Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Flush closet – Urinals only
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-03
2001-09-11
Huson, Gregory L. (Department: 3751)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Flush closet
Urinals only
C004S144100, C004S310000, C004S679000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06286153
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a stench trap for a urinal, having an interchangeable pot for insertion in the urinal and a cover for covering the pot. The cover has an opening for introducing urine into the pot, a baffle projecting into the pot for restraining sewer stench from the outlet connection, and a stench trap floating on the urine intended to accumulate in the pot.
From the prior art urinals are known, which must be flushed with water following each use. Due to the reduction of the amount of flushing water as a consequence of higher water prices and/or smaller amounts of water being available, such urinals require a disproportionate cleansing expenditure. Due to the mixture of urine with water, the formation of urine stones is promoted, and not only parts of the urinal, but also in particular the siphon-bearing discharge pipes leading away from this, are reduced in cross section by formation of urine stones within a few months and must consequently be cleansed. In addition to the high costs for the required flushing water, there arc those for the periodic cleansing/repair of the pipes.
For these reasons, waterless urinals have already been proposed. From German published patent application DE-A1 28 16 597 (Ernst), a pot-shaped insert is known, which is inserted into a recess located at the deepest point of the urinal and is connected with the outlet pipe. In the insert an annular space is formed, in which a cylindrical jacket-shaped tube is inserted from above, which subdivides the annular space into two regions, an inner and an outer, which are connected with each other and form a stench barrier or a siphon. A barrier liquid of lower density than water, for example oil, is present in the outer annular space. The urine entering into the container passes through the barrier liquid due to its higher specific gravity and thus reaches the outlet and from there the sewer system. This device has the disadvantage that the barrier liquid, which can contain additional active disinfecting agents and optionally fragrant substances, is successively flushed away by the strong stream of water passing through the barrier liquid during the periodic cleansing of the urinal with a strong torrent of water and consequently loses its action.
In International Patent Application publication WO 97/15735, an insert for a waterless urinal with a barrier liquid is disclosed which, through the special geometrical construction of the insert container, should prevent the barrier liquid from floating away. Even if the floating away of the barrier liquid is substantially prevented there, it cannot be avoided, however, that its active ingredients, which are necessary to create a flawless protection against stench, are successively degraded, and consequently even with this arrangement, the barrier liquid must frequently be replaced. Also, the substances which are used for the barrier liquid are not completely harmless, and can lead to problems with wastewater processing. Monitoring the momentary condition of the barrier liquid can create additional difficulties, since this is not directly examinable, and in principle, only the nose decides whether enough of it is present, or whether this has already been degraded or indeed flushed away.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The objective of the present invention is the creation of a stench trap, which manages without barrier liquid. This objective is accomplished by a stench trap of the type described at the outset, wherein the stench trap is constructed as a float designed to seal off the opening in the cover. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are described in the following and in the dependent claims.
The arrangement according to the invention operates completely without barrier liquid and can accordingly, if necessary, be periodically thoroughly cleansed without further ado with a torrent of water. Moreover, a doubled stench trap is present, in which first of all the dammed up liquid, namely the urine, flawlessly blocks the stench from the sewer system and moreover, as a second seal, the linear or strip-shaped contact of the float on the collection surface prevents the exit of odors. A build up of urine stones is completely absent, since the portions of water necessary for their formation are not present. The water optionally used with periodic cleansing is negligible for the formation of urine stones, because this can only react with the urine residue for a short time. The lift of the lifting element is so proportioned, that the amount of urine (liquid column) collecting in the cover suffices to depress or raise the lifting element temporarily to the extent that the urine can flow off downwardly. When using a spherical lifting element, this necessarily always lies on the circular opening. In addition, sealants applied to the opening can be installed to increase tightness. In a special embodiment of the invention, a magnet can be arranged below the first container section, in which the lifting element floats, by which the lifting element can be sporadically pulled down and thus the amount of urine situated above its surface can be completely drained off. In this maimer, at times when the urinal is little used, the dammed up amount of liquid can be sporadically removed. Advantageously, the magnet is activated by a capacitor charged by a light sensitive cell.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the lifting element has a U-shaped cross section and covers the upper end of the outlet connection on the container. With this construction the insertion of an additional baffle holding back the stench is dispensed with.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5711037 (1998-01-01), Reichardt et al.
patent: 28 16 597 (1979-09-01), None
patent: 298 03 397 U1 (1998-06-01), None
patent: 2 164965 (1986-04-01), None
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld L.L.P.
Huson Gregory L.
Nguyen Tuan
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