AU751403B2

AU751403B2 - Toilet unit

Info

Publication number: AU751403B2
Application number: AU18514/99A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Rolf-Dieter Giesler; Manfred Lorek
Original assignee: Electrolux Siegen GmbH
Current assignee: Dometic GmbH
Priority date: 1998-03-04
Filing date: 1999-03-01
Publication date: 2002-08-15
Anticipated expiration: 2019-03-01
Also published as: JPH11253356A; DE59808625D1; AU1851499A; EP0940510A1; EP0940510B1

Description

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1

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 ELECTROLUX SIEGEN GMBH

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: Toilet unit The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to us:- The present invention pertains to a toilet unit including a plastic basic body, a toilet seat and a toilet bowl in accordance with the generic preamble of patent claim 1, and/or a toilet unit having liquid flushing system in accordance with the preamble of patent claim 10, respectively.

Toilet units of this kind have been known for longer time and have in practice been commonly used e.g. as camping toilets in mobile vehicles like caravans or trailers and boats or as portable toilets. In such toilets the toilet bowls as well as most other parts for saving weight are manufactured from a synthetic material or plastic suitable for sanitary use. Such materials are lowpriced because easy production by means of traditional injection molding processes or other forming processes is possible. They, moreover, have low weight, are comparatively stout and provide easy-care handling.

Due to the limited stability against chemical products and light and due to a certain amount of aging of the plastic material, these plastic parts for longer times hardly answer increased hygienic demands. Improving the toilet in terms of improved hygienic properties, however, must not cause a substantial increase in costs for the toilet in total. It additionally therefore is demanded that the toilet unit is of simple constructions and can easily be manufactured without high demands to fitting tolerances of the individual components and safe function of its actuation devices is guaranteed.

Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like which has been included in the present specification is solely for the purpose of providing a context for the present invention. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were 25 common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present invention as it **existed in Australia before the priority date of each claim of this application.

Summary of the Invention In a first aspect, the present invention is A toilet unit including a toilet seat, a toilet bowl and a plastics basic body for accommodating the toilet seat and the toilet bowl wherein the visible portion of said toilet bowl, the visible portion being the portion of the toilet bowl exposed to use, is manufactured from a non-polymer, essentially poreless material stable to excrements, cleaning agents and light, characterised in that said toilet bowl comprises a plastics carrier body and at thin-walled insert part entirely consisting of nonpolymer, essentially poreless material stable to excrements,

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1B cleaning agents and light, and being inserted into and via a mounting layer in full-surface mechanical contact with said plastics carrier body.

In a second aspect, the present invention is a toilet unit with liquid flushing and a toilet seat, a toilet bowl and a plastics basic body for accommodating the toilet seat and the toilet bowl wherein the visible portion of said toilet bowl, the visible portion being the portion of the toilet bowl exposed to use, is formed from non-polymer, essentially poreless material stable to excrements, cleaning agents and light and is connected to an excrement container by an outlet, characterised in that said toilet bowl comprises a plastics carrier body and at thin walled insert part entirely consisting of nonpolymer, essentially poreless material stable to excrements, cleaning agents and light, and being inserted into and via a mounting layer in full-surface mechanical contact with said plastics carrier body.

This preferred feature is addressed by the features of claims 1 and 9, respectively. Further preferred features can be seen from the subclaims. The present invention includes the idea that the part of the toilet bowl exposed to use and visible for the user is made from a material better suited for sanitary i use than plastic without the decisive advantages of the plastic construction being abandoned, without accepting substantial increase in weight in particular. This idea alternatively is realized by a multiple-component or multiple-layer, respectively, mechanically stable construction of the toilet bowl.

In an embodiment answering the uppermost hygienic and aesthetic demands, the visible part of the toilet bowl consists of porcelain or glazed ceramic material. In an amended embodiment offering additional possibilities in terms of design, the visible part of the toilet bowl is made from throughoutdyed technical glass showing improved breaking strength. In these embodiments the toilet bowl includes a mechanically stable plastic 0 °0 0 carrier body having the basic shape of the toilet bowl and of a thin-walled insert part completely made from the high-quality material stable to excrements, cleansing agents and light, such insert part being inserted in the plastic carrier body. The thin-walled insert part can be glued to the plastic carrier body or be connected by polyurethane mounting foam in particular.

In the latter embodiment tolerance balancing during manufacture and improvement of breaking strength as well as noise damping are achieved in advantageous manner. The tolerance balancing between the insert part and the plastic carrier body allows that the insert part need not be manufactured 10 absolutely true to dimensions so that here substantial costs can be saved.

~In addition the insert part in the area of its bottom opening can be sealed against the plastic carrier body in preferred manner by a lip seal and o **:simultaneously be fixed, too. Thereby, pollution of the space between the two parts of the toilet bowl and possible molestation by stench resulting 15 therefrom is excluded.

In a further preferred embodiment the visible part of the toilet bowl can consist of corrosion-resistant sheet metal provided with a poreless coating, which e.g. consists of special steel or enameled sheet steel and is inserted into the plastic carrier body. In this case, too, foaming-in or gluingin into the stabilizing carrier body is provided for.

In all embodiments preferably the upper rim of the insert part is received in the area of the toilet seat with radial and vertical play and thus in tension-free manner in an annular plastic cover covering the multi-part construction of the toilet bowl. The plastic carrier body or the basic body, respectively, is realized radially protruding over the insert part in the area of the upper edge of the toilet bowl so that a circumferencial seat for the toilet seat or the plastic cover is formed and thus the weight of the user during use of the toilet is absorbed. Hereby, high mechanical alternating load of the toilet bowl by the user of the toilet is avoided in advantageous manner.

The subject of the present invention can be advantageously utilized in modern camping toilets as used e.g. in caravans, sailing boats and/or holiday homes. These toilets comprise a clean water reservoir or a water terminal and a nozzle arrangement connected thereto for flushing the toilet bowl, comprising at least a plurality of nozzles disposed in the area of the upper edge of the toilet bowl (and in certain embodiments also nozzles in the seat area). It is in particular also usable for further increase in use value of

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-3vacuum toilets which anyway are preferred by users with higher demands as to hygienics.

Herein, the nozzles located in the area of the upper edge of the toilet bowl sensibly are disposed in the plastic cover, separated from the insert part. Particular attention has to be given to sealing in the area of the suction valve in the embodiment of the invention in a vacuum toilet.

For answering the high demand with respect to hygienics and, however, nevertheless keeping the price of the toilet as low as possible, it is provided for in preferred manner that the control unit for water supply and/or the closing unit, respectively, of the toilet bowl at the bottom part of the insert part can be controlled by a common actuation means. Said actuation means can in preferred manner be built by a pedal actuation device controlling a valve unit for controlling the flushing liquid supply means as well as the closing body for the toilet bowl, which preferably can 15 be formed by a spherical segment. All devices are in advantageous manner i arranged in a socket part of the toilet unit, on whose upper surface the toilet bowl is supported rotatably about its vertical axis. The rotatable support provides the advantage that e.g. in case of narrow room the toilet bowl protruding forwardly can be rotated to the side as long as it is not used. The toilet bowl therein in advantageous manner can be locked with respect tot he socket part by means of a locking means so that stability during use of the toilet is increased. Alternatively, the possibility to rotate can also be provided for the purpose of better adjustment for installment of the toilet into differing rooms only so that thereby the field of use of the toilet unit is increased substantially. A broadening of the possible use also is reached by a variable construction of the outlet which selectively can be connected to one of several connecting channels provided for at an angle to one another and comprising the excrement container. The exit from the toilet bowl into the outlet therein in preferred manner is built like a funnel this being advantageous for optimum diniensioning of diameters in vacuum toilets in particular.

Further features, advantages and details can be seen from the following description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the attached drawing.

Throughout this specification the word "comprise", or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.

Brief Description of the Drawinqs FIG. 1 shows a schematical cross-sectional view of the construction of a toilet unit in accordance with the present invention; *a*o a -4- FIG. 2 shows a schematical longitudinal sectional view of the construction of the toilet unit under FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 a schematical view of the pedal actuation device for the valve unit of the flushing liquid supply means as well as the closing body for the toilet bowl.

The toilet unit shown in FIG. 1 includes a plastic basic body 2, a toilet seat 3 with a cover 4 and a toilet bowl 5. Said toilet bowl 5 is rotatably supported on a socket 6. Said socket 6 is fixed on the bottom of the toilet 7.

0:09 As can further be taken from FIG. 1, said toilet bowl 5 at its lower end 10 is provided with an outlet 8 which can be closed by a closing means. Said closing means can be formed by a spherical segment sealing the bottom end of said toilet bowl 5 with intermediation of sealing means (not shown) so that a water level 10 is permanently maintained above said closing means 9, when the toilet is out of use. The water level for sake of control indicates 15 tightness of the toilet, but also simultaneously guarantees stench-free sealing to the excrement container.

In the present case the toilet bowl 5 is of two-part construction and comprises a plastic carrier body 11 as well as a thin-walled insert part 12 completely made out of non-polymer essentially poreless material stable to excrements, cleaning agents and light. Said plastic carrier body 11 on its bottom supporting end by means of which it bears on a flange 13 of said socket 6 therein including a seal 14 comprises a cylinder section 15 serving for receiving a concentric section 16 of said insert part 12 with intermediation of a lip seal 17.

The insert part 12 consisting of porcelain is foamed into said carrier body 11 using polyurethane mounting foam 18. Said porcelain insert part 12 then upon insertion into the mounting foam inserted into said carrier body 11 and curing, also is in full-surface mechanical contact with said plastic carrier body even if its outer shape does not exactly correspond to the inner shape of the carrier body because of manufacturing tolerances.

Forces acting on said insert part 12, such which may occur in case of intense mechanical cleaning or in case of inadvertent falling of some object into the toilet, thereby essentially are diverted to the stable plastic carrier body 12 so that the breaking strength of said insert part in spite of its thin-walledness meets the demands. For achieving this effect, said insert part 12 with full intention is dimensioned somewhat smaller than the carrier body inside shape so that in practice it is completely embedded in the mounting foam.

The upper end of said insert part 12 protrudes into a corresponding annular recess of the cover 19 of said plastic basic body 2 and there enjoys some play in vertical direction. A pressing force exerted on the seat 3 during use of the toilet unit 1 and transmitted to the cover 19 hereby is kept away from said insert part 12 and is further diverted to the horizontally extending upper edge section of the highly loadable plastic carrier body 11.

On the bottom side of said cover 19 facing said toilet bowl 5, the nozzle arrangement 21 is embedded therein. Hereby it is achieved that during flushing the entire visible surface of the toilet bowl can be wetted.

*0*For fixation of the rotatable toilet bowl 5 on said socket 6 a locking *:00 means 22 is provided for which could be a biasing means clamping said toilet bowl on the flange 13 with intermediation of said seal 14 by means of O :15 clamping action. Such means preferably is provided for when the toilet bowl 5 shall be brought into a certain position for mounting purposes only for thereafter assuming a fixed seat. However, also spring means can be provided for which guarantee sufficient hold of the toilet bowl on the flange of said socket 6, which means, however, allow movability in direction of rotation about the vertical axis of said toilet bowl so that said toilet bowl can be pivoted from a position of use into a storage position. For this purpose :osaid plastic basic body 2 can be rotatable on the bottom 7 by means of seals 23 and comprise a corresponding recess allowing rotation with respect to a stationary pedal device 24 (see FIG. on its front side. By means of said pedal device 24 encompassing said socket 6 in fork-like manner, simultaneously a valve unit 25 arranged on one side of said socket 6 can be actuated, by means of which said nozzle arrangement 21 is supplied with flushing water. Said fork-shaped pedal device 24, however, simultaneously also operates said closing means 9 which is pivoted in lateral direction during pressing down of said pedal.

As can further be taken from FIG. 2, the outlet 26 is funnel-shaped, said funnel merging into a connecting piece 27 which can selectively be connected to one or several of connecting channels 28, 28' provided for with an angle to one another and connected to the excrement container (not shown).

-6- The invention in its realization is not limited to the above-given preferred embodiments. Rather is a number of variations possible making use of the shown solution also in differing realizations. Thus, in deviation from the above described construction of the toilet bowl, said insert part can also be glued into said carrier body or simply be inserted into the latter without material connection, wherein in the latter case for fixation of the vertical position in favor of pressure and tension release and of securing good sealing in the exit area preferably locking means for vertical fixation can be provided for. Furthermore, it is possible to manufacture said toilet bowl from a pre-fabricationed compound material, like from a metal-coated galvanized) plastic material or to produce a compound material in course of shaping, e.g. by casting plastic around a porcelain insert or pressing an insert into a pre-fabricated carrier body.

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Claims

1. A toilet unit including a toilet seat, a toilet bowl and a plastics basic body for accommodating the toilet seat and the toilet bowl wherein the visible portion of said toilet bowl, the visible portion being the portion of the toilet bowl exposed to use, is manufactured from a non-polymer, essentially poreless material stable to excrements, cleaning agents and light, characterised in that said toilet bowl comprises a plastics carrier body and a thin-walled insert part entirely consisting of non-polymer, essentially poreless material stable to excrements, cleaning agents and light, and being inserted into and via a mounting layer in full-surface mechanical contact with said plastics carrier body.

2. A toilet unit as defined in claim 1, characterised in that said visible portion of said toilet bowl consists of porcelain or glazed ceramic material.

3. A toilet unit as defined in claim 1, characterised in that said visible portion of said toilet bowl consists of glass, through-dyed in particular.

4. A toilet unit as defined in claim 1, characterised in that said visible portion of said toilet bowl consists of sheet metal resistant to corrosion or provided with a corrosion-resistant, poreless coating.

A toilet unit as defined in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said thin-walled insert part is glued to said plastic carrier body or is connected thereto using mounting foam.

6. A toilet unit as defined in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said insert part in the area of its bottom opening is sealed by means of a seal, a lip seal in particular, against said plastic carrier body. 25

7. A toilet unit as defined in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the upper rim of said insert part of said toilet bowl is received in or at an annular plastic cover in the area of the toilet seat, with vertical play in particular.

8. A toilet unit as defined in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said plastic carrier body and/or said basic body, respectively, is realised radially protruding with respect to said insert part of said toilet bowl in the area of the upper edge of said toilet bowl so that it forms a circumferential seat for said toilet seat or said plastic cover.

9. A toilet unit with liquid flushing and a toilet seat, a toilet bowl and a plastics basic body for accommodating the toilet seat and the toilet bowl wherein the visible portion of said toilet bowl, the visible portion being the portion of the toilet bowl exposed to use, is formed from non-polymer, 8 essentially poreless material stable to excrements, cleaning agents and light and is connected to an excrement container by an outlet, characterised in that said toilet bowl comprises a plastics carrier body and at thin walled insert part entirely consisting of non-polymer, essentially poreless material stable to excrements, cleaning agents and light, and being inserted into and via a mounting layer in full-surface mechanical contact with said plastics carrier body.

A toilet unit as defined in claim 9, characterised by a clean water reservoir and/or a fresh water connection, a nozzle arrangement connected to said clean water reservoir and/or said fresh water connection, for flushing said toilet bowl, which comprise at least a plurality of nozzles disposed in the area of the upper edge of said toilet bowl.

11. A toilet unit as defined in claim 9 or 10, characterised in that said nozzles arranged in the area of the upper edge of said toilet bowl are disposed in said plastic cover separated from said insert part of said toilet bowl.

12. A toilet unit as defined in any one of claims 9 to 11 characterised in that said outlet of said toilet bowl can be closed by a valve body, by a spherical segment in particular.

13. A toilet unit as defined in any one of claims 9 to12, characterised in that said basic body of said toilet bowl, receiving said insert part is rotatably supported on a socket part, rotatable about its vertical axis.

14. A toilet unit as defined in claim 13, characterised in that said basic body of said toilet bowl is lockable with respect to said socket part by means of a locking means. S 25

15. A toilet unit as defined in claim 12, characterised in that said valve body o supported in said socket part, rotatable about a horizontal axis.

16. A toilet unit as defined in any one of claims 9 to 15 characterised in that on said socket part a flushing liquid supply device controllable by a valve unit is provided for, which is in connection with said nozzle arrangement for flushing said toilet bowl.

17. A toilet unit as defined in any one of claims 13 to 16 characterised in that on said socket part an actuation device supported pivotally, a pedal actuation device in particular, is provided for by means of which said flushing liquid supply device and said spherical segment for closing said toilet bowl can be actuated simultaneously. 9

18. A toilet unit as defined in any one of claims 9 to 17, characterised in that said toilet bowl with its bottom end merges into the outlet formed in funnel- shape manner at least in its upper portion.

19. A toilet unit as defined in any one of claims 9 to 18, characterised in that said outlet can be selectively connected to connecting channels arranged at an angle with respect to one another and connected to said excrement container. A toilet unit substantially as described with reference to the accompanying figures. Dated this 3rd day of May 2002 Electrolux Siegen GmbH Patent Attorneys for the Applicant: F B RICE CO 0@ OFF I