Abstract:
A waste liquid handling system especially suited for installation in the cab of a truck cabin. The system includes a removable urine collection cup, a waste holding tank, and a wash water reservoir having a battery powered pump. These three principal components may be contained within a single cabinet and may be individually removable therefrom. The cabinet may have a collection cup compartment from which the collection cup may emptied by engaging a drain valve. The collection cup may be washed by installing a removable cap which may be connected to the wash water reservoir. The system may include a vent fan and a cabinet light. A bed may be located in the cabinet above the holding tank and the wash water reservoir. Hoses used in the system may utilize quick connect fittings.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to Application No. 61/043,393, filed Apr. 8, 2008, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESERARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0004]    The present invention relates to a urinal for a wheeled vehicle, and more particularly to a urinal which is self-contained and readily installed in a pre-existing vehicle. 
         [0005]    2. Background of the Invention 
         [0006]    The need for toilet facilities has long interfered with long distance truck driving. The needs of nature cannot be predicted. When the need to urinate arises, truck drivers are obliged to seek the nearest toilet facilities. This is very disruptive to efficient travel as facilities located immediately off highways are few and far between. Most often, a truck driver must leave the highway to find suitable facilities. 
         [0007]    Onboard facilities have been provided or proposed. However, such facilities frequently amount to little more than storage facilities which are not well equipped to cope with functions such as disposing waste efficiently, suppressing odors, and washing the facility and its environs. 
         [0008]    There exists a need for a waste storage system which addresses the needs of transfer of waste, suppressing odors, and providing the ability to wash the facility and its environs. 
         [0009]    There exists the further problem that tractor cabs are not readily adapted to receive and host waste storage systems. An aftermarket storage system must be readily received within a tractor cab and could be overly cumbersome or wasteful of cabin space, which is at a premium in most tractors. 
         [0010]    Therefore, there is also a need for waste storage systems which may be installed easily and which occupy minimal space and intrude minimally on tractor cabs. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    The present invention sets forth a waste handling system which is well adapted to being placed in the cab of a tractor, which provides powered liquid transfer, both of waste and of clean wash water, and which has obstructions to splatter and odor emanation. The system includes three principal functional components. These include a urine collection cup which is utilized to collect urine and is closed and stowed at other times. The collection cup is emptied into a holding tank, using automatically self-closing quick connectors. The holding tank is the second major component. A wash water reservoir, the third major component, is connected to a battery powered pump for washing purposes. These three principal components may be contained within a single cabinet. 
         [0012]    Each of the three principal components may be individually removable from the cabinet. The collection cup is removed and placed in a suitable location and oriented to collect urine during urination, then returned to a stowed location after emptying. The holding tank is readily removable to dispose of collected liquid wastes. The wash water reservoir is removable so that objects other than the novel waste handling system can be sprayed with pressurized water. Also, it becomes practical to refill the wash water reservoir when the latter is removed from the cabinet and thus becomes fully accessible. 
         [0013]    According to one aspect of the invention, liquid conduits such as transfer hoses are provided with quick connectors for ready removal and assembly. 
         [0014]    According to another aspect of the invention, a drain valve which normally closes the collection cup at the bottom thereof opens responsive to the collection cup being installed to a drain conduit. This is accomplished by a mechanical interlocking arrangement incorporating a valve which opens responsively to connection of the drain conduit, which is fitted with a mating connector. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    Various features and attendant advantages of the present invention will become more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein: 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  is a side elevational view of a waste liquid handling system according to at least one aspect of the invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of a waste liquid handling system according to at least one second aspect of the invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a partly exploded side elevational detail view of the upper left of  FIG. 2 , showing a removable collection cup in an emptying location. 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a side elevational detail view of the upper left of  FIG. 2 , showing the removable collection cup in a stowed location. 
           [0020]      FIGS. 5   a  and  5   b  show a table of reference numerals. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0021]      FIG. 1  shows a waste liquid handling system  100  especially adapted for retrofit installation within a transportation vehicle (not shown). The waste liquid handling system  100  may include a cabinet  120  for enclosing or supporting other components. These components include a mobile or portable collection cup  140  for collecting liquid wastes such as urine and unfinished beverages, a holding tank  160  for receiving liquid wastes from the collection cup  140 , and a wash water tank  180  for rinsing or washing components of the waste liquid handling system  100  and other articles (none shown). 
         [0022]    In another implementation of the invention, shown in  FIG. 2 , a waste liquid handling system  200  may be generally the functional equivalent of the waste liquid handling system  100 , and may have a cabinet  220  which is larger than the cabinet  120 . The waste liquid handling system  200  may include a mobile or portable collection cup  240 , a holding tank  260 , and a wash water tank  280 . The collection cup  240 , a holding tank  260 , and a wash water tank  280  may be the structural and functional equivalents of their similarly named counterparts of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 3  shows details of the collection cup  240 , it being understood that the collection cup  140  may have similar construction. The collection cup  240  is shown contained within a collection cup compartment  300  which may be formed as part of the cabinet  220 . The collection cup  240  may be characterized as comprising a receiving funnel  320 , a receptacle  340  for storing liquid wastes, and a relatively narrow neck  360  for conducting liquids from the receiving funnel  320  to the receptacle  340 . A drain  380  may be formed in the receptacle  340 . 
         [0024]    The collection cup  240  may be hand held when collecting liquid wastes, then drained in the following way. The collection cup  240  may be returned to the collection cup compartment  300  in an emptying location shown in  FIG. 3 . In this location, the drain  380  may interact with a drain conduit  400  which leads to the holding tank  260  to dispose of liquid wastes. The drain conduit  400  may have a connector fitting  420  which cooperates with the drain  380  to assure closure of the collection cup  240  when the latter is disconnected from the connector fitting  420 . The drain  380  may comprise a female valve normally urged into the closed position, and which is opened by the connector fitting  420 , which is a male counterpart to the female valve. The female valve may be activated by merely pressing the collection cup  240  downwardly as seen in  FIG. 3 , or alternatively may be arranged to require that the collection cup  240  be rotated about its longitudinal axis as it is urged downwardly. The longitudinal axis is that axis extending through the funnel  320 , the neck  360 , and the receptacle  340 . The connector fitting  420  may be held in the location shown in  FIG. 3  by structure associated with the collection cup compartment  300 . In summary, installation of the collection cup  240  to the drain  400 , and more particularly to the connector fitting  420  of the drain  400 , causes mating of and fluid communication between the drain  380  and the drain conduit  400 . 
         [0025]    Returning to  FIG. 2 , connection of the drain conduit  400  to the holding tank  260  is accomplished using quick connectors, shown representatively at  440 . It is desirable to provide quick connectors to enable expeditious removal of the holding tank  260  for disposing of liquid wastes which have accumulated therein. 
         [0026]    A vent conduit  460  also connects to the holding tank  260 , and leads to a fan (not directly visible, being enclosed within a suitable housing  480 ). The vent conduit  460  is disposed to conduct vapors from said holding tank  260 , the vent fan represented by the housing  480  being disposed to eject vapors from the vent conduit  460 . The vent fan will be understood to be provided with operable electrical power, such as by incorporating a battery and operable circuitry (not shown). The vent conduit  460  may comprise a flexible hose, and may be fitted with a quick connector for connection to the holding tank  260 , as with the quick connectors  440  of the drain conduit  400 . 
         [0027]    The wash water tank  280  is shown contained within a water tank compartment  500  beside the compartment  520  for containing the holding tank  260 . The water tank compartment  500  is dimensioned and configured to receive the wash water tank  280  and its associated components. The wash water tank  280  may comprise a port  540 , a pump  560  having a hose connection nipple  580 , a wash water hose  600  which is matingly compatible with the port  540  and with the hose connection nipple  580 , a battery  620 , and circuitry disposed to conduct power from the battery  620  to the pump  560 . The circuitry, which may include a switch (not shown), is well within the ability of one of ordinary skill in the art to arrange, and hence is not set forth herein in detail. 
         [0028]    The wash water tank  280  may have a handle  640  formed integrally therewith, and a removable flexible wash water conduit or hose  660 . The port  540  will be understood to comprise a quick connector fitting which is matingly compatible with a corresponding quick connector fitting formed as a terminal of the hose  660 . Quick connectors for hoses are known in the field of pneumatic equipment and need not be further detailed herein. The quick connectors are shown representatively at  680 . The wash water tank  280  may have a fill port  685  and a manually removable closure  690 . 
         [0029]    The holding tank  260  may also have an integral handle  695 . 
         [0030]    The collection cup compartment  300  may comprise its own vent conduit  700 , which is disposed to conduct vapors from the collection cup compartment  300  into the vent conduit  460  or alternatively, to exhaust vapors independently of the vent conduit  460 . 
         [0031]    The cabinet  220  may be sufficiently large as to accommodate a mattress or bed  720  above the water tank compartment  500  and the holding tank compartment  520 . The conduit  700  may conveniently be routed below the structure of the cabinet  220  which supports the bed  720 . 
         [0032]    Referring again to  FIG. 3 , the upper terminus of the vent conduit  700  is seen to be located at a wall of the collection cup compartment  300 . Also provided within the collection cup compartment  300  may be a light  740  disposed to project light into the collection cup compartment, having a switch  760 , and a rinse arrangement for rinsing the collection cup  240 . A second switch  770 , which may comprise a limit switch arranged to operate the vent fan  480  (see  FIG. 2 ) when a door  900  (described hereinafter) of the collection cup compartment  300  is open. 
         [0033]    The rinse arrangement may comprise a pump  780  which may be manual or electric, and which may incorporate a liquid reservoir (not shown). The pump  780  may be provided with a rinse water conduit or short hose  800  which extends to just above the collection cup  240 . There, the short hose  800  may engage a connection nipple  820  formed in a cap  840  which may be available to close the collection cup  240  at the upper end of the latter. The short hose  800  may be slipped over the connection nipple  820  or may be matingly compatible therewith in any other suitable way. The same holds true for connection with the pump  780 . The cap  840  is shown spaced above the collection cup  240  for clarity of the view in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0034]    A further feature of the collection cup  240  is a baffle arrangement for suppressing splatter which otherwise could eject liquid wastes from the collection cup  240 . Two inclined baffles  860 ,  880  are arranged to oppose egress of liquids contained within the receptacle  340  by denying direct access to the funnel  320 . Inclination of the baffles  860 ,  880  promotes flow of liquids into the receptacle  340  when the collection cup  240  is held upright, as depicted in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0035]    It will be seen that the collection cup  240  may be fitted just below support structure  880  which is used to hold the collection cup in a stowed location which is shown in  FIG. 4 . The support structure  980  may also serve as support structure to hold the short hose  800  in place. Alternatively, a clip (not shown) may be fastened to a wall of the collection cup compartment  300  to secure the short hose  800  in place. 
         [0036]    Turning to  FIG. 4 , the collection cup  240  is seen to be held in a stowed position by the support structure  880 . More specifically, the support structure  880  may have an inclined surface which cooperates with the inclined walls of the funnel  320 . In the stowed position, the receptacle  340  and its associated drain  380  are spaced apart from the connector fitting  420 . Because of the integral valve, which is closed when not contacting the connector fitting  420 , the drain  380  does not discharge liquid contents from the receptacle  340  until returned to the engaged position shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0037]    The collection cup compartment  300  may comprise a laterally facing side which is selectively opened and closed by a door  900 . 
         [0038]    The laterally facing side in  FIG. 4  is that which reveals the collection cup. The door  900  is shown hinged at the right, and swung open. The door  900  may include a door interference member  920  disposed to prevent the door  900  from closing when the collection cup  240  is in the emptying position shown in  FIG. 3 . In the stowed position of  FIG. 4 , a gap exists below the collection cup  240 , so that the door interference member  920  can pass therethrough, thereby enabling the door  900  to close. The door interference member  920  is located sufficiently high on the door  900  so that the former would contact and be obstructed by the collection cup  240  when the collection cup  240  is in the emptying position of  FIG. 3 . 
         [0039]    The cap  840  is shown installed on the collection cup  240  in  FIG. 4 , with the short hose  800  installed on the connection nipple  820 . The cap  840  may incorporate a flush manifold which is disposed to wash the funnel  320  when the removable cap  240  is installed on the funnel  320  and a water source is connected to the cap  840 . The pump  780  may serve in the capacity of a water source. 
         [0040]    Returning to  FIG. 1 , the waste liquid handling system  100  may have storage compartments  940 . In addition, the waste liquid handling system  100  may be provided with any of the amenities of the waste liquid handling system  200 , where feasible. 
         [0041]    Due to more limited space than is provided in the relatively larger cabinet  220 , a collection cup compartment  960  may lack connection structure for connecting the collection cup  140  as has been described with respect to the collection cup  240 . Instead, connection structure  980  may be provided which is different from that of the collection cup compartment  300  in that it is adapted to receive connection of the collection cup  140  from the side, rather than from the top. To this end, the collection cup  140  may have a drain  1000  adapted to project laterally. Both the connection structure  980  and the drain  1000  may have quick connectors and in the case of the drain  1000 , an integrated valve for closing the collection cup  140 , in the manner of the collection cup  240 . The connection structure  980  may be contained within its own compartment  1020 , and of course communicates with a drain conduit  1040  for conducting liquid wastes to the holding tank  160 .