tubing 61 without causing cracking or other destructive problems with 
the fill tube 61. The fill tube is also of sufficient length to allow the 
receiving end of the tube to be placed in an interior of the truck cab in 
a convenient location. 
A deodorizing canister 70 is positioned on a top portion 21 of the holding 
tank 20. The deodorizing canister 70 includes a fill cap 71, a deodorant 
release valve 72 which allows a trucker to selectively release deodorant 
into an interior 22 of the holding tank 20 when more deodorant may be need 
to neutralize odors. The deodorant canister 70 includes a dispensing port 
73 which dispenses the deodorant compound into the interior 22 of the 
holding tank 20. The deodorant canister fill cap 71 allows the user to 
easily fill the deodorant canister with any desired perfume and/or 
deodorant compound. The deodorant canister 70 also allows a user to 
selectively add more or less quantities of deodorant into the interior 22 
of the holding tank 20 as desired and/or needed. The deodorant functions 
to eliminate and/or reduce foul odors emanating from the holding tank 20. 
An in-line carbonatious filter 80 is provided in-line with the fill tube 61 
and located at the holding tank end of the fill tube 62. The carbonatious 
filter 80 is accessible after the quick release 63 as utilized for 
removing the holding tank end 62 of the fill tube 61. The carbonatious 
filter 80 provides a deodorizing filter which helps illuminate odors from 
traveling from the interior of the holding tank 22 through the fill tube 
61 and into the truck cab where the fill end 64 of the tubing 61 may rest. 
It is noted that the embodiment of the Mobile Truck Urine Reservoir 
described herein in detail for exemplary purposes is of course subject to 
many different variations in structure, design, application and 
methodology. Because many varying and different embodiments may be made 
within the scope of the inventive concept(s) herein taught, and because 
many modifications may be made in the embodiment herein detailed in 
accordance with the descriptive requirements of the law, it is to be 
understood that the details herein are to be interpreted as illustrative 
and not in a limiting sense.