Patent Publication Number: US-9416524-B2

Title: Piston-flush toilet system

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This patent application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Pat. App. Nos. 61/772,776 filed Mar. 5, 2013; 61/823,525 filed May 15, 2013; 61/863,771 filed Aug. 8, 2013; 61/865,421 filed Aug. 13, 2013; and 61/907,117 filed Nov. 21, 2013; which are incorporated herein by reference for all that they contain. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to low-water toilet systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to using mechanical means to transport waste away from a toilet. 
     Common toilet systems currently in use consume large amounts of water. There are several reasons for this. First, water acts as a transport medium allowing waste to travel through piping networks. Second, water blocks odors from waste and from sewer systems from reaching users. As populations grow, however, natural resources may become scarcer, increasing the need to conserve water. As such, there has been much effort devoted to creating low-water toilet systems. 
     As populations age, there is also an increasing need for daily health monitoring systems for early detection of preventable illnesses. Ideally, such health monitoring systems would perform their duties with as little inconvenience to the individual being monitored as possible. A variety of information about a person&#39;s health can be derived from their excrement. As such, there have been various attempts to incorporate health monitoring systems into toilet systems which people use every day. 
     For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,636,474 to Ogura et al., which is incorporated herein for all that it contains, discloses a toilet apparatus comprising a detecting sensor for detecting constituents in the feces, urine, or both of a user, and an indicator for indicating or informing the user of his health based upon abnormalities in the constituents detected by the sensor. It has been found that the amount of water used in many current toilet systems dilutes samples thus hindering health monitoring. Thus, in health-monitoring toilet applications, the need for low-water solutions is even greater. 
     One attempt to create a low-water toilet is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,585,649 to Miya, which is incorporated herein for all that it contains. Miya discloses a defecating system in which foam is provided. Excrement is sealed by the foam visually, odorproofly, and hygienically without necessity of an appreciable quantity of water. While the use of foam does reduce the water required, it tends to move significantly slower than water without additional propulsion means. 
     Another example of a low-water toilet system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,910,231 to Breiing et al., which is incorporated herein for all that it contains. Breiing et al. discloses means for transporting a material from a toilet pan into a sanitation pipe comprising two valves which are arranged in a pipe and a pressure chamber disposed in-between. Rather than water, the pressure chamber creates suction which transports the waste. Accurate control of the multiple valves and pressure chamber are necessary which may increase complication and cost. 
     An example of a health-monitoring toilet system that attempts to mitigate water dilution is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,962,550 to Ikenaga et al., which is incorporated herein for all that it contains. Ikenaga et al. discloses a toilet with a device for measuring constituents of voided urine. The toilet has a urine reservoir having a surface contiguous to a bowl surface including a urine receiving surface. Urine examined by the measuring device is sampled from the urine reservoir before it enters any water. 
     While there have been various attempts at producing both low-water toilets and health-monitoring toilets there is still much room for improvement in the art. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention comprises a piston-flush toilet system that may use appreciably less water than commonly used toilets today. Such a piston-flush toilet system may comprise a bowl to accept waste and a chamber comprising a waste inlet connected to the bowl and a waste outlet connected to a sewer system or the like. A piston may be disposed within the chamber capable of sealing the waste inlet. In various embodiments, the chamber may be positioned beneath the bowl such that gravity may transport waste from the bowl to the chamber. In some embodiments, the chamber may be positioned horizontally, or at an angle such that gravity may aid in transporting waste entering the chamber from the bowl at the waste inlet to the waste outlet. The bowl and chamber may be formed of a solid member that may be formed of plastic or ceramic. 
     In some embodiments, a macerating unit may be disposed within the chamber between the piston and the waste outlet. In other various embodiments, a one-way valve, an elastic stopper, or a rigid stopper held by a spring, may be disposed within the chamber between the piston and the waste outlet to allow waste to exit the chamber through the waste outlet without returning. 
     Some embodiments may comprise a foam generating system for supplying foam to the bowl, chamber or both. This may occur as the piston retracts to unseal the waste inlet. Such foam may comprise a lubricant to aid gravity in transporting waste from the bowl to the chamber. 
     Embodiments may also include a motorized or user-powered air compressor for providing compressed air. The compressed air may pressurize the piston, mix with surfactant and water to produce foam or both. 
     Some embodiments may provide health monitoring functions through a microchip disposed within the chamber for measuring characteristics of the waste. In such embodiments, the piston may compress waste against the microchip during its cycle. The piston may also comprise a light source that may pass light through the waste to the microchip or a reflective surface that may reflect light through the waste to the microchip. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a piston-flush toilet system. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a piston-flush toilet system with a piston in a compressed position. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a piston-flush toilet system with a piston in a retracted position. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an embodiment of a chamber with a one-way valve disposed therein, adjacent a waste outlet. 
         FIGS. 5 a  and 5 b    are longitudinal-section views of embodiments of chambers, each comprising an elastic stopper disposed between a piston and a waste outlet. 
         FIGS. 6 a  and 6 b    are longitudinal-section views of embodiments of chambers, each comprising a rigid stopper disposed between a piston and a waste outlet. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional schematic of an embodiment of a piston-flush toilet system comprising a foam generating system. 
         FIG. 8  is a magnified cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a piston-flush toilet system comprising a microchip for measuring characteristics of waste. 
         FIGS. 9 a  and 9 b    are longitudinal-section views of chambers in retracted and compressed positions respectively. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the figures,  FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of a piston-flush toilet system  100  of the present invention. The piston-flush toilet system  100  may comprise a base portion  110  supporting a bowl  120  for accepting human waste. In the embodiment shown, the bowl  120  comprises a seat  122  surrounding an opening of the bowl  120  upon which a user may sit and a cover  126  spanning the opening of the bowl  120  concealing its contents. Further shown is a user-powered pump  160  for compressing air that may be used to expel waste from the piston-flush toilet system  100  with appreciably less water than is commonly used in toilets today. 
       FIG. 2  shows the inner workings of an embodiment of a piston-flush toilet system  200  comprising a chamber  210  disposed adjacent a bowl  220 . The chamber  210  may comprise a waste inlet  215  connecting the chamber  210  to the bowl  220  where waste from the bowl  220  may flow into the chamber  210  and a waste outlet  217  where waste may exit the chamber  210  to a sewer system or fertilizer production operation. A piston  230  may be disposed within the chamber  210 . The piston  230  may be capable of cycling between compressed and retracted positions. In  FIG. 2 , the piston  230  is shown in a compressed position wherein which the piston  230  may seal the waste inlet  215 . 
     A macerating unit  240  may also be disposed within the chamber  210  between the piston  230  and the waste outlet  217 . The macerating unit  240  may comprise a motor  242  that may rotate a blade  244  via a shaft  246  thus turning waste compressed by the piston  230  into slurry. It is believed that turning waste into substantially uniform slurry, by use of a macerator or other means, may aid in the compression and transportation of such waste out through the waste outlet  217 , the formation of such waste into fertilizer, and/or the examination of such waste for health monitoring. 
     As can be seen in  FIG. 2 , the bowl  220  and the chamber  210  may be formed from a solid member. Such simplified construction may allow for tight seals between the bowl  220  and chamber  210  and for ease of manufacture, assembly and cleaning. Further, the solid member may be formed of plastic. It is believed that the appreciably less water used in the piston-flush toilet system of the present invention, as compared with common toilet systems currently in use today, may allow for plastic construction, rather than the typically more expensive ceramic construction. 
     As also viewable in  FIG. 2 , the chamber  210  may be positioned beneath the bowl  220  such that gravity may transport waste from the bowl to the chamber. The chamber  210  may further be positioned at an angle such that gravity may transport waste entering the chamber  210  at the waste inlet  215  to the waste outlet  217 . In other embodiments, a chamber may be positioned horizontally to conserve space. 
       FIG. 3  shows an embodiment of a piston-flush toilet system  300  wherein a piston  330  disposed within a chamber  310  is in a retracted position. In this position, the piston  330  no longer seals a waste inlet  315  allowing waste from a bowl  320  to enter the chamber  310 . As the piston  330  retracts, foam may also be introduced into the bowl  320 , chamber  310  or both to envelope waste visually and olfactorily. Once waste has transferred from the bowl  320  to the chamber  310  and is possibly enveloped by foam, the piston  330  may move into a compressed position compressing the waste toward a waste outlet  317 . While moving into a compressed position, the piston  330  may seal the waste inlet  315  allowing for a macerating unit to turn the waste into slurry without pushing back through the waste inlet  315  into the bowl  320 . 
       FIG. 4  shows an embodiment of a chamber  410  with a one-way valve  450  disposed therein, adjacent a waste outlet  417 . Such a one-way valve  450  may allow waste to exit the chamber  410  through the waste outlet  417  when compressed by a piston (hidden within the chamber  410 ) without returning. Such a one-way valve  450  may also block odors from a sewer system or fertilizer production operation from reaching a user. 
       FIGS. 5 a  and 5 b    show embodiments of chambers  510   a  and  510   b . Each of the chambers  510   a  and  510   b  comprises a piston  530   a  and  530   b  disposed therein and a waste inlet  515   a  and  515   b  and waste outlet  517   a  and  517   b . An elastic stopper  552   a  and  552   b  may be disposed within each of the chambers  510   a  and  510   b  between the piston  530   a  and  530   b  and the waste outlet  517   a  and  517   b . In  FIG. 5 a   , the piston  530   a  is shown in a retracted position which allows the elastic stopper  552   a  to seal the waste outlet  517   a , thus blocking waste and odors from entering the chamber  510   a  from the waste outlet  517   a . When the piston  530   b  is transferred to a compressed position however, as shown in  FIG. 5 b   , the elastic stopper  552   b  may deform to allow waste to exit the chamber  510   b  through the waste outlet  517   b . When the piston  530   a  returns to its retracted position, the elastic stopper  552   a  may then return to its original shape. 
       FIGS. 6 a  and 6 b    show embodiments of chambers  610   a  and  610   b . Each of the chambers  610   a  and  610   b  comprises a piston  630   a  and  630   b  disposed therein and a waste inlet  615   a  and  615   b  and waste outlet  617   a  and  617   b . A rigid stopper  654   a  and  654   b  may be disposed within each of the chambers  610   a  and  610   b  between the piston  630   a  and  630   b  and the waste outlet  617   a  and  617   b  and held in place by a spring  656   a  and  656   b . In  FIG. 6 a   , the piston  630   a  is shown in a retracted position which allows the rigid stopper  654   a  to seal the waste outlet  617   a , thus blocking waste and odors from entering the chamber  610   a  from the waste outlet  617   a . When the piston  630   b  is transferred to a compressed position however, as shown in  FIG. 6 b   , the spring  656   b  may deform to allow waste to exit the chamber  610   b  around rigid stopper  654   b  and through the waste outlet  617   b . When the piston  630   a  returns to its retracted position, the spring  656   a  may then return to its original position. 
       FIG. 7  shows a schematic of an embodiment of a piston-flush toilet system  700  comprising a foam generating system  770  for supplying foam  778  to a bowl  720  or chamber  710  or both. The foam generating system  770  may comprise a water source  772 , such as an external water supply or tank, a surfactant reservoir  774 , that may be refilled periodically by a user, and a compressed air source  776 , such as a motorized or user-powered air compressor that draws from ambient air as shown or a compressed air tank. Water, surfactant and compressed air may be mixed together at a valve  771  to form foam  778 . 
     In some embodiments, the foam  778  may be supplied to the bowl  720  or chamber  710  or both as a piston  730  retracts and unseals a waste inlet  715 . As the piston  730  retracts, a pressure between the piston  730  and a waste outlet  717  of the chamber may decrease resulting in an increase of required force to retract the piston  730 . Supplying foam  778  to the chamber  710  may increase the pressure to reduce the force and energy required to retract the piston  730 . 
     In various embodiments, the compressed air source  776  may provide compressed air to pressurize the piston  730  thus moving it between retracted and compressed positions. 
       FIG. 8  shows an embodiment of a piston-flush toilet system  800  comprising a microchip  880  disposed within a chamber  810  thereof. The microchip  880  may comprise several of a variety of lab-on-a-chip measurement functions as known in the art, each capable of measuring different characteristics of a material placed in contact with a surface of the microchip  880 . To obtain a uniform sample of waste for measurement and to remove an appreciable amount of water from that sample that may otherwise dilute the sample, a piston  830  may be disposed within the chamber  810  and compress waste against the microchip  880 . 
     In various embodiments, the microchip  880  may measure characteristics of the waste by measuring light, such as a laser, passing though the waste. This may be performed by providing a light source on an external surface  835  of the piston  830 , that passes light through the waste while compressed, that may be at least partially received by the microchip. This may also be performed by providing a reflective surface on the external surface  835  of the piston  830  that may reflect light passing through the waste toward the microchip  880 . 
     The microchip  880  may be connected to a processor  888  that may collect data measured by the microchip  880  for storage or transmittal. It is believed that such measurements may aid in monitoring the health of a user of the piston-flush toilet system  800 . 
       FIGS. 9 a  and 9 b    show embodiments of chambers  910   a  and  910   b , each comprising a piston  930   a  and  930   b  disposed therein. In  FIG. 9 a   , piston  930   a  is shown in a retracted position which unseals a waste inlet  915   a . In various embodiments, compressed air  990   a , or another fluid, may be channeled into the chamber  910   a  to pressurize the piston  930   a  and translated it from a retracted position to a compressed position, thus sealing the waste inlet  915   a . In  FIG. 9 b   , compressed air  990   b , or another fluid, is channeled into the chamber  910   b  to surround the piston  930   b  and translate it back from a compressed position to a retracted position, thus unsealing the waste inlet  915   b.    
     Whereas the present invention has been described in particular 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 scope and spirit of the present invention.