Abstract:
A sealed liquid accumulator for accumulating a liquid in a box which is sealed to prevent the escape of odors from the interior of the box. The accumulator has an outlet tube for evacuating liquid from the interior of the box by way of a vacuum. A source of replacement air is supplied to the box through a controlled valve.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The field of the invention is plumbing fixtures and the invention relates more particularly to a plumbing system for collecting accumulated liquids in an accumulator and emptying the accumulated liquid when the accumulator is filled to a predetermined level. The system is vacuum operated. 
   Various vacuum operated plumbing fixtures are known. One such fixture is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,305,403 wherein a buffer  14  collects liquid and is emptied by pulling a vacuum at one end of the buffer. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,311,717 discloses an accumulator system utilizing a pair of buffer boxes  30  which are emptied by a vacuum. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,385,789 shows a vacuum galley waste disposal system which is activated by pushing a button which initiates rinse water to the basin and opens a valve between the drain of the basin and a collection tank maintained under vacuum. 
   In some applications where the liquid being accumulated is malodorous, it is beneficial to provide a means for sealing the system so that the odor from the accumulator cannot escape into the surrounding atmosphere. The system is preferably operated by a vacuum without the need for any electrical input. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide a vacuum operated liquid accumulator which is sealed so that odor from within the accumulator cannot reach the surrounding exterior of the accumulator. 
   The present invention is for a vacuum operated sealed liquid accumulator having a sealed accumulator box. An outlet tube passes into the interior of the box and has an outlet port near the bottom of the box. The outlet tube is connected to an outlet line, which in turn is provided with a source of vacuum. An outlet valve is opened and closed in response to a signal received from a controller. The outlet valve is positioned between the outlet tube and the source of vacuum. An atmospheric air input port is located in the top of the sealed accumulator box. The air input port is connected to a replacement air line which has an air intake opening. An air intake valve, when opened, provides a passage of atmospheric air into the interior of the accumulator box, and when closed, prevents the passage of air into or out of the air intake line. A liquid inlet line is connected to the sealed accumulator box for introducing liquids into the interior of the box. A controller, having a sensor port connected to a control pipe within the interior of the sealed accumulator box, provides a signal to the outlet valve and to the air intake valve. When such signal is received, the outlet tube pulls liquid out of the interior of the accumulator box and the air replacement line replaces the removed liquid with atmospheric air. After the box is appropriately emptied, both valves are closed. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1A  is a side view of the vacuum operated sealed accumulator of the present invention showing the liquid at a low level. 
       FIG. 1B  is a side view thereof showing the liquid at an almost full level. 
       FIG. 2  is a top view thereof. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   A sealed accumulator box  10  has a top  11 , side walls  12 , and a bottom  13 . Box  10  is sealed with the exception of four openings. One opening is an inlet port  14  through which liquid  15  is introduced through inlet line  14 ′. The second opening is an atmospheric air intake port  6  to which replacement air line  17  is sealed. Air intake port  6  is located above liquid level  25  when box  10  is in its uppermost level as shown in FIG.  1 B. It may be positioned in the side of box  10  or as shown in the drawings in the top  11 . The third opening is for outlet tube  18  which leads to outlet line  19 . The fourth opening is for control pipe  20  which is connected to control tubing  21 , which leads to the inlet port  22  of a pneumatic controller  23 . Control pipe  20  has a riser portion within the sealed accumulator box  10 . 
   Outlet line  19  leads to a source of vacuum and to a liquid waste disposal site indicated by box  24  in FIG.  1 A. 
   Liquid level  25  in  FIG. 1A  is near bottom  13  and just covers opening  26 of control pipe  20 . 
   Pneumatic controller  23  is supported by the top  11  of box  10  and has a vacuum supply line  28  which is connected to a 2″ swing check valve  29 . Check valve  30  is positioned in vacuum supply line  28 . 
   Outlet valve  30  is positioned in outlet line  19  and is a normally closed valve. Thus, outlet line  19  between the source of vacuum  24  and outlet valve  30  is maintained under vacuum. 
   Returning to the pneumatic controller  23 , such a valve is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,311,718 assigned to the assignee of the present invention, which patent is incorporated by reference herein for background purposes. When the inlet port  22  of pneumatic controller  23  is provided with a small amount of pressure caused by the increase in liquid level  25  in  FIG. 1B , the pneumatic controller outputs a vacuum to output control line  31 . Output control line  31  leads to the control ports  32  and  33  of outlet valve  30  and air intake valve  34 , respectively. 
   Thus, as the liquid level rises in sealed accumulator box  10  to a level shown in  FIG. 1B , the pressure in control tubing  21  and at inlet port  22  increases sufficiently to activate pneumatic controller  23 . When controller  23  is activated, a vacuum is imposed in outlet control line  31 , thereby opening outlet valve  30  and air intake valve  34 . The opening of outlet valve  30  causes the liquid  15  within the interior volume  35  of box  10  to be pulled through outlet tube  18 , outlet line  19 , and into the liquid waste disposal  24 . At the same time, the opening of air intake valve  34  permits air to pass into air intake opening  36 . Note that the only time the interior volume  35  of box  10  is connected to the opening is while a vacuum is being applied on outlet tube  18 . Thus, malodorous vapors can never escape the sealed accumulator box. 
   Once the interior volume  35  is essentially emptied of liquid, the opening  26  of control pipe  20  is exposed to atmospheric pressure. This causes the pressure in control tubing  21  to return to atmospheric pressure, thereby turning off pneumatic controller  23 . The turning off of pneumatic controller  23  causes the vacuum in output control line  31  to return to atmospheric pressure, thereby causing outlet valve  30  and air intake valve  34  to close. 
   Valves  30  and  34  are preferably pinch valves of the type known in U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,411, which is incorporated by reference herein. Such valves are normally closed and when opened, rapidly provide a large liquid or vapor passageway. For instance, 1″ valves can be used which eliminate essentially any pressure drop so that the opening of air intake valve  34  quickly increases the pressure within accumulator box  10  to atmospheric pressure. 
   The vacuum operated sealed liquid accumulator of the present invention is particularly useful in the disposal of waste from plumbing fixtures such as urinals and operates without any source of electricity. 
   The present embodiments of this invention are thus to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive; the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.