Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FILE, Pt~-tI~THIS A
WO 98/55706 Tg~ TRANSLA1TION PCT/EP98/03298
Toilet System with Vacuum Extraction
The invention relates to a toilet system with vacuum suction.
In conventional toilet systems, water is used as the transport means for the
faeces.
There is no separation of the water from the faeces. A large quantity of water
is
required, this being undesired for ecological and economic reasons.
Vacuum toilets have long been known and used. DE 41 36 931 A1 describes a
system
for use in vehicles in which an extraction basin is evacuated. Thereafter,
pipes are
opened and closed by means of valves in order to convey the faeces into the
collecting
tank by means of compressed air. Even though, compared with the known drain
system according to DE-OS 39 32 893, this system has the advantage that only a
relatively small extraction basin needs to be put under vacuum. However, it
has the
disadvantage that all pipe connections and the valves must be vacuum-tight
and,
consequently, only a complex technical realization is possible.
DE 296 04 512 Ul describes a method by which there is a pressure equalization
in the
extraction basin after each extraction. Emptying the extraction basin into a
faeces
collecting tank is to be realized at zero pressure. The aforementioned
publication
describes the method and its advantages at length, but does not contain
technical
solutions for the implementation of the described method. According to the
description, the system is designed for use in large buildings. The required
individual
extraction of the toilets is technically in contradiction with said field of
application. A
further contradiction is seen, on the one hand, in realizing a permanent
stench
extraction and, or~ the other hand, in emptying the extraction basin after
each
extraction after pressure equalization.
The object of the invention is, to permit by simple means a conversion of a
conventional toilet bowl to suction extraction.
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The object of the invention is achieved by the features indicated in claim 1.
A conversion to extraction, with the advantage of a saving water, can be made
in that
a conventional toilet bowl, usually a flush-down bowl, is provided with an
insert
connected to a extraction device. Conversion can preferably be carried out on
existing
toilet bowls, but it is also possible to convert toilet systems to be newly
installed.
It is also possible for two or more toilet bowls to be connected to the
extraction unit.
However, it is always the case that each toilet bowl is extracted
individually.
Therefore, the size of the extraction unit can be kept small.
Since a fan is required for the operation of the extraction unit and since, in
addition,
an electrical connection is required for the control, it is obvious to provide
the toilet
bowl with conveniences such as heating, lighting, music etc.
The toilet system according to the invention is preferably for use in
vehicles, e.g. in
mobile homes and caravans/trailer homes. The system can, however, also be used
in
stationary facilities such as in one- and two-family houses.
A special advantage of the system according to the invention consists in that
neither
the pipe connections nor the valves need to be vacuum-tight.
Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are defined in the
subclaims.
It is particularly of advantage if the extraction unit is used also for stench
extraction,
the extraction conduit required for faeces extraction also being used for
stench
extraction.
Hereinbelow, the invention is described in greater detail with reference to
embodiments schematically represented in the drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 shows a toilet bowl with insert;
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Fig. 2 shows a toilet system with two toilet bowls connected to an extraction
unit;
Fig. 3 shows the extraction unit;
- Fig. 4 shows a valve for the connection of a stench extraction conduit;
Fig. 5 shows a section through a mechanically operating stench trap;
Fig. 6 shows the subject matter presented in Fig. 5 in a section perpendicular
thereto;
Fig. 7 shows a cross section of the hose used for the hose valve disposed at
the
bottom end of the extraction unit; and
Fig. 8 shows a side view of the object represented in Fig. 7.
Fig. 1 shows a conventional toilet bowl 10 in the form of a flush-down bowl.
Placed
in the toilet bowl 10 for conversion to extraction is an insert 1 which is
adapted in its
dimensions to the dimensions of the toilet bowl 10. The insert 1, which is
provided
with a non-adhesive coating, rests via flanges on the top edge of the toilet
bowl 10.
Located near to the top edge of the insert are flushing nozzles 7 which are
connected
via a flushing pipe 2 to a flushing valve 3. The flushing valve 3 is subjected
to
pressurized water. If the system is used in a building, the pressurized water
comes
from the water main; otherwise it comes from a water tank with connected
pressure
generator.
Located at the bottom end of the insert 1 is a stench trap 6 which is here in
the form of
the siphon trap usually used for this purpose. The extraction-side end of the
siphon
trap is connected to an extraction conduit 6, the other end of which is
connected to an
extraction unit 14 still to be described (Fig. 2). The extraction unit 14
comprises a
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floor drain 1 S through which the extraction unit 14 can be emptied into a
collecting
tank 12.
The converted toilet bowl 10 is also provided with means for stench
extraction.
Stench extraction is accomplished via a stench extraction conduit 9, one end
of which
is connected to the top end of the insert 1 and the other end of which is
connected to
the extraction conduit of the stench trap 6.
The various units and valves are operated by a control 13 which goes into
operation
through moving an operating element 8.
Fig. 2 shows that two toilet bowls 10 are connected to an extraction unit 14.
For this
configuration, the extraction conduit 5 is branched via a control valve 11 in
such a
manner that only one toilet bowl 10 is evacuated at a time.
Fig. 3 shows schematically the construction of an extraction unit 14. Said
suction unit
14 has an extraction basin 16, at the top end of which a fan 17 is arranged,
the suction
side of which is connected to the extraction basin 16 into which the
extraction conduit
joins.
Located at the bottom end of the extraction basin 16 is a floor drain 1 S
which can be
closed by a hose valve 19.
The hose valve 19 is closed in that the pressure side of the fan 17 is
connected to two
outgoing air pipes 18, the mouths of which, (opposing each other) are directed
radially
to the hose 23 forming the hose valve 19. The hose 23 is slightly deformable
in the
radial direction and is pressed together by the outgoing air stream, escaping
from the
outgoing air pipes 18, in conjunction with the vacuum in the extraction basin
16, with
the result that the hose valve 19 is closed. The floor drain 15 is normally
open.
Fig. 4 shows a valve 4 which ensures that, at low suction power of the fan 17,
a
connection is established between the extraction conduit 5 and the stench
extraction
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conduit 9, while, at high suction power, namely when the toilet contents are
being
extracted, said valve 4 is closed. Provided for this purpose in a housing 21
is a closing
body 22 which, at low suction power, is slightly raised and thereby connects
the
stench extraction conduit 9 to the extraction conduit S, while, at high
suction power,
the closing body 22 is in its top closing position, with the result that there
is no stench
extraction while the insert 1 is being evacuated.
Fig. 5 and 6 show a mechanically acting stench trap which can be used as an
alternative to a siphon trap. This stench trap comprises a housing 24 which is
inserted
into the extraction conduit 5 and is additionally connected to the stench
extraction
conduit 9. Through rotation of a rotary disk valve 25 provided with a recess
27, either
the extraction conduit 5 can be opened or the suction-side of the extraction
conduit 5
can be actively connected to the stench extraction conduit 9. In a third
position, both
the extraction conduit 5 and also the stench extraction conduit 9 are closed.
The rotary
disk valve 25 is held in the housing 24 and can be operated by a control
element, such
operation being initiated by the control 13.
According to Fig. 7 and 8, the hose 23, which is disposed in the floor drain
15 and
forms the hose valve 19, is provided with longitudinal stiffening ribs 26. The
desired
slight deformability in the radial direction is not affected by said ribs.
The operation, accomplished by the control 13, of the hereinbefore described
device is
as follows:
When the operating element 8 is operated, the fan 17 sucks air from the
extraction
basin 16 and the extraction conduit 5. The thereby resulting outgoing air
stream is
directed via the outgoing air conduits 18 in the radial direction from two
sides onto
the hose valve 19. Said outgoing air stream and the vacuum produced by the
sucking
of the air from the extraction basin 16 cause the hose valve 19 to be closed.
There then
follows the stench extraction at reduced speed of the fan 17. The reduced
speed can be
changed by a component in the control 13 and can be adapted to the length of
the
extraction conduit 5 and to the system configuration. After a time programmed
in the
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control 13 or after renewed operation of the operating element 8, the speed of
the fan
17 is increased to the full speed with a soft start circuit. The contents of
the insert 1
are now sucked into the extraction basin 16 after the valve 4 has been closed.
The gas
separator 20 ensures that the extracted matter does not get into the fan 17.
The control
pulse for increasing the speed of the fan 17 simultaneously causes the opening
of the
flushing valve 3 in order to flush the insert 1. The water from the existing
pressurized
water main passes through the flushing valve 3 into the flushing nozzles 7 and
is
sprayed by said nozzles 7 into the insert 1 in order to clean the latter. The
duration of
the extraction process is controlled by the control 13 and can be adapted at
installation
to the system configuration. The duration of the flushing process is likewise
controlled
by the control 13. After the fan 17 has been switched off, the pressurized
flushing
valve remains open for a short time in order to ensure that the stench trap 6,
e.g. the
siphon trap, is again filled with water. After the automatic opening of the
hose valve
19 in the floor drain 15, the extracted matter in the extraction basin 16 can
flow into a
collecting tank 12 or into the sewerage system.
