Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Dry closets
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-17
2002-05-28
Eloshway, Charles R. (Department: 3751)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Dry closets
C004S462000, C004S484000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06393627
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the field of the chemical toilet cabanas, and more particularly to a toilet module cabana shell with removable container to hold a waste collection bag.
Several Toilet Cabanas have been developed: chemical, outdoors, pre assembled and some other types, using different shapes, floor layouts, construction materials and functional designs. Different inventors have been improving the methods of building, manufacture, and assembly of the toilet cabanas by changing the appearance and components, without paying much attention to the its servicing and maintenance. All have been using the same principle based on the collection of the waste by pumping it from a toilet holding tank to a truck tank, transporting it, then pumping the waste from the truck tank onto a waste disposal site. Conversely, my invention is based on a different philosophy regardless of the shape or material type of their components. Indeed my cabana requires no flushing, no holding tanks and consequently no pumping servicing trucks. This improves the present performance; upgrading the existing toilet cabana concept and adding new features never approached before. In fact, my invention is not limited to outdoor use and is not subject to the expensive, messy and complicated waste and pumping service trucks. The only service required is replacing the disposable plastic bags. This method is ecological since it offers the option of a dry operation and maintenance without the need to flush, and no holding tank to wash resulting in no wastewater. Present chemical toilet cabanas do not disclose the maintenance part though it is a very important element for its operation. To operate the present cabanas is required a costly maintenance and servicing components as pumps, hoses, holding tank trucks and skilled personnel. What is needed is a simple toilet enclosure, without all the expensive servicing elements including the mechanical, electrical, pneumatic or complicated parts to service the cabana and the servicing pump trucks. What is needed is a low cost manufacturing, ensemble and operational toilet cabana module to give consumers and users a totally new option. As stated above, my invention overrides those dramatic drawbacks by not using the hermetic holding tanks and no tanks at all. The present cabana types scope and the consumers market potential is basically limited to the outdoors use and to locations where servicing trucks have a proper access. My cabana instead, does not have this limitation, since there is no need for servicing trucks and because of that it can be also used at locations where access is limited or where presence and appearance is relevant. The only access needed for my cabana is one used by a person to carry out the containers or waste bags by hand, or dolly. Even the cabana itself can be assembled in place and again no truck is needed, making this cabana more affordable and accessible to a larger number of service providers and users. Several inventors have developed several toilet bag devises; however, no one designed or mention their use in conjunction with a chemical toilet cabana and solving all their implications. My invention instead, combines the concepts by creating a new toilet bag philosophy, solve the complications and details resulting from this combination and produces new features never approached before in a functional manner. My invention, as mentioned above upgrades the existing chemical toilet cabana and achieves: novelty design, new features, simple components, low construction cost, easy assembly and transportation, almost maintenance free, a totally dry operation and a broader marketability, among its ecological nature.
The use of bags for collecting waste is not new, however some features have been added to the original idea like the U.S. Pat. No. 2,376,036 granted to Lucy Cotton on May 15, 1945 for a collapsible commodore. While the idea was good for traveling in those days, it would not be pleasant, convenient or practical in the present. The U.S. Pat. No. 2,801,426 granted to Gerald A. La Gorge and Paul Douglas La Gorge issued on Aug. 6, 1957 for a Disposable Bag Toilet, while was good enough for out door activities where there was no adequate toilet facilities, there are a better means now like the toilet cabana. Another intent to solve the problem where no toilet facilities are available is the U.S. Pat. No. 3,063,061 from W. H. Bertram on Nov. 13, 1962 which shows some improvements to the prior art and nothing else. The U.S. Pat. No. 3,435,464 from David B. Hardlin on Apr. 1, 1969 discloses a portable toilet container where by the fecal material has to be removed from the container, and the container cleaned and sanitized without residues. This container has a cover and a closure mechanism, where this closure traps the chemical and waste odor inside the container with no means of ventilation. Conversely my invention has a closure with no moving parts except for hinges and is comprised of a ventilation system even when the toilet opening is closed. Furthermore my container is provided with a bag to collect the waste which implies a dry operation. Once the bag is removed, there is no need to clean the container. The U.S. Pat. No. 3,495,278, issued on Feb. 17, 1970 to A. H. Peters discloses a bucket with a bag as a very basic portable toilet whereby the bag is twisted to close between users with no means for ventilation. The odors remain trapped inside the bag so every time the bag is opened for next user, a stronger odor is present as well as the unpleasant sight of the waste. On Nov. 20, 1973 Charles E. Renn was granted a U.S. U.S. Pat. No. 3,772,712 when he invented a toilet devise which was feasible in a location where vacuum source would be available yet was not feasible for multiple subsequent users. The U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,134 discloses a devise with many moving parts and bearings subject to lubrication, which eventually wear out and fail. The ventilation problem is not solved properly so every time the devise is temporarily open for use the accumulated foul odor escapes, not to mention the unpleasant exposure of the fecal matter to the user. The U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,231 patent issued Mar. 16, 1993 also implies a very complex machine with vacuum lines, and controls, which requires power to operate and is therefore subject to failure. Johannes Loebbert created a U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,285 for a portable toilet using a disposable bag. Due the size and design of this toilet, the bag must be replaced after each use, which may be functional for personal use but not practical. Among the mentioned disadvantages it is important to notice that none of the listed portable toilets are designed to work in conjunction with the toilet cabana, none are designed with a proper closure and at the same time with a non mechanical ventilation system while closed. In general, present toilet devises have no ventilation from inside the bag to the exterior so unpleasant fecal material is visible and the fecal and chemical odor is present every time the bag is open for the next user.
Although several toilet cabanas have been invented, none relying in the collection of the waste with a bag as the one granted to David B. Hardlin on June 1969, U.S. Pat. No. 3,447,167. This toilet has a rigid shell with no frame and a holding tank for the waste within the shell. The U.S. Pat. No. 3,629,874 is an improved toilet cabana design with dual holding tanks. The tanks have to be pumped and cleaned when full. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,835,480, 3,932,925 and 4,031,572 granted to George W. Hardlin disclose a plurality of identical shell sections to form the toilet cabana, whereby the cabana base has a depression to support a holding tank for waste. The U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,342 is a much better design for a toilet cabana concept based on a twin-sheet thermoplastic with a holding tank provided with a pyramidal sump in which waste can accumulate. The U.S. Pat. No. 5,500,962 issued Mar. 26, 1996 to Richard L Tagg and U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,050 show some improvement
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