WO2002066752A1

WO2002066752A1 - A disintegrator for toilets

Info

Publication number: WO2002066752A1
Application number: PCT/DK2001/000110
Authority: WO
Inventors: Horst Kirchner; Peter Stage SØRENSEN
Original assignee: Semco Vakuumteknik A/S
Priority date: 2001-02-16
Filing date: 2001-02-16
Publication date: 2002-08-29

Abstract

The present invention relates to a disintegrator (20) for toilets (10), comprising a toilet (10) with an outlet (40) for draining the toilet disposals, where the toilet outlet (40) is connected to means for disintegrating toilet disposals, which toilet (10) has means for blocking the opening to an inlet pipe (60) connected to the outlet (40) of the toilet. The suggested disintegrator differs from the state of the art by that the disintegrator (20) consists of a motor (21), which motor (21) is equipped with a shaft (22), which shaft (22) is connected to at least one cutting blade (23), and that the motor shaft (22) is displaced in proportion to the circumference of the inlet pipe (60), and the at least one cutting blade (23) is operating with reference to the circumference of the end of the inlet pipe. Hereby it is ensured that the disintegrator (20) hits the toilet disposals with relatively large rotational speed, and the toilet disposals are divided efficiently into fine particles, where the motor shaft (22) is not placed in the centre of the fluid stream of disposals, and where the disintegrator (20) does not constitute a restriction to the inlet pipe (60), and where the toilet (10) can be operated with the disintegrator (20) interrupted, and where the at least one cutting blade (23) has no mechanical contact with other components than the motor shaft (22), and that the motor shaft (22) and the at least one cutting blade (23) do not become chocked from dirt, and that the disintegator (20) does not constitute a blocking risk, and in the event of the disintegrator (20) being interrupted, e.g. if the disintegrator (20) is malfunctioning due to damage, the toilet (10) will still be operating, and where friction and wear is reduced to a minimum due to the fact that the at least one cutting blade (23) has no mechanical contact with other components than the motor shaft (22). Also the disintegrator (20) is not dependent on water flush from the toilet (10).

Description

A DISINTEGRATOR FOR TOILETS

The present invention relates to a disintegrator for toilets, comprising a toilet with an outlet for draining the toilet disposals, where the toilet outlet is connected to means for disintegrating toilet disposals, which toilet has means for blocking the opening to an inlet pipe connected to the outlet of the toilet.

From G.B. patent application no. 2,288,991 a toilet paper crusher is known. The crusher includes an open top outer casing, an open top inner casing for containing water and collecting used toilet paper, a top cover hinged to the outer casing and a lifting mechanism controlled by a foot pedal to lift the top cover. A propeller-like blade is disposed inside the inner casing, and is arranged to be driven by a motor to stir up water in the inner casing and to cut used toilet paper into pieces. A drainpipe controlled by a shutoff valve is arranged so as to draw wastewater away from the inner casing to a toilet.

In order to divide the toilet disposals, the toilet paper crusher is dependent on the water circulation. If the water level becomes too low, the toilet paper crusher does not ensure that the toilet disposals are divided efficiently into particles. Also, the propeller-like blade and motor shaft, placed at the bottom of the container, becomes chocked from dirt very easily. Additionally, there is a risk that clothing material can wind up on the motor shaft. If the toilet paper crusher does not operate, faeces and toilet paper will sink to the bottom, and block the outlet pipe. Soon the toilet will then be out of use. From U.S. patent no. 3,323,650 a device for treating sewage is known in combination with a marine water closet. The device constitutes a combined chlorinator and macerator. The macerator has two blades and an impeller driven by a motor.

As the macerator blades and the impeller are placed in the fluid stream, the macerator will easily block, if the toilet is not flushed with water. Also, the motor shaft and the macerator blades become chocked from dirt easily. If the macerator does not operate, the outlet pipe will immediately be blocked, and the toilet will be out of order.

From U.S. patent no. 3,361,369 a device for treating and disposing of refuse is known in combination with a marine water closet. The device is having a soil pump, and having a water-suction portion for supplying flushing water to the water closet, and a refuse portion for pumping waste material from the water closet. The waste portion includes a macerator with a hollow cylindrical chamber, and two macerating circular cutters. A motor drives the macerator. The device has means for supplying a chlorinating liquid to the bowl of the toilet.

The same disadvantages exist for this macerator, as for the macerator in U.S. patent no. 3,323,650.

From U.S. patent no. 3,589,623 an electrically driven marine toilet is known including an integral grinder assembly for operating upon the waste discharged from a commode. The grinder assembly cooperates with' a centrifugal impeller-type discharge pump for effectuating disposal of waste from the commode. An electrical motor also drives a rotary pump, which supplies the commode with a supply of water. A check valve assembly connected to the rotary pump intake is adapted to receive a chlorinated liquid to be mixed with the commode water supply. Accordingly, an electrical motor simultaneously drives the grinder and discharge pump assemblies as well as the commode water supply pump .

As the centrifugal impeller-type discharge pump is placed in the fluid stream, the impeller easily blocks if the toilet is not flushed with water. Also, the motor shaft and the impeller will easily become chocked from dirt. If the centrifugal impeller-type discharge pump does not operate, the outlet pipe will immediately be blocked, and ^'the toilet will be out of order.

From U.S. patent no. 3,858,813 an effluent or waste disposal unit for use with a water closet is known. The water closet can be installed in a location i a building, where the provision of a sewer pipe with a direct connection to a lavatory pan is impracticable or undesirable. The water closet can alternatively form part of a marine toilet. The effluent disposal unit comprises a container for effluent and flushing water, and a comminuter in the container for reducing solid waste material to a fine slurry, for transfer through small bore pipe or tubing without blocking the same. The comminution unit is constituted by a rotatable conically narrowing conduct for feeding flushed waste material into a cutter arrangement constituted by blades rotating over fixed blades . The same disadvantages exist for the waste disposal unit, as for the previously mentioned macerators, U.S. patent no. 3,323,650, U.S. patent no. 3,361,369 and for the centrifugal impeller-type discharge pump, U.S. patent no. 3,589, 623.

The object of the present invention is to provide a disintegrator for toilets, which can operate without clocking over a long period.

This is, as disclosed in claim 1, achieved according to the invention by that the disintegrator consists of a motor, which motor is equipped with a shaft, which shaft is connected to at least one cutting blade, and that the motor shaft is displaced in proportion to the circumference of the inlet pipe, and the at least one cutting blade is operating with reference to the circumference of the end of the inlet pipe.

Hereby it is ensured that the disintegrator hits the toilet disposals with relatively large rotational speed, and the toilet disposals are divided efficiently into fine particles, where the motor shaft is not placed in the centre of the fluid stream of disposals, and where the disintegrator does not constitute a restriction to the inlet pipe, and where the toilet can be operated with the disintegrator interrupted, and where the at least one cutting blade has no mechanical contact with other components than the motor shaft, and that the motor shaft and the at least one cutting blade do not become chocked from dirt, and that the disintegrator does not constitute a blocking risk, and in the event of the disintegrator being interrupted, e.g. if the disintegrator is malfunctioning due to damage, the toilet will still be operating, and where friction and wear is reduced to a minimum due to the fact that the at least one cutting blade has no mechanical contact with other components than the motor shaft. Also the disintegrator is not dependent on water flush from the toilet.

When, as disclosed in claim 2, said means for blocking the outlet from the toilet to the inlet pipe is an inlet valve, blocking the smell from the inlet pipe can be performed automatically after each flush by control of the inlet valve, ensuring that the inlet valve is open for the shortest possible period of time.

When, as disclosed in claim 3, said toilet can be flushed, typically by water, and that the water is possibly containing a disinfecting substance, it is ensured, that remains from the toilet disposals are cleaned away. In addition, a disinfecting substance can help reducing the risk of transferring deceases from one person to another.

When, as disclosed in claim 4, said inlet pipe is further connected to a tank, the disintegrated disposals can be collected for later draining at places not constituting a risk to the environment.

When, as disclosed in claim 5, said tank is equipped with an outlet for draining the disintegrated disposals, which tank has means for blocking the opening to an outlet pipe connected to the outlet of the tank, the disintegrated disposals can be drained from the tank without having to remove the tank. As an example, the disintegrated disposals can be pumped from the tank via a tube into a tank truck, or the disintegrated disposals can be dumped at places not constituting a health risk.

When, as disclosed in claim 6, said means for blocking the outlet from the tank to the outlet pipe is an outlet valve, draining of the disintegrated disposals can be performed automatically by control of the outlet valve.

When, as disclosed in claim 7, said motor . is pneumatically driven, the disintegrator can be used in all kinds of environments, including difficult environments. As an example, the disintegrator can be used in an explosive risk area. Also, if the at least one cutting blade is blocked, the motor will not be damaged.

When, as disclosed in claim 8, said at least one cutting blade is placed over the surface of the disintegrated disposals of said tank, risks of blocking the disintegrator are eliminated. The disintegrator will e.g. not be damaged, if the disintegrated disposals in the tank are frozen. In addition, the power consumption of the motor is optimised, since the at least one cut.ter blade is rotating free from the disintegrated disposals. Energy is only used for cutting the toilet disposals, i.e. no energy is used for whirling the disintegrated disposals .

When, as disclosed in claim 9, said at least one cutting blade, for each flush, rotates clockwise and counter clockwise respectively, it is difficult for disposal materials like cotton to wound-up on the motor shaft. Likewise, the at least one cutter blade is kept clean from dirt .

When, as disclosed in claim 10, said at least one cutting blade has a geometrical contour rejecting the disintegrated disposals from the motor shaft, it is ensured that the motor shaft is kept clean from dirt, and that the disintegrated disposals are forced downwards in the tank.

In the following, the figures shall be described, where

figure 1 shows a toilet in a train, where the toilet disposals are disintegrated by a disintegrator, and where the disintegrated disposals are collected in a tank, and

figure 2 shows a typical set of cutting blades for the disintegrator, and

figure 3 shows a control system and a toilet in a train, where a disintegrator disintegrates the toilet disposals, and where the disintegrated disposals are collected in a tank.

Figure 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a toilet 10 in a train, where a disintegrator 20 disintegrates the toilet disposals, and where the disintegrated disposals are collected in a tank 30. The toilet 10 is equipped with an outlet 40, which is connected to an inlet valve 50. The inlet valve 50 is further connected to an inlet pipe 60. The inlet pipe 60 is further connected to a tank 30. A disintegrator 20, consisting of a pneumatic motor 21, which pneumatic motor 21 is equipped with a shaft 22, is connected to two cutting blades 23. The pneumatic motor 21 is connected to pressurised air delivered by the train via a hose 24 for clockwise rotation, and a hose 25 for counter clockwise rotation. The disintegrator 20 is mounted in parallel, and with an offset 26 to the inlet pipe 60 on the tank 30, with the pneumatic motor 21 outside the tank 30 and the cutting blades 23 inside the tank 30. The tank 30 is connected to an outlet valve 70. The outlet valve 70 is connected to an outlet pipe 80. The outlet pipe 80 has access to the free air under the

^■ train. The inlet valve 50 has connections 51, 52 to pressurised air for opening and closing the inlet valve

50. The outlet valve 70 has connections 71, 72 to pressurised air for opening and closing the outlet valve 70. 95 is the rail level and 90 is the level between the upper and the under frame of a train.

At the same time as the toilet 10 is brought to flush by pushing a button, the pneumatic motor 21 automatically starts to rotate in the opposite direction compared to the last time the toilet 10 was flushed. The cutting blades 23 very soon rotate with a relatively high speed. The inlet valve 50 is automatically opened, and the toilet disposals, together with the flushing water, pass through the inlet valve 50, and into the inlet pipe 60. As the toilet disposals pass out of the end of the inlet pipe 60, and into the tank 30, the toilet disposals are disintegrated. After a predetermined period of time, the flushing is stopped, and the inlet valve 50 is automatically closed, and the disintegrator 20 is stopped. As long as the train is stopped, e.g. if the train is waiting on a train station, the outlet valve 70 is blocked, and the disintegrated disposals are collected into the tank 30. When the train leaves the train station, the tank 30 is automatically emptied, by opening the outlet valve 70.

Figure 2 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a set of cutting blades 23 for the disintegrator ^■ 20. The cutting blades have a geometrical contour rejecting the disintegrated disposals from the cutting blades and the motor shaft.

Figure 3 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a control system 120 and a toilet 10 in a train, where a disintegrator 20 disintegrates the toilet disposals, and where the disintegrated disposals are collected in a tank 30. The toilet 10 is equipped with an outlet 40, which is connected to an inlet valve 50. The inlet valve 50 is further connected to an inlet pipe 60. The inlet pipe 60 is further connected to a tank 30. A disintegrator 20 is connected to pressurised air delivered by the train via a hose 24 for clockwise rotation, and a hose 25 for counter clockwise rotation. The tank 30 is connected to an outlet valve 70. The outlet valve 70 is connected to an outlet pipe 80. The outlet pipe 80 has access to the free air under the train. The inlet valve 50 has connections 51, 52 to pressurised air for opening and closing the inlet valve 50. The outlet valve 70 has connections 71, 72 to pressurised air for opening and closing the outlet valve 70. The inlet valve 50 and the outlet valve 70 are via connections 51, 52 and 71, 72 respectively connected to a control system 120 having a controller 121 and solenoid valves 122. Said control system 120 is connected to pressurised air 130 from the train and to a flush button 90. The control system 120 is further connected to a flush water valve 110 via an open connection 111 and a closed connection 112. A water tank 100 is connected, to said flush water valve 110 via a water pipe 101. The flush water valve 110 is connected to the toilet 10 via a water pipe 102. A disinfecting unit 105 is connected to the water tank 100 via a water pipe 103. The supply of disinfecting substance, from the disinfecting unit 105 to the toilet 10, is controlled by the control system 120 via a hose 106 carrying pressurised air.

When the flush button 90 is activated, the flush water valve 110 opens and flushes the toilet 10. At the same time the inlet valve 50 opens, and water and faeces from the toilet 10 pass on to the tank 30, where the disintegrator 20 is already rotating with full speed, and ready to disintegrate the toilet disposals. The inlet valve 50 then closes, and immediately after the disintegrator 20 stops the clockwise rotation, to finish with approximately 5 seconds counter clockwise rotation. Then the complete system enters into a standby state. The automatic controller 121 is via the solenoid valves 122 responsible for the timing of the operation of the various components of the system.

The disintegrator can be pre- or after installed in any faecal tank with vertical (or almost vertical) inlet, where the faeces are driven forward to the tank by gravitation. The disintegrator is easy to service. Also, being a unit, the disintegrator can easily be replaced. The disintegrator is suitable for all kinds of toilet installations, for example in trains. In toilet systems, where the faeces are brought from the toilet to the tank solely by gravitation, i.e. no flushing water is available, the disintegrator is placed at the inlet of the tank in order to divide the faeces into fine particles, i.e. disintegrate, before the faeces are brought to rest in the tank. The disintegrator consists of a reversible pneumatic motor, which pneumatic motor via a clutch is turning a rotor shaft equipped with a bearing, on which the rotating cutting blade is mounted. As the rotor shaft is placed in parallel to, but displaced from, the centreline of the inlet pipe, the speed by which the cutting blades hit the faeces will be relatively high. The disintegrator is started by activating the flush button, and rotates for approximately 10 to 15 seconds, after which it is stopped until the next time the flush button is activated. The disintegrator is controlled by the toilet control system via a magnetic valve.

Claims

1. A disintegrator 20 for toilets 10, comprising a toilet 10 with an outlet 40 for draining the toilet disposals, where the toilet outlet 40 is connected to means for disintegrating toilet disposals, which toilet 10 has means for blocking the opening to an inlet pipe 60 connected to the outlet 40 of the toilet 10, characterized in that the disintegrator 20 consists of a motor 21, which motor 21 is equipped with a shaft 22, which shaft 22 is connected to at least one cutting blade 23, and that the motor shaft 22 is displaced in proportion to the circumference of the inlet pipe 60 , and the at least one cutting blade 23 is operating with reference to the circumference of the end of the inlet pipe 60.

2. A disintegrator 20 for toilets 10 according to claim 1, characterized in that said means for blocking the outlet 40 from the toilet 10 to the inlet pipe 60 is an inlet valve 50.

3. A disintegrator 20 for toilets 10 according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said toilet 10 can be flushed, typically by water, and that the water is possibly containing a disinfecting substance.

4. A disintegrator 20 for toilets 10 according to any of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said inlet pipe 60 is further connected to a tank 30.

5. A disintegrator 20 for toilets 10 according to any of the claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said tank 30 is equipped with an outlet for draining the disintegrated disposals, which tank has means' for blocking the opening to an outlet pipe 80 connected to the outlet of the tank 30.

6. A disintegrator 20 for toilets 10 according to any of the claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said means for blocking the outlet from the tank 30 to the outlet pipe 80 is an outlet valve 70.

7. A disintegrator 20 for toilets 10 according to any of the claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said motor 21 is pneumatically driven.

8. A disintegrator 20 for toilets 10 according to any of the claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said at least one cutting blade 23 is placed over the surface of the disintegrated disposals of said tank 30.

9. A disintegrator 20 for toilets 10 according to any of the claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said at least one cutting blade 23, for each flush, rotates clockwise and counter clockwise respectively.

10. A disintegrator 20 for toilets 10 according to any of the claims 1 to 9, characterized in that said at least one cutting blade 23 has a geometrical contour rejecting the disintegrated disposals from the motor shaft 22.