GB2346392A

GB2346392A - Foldable portable toilet cubicle

Info

Publication number: GB2346392A
Application number: GB9902387A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Thomas Cole
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-02-04
Filing date: 1999-02-04
Publication date: 2000-08-09
Anticipated expiration: 2019-02-04
Also published as: GB2346392B; GB9902387D0

Abstract

A portable toilet (10) comprises a plurality of generally rigid wall panels (12,14,16,18) hinged to one another about parallel axes (20,22) for movement between an in-use configuration and a collapsed configuration (figure 3), and a seat panel (40) hinged to a wall panel (14) for movement between an in-use position to form a toilet seat and a collapsed position. One of the panels may be formed with a door (28). Two mutually opposite wall panels (16,18) may each be formed by a pair of inwardly-hinged wall panels. The seat may comprise a toilet hole (42) and a collapsible receptacle mounted or mountable below the seat panel. Alternatively a disposable bag could be used. The seat panel may be inclined to the horizontal to allow liquid to run off it.

Description

TITLE Portable Toilets DESCRIPTION This invention relates to portable toiles.

Portable toilets are well known. One known type of portable toilet, popular with, for example, campers and caravanners, is in the form of a framed tent inside which a chemical toilet unit would normally be used. Although the tent can be collapsed to a small size, this type of toilet is not very rugged and, unless securely tethered, can be blown down or blown away by the wind. Also, as with many forms of frame tent, many users encounter difficulties in assembling them properly. Another known type of portable toilet, popular on building sites, is in the form of a rigid cubicle, again inside which a chemical toilet unit would normally be used.

Although a rugged construction can be provided with this form of toilet, it takes up a large amount of room when being transported or stored.

The present invention is concerned with providing a toilet of rugged construction which is easily portable and takes up little room when not in use.

The present invention provides a portable toilet comprising: a plurality of generally rigid wall panels which are hinged to one another about generally parallel axes for movement between (a) an in-use configuration in which the wall panels form walls of a toilet cubicle, and (b) a collapsed configuration in which the wall panels are closely stacked together; and a seat panel which is hinged with respect to one of the wall panels about an axis generally at right angles to the first-mentioned axes for movement between (a) an in-use position in which the seat panel projects from said one wall panel to form a toilet seat, and (b) a collapsed position in which the seat panel is generally parallel to said one wall panel.

Preferably, another of the panels, which is opposite said one panel when in the in-use configuration, is formed with a door to permit a user to enter and leave the cubicle.

Preferably, the toilet has four walls when in the in-use configuration, two of the walls which are mutually opposite each being formed by a respective inwardly-hinged pair of the wall panels.

Preferably, the toilet further includes a collapsible receptacle mounted, or mountable, beneath the seat panel when in the in-use position to collect matter deposited through a toilet hole in the seat panel.

Preferably, the seat panel, when in the in-use position, is inclined to the horizontal.

A specific embodiment of the present invention will now be described, purely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an isometric view of a portable toilet in its in-use configuration, with its door open; Figure 2 is an isometric view of the toilet of Figure 1 with its seat panel in its collapsed position; and Figure 3 is an isometric view of the toilet of Figures 1 and 2 in its collapsed configuration.

Referring to Figure 1, the portable toilet 10 in its in-use configuration comprises a front wall 12, a back wall 14 and a pair of side walls 16,18 which together form a cubicle. The right side wall 16 is formed by a front panel 16f and a rear panel 16r which are hinged together along a hinge axis 20 so that they can be folded inwardly. Similarly, the left side wall 18 is formed by a front panel 18f and a rear panel 18r which are hinged together along a hinge axis 22 so that they too can be folded inwardly. The front wall 12 is formed by a panel 24 having a door opening 26 to which is hinged a door 28 having a lock (not shown). The front panel 24 is hinged at its right edge to the front edge of the front panel 16f of the right side wall 16 along hinge axis 30, and is also hinged at its left edge to the front edge of the front panel 18f of the left side wall 18 along hinge axis 32. The rear wall 14 is formed by a panel 34 which is hinged at its right edge to the rear edge of the rear panel 16r of the right side wall 16 along hinge axis 36, and is also hinged at its left edge to the rear edge of the rear panel 18r of the left side wall 18 along hinge axis 38.

A toilet seat 40 having a hole 42 is provided inside the cubicle and extends over substantially the whole width of the cubicle. The seat 40 is formed by a panel 44 which is hinged at its rear edge to the panel 34 of the rear wall 14 along hinge axis 46. A pair of ledges 48,50 are secured to the inside faces of the rear panels 16r, 18r of the side walls 16,18, and the right and left ends of the toilet seat panel 44 rest on the ledges 48,50. The toilet seat panel 44 is shown in Figure 1 as being horizontal, but preferably it is inclined at a small angle to the horizontal so that any liquid deposited on the upper surface of the toilet seat panel 44 will run off.

The panels of the toilet may be made of any suitable material, such as metal (for example stainless steel) and/or plastics material in which case the hinges may be integrally moulded with the panels.

A receptacle (not shown) for waste matter which falls through the toilet hole 42 is placed on the ground beneath the toilet hole 42 or is secured to the underside of the toilet seat panel 44. Preferably, the receptacle is in the form of a bag or collapsible rigid-walled box so as to take up little space during transportation or storage. Alternatively, a disposable bag may be employed.

Although not shown in Figure 1, a further panel may be provided which is hinged to and depends from the front edge of the toilet seat panel 44 so as to hide the waste receptacle from view.

In order to collapse the toilet for transportation or storage, the waste receptacle is removed and cleaned and collapsed or dispose of. The toilet seat panel 44 is then hinged upwardly about the hinge axis 46 so that it is vertical and is flat against the panel 34 of the rear wall 14, as shown in Figure 2. In order to hold the toilet seat panel 44 in this position while the toilet is being collapsed, a catch may be provided. The panels 16f, 16r, 18f, 18r of the side walls 16,18 are then hinged inwardly so that the panels 16r, 16f lie flat against each other, the panels 18r, 18f lie flat against each other, and the panels 16f, 16r, 18f, 18r are sandwiched between panels 24,34 of the front and rear walls 12,14 in a closely stacked arrangement, with the toilet seat panel 44 being sandwiched between the rear wall panel 34 and the rear panels 16r, 18r of the side walls 16,18, as shown in Figure 3. One or more catches may be provided to hold the panels together in this configuration.

As can be seen, in the collapsed configuration of Figure 3, the toilet is very thin compared with the in-use configuration of Figure 1, and thus is easy to manhandle and takes up little room when being transported or stored. Indeed, with a typical size of toilet, the toilet can be carried, in its collapsed configuration, in the luggage space of a large estate car.

As shown in Figures I to 3, the edges of the panels are lipped. This not only gives the panels rigidity, but also provides spaces between the panels when the toilet is collapsed, for example to accommodate the seat panel 44 between the rear wall panel 34 and the rear panels 16r, 18r of the side walls 16,18, the ledge 48 between the rear wall panel 34 and the rear panel 16r of the right side wall 16, and the ledge 50 between the rear wall panel 34 and the rear panel I8r of the left side wall 18.

Many modifications and developments may be made to the embodiment of the invention described above. For example, the cubicle may have more than, or fewer than, four walls.

Also, the walls 16,18 which are each formed by two panels 16f, 16r, 18f, 18r may instead each be formed by one panel or by three or more panels. Furthermore, the walls 12,14 which are each formed by a single panel 24,34 (disregarding the door) may instead each be formed by more than one panel. Moreover, the toilet seat panel 44 may be hinged other than to the rear wall panel 34. Also, a floor panel andlor a roof panel may be separately provided or may be hinged to one of the wall panels, such as the front wall panel 24.

It should be noted that the embodiment of the invention has been described above purely by way of example and that many other modifications and developments may be made thereto within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A portable toilet comprising: a plurality of generally rigid wall panels which are hinged to one another about generally parallel axes for movement between : (a) an in-use configuration in which the wall panels form walls of a toilet cubicle, and (b) a collapsed configuration in which the wall panels are closely stacked together ; and a seat panel which is hinged with respect to one of the wall panels about an axis generally at right angles to the first-mentioned axes for movement between: (a) an in-use position in which the seat panel projects from said one wall panel to form a toilet seat, and (b) a collapsed position in which the seat panel is generally parallel to said one wall panel.
2. A toilet as claimed in claim 1, wherein another of the panels, which is opposite said one panel when in the in-use configuration, is formed with a door to permit a user to enter and leave the cubicle.
3. A toilet as claimed in claim 1 or 2, and which has four walls when in the in-use configuration, two of the walls which are mutually opposite each being formed by a respective inwardly-hinged pair of the wall panels.
4. A toilet as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the seat panel is formed with a toilet hole, and further including a collapsible receptacle mounted, or mountable, beneath the seat panel when in the in-use position to collect matter deposited through the toilet hole.
5. A toilet as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the seat panel, when in the in-use position, is inclined to the horizontal.
6. A portable toilet substantially as described with reference to the drawings.