Technical Field

The present invention relates to a drainage system for toilet bowls.

Background Art

Sanitary devices are known generally made of ceramic, steel, glass, resin or other materials and intended for the drainage of human organic waste, i.e. products of the human biological activity, such as urination and defecation. Such devices usually consist of a waste collecting bowl provided with a water washing system (so-called "flush") connected to pipes that allow the discharge of human organic waste into the sewer network.

Another type of sanitary devices, on the other hand, consists of so-called chemical toilets which, instead of water, use chemicals to disinfect the bowl in all those cases where it is not possible to make the content flow to the sewer system.

Their main use is in aircraft, trains, motor homes, caravans, in special booths or buildings not connected to the sewer system.

That said, it is noticed that in the field of sanitary devices the need continues to be particularly felt to find new embodiments that allow to increase the possibility to clean sanitary devices, in particular those without water washing, and that at the same time have a considerably reduced weight and size, that make them easy to be used on vehicles and/or in confined spaces, ensuring the drainage of the totality of human organic waste.

Description of the Invention

The main aim of the present invention is to provide a drainage system that enables the above requirement to be satisfied.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a drainage system which allows to overcome the mentioned drawbacks of the prior art within the ambit of a simple, rational, easy and effective to use as well as affordable solution. The above mentioned objects are achieved by the present drainage system for toilet bowls having the characteristics mentioned in claim 1.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become better evident from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a drainage system, illustrated by way of an indicative, but not limitative example in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an axonometric view, partially broken, of the system according to the invention;

Figure 2 is an axonometric view, in partial transparency, of a detail of the system according to the invention;

Figures 3 to 5 are lateral views, partially in section, showing the operation of the system according to the invention.

Embodiments of the Invention

With particular reference to these figures, globally indicated by 1 is a drainage system for toilet bowls.

The system 1 comprises a base frame 2, 3, 4, 5.

In the embodiment shown in the figures, the base frame 2, 3, 4, 5 consists of a series of box-shaped walls 2 on top of which is mounted an openable door 3. During use, the openable door 3 lies substantially horizontal on top of the box- shaped walls 2, but it can be lifted to enter the internal parts of the system 1. The base frame 2, 3, 4, 5 has a top opening 6 for the passage of human organic waste R; in the embodiment shown in the figures, the top opening 6 is formed through the openable door 3.

In conditions of use, that is when the openable door 3 lies substantially horizontal, the vertical projection 7 of the top opening 6 defines a cylindrical space which, precisely, is obtained by projecting vertically the area of the opening itself and which is run by the human organic waste R falling by gravity to enter the base frame 2, 3, 4, 5 and going to drainage.

Within the box-shaped walls 2 are located:

- a first collection element 8 with a first contact edge 9 and a first collection surface 10 able to receive resting the human organic waste R that pass through the top opening 6;

- a second collection element 11 with a second contact edge 12 and a second collection surface 13 which cooperates with the first collection surface 10 to receive resting the human organic waste R. The first collection surface 10 and the second collection surface 13 are substantially coplanar and horizontal.

The collection elements 8, 11 are associated with the base frame 2, 3, 4, 5 in a sliding manner between a reciprocal moving close configuration, wherein the contact edges 9, 12 are approached one to the other and arranged internally to the vertical projection 7 of the top opening 6 substantially below the opening itself, and a reciprocal moving away configuration, wherein the contact edges 9, 12 are spaced at a distance.

For the handling of the collection elements 8, 11, operation means 14, 15 are provided for sliding both the first collection element 8 and the second collection element 11 between the reciprocal moving close configuration and the reciprocal moving away configuration.

More particularly, the collection elements 8, 11 are associated with the base frame 2, 3, 4, 5 in a sliding manner along a substantially horizontal sliding direction A, the operation means 14, 15 being able to slide the collection elements 8, 11 along the sliding direction A in opposite ways to one another. The base frame 2, 3, 4, 5, in fact, comprises a guide unit 4, 5 which extends parallel to the sliding direction A and with which the collection elements 8, 11 are associated sliding.

The guide unit 4, 5 comprises a first rail 4 and a second rail 5 that support in a sliding manner the collection elements 8, 11 and which are arranged externally to the vertical projection 7 of the top opening 6 and on substantially opposite sides of the same.

The first rail 4 and the second rail 5, which are horizontal and associated with the box-shaped walls 2, comprise at least a pair of first slots 16, also horizontal, along which the first collection element 8 is engaged sliding, and at least a pair of second slots 17, also horizontal, along which the second collection element 11 is engaged sliding.

The first two slots 16 are arranged facing one another, one on the first rail 4 and one on the second rail 5.

Similarly, the two second slots 17 are arranged facing one another, one on the first rail 4 and one on the second rail 5. The first collection element 8 and the second collection element 11 comprise respective pins 18, substantially horizontal and orthogonal to the sliding direction A, which are engaged in a sliding manner inside of the first slots 16 and of the second slots 17.

The operation means 14, 15 comprise at least a synchronization mechanism 14 able to move the first collection element 8 in one way of the sliding direction A and to move at the same time the second collection element 11 in the opposite way of the sliding direction A.

The synchronization mechanism 14 comprises:

- at least a rocker arm body 19, 20 which is associated with the base frame 2, 3, 4, 5 in a rotating manner around a rotation axis B substantially horizontal and orthogonal to the sliding direction A and which comprises a first portion 19 and a second portion 20 arranged on opposite sides with respect to the rotation axis B;

- at least a first connecting rod 21 hinged to the first collection element 8 and to the first portion 19;

at least a second connecting rod 22 hinged to the second collection element 11 and to the second portion 20.

In the embodiment shown in the figures, the synchronization mechanism 14 comprises at least two rocker arm bodies 19, 20, at least two first connecting rods 21 and at least two second connecting rods 22, arranged on opposite sides of the vertical projection 7 of the top opening 6.

More in detail, a rocker arm body 19, 20, a first connecting rod 21 and a second connecting rod 22 are mounted at the first rail 4 while the other rocker arm body 19, 20, the other first connecting rod 21 and the other second connecting rod 22 are mounted at the second rail 5, symmetrically with respect to the previous ones.

A rocker arm body 19, 20 is mounted in a rotatable manner on a length of the first rail 4 arranged between a first slot 16 and a second slot 17; similarly, the other rocker arm body 19, 20 is mounted in a rotatable manner on a length of the second rail 5 arranged between a first slot 16 and a second slot 17.

By virtue of the synchronization mechanism 14, the displacement of one of the collection elements 8, 11 also determines the displacement of the other collection element 8, 11, and vice versa.

For this purpose, the operation means 14, 15 comprise at least a thrust unit 15 for the operation of at least one of the collection elements 8, 11.

In the embodiment shown in the illustrations, the thrust unit 15 comprises at least a group of levers 23, 24, 25, 26 associated with the first collection element 8 and operable by a user in contrast to the action of at least an elastic element 27, preferably two.

The displacement of the first collection element 8 from the reciprocal moving close configuration to the reciprocal moving away configuration is therefore performed by the operation of the group of levers 23, 24, 25, 26, while the displacement of the first collection element 8 from the reciprocal moving away configuration to the reciprocal moving close configuration is performed by the spring back force of the elastic elements 27.

The group of levers 23, 24, 25, 26 consists, e.g., of a first lever 23 hinged to the base frame 2, 3, 4, 5 and operable by the user, a second lever 24 hinged to the first lever 23, a third lever 25 hinged both to the base frame 2, 3, 4, 5 and to the second lever 24, and a fourth lever 26 hinged to the third lever 25 and to the first collection element 8.

The levers 23, 24, 25, 26 are sized so as to amplify the rotation stroke of the first lever 23 and to obtain a sliding stroke of the first collection element 8 very wide even when the first lever 23 is rotated by a few degrees.

This embodiment, clearly, allows to obtain a practical and functional system 1 with particularly reduced overall dimensions.

The elastic elements 27 consist, purely by way of example, of two helical springs associated with the base frame 2, 3, 4, 5 and with the second portion 20 of the rocker arm bodies 19, 20.

It is easy to understand, however, that the elastic elements 27 may alternatively consist of any type of spring, even not helical, connected to any one of: the first collection element 8, the second collection element 11, the rocker arm bodies 19, 20, the first connecting rods 21 and the second connecting rods 22.

The system 1 also comprises a first removal element 28 and a second removal element 29 associated with the base frame 2, 3, 4, 5 and able to slip onto the first collection surface 10 and onto the second collection surface 13 respectively to push the human organic waste R to drainage during the movement of the collection elements 8, 11 between the reciprocal moving close configuration and the reciprocal moving away configuration.

The first removal element 28 and the second removal element 29 are associated with the base frame 2, 3, 4, 5 externally to the vertical projection 7 of the top opening 6 and on substantially opposite sides of the opening itself.

More in detail, the removal elements 28, 29 are associated with the base frame 2, 3, 4, 5 in a fixed way, i.e. they are fixed to it in a position that does not change during the motion of the collection elements 8, 11.

Even more in detail, the first removal element 28 and the second removal element 29 are mounted on two brackets that extend from the rails 4, 5.

In the embodiment shown in the illustrations, the first removal element 28 consists of a first substantially vertical sheet-shaped member which, at the top, is associated with the base frame 2, 3, 4, 5 and which has a first lower edge 30 slipping onto the first collection surface 10.

Due to the slipping onto the first collection surface 10, the first sheet-shaped member 28 is at least partially flexible, i.e., it can be folded and bent.

The first sheet-shaped member 28, in fact, is arranged at a distance from the first collection element 8 such that, during the sliding along the sliding direction A, the first lower edge 30 comes in contact with the first collection surface 10, by bending the first sheet-shaped member 28.

Similarly, the second removal element 29 consists e.g. of a second substantially vertical sheet-shaped member which, at the top, is associated with the base frame 2, 3, 4, 5 and which has a second lower edge 31 slipping onto the second collection surface 13.

Due to the slipping onto the second collection surface 13, the second sheet- shaped member 29 is at least partially flexible, i.e., it can be folded and bent. Similarly to the first sheet-shaped member 28, in fact, the second sheet-shaped member 29 is arranged at a distance from the second collection element 11 so that, during the sliding along the sliding direction A, the second lower edge 31 comes in contact with the second collection surface 13, by bending the second sheet-shaped member 29.

The system 1 also has spraying means 32 able to spray a sanitizing and/or perfuming substance on the collection surfaces 10, 13.

The system 1 is, in fact, preferably intended to be used without flush, that is as a chemical toilet.

The spraying means 32 are mounted on the base frame 2, 3, 4, 5 and can be operated by means of a button 33 or the like; alternative embodiments cannot however be ruled out wherein the operation of the spraying means 32 is automated.

The operation of the present invention is the following.

The user of the system 1 discharges his/her human organic waste R through the top opening 6.

The human organic waste R fall by gravity on the collection surfaces 10, 13 which, in the reciprocal moving close configuration, are arranged with the contact edges 9, 12 approached and under the top opening 6.

Most human organic waste R therefore is deposited substantially in the proximity of the contact edges 9, 12.

At this point the human organic waste R must be discharged from the collection elements 8, 11 and, for this purpose, the user operates the first lever 23.

The operation of the first lever 23 drags down the first collection element 8 which, in contrast to the force applied by the elastic elements 27, puts in motion the synchronization means 14 and also slides the second collection element 11. Thanks to the rocker arm bodies 19, 20, to the first connecting rods 21 and to the second connecting rods 22, in fact, the sliding motion of the first collection element 8 is also transformed into the sliding motion of the second collection element 11 along the sliding direction A, with the first collection element 8 that slides in one way and the second collection element 11 which slides in the opposite way.

At the beginning of sliding, most human organic waste R (about 70-80%) goes to drainage by gravity and only a small part of them remains on the collection elements 8, 11. During sliding, the lower edges 30, 31 of the sheet-shaped members 28, 29 come in contact with the collection elements 8, 11, by bending the sheet-shaped members 28, 29, and slip onto the collection surfaces 10, 13, dragging with them the residual human organic waste R towards the contact edges 9, 12 of the collection surfaces 10, 13.

Once the contact edges 9, 12 are reached, the residual human organic waste R are discharged by gravity below the collection surfaces 10, 13 and the lower edges 30, 31 of the sheet-shaped members 28, 29 cease to be in contact with the collection surfaces 10, 13.

At this time, the bending of the sheet-shaped members 28, 29 ends abruptly and the sheet-shaped members 28, 29 return to the vertical position with a jerky and oscillatory motion which facilitates the detachment of the human organic waste R from the members themselves.

When, finally, the user releases the first lever 23, the elastic elements 27 return the system 1 to the initial position with a backward motion wherein the lower edges 30, 31 of the sheet-shaped members 28, 29 return in contact with the collection surfaces 10, 13, by bending the sheet-shaped members 28, 29 in the opposite way with respect to the previous one.

The sheet-shaped members 28, 29 therefore slip onto the collection surfaces 10, 13 towards the borders 34 of the collection surfaces 10, 13 opposite the contact edges 9, 12, in correspondence of which the bending of the sheet-shaped members 28, 29 ends abruptly and a jerky and oscillatory motion occurs again that facilitates the detachment of any residual human organic waste R.

In practice it has been found how the described invention achieves the intended objects.

In this regard it is underlined that the particular solution of having two collection elements which, in the reciprocal moving close configuration, are approached and have a contact edge arranged under the top opening, allows to collect most human organic waste in correspondence of the contact edges themselves and directly send it to drainage as the sliding motion of the collection elements begins.

In this way, the intervention of the removal elements is intended to put to drainage only a small part of human organic waste, thus facilitating their removal and leaving the drainage system cleaner.