# US 11,078,655 B2 · Vacuum waste system

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- Number: US 11,078,655 B2
- Document ID: US11078655B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/278,894
- Filed: 2019-02-19
- Published: 2021-04-22
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2019-02-19
- Assignees: B/E Aerospace, Inc.
- Applicants: B/E Aerospace, Inc.
- Inventors: Charles F. Forster; Frank E. Hashberger
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11078655B2

## CPC

- E03D 5/016: with recirculation of bowl-cleaning fluid
- E03F 1/006: {Pneumatic sewage disposal systems; accessories specially adapted therefore}
- B64D 11/02: Toilet fittings
- E03D: WATER-CLOSETS OR URINALS WITH FLUSHING DEVICES; FLUSHING VALVES THEREFOR
- E03F: SEWERS; CESSPOOLS
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT

## Abstract

A waste system includes a vacuum cell, a flexible waste container, and a vacuum source. The flexible waste container may have at least one flexible membrane at an interface between the flexible waste container and the vacuum cell. The vacuum source may be configured to suction air out of the vacuum cell to generate a negative pressure in the vacuum cell. The vacuum source discharge is generally odorless as it is separated from the waste. This odorless discharge can enter occupied aircraft compartments. The negative pressure in the vacuum cell acts on the flexible waste container to generate a (second) negative pressure in the flexible waste container. The negative pressure in the flexible waste container acts on an interface between a toilet and the flexible waste container to pull waste from the toilet into the flexible waste container.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A waste system, comprising:
a waste container;
a vacuum cell;
a flexible cell with at least one flexible membrane at an interface between the flexible cell and the vacuum cell; and
a vacuum source configured to suction air out of the vacuum cell to generate a negative pressure in the vacuum cell, wherein the negative pressure acts on the flexible cell to generate a second negative pressure in the flexible cell, the second negative pressure acts on the waste container to generate a third negative pressure in the waste container, and the third negative pressure acts on an interface between a toilet and the waste container to pull waste from the toilet into the waste container.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The waste system of claim 1, further comprising:
a vacuum valve between the vacuum cell and the vacuum source, the vacuum valve configured to open when the vacuum source is suctioning air out of the vacuum cell and configured to close after the vacuum source has suctioned air out of the vacuum cell.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The waste system of claim 1, wherein the vacuum source is a pump.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The waste system of claim 3, wherein the pump is configured to pump air back into the vacuum cell to remove the negative pressure from the vacuum cell.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The waste system of claim 1, further comprising:
a vent valve between the vacuum cell and an air intake vent, the vent valve configured to open so that air enters the vacuum cell through the air intake vent and removes the negative pressure from the vacuum cell.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The waste system of claim 1, further comprising:
a discharge valve between the waste container and a discharge vent, the discharge valve configured to open so that excess air is discharged from the waste container through the discharge vent.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The waste system of claim 1, wherein the waste container, the vacuum cell, the flexible cell, and the vacuum source are integrated into a modular unit.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The waste system of claim 7, wherein the modular unit includes a common support structure for the waste container, the vacuum cell, the flexible cell, and the vacuum source.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The waste system of claim 1, further comprising:
a switch; and
a controller communicatively coupled to the switch, the vacuum source, and one or more valves, the controller configured to operate the vacuum source and the one or more valves in response to a signal from the switch.