Abstract:
A system and method providing a facade for portable toilets and other structures includes a plurality of panels that mimic or emulate a more aesthetically pleasings structure. The facade may provide the appearance of a house or other structure to disguise the less appealing form of a portable toilet. One, two, three or more panels connect about a portable toilet structure and may partially or completely connect to the portable toilet structure itself. The facade is optionally comprised of lightweight and easily transportable material.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for a building facade, and more particularly to lightweight, portable building facades for use in improving the aesthetic qualities of portable building structures such as portable toilets, outhouses, dumpsters, refuse collection receptacles and the like or any other portable building. The facade systems typically emulate an aesthetically pleasing building such as a small house and may be free standing about a portable building or attached to the exterior of a portable building or other structure. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Portable toilets, or outhouses, are commonly used in a variety of settings. Construction sites, music and other festivals, parades, weddings, sporting events and other locations that temporarily require toilet facilities commonly have a plurality of outhouses as a necessity. These outhouses are designed for portability, functionality and have a generic and often unsightly appearance. They generally do not enhance the surroundings to which they are applied. Similarly, other structures, often portable buildings, such as storage sheds, dumpsters, outhouses, waste collection structures and/or animal shelters also may appear in locations where another more appropriate or aesthetically pleasing structure may be preferred. 
         [0003]    There are many different designs for portable toilets and most innovations to them have related to increased portability and/or structural stability. However, there has been little progress in improving the appearance of portable toilets. 
         [0004]    Use of facades on structures has been known since the time of the Romans. They typically include the use of mullions or similar structural elements to attach attractive exterior walls. These methods are typically complex, time consuming and impractically costly for use with a temporary structure that may only be used for a few days. In the case of permanent or semi-permanent structures, it may still be desirable to provide an inexpensive and simple facade that may be removed or replaced without substantial cost or effort. It is well known to use aluminum or other construction material extrusions in attaching a facade to a building, as exemplified by the disclosure and illustration thereof in U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,475 issued to Emmer on Mar. 7, 1989, but this and all other known facade extrusion mountings do not significantly diminish the difficulties in the procedures and complexity in the support constructions required in placing the facade in its operative position in covering relation over a building. 
         [0005]    Pertinent to a somewhat lesser extent is the facade mounting described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,581,089 issued to MacMillan on Apr. 8, 1986 in which facade panels are attached to a forward extension of a mullion, which is also a mounting technique used in accordance with the present invention, but absent in MacMillan is the use of an extrusion as proposed herein, which greatly simplifies the off-site preparation of the facade panels preparatory to their transportation to the building site for installation. 
         [0006]    No patents or disclosures describe an exterior facade suitable for inexpensive, replaceable, interchangeable, and/or temporary application to a structure, including for example a temporary buiding such as portable toilets. It is therefore broadly an object of the present invention to overcome the complexities and other shortcomings of the prior art of facades so that they are more easily applied to structures including temporary buildings such as portable toilets. More particularly, it is an object to provide a facade manufactured inexpensively. 
         [0007]    It is also desirable to provide a facade for buildings such as portable toilets that is easily folded and transported in an uncumbersome manner. 
         [0008]    It is also desirable to provide a facade for buildings such as portable toilets that is lightweight and does not apply undue stress to a portable toilet structure. 
         [0009]    It is also desirable to provide a facade for buildings such as portable toilets having an aesthetically pleasing appearance. 
         [0010]    It is also desirable to provide a facade for buildings such as portable toilets that are replaceable and/or removable and may include advertising display materials. 
         [0011]    The description of the invention which follows, together with the accompanying drawings should not be construed as limiting the invention to the example(s) shown and described, because those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains will be able to devise other forms thereof within the ambit of the appended claims. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0012]    The present invention provides a system for a facade or exterior of a portable building, such as for example a portable toilet, comprising a plurality of panels which may include a front panel, a back panel, and two side panels and may optionally include one or more roof panels. Each of the panels may be comprised of more than one panel that connect to form a side of a building. Each of the panels may attach to adjacent panels by any of a variety of connection means, including for example tongue and groove, hinges, snaps, dowel rods, adhesives, nut and bolt or other methods known in the art. 
         [0013]    Optionally the portable building facade has an aesthetically pleasing appearance which may emulate, for example, a residential building such as a house, a barn, a shed or other structure. 
         [0014]    Optionally, the portable building facade may attach to the portable building by one or a plurality of means. Such attachment may be to the sides and/or the roof of the portable building and may provide stability and/or secure placement of the facade. 
         [0015]    Accordingly, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a facade structure for use about a structure such as a portable toilet to give an aesthetically pleasing appearance while being lightweight and inexpensively manufactured. 
         [0016]    These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims. There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  shows a front view of a panel in accordance with the principles of the invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  shows a rear view of a panel accordance with principles of the invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  shows a cross-sectional view of a panel in accordance with the principles of the invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  shows a rear view of two panels in accordance with the principles of the invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  shows a rear view of an alternative embodiment of two subpanels in accordance with the principles of the invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  shows an enlarged view of an extension arm and in the In accordance with the principles of the invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 7  shows a top view of a façade system with an outhouse in accordance with the principles of the invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 8  shows a top view of a façade system with an outhouse in accordance with the principles of the invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 9  shows a top view of a façade system with two out houses in accordance with the principles of the invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 10  shows a rear view of an alternative embodiment of a panel in accordance with the principles of the invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 11  is a front exploded view of a facade system for a portable toilet in accordance with the principles of the present invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 12  is a front collapsed view of a facade system for a portable toilet in accordance with the principles of the present invention; 
           [0029]      FIG. 13  is a rear view of a facade system for a portable toilet in accordance with the principles of the present invention; 
           [0030]      FIG. 14  is a top view of an alternative embodiment of a facade system for a portable toilet in accordance with the principles of the present invention; 
           [0031]      FIG. 15  is a top view of an alternative embodiment of a facade system for a portable toilet in accordance with the principles of the present invention including attachment means. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0032]    Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
         [0033]      FIGS. 1-3  show an alternative embodiment of a facade system in accordance with the principles of the present invention.  FIG. 1  shows a front view of a panel  150 . Panel  150  may have a backboard  152  with two horizontal beams  156  and two vertical beams  154  attached along the periphery of backboard  152 . Backboard  152  may be comprised of a relatively lightweight material such as architectural foam, Styrofoam, and expanded polyolefin or other lightweight material. Backboard  152  may optionally be strengthened by applying a coating of rubber or other material. Such a coating may also enhance the aesthetic qualities of backboard  152 , may protect the panel from deterioration and may improve the overall appearance of the façade. Horizontal beams  156  and vertical beams  154  may improve the appearance of and add strength to the panel  150 . Horizontal beam  158  may optionally be included. Panel  150  may also optionally include one or more slits  160  that may allow airflow through the facade. Slits  160  may be located at the top of the panel  150  as shown in  FIG. 7 , or may be located elsewhere. Slits  160  may be incorporated into or hidden by the ornamental features of the panel  150 . The panel  150  may also include a variety of ornamentation. In this embodiment an artificial flower pot  162  and artificial fence  164  may give the panel  150  and appearance of a wall of a home. 
         [0034]      FIG. 2  shows a rear view of the panel  150 . The rear side  168  of panel  150  includes a frame  170  that may provide support, strength and rigidity to panel  150 . In this embodiment, frame  170  may be comprised of PVC. Elbows  172  and T joints  174  are connected by pipes  178 . Frame  170  may be lightweight and sturdy. In this embodiment, the frame  170  may be substantially rectangular and substantially outlines the panel  150  and may include an optional horizontal support  158 . The frame  170  may be of different shapes and may optionally include diagonal or other supports. Because both the backboard  152  and frame  170  are relatively lightweight, the panel  150  may be easier to transport and carry. Frame  170  also includes sleeves  180 . As will be described in more detail below, sleeves  180  may be used to form a joint with and removably affix panel  150  to other panels. 
         [0035]      FIG. 3  shows a cross-sectional side view of panel  150 . The pipes  178  and other components of frame  170  may be affixed to the rear  168  of panel  150  by any suitable means, including, but not limited to, glue, adhesives, nails, bolts, twine, plastic ties, slots and tabs and the like. Backboard  152  day preferably be relatively thin. Similarly, beams  154 ,  156  and  158  may be attached to the backboard  152  and each other by any suitable means, including nails, screws, bolts, adhesives, dowels and the like. For example, 6 to 8 bolts may be placed through the panel  150  and the frame  170  and secured with washers and nuts. 
         [0036]      FIG. 4  shows panel  150  in conjunction with panel  186 . Panel  186  may include backboard  188  having a frame  190  attached to its rear side  189 . Similar to frame  170 , frame  190  may be comprised of PVC, including elbows  192  and T joints  194  connected by pipes  198 . Frame  190  may also include an upper hinge pin  200  and a lower hinge pin  202 . Hinge pins  200  and  202  may be inserted into sleeves  180  in order to removably connect panels  150  and  186 . Hinge pins  200  and  202  may have a diameter sufficiently smaller than the inside diameter of sleeves  180  to provide “wiggle room” in the connection between panels  150  and  186 . The façade system of the invention may be utilized in places where the ground is uneven or may change. Allowing panels  150  and  186  to move relative to one another while maintaining their connection at joints may be desirable. 
         [0037]    In this embodiment, hinge pin  200  may shorter than hinge pin  202 . When attaching panel  186  to panel  150 , hinge pin  202  may be aligned with and inserted into a sleeve  180  first. A person assembling the panels may then align hinge pin  200  with sleeve  180  and inserted. This design thus may allow the assembler to align one hinge pin at a time with its respective sleeve. This may simplify assembly. Optionally, upper hinge pin  200  may be longer and lower hinge pin  202  may be shorter. Optionally, hinge pins may be of equal length. It may also be desirable to provide tapered hinge pins or sleeves having annular flanges to facilitate ready assembly. 
         [0038]      FIG. 5  shows panel  150  in conjunction with another panel  203  having a backboard  208 . The rear side  204  of panel  203  includes a frame  210 . Frame  210  may be similarly constructed of rigid and/or lightweight material like frames  170  and  190 . Frame  210  may be comprised of PVC, including elbows  212 , T joint  214 , 4 way joints  215  and a plurality of pipes  218  connecting the elbows  212  and the joins  214 . Frame  210  may also include extension arms  220  and  222 . Extension arm  220  has a cylindrical housing  224  and a rod  226  that extends outwardly therefrom. At the distal end of rod  226  may include a hinge pin  228 . The proximal end  230  of rod  226  may be threaded. Similarly, extension arm  222  may include a housing  232  and a rod  234  that extends outwardly therefrom. Rod  234  may have a hinge pin  236  on its distal end while its proximal end  238  may be threaded. Similar to hinge pins  200  and  202  of panel  186 , hinge pins  228  and  236  of panel  203  may be of different lengths. Rods  226  and  234  may be telescopically extended to facilitate attachment of the panel  203  to the panel  150 . 
         [0039]    Panel  186  as shown in  FIG. 5  must be aligned substantially perpendicular to panel  150  while hinge pins  200  and  202  are inserted into sleeves  180 . Often, a façade system in accordance with the present invention may be constructed about an outhouse or other structure that is already in place. An assembler usually may stand facing the rear size of the panels during construction. If all three panels must be positioned at right angles during construction, and extant outhouse may get in the way and make assembly difficult, especially for a single person. The extension arms  220  and  222  shown in  FIG. 11  allow the panel  203  to be attached to panel  150  while at an obtuse angle to, not perpendicular to, panel  150 . Rods  226  and  234  may optionally be attached to stabilizer  217 . Stabilizer  217  may facilitate rapid alignment of hinge pins  228  and  236 . 
         [0040]    Once panel  203  is attached to panel  150 , rods  226  and  234  may be retracted into bodies  220  and  222  respectively. To secure rods  226  and  234  inside the bodies  224  and  232 , an end cap may be attached to their distal ends.  FIG. 6  shows this in more detail. Distal ends  238  of rod  234  protrudes from body  232  when the Rod  234  is fully retracted into the body  232 . End cap  239  has a diameter greater than that of body  232 . When end  239  is screwed on to distal end  238  of the Rod  234 , the Rod is secured from sliding out of the body  232 . 
         [0041]      FIG. 7  illustrates how the panels may be attached to one another. Panels  150  and  186  are attached perpendicular to one another. They may be positioned about outhouse to  250  such that the door  252  is not obstructed. The rods  226  and  234  have been telescoped outward from their housings  224  and  232  respectively. This allows the assembler  254  to be positioned facing rear side  204  of panel  203 . Once the assembler  254  has inserted the hinge pin  228  and  236  into the sleeves  180 , he or she may move out from between panel  203  and outhouse  250 , slide panel  203  toward panel  150  by retracting the rods  226  and  234 . The assembler  254  may then swing of panel  203  such that it is perpendicluar to panel  150 . 
         [0042]      FIG. 8  shows a fully assembled façade including panel  150 , panel  186  and panel  203 . Beam  272  attaches to panel  203  and panel  186  and may improve the stability of the façade  270 . 
         [0043]      FIG. 9  shows panels in accordance with the principles of the invention used to form a façade system about to outhouse is  250 . Panel  203  may be formed parallel to panel  152  extend the size of the façade system. A second panel  203  may then be attached and placed perpendicular to the first panel  203 . Optionally, several panels  203  may be attached parallel to one another in order to accommodate as many outhouses as desired. 
         [0044]      FIG. 10  shows an alternative embodiment of a panel  300  and accordance with the principles of the invention. Panel  300  is comprised of an upper backboard  302  and a lower backboard  304 . upper backboard  302  has an upper frame  306  while lower backboard  304  has a lower frame  308 . Upper frame  306  includes two sleeves  310 . Attachment rods  312  may be aligned with and inserted into sleeves  310 . Sleeves  310  may include linchpins or other devices for securing attachment rods  312  within the sleeves  310 . It may be desirable to have the panels of the invention comprised of two or more smaller panels.  FIG. 10  shows a panel divided into two subcomponents. However it may be desirable to divide panels into three or more subcomponents. 
         [0045]      FIG. 11  shows a facade system  10  for a portable toilet  12  designed to emulate a house. Other designs may be used to emulate other structures. Facade system  10  may include a left wall panel  14 , a right wall panel  16  and a front wall panel  18 . Left wall panel  14  and right wall panel  16  may each include an artificial window  20  to provide the appearance of the side of a house. Front wall panel  18  may include an artificial bicycle  22  to further create an aesthetically pleasing illusion. Front wall panel  18  may also include an artificial door  24  that may be inoperable. The facade system  10  may optionally include roof panel(s) (not shown) to further cover the portable toilet. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that a variety of other features may adorn the panels of a facade system to recreate the appearance of other structures, such as a barn, a shed, a castle, a tiki hut or other design of a person&#39;s choosing. 
         [0046]      FIG. 12  shows the facade system  10  collapsed about a portable toilet. Left wall panel  14 , right wall panel  16  and front wall panel  18  may all be connected about the outhouse to obscure it from view. Wall panels  14 ,  16  and  18  may be attached to one another by any of a variety of means.  FIG. 3  shows the rear view of the facade system  10  which has no rear wall. The portable toilet  12  may be positioned within the facade system  10  and may be accessed through the rear. Optionally, the facade system  10  may include a fourth panel that has a door to allow access to the portable toilet. 
         [0047]    As will be appreciated, the exemplary design of the facade system  10  is an improvement to the appearance of a portable toilet  12 . The facade system may be comprised of any of a variety of designs, depending on the occasion. For example, at a sporting event, the facade may be adorned with images and colors of a sports team. At a wedding or anniversary celebration, the facade may include the colors and a design associated with the theme picked for the occasion. At a musical event, the facade system may include design elements associated with various music artists or genres. Event promoters may sell placement on the facade to advertisers. 
         [0048]    In another alternative, a series of multiple facade systems may align to form an aggregate image. The embodiment shown in  FIGS. 13-15  provides the facade of a house. Optionally, the facade may form part of a picture and when aligned with associated facades may provide the complete image. If two portable toilets are used in tandem to provide male and female adjacent facilities, a facade may be used to create the illusion of a house having two front doors. It will be appreciated that various and sundry images may be used in conjunction with the present invention, which may not all be practically contemplated at this time. 
         [0049]    Preferably, the facade system may be comprised of a lightweight material, such as for example foam plastic, architectural foam, plastics, vinyls, screens, fabrics (ie sunbrella), wood, metal alloys, polymers or any other material or the like. The facade system also may be quickly and easily assembled and/or disassembled to facilitate storage and transportation. The purpose of the facade system may be to create a pleasing appearance and does not include structural features. This may make the facade system less expensive to manufacture and use. However, those skilled in the art may appreciate that more permanent and/or more structurally enhanced facade systems may be desirable. 
         [0050]      FIG. 14  shows an alternative embodiment of a facade system of the present invention having a front wall panel  32  that includes an operable door  34  that may allow ingress and egress to the interior of the facade system and the portable toilet  44  positioned therein. Door  34  may be attached to front wall panel  32  by pivotable hinge  36 . Facade system  30  may include two side wall panels  38  and a rear wall panel  40 . Front wall panel  32 , side wall panels  38  and rear wall panel  40  may be attached to one another by a series of hinges  42 . Hinges  42  may optionally be pivotable and allow for quick folding of the facade system to facilitate storage and portability. Optionally, hinges  42  may provide removable attachment between the panels of the facade system. The embodiment depicted in  FIG. 4  shows that alternative designs, including four panels, an operable door and sundry hinges may be utilized in accordance with the principles of the invention. As with the first embodiment, this embodiment may optionally include one or more roof panels and may be designed to form a portion of a larger series of facade systems that create a larger design as described above. 
         [0051]      FIG. 15  shows an alternative embodiment of a facade system  50  surrounding a portable toilet  52 . Each of the side walls  54  and the front wall  56  may be comprised of two individual panels  58  that may interconnect at joints  60  to form a complete panel. The side and front panels may be joined at hinges  62 . In this embodiment, a plurality of supports  64  may connect the panels of the facade system  50  to the portable toilet  52 . Supports  64  may be attached to the panels of the facade system, to the hinges or to both, as may be seen in  FIG. 5 . The use of one or more supports  64  provides support and stability to both the facade structure  50  and the portable toilet  52 . In another embodiment, it may be desirable for the panels of the facade to attach directly to the walls of a portable toilet or other structure. 
         [0052]    Whereas, the present invention has been described in relation to the drawings attached hereto, it should be understood that other and further modifications, apart from those shown or suggested herein, may be made within the spirit and scope of this invention. Descriptions of the embodiments shown in the drawings should not be construed as limiting or defining the ordinary and plain meanings of the terms of the claims unless such is explicitly indicated. 
         [0053]    As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis four the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.