Patent Publication Number: US-2020288923-A1

Title: Toilet for sanitation system

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION DATA 
     This application is a nonprovisional of and claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/853,940, filed May 29, 2019, and is a continuation-in-part of and claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 120 of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/508,148, filed Jul. 10, 2019, which is a nonprovisional of and claims the benefit under § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/696,763, filed Jul. 11, 2018, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The field of the present disclosure relates to improved body waste collection and sanitation systems, and in particular, to such systems designed for efficiently handling liquid and solid wastes while conserving water and minimizing odors. The described system is also designed to be portable and self-contained for easy in-home installation, and further designed for use in homes where conventional sewer and wastewater systems are not available. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Many homes, especially those in developed nations, include at least one bathroom with a toilet for receiving and handling human waste and a sink with potable water for washing hands and maintaining appropriate hygiene. Such bathrooms tend to operate with plumbing and sewage systems that provide running water to facilitate flushing and removal of the human waste and to allow users to wash their hands with clean water. While plumbing systems are widely employed in many homes, such plumbing systems may not be available for all homes for various reasons. For example, in extremely cold climates, plumbing and sewage systems may be difficult to employ because of freezing issues. In coastal regions, erosion issues may impact such systems and require more portable solutions to accommodate people periodically moving further inland due to the eroding coastline. In impoverished regions, homes may not be permanent structures and water may be scarce or unavailable, thereby making it impractical to install such complex plumbing systems. 
     Portable lavatory systems are generally known and used in many different settings in our modern society. For example, such systems are commonly used during outdoor social events, such as, sporting events and concerts, or during construction projects for the convenience of the construction workers. These portable lavatories are typically self-contained systems in a singular stall or structure with a holding tank located under the toilet or urinal for receiving and storing the waste. Typically, such systems do not have any flushing water and lack proper venting to handle odor from the waste accumulating in the holding tank. While such systems are useful for temporary events, they are generally unsanitary and not suitable for integration into a home. 
     Accordingly, the present inventors have determined that it would be desirable to develop a portable body waste collection and sanitation system with improved features for efficiently handling and disposing of liquid and solid waste while conserving water use and minimizing odors. In addition, the present inventors have recognized a need for such an improved system specifically designed for in home use where piped water is unavailable. Moreover, the present inventors have recognized a need for such a system having a modular design for providing easy access to various components to facilitate cleaning and repair, and to accommodate various arrangements as desired. Additional aspects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description of example embodiments, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the drawings depict only certain example embodiments and are not to be considered as limiting in nature. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIGS. 1-4  illustrate various views of a toilet in a closed condition in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a view of the toilet of  FIG. 1  with a seat cover removed to illustrate interior portions of a separating toilet assembly in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIGS. 6-7  illustrate details of the toilet of  FIG. 1  with the hinged lid raised to illustrate interior components of the toilet, including solid and liquid waste receptacles. 
         FIG. 8  is an exploded view of the toilet of  FIG. 1  illustrating the various components of the toilet in accordance with one embodiment 
         FIGS. 9-10  illustrate details of another embodiment of a simplified toilet system operating as a bucket latrine. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference to the drawings, this section describes embodiments and their detailed construction and operation of a portable body waste collection and sanitation system. The embodiments described herein are set forth by way of illustration only and not limitation. Throughout the specification, reference to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or “some embodiments” means that a described feature, structure, or characteristic may be included in at least one embodiment of the system or of the components being discussed. Therefore, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” or “in some embodiments” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Further, the described features, structures, characteristics, and methods of operation may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In view of the disclosure herein, those skilled in the art will recognize that the various embodiments can be practiced without one or more of the specific details or with other methods, components, materials, or the like. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or methods of operation are not shown or not described in detail to avoid obscuring more pertinent aspects of the embodiments. 
     With general reference to the figures, the following disclosure relates to an improved, modular toilet system  100 ,  200  for providing improved sanitation and human waste disposal in homes and other structures where piped water systems are nonexistent or impractical, such as in impoverished regions or lands that may be vulnerable to flooding and erosion. In some communities, problems with land erosion are so severe that homeowners and agencies are reluctant to invest in piping and sewage infrastructure due to the short useful shelf-life of such systems under these conditions, thereby creating health risks and problems that could be remedied or avoided altogether with the disclosed sanitation system further described below. 
     As collectively illustrated in  FIGS. 1-10 , the toilet  100 ,  200  includes various modular components arranged to handle and dispose of human waste while minimizing odors and potential exposure to harmful pathogens. As described in further detail below, the toilet  100 ,  200  is designed as a stand-alone model with components that are easily assembled and disassembled to maximize portability of the toilet  100 ,  200 , thereby allowing the toilet  100 ,  200  to be dismantled and transported as needed, such as when homes are moved to new sites due to eroding coastlines or for other reasons. In addition, the toilet  100 ,  200  provides privacy, safety, cleanliness, and a streamlined design that can be implemented at a relatively low cost. Accordingly, in addition to being a potential solution for areas with land erosion issues, the sanitation system  100  may be used in underdeveloped and impoverished regions, and/or may be used in other locations where access to basic sanitation facilities may be limited, such as camp grounds, deserts, and beaches. 
     Moreover, as further described in detail below with particular reference to  FIGS. 9-10 , the toilets  100 ,  200  are designed so that the toilet  100  can be converted into the more simplified design of the toilet  200  (and vice versa), thereby facilitating conversion between a waste-separating toilet (e.g., toilet  100 ) and a non-waste-separating toilet  200  (and vice-versa) when desired to maximize flexibility and use of the toilet system. Additional details of these and other embodiments are further discussed below with reference to the accompanying figures. 
       FIGS. 1-5  collectively illustrate views of a toilet  100  designed to receive and separate solid waste and liquid waste for subsequent disposal. With general reference to  FIG. 1 , the toilet  100  includes a generally upright base  102  supporting a lid  104 , a toilet seat  106 , and a toilet seat cover  108 . The seat  106  and seat cover  108  are coupled to the lid  104  via hinges (not shown) or other suitable fasteners designed to support upward and downward movement of the seat  106  and cover  108  as in a conventional toilet. The base  102 , lid  104 , and seat  106  are generally designed to support the user during seated use of the toilet  100 . As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the lid  104  is coupled to the base  102  via hinges  110  to accommodate a swinging open and close motion of the lid  104 . This swinging action of the lid  104  provides access as may be needed to empty waste collected in the toilet  100  and/or to repair interior components of the toilet  100  as further described below. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates the toilet  100  with the seat cover  108  removed to illustrate interior components of the toilet  100 . With reference to  FIG. 5 , the toilet  100  further includes a waste intake system  112  positioned underneath the toilet seat  106 , where the waste intake system  112  is designed to receive waste and separate liquid and solid waste. In one embodiment, the waste intake system  112  may include a separator toilet assembly  114  having a separating or diverting wall  116  extending across the waste intake system  112  to compartmentalize the intake system  112  into two regions, the separating wall  116  diverting liquid waste (e.g., urine) toward the front region of the intake system  112 , and solid waste (e.g., fecal matter) toward the rear region of the intake system  112 . In some embodiments, the toilet seat  106 , seat cover  108 , and separator toilet assembly  114  may be formed as a single, integral unit. In other embodiments, the components may be separate and coupled to one another using suitable fastening mechanisms. Additional details relating to waste collection aspects of the toilet  100  are described further with reference to  FIGS. 6 and 7 . 
       FIGS. 6 and 7  illustrate details of the toilet  100  of  FIG. 1  with the hinged lid  104  raised to illustrate interior components of the toilet  100 , including solid and liquid waste receptacles. As briefly discussed previously with reference to  FIG. 5 , liquid and solid waste are diverted via the intake system  112 . As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the front portion of the intake system  112  includes a small trough  118  for collecting liquid waste and a drain  120  disposed at the bottom of the trough  118  for directing liquid waste away from the toilet  100  for disposal. Additional details relating to aspects of the intake system designed for liquid and solid collection are described in further detail with primary reference to  FIGS. 6 and 7 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 7 , in some embodiments, the toilet  100  includes a urine funnel assembly  122  positioned directly underneath the drain  120  and designed to collect liquid waste from the drain  120 . The urine funnel assembly  122  includes a funnel  124  having an opening sized and dimensioned to receive a tube  126  positioned on an underside of the separator toilet assembly  114  and connected to the drain  120 , where liquid waste travels from the drain  120  through the tube  126  and into the funnel  124  of the urine funnel assembly  122 . Once liquid waste is received in the funnel  124 , a hose  128  connected to the funnel  124  via the opening directs the liquid waste into a separate container  130  for manual disposal as needed. In such embodiments, gravity causes the liquid waste to funnel through the drain  120  into the urine funnel assembly  122  and to the container  130 . In other embodiments, the hose  128  may instead direct liquid waste to an exterior seepage pit (not shown), in which case the container  130  may not be necessary. In some embodiments, the urine funnel assembly  122  may be supported against the base  102  via a catchment fitting (not shown) or other suitable support mechanism to ensure proper positioning of the urine funnel assembly  122 . It should be understood that while the hose  128  is illustrated as extending from an interior portion to an exterior portion of the base  102  to the container  130 , in other embodiments, the container  130  may be sufficiently compact such that it fits within the base  102 . In such embodiments, the hose  128  would be contained within the interior portion of the base  102 . 
     Preferably, the container  130  is made of a transparent or translucent material (e.g., plastic or other suitable material) to allow the liquid level within the container  130  to be readily determined. The container  130  may be coupled to the hose  128  via a quick-release camlock fitting  132  to facilitate decoupling of the container  130  for emptying as needed. If desired, a camlock cap or suitable valve (not shown) may be used to seal the camlock fitting  132  to prevent urine from dripping out of the container  130  during transport. In other embodiments, a plug may be inserted into the fitting (not shown) on the hose  128  to prevent dripping of any liquid waste in the hose  128  during removal of the container  130 . In other embodiments, other suitable fittings or securement mechanisms may be used to couple the hose  128  and the container  130  and/or to prevent spillage during the disposal process. It should be understood that while the container  130  is illustrated in the figures as being on a particular side of the base  102 , the container  130  may be positioned on either side of the base  102  as desired. 
     Returning to  FIG. 5 , the following describes components of the toilet  100  designed for handling solid waste. With reference to  FIG. 5 , the intake system  112  includes an opening or channel  134  positioned behind the separating wall  116 , where the opening  134  is designed to receive solid waste from a user sitting on the toilet  100 . The opening  134  is positioned at a suitable location to ensure compatibility with a range of users such that solid waste is primarily directed into the opening  134  of the intake system  112  instead of onto the separating wall  116  or the drain  120 . As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the toilet  100  further includes a receptacle  136  positioned within the base  102  and underneath the opening  134 . Preferably, the receptacle  136  includes a sufficiently large opening to ensure it receives all solid waste passing through the opening  134 . The receptacle  136  is designed to be easily removable from within the base  102  to dispose of accumulated solid waste as needed. In some embodiments, the receptacle  136  may include a container, such as a five-gallon bucket or other suitable receptacle operable to contain solid waste. In other embodiments, the receptacle  136  may be fitted with a solid waste bag to facilitate removal of solid waste without requiring removal of the receptacle  136  from the base  102 . 
     To handle odors generated by the solid waste in the receptacle  136 , the toilet  100  may include a toilet vent  138  (see  FIG. 8 ) adjacent the receptacle  136 , the toilet vent  138  operable to help dry the solid waste and also to control odor of the waste in the receptacle  136  during use. In one embodiment, the toilet vent  138  includes an elbow-shaped pipe fitting  140  having an end cap  142  with a mesh screen  144  on a front surface thereof. Preferably, the end cap  142  is removable from the pipe fitting  140  to allow for cleaning and/or repair as needed to ensure proper ventilation. 
     In one embodiment, the pipe fitting  140  is designed to fit in a tube  146  having an open end extending outwardly from the base  102  of the toilet  100  (see  FIG. 1 ). The tube  146  may open onto an upper surface of the base  102  or may open onto any other surface of the base  102  as desired. In some embodiments, a hose (not shown) or other suitable fitting may be coupled to the tube  146  to direct airflow from the interior portion of the base  102  to another location (e.g., outside the room, building, or structure) to minimize any odors in the room with the toilet  100 . In other embodiments, the pipe fitting  140  and tube  146  may be formed as one integral component instead of two mating components. 
     In some embodiments, the toilet  100  may further include a ventilation system (not shown) operable for quickly drying the solid waste and further controlling odors. The ventilation system may incorporate fans, filters, and/or odor eliminating devices instead of, or in addition to, the toilet vent  138  for more effective drying of solid waste and odor control. For example, in one embodiment, the toilet  100  may be continuously mechanically vented with a heavy-duty fan to ensure constant ventilation of the solid waste in the receptacle  136  and minimize odors within the bathroom and home. 
     In other embodiments, the system may be converted to function as a mechanically vented bucket latrine, if desired.  FIGS. 9-10  illustrate features of the latrine embodiment. With collective reference to  FIGS. 9-10 , the toilet  200  eliminates many of the components of the toilet  100  to simplify the overall system. With reference to  FIG. 10 , the toilet  200  includes a base  202  (a portion of which is not shown) supporting a lid  204 , a toilet seat  206 , and a toilet cover  208  arranged in a similar fashion as toilet  100  described previously. The seat  206  and seat cover  208  are coupled to the lid  204  via hinges (not shown) and/or other fasteners designed to support upward and downward movement of the seat  206  and cover  208  as in a conventional toilet. As illustrated in  FIG. 10 , the lid  204  is coupled to the base  202  via hinges  210  to accommodate a swinging motion of the lid  204  as may be needed to empty waste collected in the toilet  200  as further described below. 
     The toilet  200  further includes a receptacle  212  positioned within the base  202  and directly underneath the opening  214  of the toilet seat  206 . Preferably, the receptacle  212  includes a sufficiently large opening to ensure it receives all liquid and solid waste passing through the opening  214 . The receptacle  212  is designed to be easily removable from within the base  202  to dispose of accumulated waste as needed. In some embodiments, the receptacle  212  may include a container, such as a five-gallon bucket or other suitable receptacle operable to contain the deposited waste. In other embodiments, the receptacle  212  may be fitted with a solid waste bag to facilitate removal of waste without requiring removal of the receptacle  212  from the base  202 . To handle odors generated by the combined solid and liquid waste in the receptacle  212 , the toilet  200  may further include a venting mechanism adjacent the receptacle  212  similar to the venting mechanism of toilet  100 . For example, the toilet  200  may include a vent  216  coupled to an assembly with a removable mesh screen  218  to provide adequate ventilation. It should be understood that while not described in further detail to avoid obscuring more pertinent aspects of the embodiment in  FIGS. 9-10 , all features of the venting mechanism of the toilet  100  may apply equally to the toilet  200 . 
     Preferably, the toilet  200  includes a ventilation system (not shown) operable for quickly drying the solid waste and further controlling odors, as both liquid and solid waste are stored in the receptacle  212 . The ventilation system may incorporate fans, filters, and/or odor eliminating devices instead of, or in addition to, the toilet vent  216  for more effective drying of solid waste and odor control. For example, in one embodiment, the toilet  200  may be continuously mechanically vented with a heavy-duty fan to ensure constant ventilation of the solid waste in the receptacle  212  and minimize odors within the bathroom and home. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 9-10 , the toilet  200  is a more streamlined design where all liquid and solid waste is received and stored in a single receptacle  212 . Since many of the components are eliminated in this design, the toilet  200  can be manufactured and installed in a more cost-effective manner as compared to the toilet  100 . Moreover, while the receptacle  212  may require more frequent disposal of its contents as compared to the embodiment in  FIGS. 1-8 , odor issues may be minimized as a result. 
     While the toilet  200  may be manufactured simply to include the components illustrated in  FIGS. 9-10 , the toilet  100  illustrated in  FIGS. 1-8  may optionally be converted into the simplified latrine embodiment illustrated by the toilet  200  as previously noted. With general reference to  FIGS. 7-10 , the following describes an example process for converting the toilet  100  into the simplified latrine in accordance with one embodiment. 
     The first step in the conversion process is to remove the receptacle  136  from within the base  102  to allow for easier access to the remaining interior components of the toilet  100 . Thereafter, the hose  128  is decoupled from the urine funnel assembly  122  and removed from the base  102 . After removal of the hose  128 , the toilet seat  106 , toilet seat cover  108 , and separator toilet assembly  114  are decoupled (in some embodiments they are formed as a single combined unit) from underneath the lid  104  and removed. Thereafter, a standard toilet seat (not shown but similar to toilet seat  206  and seat cover  208 ) is mounted to the base  102 . In some embodiments, the base  102  may be marked to indicate bolt locations for attaching the toilet seat to the base  102 . 
     After the toilet seat has been attached, the urine funnel assembly  122  is removed from inside the base  102  to provide sufficient space for the receptacle  136 . When the urine funnel assembly  122  has been removed, the receptacle  136  is positioned back within the base  102  and aligned to ensure it is directly underneath the opening in the toilet seat to capture all waste. If needed, a support, wedge, or lift may be positioned underneath the receptacle  136  to ensure that it is properly positioned for minimizing potential splashing as waste enters the receptacle  136 . A bag or other suitable liner may be placed in the receptacle  136  to facilitate waste disposal as needed. 
     As illustrated in the figures, the focus of the description pertains primarily to embodiments of the toilet  100 ,  200  for handling liquid and solid waste. In other embodiments, a complete bathroom system may include the toilet  100 ,  200  and a standalone urinal (not shown) designed for handling liquid waste. The urinal is a waterless urinal designed to avoid the need to use water in handling liquid waste. Use of a separate urinal may help minimize the frequency of emptying the liquid waste container  130 . 
     It should be understood that many of the features, components, and processes described in the embodiments of  FIGS. 1-10  are for illustration purposes. Accordingly, one having ordinary skill in the art may rearrange the features and process steps described herein in any of the embodiments without departing from the principles of the disclosure. In addition, it is intended that subject matter disclosed in portion herein can be combined with the subject matter of one or more of other portions herein as long as such combinations are not mutually exclusive or inoperable. In addition, many variations, enhancements and modifications of the concepts described herein are possible. 
     The terms and descriptions used above are set forth by way of illustration only and are not meant as limitations. Those skilled in the art will recognize that many variations can be made to the details of the above-described embodiments without departing from the underlying principles of the invention.