Abstract:
The present invention provides a portable sanitary device comprising a sanitary device with removable water supply mechanisms and removable waste holding and removal mechanisms. The mechanisms include one or more tanks removably attached to the sanitary device and function to allow a user to wash or flush after a use and circulate waste material into a waste holding and removal tank. Alternative embodiments provide flanges and valve systems.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/710,743 filed Aug. 24, 2005, the entire contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIGURE SELECTED FOR PUBLCIATION  
       [0002]    
       FIG. 1 
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0004]     The present invention relates to a portable sanitary device. More specifically, the present invention relates to a portable sanitary device enabling washing and having at least one or more removable water supply tanks and wastewater holding tanks.  
         [0005]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0006]     The related art involves and discloses a wide variety of portable sanitary devices. These portable sanitary devices are well-known to those traveling on the interstate or visiting job sites (e.g., “port-a-Johnny”) and in various camping type toilet apparatus.  
         [0007]     What is not appreciated by the prior art is need to flush after using the portable sanitary device in a manner related to existing fixed-installation toilet systems, wherein a water flush is provided for waste movement. It is also not appreciated by the known travel or champing toilets to provide an optional cleansing sprits to a user or to pre-move and pre-dilute waste prior to a final flush. The present application provides a unique way to combine portability, sanitary operation, and ready flushing after use for.  
         [0008]     Accordingly, there is a need for an improved portable sanitary device enabling rapid flushing and re-supply of water, and removal of a waste/holding tank after use for later cleaning and reuse.  
       OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     An object of the present invention is to provide a portable sanitary device to facilitate and respond to the needs noted above.  
         [0010]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable sanitary device having at least one or more removable water tanks that enable ready storage and refilling for easy and simple transport.  
         [0011]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable sanitary device including a removable waste matter/holding tank enabling the ready removal of said tank from the portable sanitary device for ready emptying, cleaning, and sterilization.  
         [0012]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable sanitary device having a compact flushing and waste transport system as well as a compact bidet system. For example, a water-receiving area proximate a seating area may be easily curved to direct and circulate water to remove and wash waste from an initial deposit zone into a waste holding tank.  
         [0013]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable sanitary device enabling the use of toilet tissue following use and the transport of the used toilet tissue in a wastewater and holding tank for ready disposal and cleaning.  
         [0014]     The present invention relates to a portable sanitary device having a removable fluid supply tank along a back upright portion of a chair and a waste fluid holding tank releasably attachable to a seat portion of a chair member for operation in relation thereto.  
         [0015]     Another object of the present invention is to provide a water transport flange and system for receiving wash water, flushing-washing-circulating the water, and transporting the now-used wash water to waste holding tank.  
         [0016]     The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description read in conduction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate the same elements.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]      FIG. 1 . is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is a rear-perspective view of the embodiment in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is a partial sectional view along face I-I in  FIG. 2  (back removed) noting internal construction in a portable use condition.  
         [0020]      FIG. 4  is a partial sectional view along face I-I in  FIG. 2  (back removed) noting an internal construction in a semi-fixed use condition. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0021]     Reference will now be made in detail to several embodiments of the invention that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, same or similar reference numerals are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts or steps. The drawings are in simplified form and are not to precise scale. For purposes of convenience and clarity only, directional terms, such as top, bottom, up, down, over, above, and below may be used with respect to the drawings. These and similar directional terms should not be construed to limit the scope of the invention in any manner. The words “connect,” “couple,” and similar terms with their inflectional morphemes do not necessarily denote direct and immediate connections, but also include connections through mediate elements or devices.  
         [0022]     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a portable sanitary device  100  includes a seat member  4  pivotably affixed to a chair frame member  1  having opposing arm members  3 ,  3 , and leg members  2 . Portable sanitary device  100  further includes a back member  31  positioned at an angle adjacent to seat  5  for slidably supporting and retaining a removable tank member  10  within sliding channels  30 , as shown.  
         [0023]     Water tank member  10  is removably attached to a back location of back plate or back member  31  via a plurality of sliding channels  30 . At least a first waste fluid and waste matter holding tank  7  is releasably positioned below seat  4 . Slidable guides  5  engage projecting lip members  5 A on tank  7 . A handle  8  allows a user to slidably remove tank  7  for cleaning and re-use, as will be described. It is preferable that tank  7  include a waste opening  9  having a slidable/openable waste door  16 A that is actuated by a lever assembly  50  projecting from a side of seat member  4 . During a sliding installation of tank  7  along guides  5 , engagement members on a top surface of tank  7  (not shown) engage an end of lever assembly  50  so as to enable a user to operate waste door  16 A as desired.  
         [0024]     Seat  4  defines a bounded opening  6  for receiving waste material during use of portable sanitary device  100  and is arranged to open directly over tank  7  unit opening  9  for receiving waste through a slidable waste door  16 A, as will be discussed.  
         [0025]     As noted best in  FIG. 1 , waste door  16 A is slidable along guides (not shown) in a direction A to seal opening  16 A for easy removal and transport of waste tank  7 .  
         [0026]     An opening  16  is formed in a side wall of seat opening  6 , as shown, and includes a small spritz member (tube) directable along a direction noted by a water or spritz-guide  16 B positioned in seat opening  6 . As a consequence of this design, a user may choose to direct the spritz upwardly for self cleaning or along direction guide  16 B to aid in cleaning and flushing of waste on a top of waste door  16 A (when not opened prior to use) or downwardly into waste unit  7  as a flushing aid.  
         [0027]     As a consequence of the present design, it is envisioned that substantial improvements over the related art is provided by the use of a sealable and removable waste unit  7  having an actuatable waste door  16 A and an engageable level  50  for operation.  
         [0028]     Outer water unit  10  includes three reservoirs, a central reservoir  11  for initially storing flush water, a flush reservoir  22  for storing main flush water, and a spritz or cleansing cavity reservoir  15  for storing spritz water or flush water, as will be discussed.  
         [0029]     A central filling opening  12  is formed in tank  10  for refilling water and a sealable plug (not shown) may seal opening  12  for easy transport when tank  10  is removed from back plate  31 .  
         [0030]     One way openings  13 ,  14  allow flush water to flow from main tank  11  to spritz tank  15  and flush tank  22  as will be discussed. During such motion, the water level in main tank  11  decreases along direction  21 .  
         [0031]     Flush mechanism  23  is slidably positioned with flush tank  22  and includes a sealing plate  24  with edge seals  24 A. Sealing plate  24  and edge seals  24 A provide a wall-tight/water-tight seal with the walls of flush tank  22 .  
         [0032]     It is envisioned, that during an initial fill process, central tank  11  is filled via opening  12  until a level  90  is reached, which in turn flows through openings  13 ,  14  to reach an equilibrium pressure level within respective tanks  15 ,  22 .  
         [0033]     Due to seal  24 , 24 A and resistance plunger  23  provides, a water level is retained in flush tank  22  despite repeated spritz-uses or small flushes generated flowing from spritz tank  15 . As a consequence, while water level  21  may decrease prior to a re-filling, initial flush tank  22  retains its initial flush-full condition.  
         [0034]     Similarly, in spritz or minor-flush tank  15 , a valve and tube assembly  19  is provided and receives an initial fluid fill to fill tube  19 A due to the water filling the initial tube and passing by a juncture with spritz valve tube assembly  18  linked with a spritz activator mechanism  17  projecting from a top of tank  10 .  
         [0035]     During a common use, one should expect that a user will actuate spritz activator mechanism  17  multiple times to repeatedly trigger valve tube assembly  18  to release small amounts of spritz or flushing water down tube  19 A through tube  20 , to portal  16 . Due to the lower volumes released by assembly  18 , it is envisioned that tube  19 A may hold as many as 5 spritzes for each large flush provided via plunger  23 .  
         [0036]     As also noted, a flush portal  25  is provided opposite one-way opening  14  for transporting flush water down tube  27  to a rear access portal  28  in waste tank  7  for ease of cleaning. In use, it is envisioned that a user will push downwardly on plunger  23  along the Force direction ( FIG. 3 ) to seal one-way valve  14  and force flushing water out portal  25  through one-way seal  28 . Following the force of flushing water, one-way seal  28  will close preventing back-flow up pipe  27 .  
         [0037]     Thereafter, a user will refill tank  10  fully and will lift plunger  23  to draw water through one-way opening  14  to prepare for the next flush.  
         [0038]     In an alternative assembly, a seal  26  may be fixed over flush port  25 , and a user may replace one-way seal  28  with an inverse one-way seal  28 A allowing waste to continuously flow down a collector pipe  29  in a manner more closely related to a long-term positioning. In this mode, it is envisioned that spritzing will be more common and that system  100  will be merely used for fluid not solid waste therefore obviating the need for a large-volume flush capacity.  
         [0039]     Following a flush or empting use of tank  10 , a user will simply lift tank  10  along channels  30  from back support plate  31  and transport it to a filling station. Alternatively, a user may simply fill tank  10  in place via portal  12  opening.  
         [0040]     Both said tanks are projected to be self-contained bounded regions constructed from high density poly propylene or other suitable material. It is also envisioned that the tanks may be further sub-divided into various holding regions within each tank. Access valves and drain valves are considered to be included in the tank in reasonably accessible areas and further in a manner which enable the ready sterilization of both the water tank and the waste/holding tank during a cleaning cycle.  
         [0041]     According to one alternative in aspect of the present invention the water tank  10  includes a lever or actuating mechanism that when pulled releases water through a simple ball valve or alternative spray/bidet dispensing mechanism. According yet to another alternative embodiment there is a sliding trap similar to guide  16 B that operates to receive released water and slidably guide the water and waste into holding tank  7  in a manner similar to that of a flushing commercial toilet. Another alternative embodiment of the present invention anticipates that holding tank  7  may alternatively include a waste treatment chemical or waste disposal chemical wherein the chemical enables rapid disposal of the waste and possibly toilet tissue and similarly pacifies any organic or biologically active matter retained therein.  
         [0042]     It is known that chemicals exist, for example, AQUA ZUME®, as an aid in decomposition and pacification of the organic matter. It is therefore considered by inventors of the present portable sanitary device that a quick dissolving and biodegradable tissue may be optionally used for this device, as well as regular tissue, and additionally that waste holding tank  7  may be preloaded with some amount of waste-fluid decomposition and pacification chemical prior to a use to mitigate smells, and other biological activity between through cleanings.  
         [0043]     As a consequence of the above described invention for a portable sanitary device it is believed that the present invention responds to at least one of the needs noted above in a manner that is unique to the portable sanitary device arts.  
         [0044]     In any future claims, the claims, means- or step-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described or suggested herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures. Thus, for example, although a nail, a screw, and a bolt may not be structural equivalents in that a nail relies on friction between a wooden part and a cylindrical surface, a screw&#39;s helical surface positively engages the wooden part, and a bolt&#39;s head and nut compress opposite sides of a wooden part, in the environment of fastening wooden parts, a nail, a screw, and a bolt may be readily understood by those skilled in the art as equivalent structures.  
         [0045]     Having described at least one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various changes, modifications, and adaptations may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.