GB2158483A

GB2158483A - Portable toilet compartment

Info

Publication number: GB2158483A
Application number: GB08511211A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ari Ahonen; Raimo Salokangas; Arto Salokangas
Original assignee: EKOFINN Oy
Current assignee: EKOFINN Oy
Priority date: 1984-05-08
Filing date: 1985-05-02
Publication date: 1985-11-13
Also published as: GB8511211D0; SE8502270L; GB2158483B; FR2563988A1; FR2563988B3; SE457322B; FI69673B; FI69673C; DE3515906C2; SE8502270D0; DE3515906A1; FI841844A0

Abstract

A portable toilet compartment comprises a casing (1) mounted on a base, with a door (2) formed in one wall, and a roof mounted on top of the walls, a dry toilet (4), which is provided with a mechanized ventilation system and a ventilation tube (5) connected to the outlet end of the ventilation system. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Portable space element The subject ofthe present invention is a portable space element in accordance with the preamble of claim 1.

Such a space element is intended for use as a toilet, and, generally speaking, itcomprisesacasing,which consists of rigid walls mounted on a plane and robust base, of a doorformed in thewall, and of a roof mounted on top of the walls, and itfurthercomprises a drytoilet part, which is provided with a mechanized ventilation system so as to keep it under negative pressure, as well as a ventilation tube connected to the outlet end of the ventilation system, one end ofthe said ventilation tube being installed facing the outlet opening formed into the wall ofthe casing.

In connection with the remodeling of dwelling buildings, the sewerand water pipings ofthetoilet and bath room facilities are often replaced. This is why the inhabitants are forced to move into provisional premises forthe time of the repair work. This, of course, causes a lot of practical problems, e.g., as regardstheacquisition of a provisional apartment and the transportation and storage ofthe belongings.

In principle, a solution forthis problem would be offered by a dry toilet provisionally located in the dwelling. From the patent literature, several prefabricated dry toilets are known. Inthem, a drytoiletor equivalent has been installed into a cabinet made of steel or plastic. In some solutions, outlet openings have been formed into the drytoiletso asto permit emptying of the drytoiletfrom outside, and in some publications mechanized ventilation systems for dry toilets are described. In particular, reference is made to the US Patent Specifications Nos. 3,447,167, 3,601,821,3,6629,874, and 4,031,572.

None ofthe solutions suggested in the said patent specifications is, however, suitable for use in a dwelling flat under remodeling, butthey are mainly intended for construction sites and corresponding purposes, where the entire space element can be placed outdoors. They are notsuitablefora dwelling flat, because the odou r coming from the drytoilet wou Id spread out in the dwelling.

The object of the present invention is to provide a space element of an entirely newtype which can be used as a toilet in dwelling premises that are in the process of remodeling. The invention starts from the idea that, in order to eliminate the problem of smell, the space element must be connected to the outdoor air. The most favourable solution isto connectthe ventilation system ofthe drytoilet by means of a tubbe with the outdoor air. This is, however, not enough, but atthe same time, in particular in wintertime, access of the outdoor air into the building should be prevented.

According to the invention, this takes place advan tageouslysothatthetubepassing outofthedrytoilet element is connected with a board made of a heat-insulating material, into which board an opening intended for the outlet tube has been formed.

The said board is advantageously made of reinforced plastic, e.g. polyurethane, or some other robustheatinsulation material, and shaped so asto have the shape of a ventilation window pane, in which case it can be placed in the place of a ventilation window pane removed out ofthe dwelling flat.

More specifically, the space element in accordance with the invention is mainly characterized in what is stated in the characterizing part of claim 1.

The solution in accordance with the invention provides several remarkable advantages. The most important one among them is thatthe dry toilet element can be used in the dwelling during remodeling without lowering the standard of hygiene. The inhabitants may live in their dwellings during the repairwork,wherebythere is no necessity of acquire provisional dwellings and to move into them and out of them.

The invention will be examined in more detail in the foliowing example with reference to the accompany- ing drawings.

Figure 1 is an illustration of principle of the drytoilet element used in the invention.

Figure 2 shows the tube to be connected to the outlet opening ofthe ventilation system ofthe dry toilet part.

Figure 3 shows a board made of heat insulation material.

The portable space element consists of a toilet unit 1 and of a flexible and tight hose ortube 13 and of a board 14 made of heat insulating material.Thetoilet unit comprises a casing 1,which consists of a base, of walls and a roof mounted on the base, and of a door 2 formed in the front part ofthe unit. The hinges ofthe door have been arranged so thatthe hinges do not projectto outside the sides 1 ' and 1" ofthe casing. The size ofthe casing has been planned sothatthe casing can be carried in through a normal outer door of a dwelling. The weight ofthe element 1 is such that it can becarried bytwo personsbythecarrying members, handles 3, fitted atthe sides of the element.

Insidetheelement 1,there isan electrically operated or chemical dry toilet part 4, which can be detached for cleaning and repair. It is placed atthe rear of the element, against the rear wall. In the drytoilet,there is a ventilation system, not shown, which keeps the element under negative pressure. The ventilation system is connected with a ventilation tube 5, one of whose ends is fitted in an opening 1 formed into the casing. The end of theventilation tube 5 is provided with a quick coupling.

The element 1 is provided with electric light 6 in orderto provide necessary lighting inside.Theelectric light and the dry toilet4 require electricity, which is obtained from a normal wall socket in the building.

The necessary connection is provided by means of a self-winding electric plug 7 present in the element.

Moreover,theelementincludesa holder8fortoilet paper necessary in a toilet. In view of reaching an adequate standard of hygiene, the element includes a holder 9 for refreshing towelettes, from which refreshing towelettes are received for nessary washing of hands and for personal hygiene. Moreover, there is a garbage rack 10 provided with a replaceable garbage bag of plastic, into which the refreshing towelettes can be placed, and upon filling the garbage bag may be placed normally into the ordinary garbage container.

A clothes hook 11 is attached to the door 2 ofthe element, onto which hook clothes can be hung if required; moreover, a mirror 12 has been attached to the rearwall ofthe element in order to reach the normal standard of hygiene of sanitary premises.

The tube 13 is preferably made of plastic, and one of its ends may be connected to the ventilation tube 5 by means of a quick coupling. The quick connectors used may be of any ordinary type whatsoever.

An opening has been formed into the board 14, into which opening the coupling 15, preferably a quick coupling, has beeen fitted. By means ofthis coupling, the other end of the tube 13 can be connected to the board 14. The board 14 made of heat insulation material is preferably of polyurethane, because in such a case, the board is even in itself sufficiently rigid to be installed in the place of a ventilation window.

Other heat insulation materials may, however, also be used, but, e.g.,those made on mineral-wool base require a board of rigid material as their support.

In accordancewith the above,the space element can be easily put into using order atthe desired location. The drytoilet unit is carried into the flat to be repaired, the board 14 is attached, e.g., in place of a ventilation window, and one end ofthe tube 13 is connected tothe coupling oftheoutlettube5 placed on the wall ofthe dry toilet element, and the other end to the coupling 15 on the board 14. The dry toilet element is connected by means of a plug to the electricity supply network, whereupon the space element can be used as a toilet. Owing to the solution in accordance with the invention, no odours can spread out into the interiorofthe building.

Claims

1. Portablespace elementwhich is intended for use as a toilet in particular in dwelling flats to be remodeled, which said space element comprises - a casing,which consists of rigid walls mounted on a plane and robust base, of a door formed in the wall, and of a roof mounted on top ofthewalls, - a drytoilet part, which is installed preferably againstsomewall and which is provided with a mechanized ventilation system so as to keep it under negative pressure, and - a ventilation tube connected to the outlet end of the ventilation system of the dry toilet part, one end of the said ventilation tube being installed facingthe outlet opening formed into the wall ofthe casing, characterized in that to the outer face ofthe casing as an extension ofthe ventilation tube, in the outlet opening, a flexible and tighttube is fitted, whose other end isfitted into an opening formed into a board that is in contact with the outdoor air, so as to pass the odours generated in the dry toilet part toe open air.

2. Space element as claimed in claim 1, characterized in thatthe board that is in contact with the outdoor air has been made of a heat insulating material.

3. Space element as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the board is made of polyurethane.

4. Space element as claimed in claim 3, characterized in thatthe polyurethane board is shaped so asto have a shape equal to aventilation window.

5. Space element as claimed in claim 4, characte rized in that the polyurethane board is fitted tightly in place of a ventilation window removed in a dwelling flat.

6. Space element as claimed in any ofthe preceding claims, characterized in thatthetube is connected by means of a quick coupling to the outerface of the casing so as to constitute an extension for the ventilation tube.

7. Space element as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the tube is connected tothe board by means of a quick coupling.

8. Portable space eleent substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. A dwelling having an outside window and containing a portable space element as claimed in any ofthe preceding claims, the said board being fitted in the said outside window.