GB2606016A - Urinal - Google Patents

Abstract

A portable modular urinal that can be used by a female. A modular unit has a wedge-shaped base 10 that has side walls 32, outer walls 36, an internal wall 40 and a barrier wall 44 detachable mounted to the upper surface of the wedged-shaped base 10. The base has steps 18 that lead to gap between the outer walls, and the space between the internal and side walls define two cubicles 50, each having a removable urinal pedestal 52 located in the angle of the cubicle, that are screened by the barrier wall. The urinal is open topped and has no door, wherein the walls are at a height to shield a use from all side when in use. Preferably more than one modular unit can be placed next to each other to form various arrangements e.g. circles (Fig 8) and may be secured to each other via brackets for stability. The modular units can be dismantled for storage purposes, and to allow damaged components to be replaced. The pedestal drains into a sum within the base and drained via access 20.

Description

Urinal This invention relates to urinals. In particular, the invention relates to a modular urinal structure that can be used in temporary installations and is suitable for -ase by women.

Providing temporary toilet facilities that are safe, hygienic, and effective at outdoor events such as festivals is a long-standing problem. There have been a number of solutions for providing urinals for male use. However, to date, there are no corresponding convenient urinal facilities for female use. The means that women are forced to use traditional temporary enclosed toilets and so are often under-served and need to que-ae for longer. The cost of providing traditional temporary toilets is relatively high and these are not optimised for use as urinals. They are more difficult to keep clean and needed a user to touch various parts to use them.

There have been some previous proposals to provide urinals suitable for use by women. WO 2019/137592 describes a portable and stackable unit. Another proposal is the Pollee system from PeeBetter in Denmark (http:, peebetter.dk/categorv/pollee/ ). These systems are multi-stall units and cannot be installed together for effective use of space.

The invention provides a urinal unit and an installation as defined in the claims.

The unit and installation have a niamber of advantages. By positioning the pedestal in the angle, there is sufficient space for entrance and exit without the need for doors or other contact or touch points. Also, positioning the pedestal in the angle facing outwards means that the angled walls can provide a user with supporL.

The use of a wedge-shaped base means that the units can be positioned next to each other in different ways so as to make good use of the space available and avoid overcrowding when queueing.

By making the walls removable, the units can be disassembled and the bases and walls stored efficiently.

Other advantages are described below.

Embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings.

Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 show views of one fully assembled urinal unit.

Figures 6 and 7 show views of the unit of Figures 1 -5 in a partially-assembled form.

Figures 8, 9, and 10 show views of a first installation formed using the unit of Figures 1 -5.

Figures 11 and 12 show views of a second installation formed using the unit of Figures 1 -5.

The unit shown in the drawings is formed from moulded structures that can be easily assembled and disassembled and arranged in different configurations according to requirements.

Figures 1 -7 show various view of a basic urinal unit of the invention.

The unit comprises a wedge-shaped base 10 that defines a sump or tank that can be placed on the ground surface. The base 10 has straight sides 12 that meet to define an inner angle 13. The outer side 14 (i.e. the side facing the inner angle) is curved so the base is in the form of a sector. In other embodiments, the outer side can be straight.

The upper surface 16 of the base 10 is raised above ground level and a series of steps 18 are defined in the middle of the outer side for access from ground level. An access drain 20 is provided at the outer side 14 to allow liquid to be drained form the sump.

The base 10 is also provided with feet 22 to aid positioning on the ground surface, lifting eyes 24, and brackets 26 for connection to other units. Manual lifting points can also be provided.

The upper surface 16 of the base 10 has a series of ridges 28 defining mounting points for wall structures. Each ridge 28 has a hole 30 at each end for receiving mounting rods for the wall structures as described in more detail below.

The wall structures include side walls 32 that are mounted along the sides 12 of the base 10 and extend from the inner angle 13 to the outer edge 14. The side wall structures 32 are flat panels that slot into mounting rods 34 fitted into holes 30 in the base 10.

Outer walls 36 are located at the outer ends of the side walls 32. The outer walls 36 have a form that follows the curved shape of the outer side 14 of the base 10. If the outer side 14 of the base 10 is straight, the outer walls 36 can be flat. The outer wall structures 36 have integral locating rods 38 that fit into respective holes 30 in the ridge 28 on the base 10. If the outer walls 36 are flat, slotted mounting rods similar to those of the side wall 32 can be used. The outer walls 36 extend from the ends of the side walls 32 up to the steps 18 in the base unit 10, the space between the walls 36 defining an entrance opening.

An internal wall 40 extends from the inner angle 13 to bisect the wedge into two substantially equal halves. The internal wall 40 only extends part way across the upper surface 16, terminating at the steps 18. The internal wall 40 is mounted on slotted mounting rods 42 in the same way as the side walls 32. A barrier wall 44 is located at the outer end of the internal wall 40 in a perpendicular or transverse arrangement so as to extend either side of the internal wall 40. Again, this barrier wall 44 is located on slotted mounting rods 48. The barrier wall 44 is slightly wider than the steps 18.

The space between the internal wall and a side wall defines a cubicle 50. A urinal pedestal 52 is located in the angle of the cubicle 50 and positioned to face the outer surface 14. The pedestal 52 drains into the sump and is fitted with a filter to stop solid material passing into the sump. The pedestal 52 can be removable.

The arrangement of outer 36 and barrier 44 wall structures means that there is no direct line-of-sight through the entrance opening to the pedestal 52 and so provide privacy for the user while maintaining space for easy access. The wall structures 32, 36, 40, 44 are high enough to shield a user from all sides when using the urinal. The wedge shape and outward facing pedestal 52 means that the walls 32, 40 can provide support as well as screening. The unit is open topped.

Multiple units can be positioned together in a single installation for convenience. Figures 8 -10 show a first installation. The bases 10 are positioned so that the side walls 32 are adjacent and aligned with each other. The angle of the wedge-shaped base is no more than 120'. This means that three units can be arranged in a circular arrangement with the inner angles on a common point 54. This arrangement has the advantage that the entrances are spaced apart from each other allowing users to maintain distance when entering or leaving the units.

Figures 11 and 12 show a second installation in which the units 10 are alternated so that the entrances are on opposite sides (i.e. the angle 13 of one unit is positioned adjacent the outer end of the side wall 32 of the adjacent unit. The installation in Figures 11 and 12 shows a four-unit installation. The number of units can be selected according to requirements and space available.

In both forms of installation, the units can be secured to each other using the brackets 26for stability.

When not in use, the walls structures 32, 36, 40, 44 and pedestals 52 can be removed, and the base units 10 stacked. The ability to remove the wall structures 32, 36, 40, 44 and pedestals 52 means that damage can easily be rectified without losing the use of a whole unit. Also, the various components can be cleaned and sanitized more easily.

Various other changes can be made within the scope of the invention.

Claims (12)

1. Claims 1. A urinal unit, comprising: a wedge-shaped base having an inner angle, sides, and an outer edge; a side wall extending along each side of the base from the inner angle to the outer edge; an outer wall extending from the outer end of each side wall part-way along the outer edge of the base toward the other side wall so that a space is formed between adjacent ends of the outer walls; an internal wall extending from the inner angle between the side walls part-way to the outer edge; an internal barrier wall located at the outer end of the inner wall so as to extend perpendicularly to the internal wall part way towards the side walls; and a urinal pedestal located between each side wall and the internal wall and positioned so that a user faces the outer edge; wherein the lengths of the outer walls and the internal wall are such that there is no direct line-of-sight through the space between the outer walls to the pedestals.
2. 2. A urinal unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base has a series of ridges defining the positions of the side walls, outer walls, internal wall, and barrier wall, and wherein mounting holes are provided on the ridges to receive mounting rods at the ends of the respective side walls, outer walls, internal wall, and barrier wall.
3. 3. A urinal unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the mounting rods comprise elongate rods with axial slots into which edges of wall structures are inserted.
4. 4. A urinal unit as claimed in claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein the side walls, outer walls, internal wall, and barrier wall are all removably mounted on the base.
5. 5. A urinal unit as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the pedestals are removably mounted on the base.
6. 6. A urinal unit as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a sump in the base, wherein each pedestal drains into the sump, and wherein the sump has an access drain located at the outer edge of the base.
7. 7. A urinal unit as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a series of steps are defined in the base in the space between the ends of the outer walls.
8. 8. A urinal unit as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the inner angle is about 120'.
9. 9. A urinal installation, comprising a series of urinal units as claimed in any preceding claim arranged so that the side wall of one unit is positioned adjacent the side wall of another unit.
10. 10. A urinal installation as claimed in claim 9, wherein the units are arranged such that the inner angles are centred on a common point.
11. 11. A urinal installation as claimed in claim 10, comprising three units arranged in a circular arrangement.
12. 12. A urinal installation as claimed in claim 9, wherein adjacent urinal units are arranged so that the inner end and outer end of the side wall of one unit are positioned adjacent the outer end and the inner end respectively of the side wall of the other unit, such that the space between the outer walls of one unit faces in the opposite direction to the space between the outer walls of the adjacent unit.