US 2008/0276362 A1Published application

Mechanically sealable rapid opening stagger-flush residential toilet

OwnerConor O'Malley, Joseph Zappelinventors

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Abstract

A frustum-shaped toilet bowl (26) includes a reversibly rotable saucer-shaped seal (46), or saucer. The saucer can automatically be rotated upward hermetically to compress closed against a sealing ring (48) that surrounds the outside of the bowl near its bottom outlet (32). The saucer is normally closed to prevent sewer gases from entering a bathroom from an adjoining drain line (36). The closed saucer can retain human waste or test balls in the bowl or, when opened, permits them to free-fall of their own weight into the drain line. The bowl has opposing water outlets (42) which are connected to flushometer valve (34), which is connected to a source of pressurized water. Depressing a button (74) automatically provides a wet spot in the bowl to prevent falling feces from sticking to the bowl. Depressing the button a second time opens the saucer and causes additional water to stagger flush solids while they are moving in the pipe. A two-stage staggered flush propels solids further than releasing the wet spot water and the additional water into the pipe together. A urine flush uses about 250 ml (0.25) gallons and a feces flush about 4.0 liters (1.0 gallon) of water. A 2.00 to 3.00-liter (0.50- to 0.75-gallon) flush carries 100 test balls about 18.2 meters (60 feet) in the drain line.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A method for employing a two-stage staggered flush to improve overall performance of a toilet and to enhance the ability of the toilet to propel solids in an adjoining drain line with less water, comprising:

(a) providing a toilet with a bowl,
(b) connecting said toilet to a source of pressurized water,
(c) providing said toilet with a bottom outlet that is roughly centered above an adjoining drain line,
(d) connecting said source of pressurized water to an input of an automated flushometer valve,
(e) providing said bowl with a plurality of water outlets for rinsing said bowl,
(f) connecting an output of said automated flushometer valve to said water outlets,
(g) providing a pivotable saucer-shaped seal adjacent to a bottom part of said bowl,
(h) providing a compressible sealing ring on the outside of said bowl above said bottom outlet,
(i) rotating said saucer upward to a fully closed position to compress against said sealing ring so that said bowl is hermetically sealed,
(j) opening said flushometer valve for a predetermined time so that said pressurized water accumulates as a first quantity of water, or wet spot, in said bowl,
(k) introducing solids into said first quantity of water in said bowl,
(l) rotating said saucer downward from said sealing ring to an open position so that said solids free fall from said bowl into and move in said adjoining drain line, and
(m) opening said flushometer valve for a second predetermined time, while said saucer is rotated downward to said open position, so an additional quantity of said pressurized water flows from said bowl into said adjoining drain line while said solids are still moving in the drain line,
whereby permitting said additional quantity of water to fall into said drain while said solids are still moving in said drain will propel said solids further in said drain, with the same amount of water, or the same distance with less water, than occurs when said first and said additional quantities of water free fall into the drain line together, thereby saving water.

11 more elements

A toilet bowl that helps prevent feces from adhering to said bowl comprising:

(a) a bowl having a front and a rear part,
(b) an inside of said front part inclining 30 to 50 degrees forward from the vertical, and
(c) an inside of said rear part inclining 5 to 15 degrees rearward from the vertical, whereby said inclining of said front and rear parts is prone to prevent said feces from adhering to said bowl, and thereby said feces is easier to dislodge from said bowl with less water, and thereby saving water.

A method for expelling human waste, water, urine, and or test balls from a toilet bowl with less water, comprising:

(a) providing said toilet bowl with a bottom outlet,
(c) connecting said toilet bowl to a waste passageway
(d) connecting said waste passageway to an adjoining drain line,
(e) connecting a sealing ring to an outside of said bowl above said bottom outlet,
(e) connecting a reversibly rotable saucer-shaped seal beneath said bottom outlet,
(f) rotating said saucer-shaped seal upward hermetically to compress against said sealing ring,
(g) introducing water, human waste, and or a quantity of 100 test balls into said bowl so that said water, human waste, or test balls remain in said bowl above said saucer-shaped seal, and
(h) rotating said saucer downward from said sealing ring, whereby said human waste, said water, or said test balls in said bowl free fall from said bowl via said bottom outlet and said waste passageway into said adjoining drain line without using additional water, thereby saving water.

5 more elements

A toilet that provides a two-stage staggered flush that expels solids from a bowl into an adjoining drain line and propels said solids further in said drain line, or the same distance with less water, comprising

(a) a toilet having a bowl
(b) said bowl having a bottom outlet,
(c) a waste passageway connecting said bottom outlet to an adjoining drain line that can contain dangerous gases,
(d) said bowl having a plurality of water outlets that are connected to a source of pressurized water,
(e) a circular sealing ring being connected to an outside surface of said bowl above said bottom outlet,
(f) a saucer-shaped seal being pivotable to a closed position to seal or to an open position to open said bottom outlet of said bowl,
(g) means for rotating said saucer-shaped seal upward to compress hermetically against said circular sealing ring so that water, pooled urine, and solids in said bowl remain in said bowl and said gases remain in said adjoining drain line,
(h) means for introducing a first quantity of said pressurized water into said bowl to cushion solids falling into the bowl,
(i) means for rotating said valve downward from said sealing ring with sufficient rapidity that said solids and said first quantity of water free fall from said bowl via said waste passageway into said adjoining drain line, as a first stage of a two-stage staggered flush, so that said first quantity of water and said solids continue to move in said adjoining drain line, and
(j) means for introducing an additional quantity of said water into said adjoining drain line while said solids are still moving in said drain line, as the second stage of said two-stage staggered flush, so that said additional quantity of water additionally propels said solids,
whereby permitting said additional quantity of water to fall into said drain while said solids are still moving in said drain propels said solids further in said drain, with the same amount of water, or the same distance with less water, than occurs when said first and said additional quantities of water free fall into the drain line together, thereby saving water.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/151,015Filed 2 May 2008
Priority: 10 May 2007
Published: 13 Nov 2008
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

E03D 5/012
Special constructions of flushing devices , e.g. closed flushing system: combined with movable closure elements in the bowl outlet
E03D 11/10
Water-closet bowls ; Bowls with a double odour seal optionally with provisions for a good siphonic action; siphons as part of the bowl: bowls with…
E03D 2201/40
Details and methods of use for water closets and urinals not otherwise provided for: devices for distribution of flush water inside the bowl
E03D
Water-closets or urinals with flushing devices