US 4,063,315 AGranted

Vacuum toilet system

AssigneeThe Boeing Company

InventorsRaymond Jerome Carolan, Bjorn Roar Kristoffersen

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A vacuum flush waste disposal system for aircraft; wherein, the required vacuum is acquired at altitude through the differential pressure between the aircraft cabin pressure and the ambient pressure above approximately 15,000 feet. When the aircraft is below this altitude or on the ground, the vacuum is provided by a blower. For flushing the toilet bowl, a timing device is initially actuated and functions: to introduce a recirculated flush fluid into a flush ring in the upper portion of the toilet bowl; and to open a drain in the lower portion of the toilet bowl, leading to the vacuum waste line; whereby, the waste and flush water are rapidly propelled through the waste line towards a centrally located holding tank, by the differential pressure acting upon it. Once in the holding tank, the waste fluid is filtered out for further use as the recirculated flush fluid.

A method for filtering toilet bowl waste matter in an aircraft having a pressurized hull enclosing a passenger compartment, and recirculating the filtered liquid for flushing the toilet bowl, comprising the steps of:

mounting the toilet bowl having a valve controlled outlet, within the pressurized hull enclosing the passenger compartment of the aircraft;
locating a central collection waste holding tank outside of the pressurized hull for establishing a pressure differential therebetween;
dividing the waste holding tank by a filter element into a waste receiving compartment and a filtered liquid compartment;
interconnecting the toilet bowl outlet valve with the waste receiving compartment of the waste holding tank;
venting both the waste receiving compartment and the filtered liquid compartment of the waste holding tank to the outside ambient air pressure for producing a pressure differential between the interior of the waste holding tank and the pressurized passenger compartment containing the toilet bowl when the aircraft is above a predetermined altitude;
connecting both the waste receiving compartment and the filtered liquid compartment of the waste holding tank to a vacuum pump for producing a pressure differential between the interior of the waste holding tank and the pressurized passenger compartment containing the toilet bowl when the aircraft is below said predetermined altitude;
withdrawing fluid from the bottom of the filtered liquid compartment, and storing the fluid under pressure in an accumulator tank for use as flushing fluid;
actuating an automatically time controlled flush cycle, for releasing the pressurized filtered flushing fluid from the accumulator tank through spray means mounted in the upper portion of the toilet bowl, in combination with opening the toilet bowl outlet valve for removing the waste and flushing liquid through the differential pressure acting upon it between the pressurized passenger compartment and the waste holding tank;
and venting the toilet bowl to admit air from the pressurized passenger compartment into the interior of the toilet bowl for preventing the application of a suction force to the user during the vacuum flush cycle.

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Facts

Application

05/714,928Filed 16 Aug 1976 · division

Priority

13 Dec 1974

Granted

20 Dec 1977

Term ends

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Classification6 codes

E03D 5/016
Special constructions of flushing devices , e.g. closed flushing system: with recirculation of bowl-cleaning fluid
B64D 11/02
Passenger or crew accommodation; Flight-deck installations not otherwise provided for: toilet fittings
Y02T 50/40
Aeronautics or air transport: weight reduction
E03D
Water-closets or urinals with flushing devices

Abstract

Claims5