Abstract:
A water-conserving toilet and method of manufacture includes an upper portion jointed to a lower portion. The upper portion includes an upper and lower opening with a smooth, shallow, sweeping transition therebetween. A first flowpath enters the upper portion for allowing water to wash the upper portion. The lower portion includes a base with sidewalls extending upward to an upper opening, with the sidewalls defining a concave, steeply-sided flushing cavity. A second flowpath enters the lower portion for evacuating the pushing waste out of the flushing cavity and into a waste outlet. In an embodiment the distance between the front and back of the upper portion upper opening is approximately 3 times the distance between the front and back of the upper portion lower opening. In another embodiment the sidewalls extend from the base at an angle between about approximately 45 degrees and approximately 90 degrees.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a divisional of U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 11/873,874, filed Oct. 17, 2007, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/867,477, filed Nov. 28, 2006, the contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to toilets of the type generally referred to as “blowout” toilets. More specifically, the present invention concerns a blowout toilet which uses less than 1.6 gallons of water per flush, and which includes a valve connected to a timing mechanism for determining a volume of water flowing to a toilet bowl independent of water flow, a bowl with a volume and shape such that a minimal amount of the water is sufficient to cover and seal a waste outlet, and a distribution manifold for distributing the water into the bowl for maximum effect. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    In many residential toilets, a volume of water is stored in a water tank located above the toilet. When the toilet is flushed, gravity moves the water from the water tank into the toilet bowl and, from there, through a waste outlet connected to a sewer pipe. Toilets of this type may use between 1.6 and 5 gallons of water per flush. 
         [0004]    In many commercial and institutional toilets, generally referred to as “blowout” toilets, the aforementioned water tank is eliminated in favor of a flush valve, generally referred to as a “flushometer”, which directs pressurized water from a water supply line into upper and lower portions of the bowl. In toilets of this type, the volume of water needed to close, or reset, the flushometer, and the volume of water needed to reseal the bowl against migrating sewer gas, establish a minimum amount of water needed to accomplish each flush. 
         [0005]    More specifically, the flushometer delivers a predetermined, metered amount of pressurized water to the bowl so as to use less water while providing at least the same flushing effectiveness as the conventional residential toilet which uses the force of gravity to deliver water into the bowl. Within the flushometer, a diaphragm or piston separates upper and lower chambers. When the flushometer is actuated, the diaphragm or piston is lifted from its seat, which allows water to flow. A small amount of the flowing water is diverted into the upper chamber to eventually reseat the diaphragm or piston and thereby reset the flushometer for the next flush. Thus, while the flushometer is mechanically or electronically actuated in response to an actuation action or signal, it is reset substantially automatically by the action of the water flowing through it. The minimum amount of water that must be diverted to reseat the diaphragm or piston and thereby reset the flushometer establishes the minimum amount of water that must flow through the flushometer and into the bowl during flushing. 
         [0006]    Furthermore, the waste outlet from the bowl is connected directly to a sewer line. The water maintained in the bowl between flushings covers and seals the outlet. If the water level is not sufficient to fully cover and seal the outlet, then sewer gas in the sewer line can migrate into the bowl. Thus, the minimum amount of water needed to cover and seal the outlet further establishes the minimum amount of water that must flow into the bowl during flushing. 
         [0007]    Available blowout toilets use 1.6 gallons or more per flush cycle, with, for example, 0.85 gallons being used to flush waste from the bowl, and the remaining 0.75 gallons being used to cover and seal the outlet. Using any less water would likely either adversely affect the proper functioning of the flushometer or fail to cover and seal the outlet. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The present invention overcomes the above-discussed and other problems by providing a toilet which advantageously allows for flushing waste effectively while using substantially less water per flush than conventional flushometer-based blowout toilets. In one embodiment, the toilet uses less than 1.6 gallons of water per flush. In another embodiment, the toilet uses approximately 1.0 gallon of water per flush, with approximately 0.5 gallons being used to flush waste from its bowl, and approximately 0.5 gallons being used to cover and seal its waste outlet. In yet another embodiment, the toilet uses as little as approximately 0.8 gallons per flush. 
         [0009]    In one embodiment, the toilet broadly comprises a valve interposed between a pressurized water supply and the toilet bowl for controlling a volume of water flowing from the water supply to the toilet bowl, and a timing mechanism connected to the valve for controlling an amount of time that the valve allows water to flow from the water supply to the toilet bowl. The valve may be a globe valve, and the timing mechanism may be electronic. The toilet may further include a water chamber interposed between the valve and the toilet bowl for receiving and dispensing the volume of water. The toilet may further include a distribution manifold interposed between the valve and the toilet bowl for distributing the volume of water between at least a first flowpath leading to an upper portion of the toilet bowl and a second flowpath leading to a lower portion of the toilet bowl. The toilet may further include a wash-down jet connected to the first flowpath at the upper portion of the toilet bowl and having a plurality of openings for discharging water into the upper portion, and a flush jet connected to the second flowpath at the lower portion of the toilet bowl for discharging water into the lower portion. The lower portion of the toilet bowl may define a volume of space such that a minimal amount of the water is sufficient to cover and seal the waste outlet. 
         [0010]    In one embodiment, the upper and lower portions of the toilet bowl are constructed separately and then joined together. For example, the upper portion may be constructed of deep-drawn stainless steel, the lower portion may be constructed of die cast stainless steel, and the two portions may be welded together to form the final toilet bowl. The upper portion may have a smooth, shallow sweeping shape, and the lower portion may have a generally concave and relatively steep-sided flushing cavity. 
         [0011]    These and other features of the present invention are described in greater detail in the section below titled DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
         [0012]    A preferred embodiment of the present invention is disclosed herein with references to the drawing figures, wherein: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a system diagram of an embodiment of the toilet of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a sectional elevation view of a water chamber component of the toilet of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a bowl component of the toilet of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a sectional elevation view of an upper portion of the bowl component; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a plan view of the upper portion of the bowl component; 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is an isometric view of a lower portion of the bowl component; 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is a sectional view of the lower portion of the bowl component; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  is an isometric view of an embodiment of a wash-down jet fixture of the toilet of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0021]    With reference to the figures, a water-conserving toilet  10  is herein described, shown, and otherwise disclosed in accordance with preferred embodiments of the present invention. In one embodiment the toilet  10  uses less than 1.6 gallons of water per flush and in another embodiment uses approximately between 0.8 and 1.2 gallons of water. In yet another embodiment, the toilet  10  uses approximately 1.0 gallons of water per flush, with approximately 0.5 gallons being used to flush waste from its bowl  32 , and approximately 0.5 gallons being used to cover and seal its waste outlet  34 . 
         [0022]    Referring particularly to  FIG. 1 , in one embodiment the toilet  10  broadly comprises a valve  14 , a timing mechanism  16 , a vacuum breaker  18 , a water chamber  20 , a distribution manifold  22 , a first supply tube  24  and a wash-down jet  26 , a second supply tube  28  and a flush jet  30 , the toilet bowl  32 , and the waste outlet  34 . 
         [0023]    The valve  14  is connected to a pressurized water supply and controls the volume of water flowing from the water supply to the water chamber  20  and, ultimately, to the toilet bowl  32 . More specifically, the valve  14  controls the volume of water based upon the amount of time the valve  14  remains open. The timing mechanism  16  is incorporated into or connected to the valve  14  and determines the amount of time the valve  14  remains open independent of any action of the water actually flowing through the valve  14 . In one embodiment, the valve  14  is a globe valve which includes an internal baffle and which allows for relatively fine control over throttling the flow of water through the valve  14 . In various embodiments, the valve  14  and/or the timing mechanism  16  are electrical, mechanical, or a combination thereof in nature. More specifically, in one embodiment, the timing mechanism  16  is electronic in nature and settable to a desired amount of time at the expiration of which an electronic signal is generated and communicated to close the valve  14 . In one embodiment, the valve  14  is or is replaced with a flushometer valve; the flushometer valve may have a built-in timing mechanism. One suitable valve which may be used as the valve of the present invention is an electronic globe valve, manufactured by The Toro Company, which operates on 24 VAC, is internally ported and normally closed, and includes a manual bleed assembly and an adjustable flow control. 
         [0024]    The vacuum breaker  18  is located generally downstream of the valve  14 , and functions to break suction resulting from a reversed flow condition, and thereby prevents contaminated water from siphoning back into the general water supply. 
         [0025]    The water chamber  20  is located downstream of the valve  14  and is operationally connected thereto to receive and dispense the volume of water. Referring also to  FIG. 2 , in one embodiment the water chamber  20  includes a housing  38  having an inlet  40  and an outlet  42 , a hold-back tube  44  having an upper end  46 , a lower end  48 , and one or more drain holes  50 . The housing  38  generally defines the capacity of the chamber  20  which, in the present invention, corresponds approximately to the 1.6 gallons or less of water used per flush. The inlet port  40  is coupled with the valve  14 . The outlet port  42  is coupled with the distribution manifold  22 . The upper end  46  of the hold-back tube  44  is open to allow water to drain therethrough and exit the chamber  20 . The lower end  48  of the hold-back tube  44  is coupled with the outlet port  42 . The one or more drain holes  50  are located on the lower end  48  to allow for a slow release of water to drain therethrough and exit the chamber  20 . 
         [0026]    The distribution manifold  22  is located downstream of the water chamber and is operationally connected thereto, and distributes water flowing out of the water chamber  20  between at least two flowpaths, with a first flowpath leading to an upper portion of the bowl  32  and a second flowpath leading to the lower portion  36 . The distribution manifold  22  includes a first outlet corresponding to the first flowpath and a second outlet corresponding to the second flowpath. The first supply tube  24  further defines the first flowpath and extends between and connects the distribution manifold  22  and the wash-down jet  26 . More specifically, the first supply tube  24  includes a first end and a second end, with the first end being connected to the first outlet of the distribution manifold  22 , and the second end being connected to the wash-down jet  26 . The wash-down jet  26  includes one or more openings for discharging water at or into a rim area of the bowl  32  during flushing. 
         [0027]    The second supply tube  28  further defines the second flowpath and extends between and connects the distribution manifold  22  and the flush jet  30 . More specifically, the second supply tube  28  includes a first end and a second end, with the first end being connected to the second outlet of the distribution manifold  22 , and the second end being connected to the flush jet  30 . The flush jet  30  is connected to the lower portion  36  of the bowl  32 , and includes one or more openings for discharging water at or into the lower portion  36  of the bowl  32  during flushing. 
         [0028]    The toilet bowl  32  receives waste in a substantially conventional manner. The waste outlet  34  is associated with the lower portion  36  of the bowl  32  and carries waste out of the bowl  32  during flushing. The lower portion  36  of the bowl  32  holds an amount of water which is sufficient to cover and seal the outlet  34  and thereby prevent sewer gas from migrating into the bowl  32 . The shape of the lower portion  36  is such as to minimize the amount of water needed to cover and seal the outlet  34 . In one embodiment, no more than approximately 0.5 gallons are required to sufficiently fill the lower portion  36  and cover and seal the outlet  34 . In one embodiment, the shape of the lower portion  36  is generally concave with relatively steep sides to better define the concavity and thereby minimize the volume that it defines and the amount of water needed to fill it. 
         [0029]    Referring to  FIGS. 3-8 , one embodiment of the toilet bowl  132  includes the upper portion  133  and the lower portion  136  which are welded or otherwise joined together to form the bowl  132 . Such separate construction allows for using different construction techniques appropriate or necessary to achieve the desired shapes of the portions  133 , 136 . Referring particularly to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the upper portion  133  has a smooth, shallow sweeping shape and allows for a large water spot which is necessary for sanitation, and, in one embodiment, is constructed from deep-drawn stainless steel. Referring particularly to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the lower portion  136  provides the flushing cavity in which waste collects while awaiting evacuation, and, in one embodiment, is constructed of die-cast stainless steel. Thus, as a whole, the bowl  132  has a smooth, shallow sweeping shape that transitions into the generally concave and relatively steep-sided flushing cavity, and which allows for extremely efficient flushing, including flushes using as little as approximately 0.8 gpf. 
         [0030]    In one embodiment, the smooth, shallow sweeping shape of the upper portion  133  includes an upper opening of approximately between 17 and 19 inches in length, i.e., maximum dimension, and approximately between 13 and 15 inches in width, i.e., minimum dimension; a height of approximately between 4 and 6 inches; and a lower opening of approximately between 5 and 7 inches in length, i.e., maximum dimension and approximately between 3.5 and 5.5 inches in width, i.e., minimum dimension. In a more specific embodiment, the upper opening is approximately between 17.5 and 18.5 inches in length, i.e., maximum dimension, and approximately between 13.5 and 14.5 inches in width, i.e., minimum dimension; the height is approximately between 4.5 and 5.5 inches; and the lower opening is approximately between 5.5 and 6.5 inches in length, i.e., maximum dimension and approximately between 4 and 5 inches in width, i.e., minimum dimension. Characterized another way, the maximum dimension of the upper opening is approximately 3 times as large as the maximum dimension of the lower opening, and approximately 3.5 times as large as the height, i.e., the vertical distance separating the upper and lower openings. 
         [0031]    In one embodiment, the steep-sided flushing cavity of the lower portion  136  includes an upper opening of approximately between 6 and 8 inches in length, i.e., maximum dimension, and approximately between 4.5 and 6.5 inches in width, i.e., minimum dimension, and a height of approximately between 2.5 and 4.5 inches. In a more specific embodiment, the upper opening is approximately between 6.5 and 7.5 inches in length, i.e., maximum dimension, and approximately between 5 and 6 inches in width, i.e., minimum dimension, and the height is approximately between 3 and 4 inches. In one embodiment, the sides of the flushing cavity of the lower portion  136  are oriented approximately between 45 degrees and 90 degrees relative to a horizontal plane extending through a base of the lower portion  136 ; in a more specific embodiment, approximately between 55 degrees and 90 degrees relative to that plane; and, in an even more specific embodiment, approximately between 65 degrees and 90 degrees relative to that plane. 
         [0032]    In one embodiment, the bowl  132  has a rimless wash-down toilet seat. Referring also to  FIG. 8 , the bowl further includes the wash-down jet  126  mounted below the toilet seat at a back area of the upper portion  133  of the bowl  132 . The wash-down jet  126  shoots water in both directions around the upper portion  133  of the bowl  132  to both clean and refill the bowl  132  after evacuation. 
         [0033]    The bowl  132  further includes the flush jet  130  mounted at a front area of the lower portion  136  of the bowl  132 . When the toilet is flushed, the flush jet  130  emulsifies and pushes the waste out of the flushing cavity and into and through the outlet  134  at the rear of the lower portion  136  of the bowl  132 . 
         [0034]    In use, an embodiment of the toilet  10  may function substantially as follows. A flush signal is received at the valve  14 , causing the valve  14  to open and the timing mechanism  16  to start timing the preset period of time. The open valve  14  allows the volume of water to flow into the water chamber  20  until the timing mechanism  16  causes the valve  14  to close. The volume of water flows out of the water chamber  20  and toward the distribution manifold  22 . At the distribution manifold  22 , the volume of water is distributed along the first and second flowpaths. Water flowing along the first flowpath exits the wash-down jet  26  at the upper portion of the bowl  32 . Water flowing along the second flowpath exits the flush jet  30  at the lower portion  36  of the bowl  32 . In this particular example, approximately 0.5 gallons of the water exits the bowl  32  via the waste outlet  34 , and approximately 0.5 gallons of the water remains in the lower portion  36  of the bowl  32  to cover and seal the waste outlet  34 . 
         [0035]    From the preceding description, it will be appreciated that the toilet  10  of the present invention advantageously allows for flushing waste effectively while using substantially less water per flush than conventional flushometer-based blowout toilets. The toilet  10  includes the valve  14  connected to the timing mechanism  16  for determining the volume of water flowing to the toilet bowl  32  independent of water flow, rate, and/or volume, the bowl  32  having the lower portion  36  defining a volume of space such that a minimal amount of the water is sufficient to cover and seal the waste outlet  34 , and the distribution manifold  22  for distributing the water into the bowl  32  for maximum effect.