Vacuum toilet override systems and methods
AssigneeB/E Aerospace, Inc.
InventorsMahammadrafi Bagawan, Gururaja Bambila
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A manual override mechanism for use in a vacuum toilet system may comprise: a shaft extending from a knob; a traveler configured to engage the shaft, the traveler comprising a first gear; a motor rack comprising a second gear configured to engage the first gear; and a flush gate extending from the motor rack, the flush gate configured to transition from a closed position to an open position in response to rotation of the shaft.
Claims15
A manual override mechanism for use in a vacuum toilet system, comprising:
- a shaft extending from a knob;
- a traveler configured to engage the shaft, the traveler comprising a first gear;
- a motor rack comprising a second gear configured to engage the first gear;
- and
- a flush gate extending from the motor rack, the flush gate configured to transition from a closed position to an open position in response to rotation of the shaft, wherein
- the shaft comprises a guide groove,
- the guide groove is a helical groove, and
- the traveler comprises a guide pin configured to engage the guide groove.
A vacuum toilet system, comprising:
- a motor rack;
- a flush gate extending from the motor rack, the flush gate configured to transition from a closed position to an open position in response to the motor rack being activated;
- and
- a manual override mechanism, comprising:
- a shaft extending from a knob;
- a forward support bearing spaced apart axially from an aft support bearing, the forward support bearing and the aft support bearing configured to support the shaft;
- and
- a traveler disposed between the first support bearing and the aft support bearing, the traveler configured to engage the shaft, wherein:
- the shaft comprises a groove and the traveler comprises a guide pin, and,
- the groove is a helical groove.
A method of operating a manual override mechanism, the method comprising:
- rotating a knob of the manual override mechanism, wherein in response to rotating the knob:
- a shaft extending from the knob rotates,
- a traveler rotates about a central axis of the shaft and translates axially along the shaft,
- a motor rack rotates about a second central axis of the motor rack;
- and
- a flush gate rotates about the second central axis of the motor rack and transitions from a closed position to an open position, wherein:
- the traveler includes a guide pin that travels in a guide groove of the shaft during translating of the traveler, and
- the guide groove has a helical shape.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.