Field

The invention relates to a dry toilet as defined in the preamble of independent claim 1. Document GB 2364 532 presents a composting toilet.

Document WO 00/45690 presents a disposable dry toilet.

Document US 2018/0029793 presents a waste disposal system.

Objective of the invention

The object is to provide a dry toilet that enables easy and hygienic way to use, empty and after compost the waste

Short description of the invention

The dry toilet is characterized by the definitions of independent claim 1.

Preferred embodiments of the dry toilet are defined in the dependent claims. Because the bag wall of the bag has perforations in the bag wall leading in and out of the bag inner space thorough the bag wall, fluid such as liquid or gas such as air can pass through the bag wall as the bag is in use in the inner space of the container of the dry toilet and is configured to receive liquid and solid waste via the feed opening in the top structure of the dry toilet. At the same time, the bag functions as a compost container and enables decomposition process to happen for the content in the bag, while the bag is in the inner space of the container of the dry toilet. The perforated bag wall of the bag allows liquid to escape from the waste surface at any fill level. The bag functions as a convenient and hygienic means for keeping the content in the bag collected together for example during emptying of the dry toilet and during transporting of the content emptied from the dry toilet, because the bag minimizes the need for contact between the person emptying the dry toilet and the content that is removed from the dry toilet. Because the bag wall of the bag has perforations, fluid such as liquid or gas can pass through the bag wall after that the bag containing liquid and solid waste has been removed from the inner space of the container. At the same time the bag functions also as a compost container for the content in the bag, while the bag is outside the inner space of the container of the dry toilet as long as need to allow for sufficient composting of the content in the bag to transform the waste into fertilizing soil. After sufficient composting of the content in the bag, the content can be emptied from the bag, where after the bag is ready to be used again in the dry toilet.

List of figures

In the following the invention will described in more detail by referring to the figures of which

Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the dry toilet as seen from the side, and Figure 2 shows the dry toilet shown in figure 1 in cross-section,

Figure 3 shows the openable and closable lid of the dry toilet shown in figure 1,

Figure 4 shows the top plate of the dry toilet shown in figure 1,

Figure 5 shows the container of the dry toilet shown in figure 1,

Figure 6 shows in cross-section the bag of the dry toilet shown in figure 1,

Figure 7 show a variant of the dry toilet where the spacing means is integrated with the side wall structure and with the bottom structure of the container,

Figure 8 show a variant of the dry toilet where the spacing means is integrated with the bag wall of the bag, and

Figure 9 shows a variant of the spacing means that is releasable arrangeable in the inner space of the container and there at least partly between the bag and the bottom structure and respectively between the bag and the side wall structure.

Detailed description of the invention

Next the dry toilet and some variants and embodiments of the dry toiled will be described in greater detail.

The dry toilet comprises a container 1 defining an inner space 2.

The container 1 has a side wall structure 3, a bottom structure 4, and an open top 5.

The container 1 is preferably, but not necessarily, at least partly made of polymer.

The dry toilet comprises a top structure 7 configured to close the open top 5 of the container

1.

The top structure 7 is preferably, but not necessarily, at least partly made of polymer.

The dry toilet comprises a feed opening 6 in the top structure 7.

The dry toilet comprises preferably, but not necessarily, an openable and closable lid structure 8 configured to open and to close the feed opening 6. Such openable and closable lid structure 8 is preferably, but not necessarily, at least partly made of polymer.

The dry toilet comprises a bag 9 releasable arranged in the inner space 2 of the container

1.

The bag 9 has a bag inner space 10 limited by a bag wall 17 and a bag opening 11 leading to the bag inner space 10. The bag opening 11 can for example be in the top part of the bag 9 or in the side of the bag 9 in the bag wall 17.

The bag opening 11 of the bag 9 is aligned with the feed opening 6 in the top structure 7 so that solid waste and liquid waste that is fed through the feed opening 6 in the top structure 7 is received in the bag inner space 10 of the bag 9.

In the embodiment of the dry toilet shown in the figures the feed opening 6 in the top structure 7 is aligned with the bag opening 11 of the bag 9 by being in use of the dry toilet vertically above bag opening 11 of the bag 9 so that solid waste and liquid waste that is fed through the feed opening 6 in the top structure 7 falls into the bag inner space 10 of the bag 9. It is also possible that the feed opening 6 in the top structure 7 is aligned with the bag opening 11 of the bag 9 by means of a separate feed structure (not shown in the figures) such as a tube, chute or the like arranged at least partly between the feed opening 6 in the top structure 7 and the bag opening 11 of the bag 9.

The bag wall 17 of the bag 9 being at least partly made of flexible perforated material so that the bag 9 has perforations in the bag wall 17 leading in and out of the bag inner space 10 of the bag so as to allow fluid such as liquid or gas such as air to pass through the bag wall 17.

The perforations can have a diameter less than one millimeter or alternatively an area of less than one square millimeter.

The bag 9 can be made of nonbiodegradable material so it can be reused or the bag 9 can be alternatively made of biodegradable material so it decomposes with the waste during the after composting.

The dry toilet comprises a spacing means 12 in the inner space 2 of the container 1 between the side wall structure 3 and the bag 9 and between the bottom structure 4 and the bag 9. Such spacing means 12 comprises preferably, but not necessarily, a perforated structure of polymer or other nonbiodegradable material. Such spacing means 12 can for example comprise at least one of a net structure, a perforated and hollow structure, a channel structure, and a honeycomb structure configured to provide channels for fluid such as gas and/or liquid inside the inner space 2 of the container 1 between the side wall structure 3 and the perforations of the bag 9 and between the bottom structure 4 and the perforations of the bag 9. Such the spacing means 12 can alternatively or additionally comprise at least one of openings, perforations, grooves, ridges, depressions, or the like configured to provide channels for fluid such as gas and/or liquid inside the inner space 2 of the container 1 between the side wall structure 3 and the perforations of the bag 9 and between the bottom structure 4 and the perforations of the bag 9. Such spacing means 12 can alternatively or additionally comprise at least one of open channels, open side channels, and closed channels configured to provide channels for fluid such as gas and/or liquid inside the inner space 2 of the container 1 between the side wall structure 3 and the perforations of the bag 9 and between the bottom structure 4 and the perforations of the bag 9. Such spacing means 12 is preferably, but not necessarily, as illustrated in figure 9 a separate part that is releasable arranged in the inner space 2 of the container 1. This allow removal of the spacing means 12 from the inner space 2 of the container 1 for example to make washing and cleaning of the spacing means 12 easier. Alternatively can the spacing means 12 be integrated with at least one of the side wall structure 3 and the bottom structure 4 inside the inner space 2 of the container 1 as illustrated in figure 7. Alternatively can the spacing means 12 be fixedly or releasable attached to the bag 9 or be a part of the bag wall 17 so that the spacing means 12 at least partly surrounds the bag 9 as illustrated in figure 8.

The top structure 7 is preferably, but not necessarily, releasable arranged to facilitate arranging of an empty bag in the inner space 2 of the container 1 and correspondingly to facilitate removal of a full bag from the inner space 2 of the container 1. If the top structure 7 is releasable arranged, as in the embodiment of the dry toilet shown in the figures, the bag 9 is preferably, but not necessarily, releasable held in place with respect to the feed opening 6 in the top structure 7 by the bag 9 being at least partly pressed between a top flange 13 surrounding the open top 5 of the container 1 and the top structure 7. If the top structure 7 is releasable arranged, as in the embodiment of the dry toilet shown in the figures, the bag 9 is preferably, but not necessarily, folded over the top flange of the container 1 so that a circumventing overhang portion 14 of the bag 9 surrounds the side wall structure 3 of the container 1 at the region of the open top 5 of the container 1.

The bag 9 can be made of at least one of synthetic perforated fabric, synthetic perforated textile, perforated polymer or the like nonbiodegradable material so it can be reused, or the bag 9 can be alternatively made of biodegradable material so it decomposes with the waste during the after composting.

A closing band can extend around the periphery of the bag 9 at least partly in a channel at the region of the bag opening 11 of the bag 9. The purpose of the closing band is to facilitate closing of the bag opening 11 of the bag 9.

A drainage opening 18 is preferably, but not necessarily, as in the embodiment of the dry toilet illustrated in the figures, provided in the bottom structure 4 of the container 1 to allow draining of fluid such as liquid from the inner space 2 of the container 1 and to allow gas such as air to enter the inner space 2. The drainage opening 18 is preferably, but not necessarily, openable and closable.

The container 1 is preferably, but not necessarily, provided with wheels 16 to facilitate moving of the dry toilet and support legs 15

It is apparent to a person skilled in the art that as technology advanced, the basic idea of the invention can be implemented in various ways. The invention and its embodiments are therefore not restricted to the above examples, but they may vary within the scope of the claims.