TITLE "PORTABLE TOILET OR RESTROOM STRUCTURES"

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is concerned with portable toilet or restroom structures.

The invention is concerned particularly, although not exclusively, with modular construction systems for portable toilet or restroom structures and an illumination system therefor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Portable toilets or restrooms are widely used on building sites, temporary entertainment venues or otherwise, to increase temporarily the toilet or restroom capacity at a venue when a larger than normal attendance is anticipated.

At some venues, semi-portable toilet structures can be coupled to a sewer line to dispose of waste and also to a mains pressure reticulated water supply for toilet flushing and hand washing purposes. These structures may be mounted on skids or pallets, or even on a mobile trailer, and generally incorporate a conventional toilet pedestal and cistern as well as a handbasin. While the present invention is particularly concerned with self- contained chemical toilets with a waste holding tank, it should be understood that the portable toilet structures according to the invention are adaptable for ready coupling to a sewage waste line and a source of reticulated water, if so desired. Generally speaking, portable toilets located on building sites are of a rudimentary, inexpensive construction with little concession to aesthetics or ease of use and maintenance as they are used predominantly by males. At entertainment venues where portable toilets may be utilized by females, there is a need for a superior toilet construction which is aesthetically acceptable, fully utilitarian and comfortable to use, while at the same time being easily cleanable and able to be maintained in a clean, fresh condition.

One of the more rudimentary portable toilet constructions available comprises a rigid metal skid base and four walls of corrugated steel sheet with a vacuum formed polyethylene roof capping the wall structure. The wall panels are riveted directly to the base and to corner angle brackets extending between the base and the roof capping. Lifting eyes are secured to the corner angle brackets adjacent the top ends thereof to facilitate handling for transportation. A modular polyethylene waste holding tank includes an integrally formed bowl and seat surround, and coupled to the waste holding tank at one side thereof is a fresh water storage tank with an integrally formed handbasin with a reciprocating hand operated marine pump, an inspection port for water filling and a manual marine toilet pump for fresh water flushing of the toilet bowl. A vent pipe extends internally between the waste holding tank and an aperture in the moulded roof capping.

While generally effective for its intended purpose, this type of structure suffers a number of disadvantages. A serious disadvantage is that the toilet structure must be erected around the modular waste holding tank as it is too large to insert or remove via a door opening in the front wall. Accordingly, if the waste holding tank must be removed for maintenance, the entire portable toilet structure must be demounted. Other disadvantages include poor ventilation, lengthy assembly process by skilled labour, high maintenance of manual pumps due to wear and vandals, excessive internal temperatures from solar energy being radiated internally from sheet metal walls and difficult to clean internal surfaces.

Similar portable toilet constructions include a single walled thermoformed or vacuum formed single skin wall structure with a separate single skin moulded roof cap secured to the wall structure by rivets with a rigid metal door frame providing some structural rigidity. The integrally formed rotationally moulded waste holding tank/toilet bowl and seat surround forms a base for the structure to which the rotationally moulded body/roof assembly is secured. Lifting lugs are secured to the base for handling purposes and apertures in the region of the junction between the roof and wall structures provide better ventilation.

Yet another type of portable toilet structure comprises four twin skinned vacuum formed wall panels, a roof capping, a door member and an integrally formed waste tank/toilet bowl and seat surround and a separate fresh water storage tank. Such structures comprise a large number of components which require a lengthy assembly process by skilled craftsmen utilizing a variety of fasteners including rivets, nuts and bolts, special screws and other fasteners and usually require metal angle sections for coupling adjacent wall edges. In addition, a considerable number of plumbing fittings and liquid conduits are required to be installed by skilled workers. One variation on this type of construction includes four long rods with threaded ends at the wall junctions, the rods being coupled at a lower end to a base and at an upper end securing the roof capping in place. These elongate bolts have lifting lugs at their upper ends to facilitate handling.

While generally superior from the viewpoint of ease of cleaning, aesthetics and general maintenance, portable toilet structures incorporating separate moulded polyethylene wall door and roof structures are relatively expensive due to lengthy assembly procedures requiring skilled craftsmen.

It is an aim of the present invention to overcome or ameliorate at least some of the disadvantages with prior art portable toilet or restroom structures and otherwise to offer to owners and users thereof a choice of a combination of advantages not otherwise found in prior art portable toilet structures.

Throughout this specification and claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise" , and variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a modular portable toilet assembly, said assembly comprising: a lower body member; and, an upper body member; said lower body member and said

upper body member being adapted for releasable engagement therebetween, said lower body member and said upper body member together defining a closable cubicle having an access door aperture, said lower body member characterized in that it comprises an integrally formed waste collection chamber and a toilet pedestal in fluid communication with said waste collection chamber.

Preferably, said upper body member and said lower body member comprise hollow chambers having an inner wall and an outer wall.

Suitably, said upper body member comprises a fresh water storage vessel having an inlet port for introduction of a predetermined volume of water.

If required, said inlet port may comprise a hose coupling in an upper wall region of said upper body member.

If required, said lower body member may be adapted for connection to an external sewer line or for emptying of said waste collection chamber via a waste discharge port.

Suitably, said lower body member and said upper body member each include a hinge pin receiver to receive spaced hinge pins integrally formed on an access door adapted to selectively close said access door aperture.

If required, said spaced hinge pins are receivably engaged in respective said hinge pin receivers when said lower body member and said upper body members are urged together to engage respective socket and spigot members for releasable engagement between said lower and upper body members.

The upper body member may include a roof panel releasably engageable in an aperture in said upper body member by socket and spigot connections between said roof panel and said upper body member.

Suitably, said roof panel is comprised partly or wholly of a translucent material.

If required, said roof panel may include a photo-luminescent agent to provider interior illumination for said portable toilet assembly in the

absence of daylight.

Preferably, said portable toilet assembly includes lifting lugs spaced about an outer wall surface thereof, said lifting lugs bridging a junction between said upper and lower body members. If required, said toilet pedestal may be adapted to receivably locate a toilet bowl assembly, said toilet bowl assembly being removably attachable to said toilet pedestal, said toilet bowl assembly permitting selective fluid communication with said waste collection chamber.

The toilet bowl assembly may be removably attachable to said toilet pedestal by frictional engagement therebetween.

Alternatively, the toilet bowl assembly may be attached to said toilet pedestal by a hinge mechanism.

Preferably, said toilet bowl assembly includes a wet seal member pivotally mounted to said toilet bowl assembly, said wet seal member being biased to a normally closed position against a lower aperture in said toilet bowl assembly to form a gas tight seal therewith by a quantity of flush water retained by said wet seal member.

The toilet bowl assembly may comprise a toilet bowl and a seat member releasably engageable therewith by socket and spigot connection members extending therebetween.

Suitably, said toilet bowl and said seat member together define a perimetral cavity having a flush aperture extending about an upper perimeter of said toilet bowl to direct a flush liquid over an inner surface of said toilet bowl. If required, said flush aperture may include a plurality of spaced channels forming flush orifices.

Preferably, said lower body member includes a handbasin mount in fluid communication with said waste collection chamber.

Suitably, a handbasin assembly is releasably engageable with said handbasin mount by socket and spigot connection members extending therebetween.

A gas seal may be formed between said handbasin mount and

said handbasin assembly wherein an outlet port of said handbasin is located below a level of retained wash water in an overflow chamber in said handbasin mount.

The portable toilet assembly may include a gas vent member releasably connectable at a lower end to an aperture in said lower body member in fluid communication with the interior of said waste collection chamber and releasably connectable adjacent an upper end of said gas vent member to said upper body member by one or more socket and spigot connection members extending therebetween. If required, said portable toilet assembly may include a support base releasably securable to said lower body member by fasteners extending therebetween, said fasteners functionable as lifting lugs.

Said upper body member may include a flush valve mechanism to selectively direct a predetermined volume of water to said toilet bowl via a fluid conduit extending between said flush valve mechanism and said toilet bowl assembly.

The upper body member may include a wash valve mechanism to selectively direct a volume of water to said handbasin.

Suitably, each of said upper body member and said lower body member are formed by rotational moulding of a thermoplastics resin.

If required, any one of or all of said roof panel, said access door, said support base, said gas vent member, said toilet bowl assembly, said toilet seat and/or said handbasin may be formed as hollow double walled members by rotational moulding of a thermoplastics material. Preferably, ventilation apertures are provided between said door and said roof panel and peripheral regions of respective door and roof panel apertures to effect cross-flow ventilation within said cubicle.

Suitably, said portable toilet assembly may be adapted to display advertising or promotional indicia on inner and/or outer surfaces thereof.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided an illumination system for a portable toilet assembly, said illumination system

comprising a translucent plastics member including a photo-luminescent agent wherein illumination of the interior of said assembly during daylight is effected by light passing through said translucent member and, in the absence of daylight, by photo-luminescent radiation from said photo- luminescent agent.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that various aspects of the invention may be more clearly understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to preferred embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings: FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of the main components of a portable toilet assembly according to one aspect of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view from the front and above of the assembled portable toilet assembly of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 shows a side elevation of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG.4 shows a front elevation of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 to 3; FIG. 5 shows a top plan view of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 to 4; FIG. 6 shows a bottom plan view of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 to 5; FIG. 7 shows a front cross-sectional view through A-A in

FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view through B-B in FIG. 4; FIG. 9 shows a cross-sectional view through C-C in FIG. 3; FIG. 10 shows a cross-sectional view through D-D in FIG. 4; FIG. 11 shows an enlarged exploded view of the handbasin assembly; and

FIG. 12 shows an enlarged exploded view of the toilet/sat assembly.

For the sake of simplicity, like reference numerals are employed for like features throughout the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS As illustrated in FIG. 1 , the portable toilet assembly 1

comprises an upper body member 2 and a lower body member 3, together defining an enclosed cubicle with an access door aperture 4 in the front of the cubicle. A door 5 has integrally formed hinge pins 6 engageable in hinge pin receiving sockets 7a,7b when the supper and lower body members 2,3 are brought together along an upright axis whereby externally and internally recessed portions 3a and 2a in lower and upper body portions 3,2 together form hand grips to facilitate easy handling of assembled cubicles.

Upper body member 2 comprises a hollow double walled member formed by rotationally moulding a thermoplastic resin such as polyethylene. Upper body member 2 includes a roof panel 8, also formed as a double walled rotationally moulded member with a low level of pigmentation to form a translucent skylight allowing good interior illumination during daylight hours. Preferably, roof panel 8 includes a photo- illuminescent agent such as COTENE (Trade Mark) XC1700, a photo- luminescent pigment developed specifically for use with rotationally moulded polyethylene articles such as marine buoys, aviation and road markers as well as other safety equipment requiring a high visibility day and night. For such items, a fluorescent pigment or dye is also incorporated into the polyethylene moulding powder for enhanced visibility during daylight hours. When exposed to direct sunlight for from 1 to 5 minutes or to indoor lighting for 10 to 30 minutes, a gradually decaying luminescent glow can be maintained for up to 12 hours.

In the manufacture of roof panel 8, incorporation of the photo- luminescent pigment creates sufficient translucency during daylight hours to permit a good level of illumination within the interior of the toilet cubicle and during night time periods allows substantially all of the photo-luminescent energy to be utilized as the photo-luminescent pigment dispersed throughout the roof panel moulding is not masked by colouring pigments, fluorescent or otherwise. In practice, it has been found that the levels of luminescent illumination from the roof panel within the toilet cubicle at night, is sufficient to obviate the need for electric lighting.

Roof panel 8 is secured by resilient spigots 9 in upper body

member 2 which releasably engage in complementary socket 10 formed in the roof panel 8. As shown more clearly in other drawings, apertures 11 may be formed in opposite sides of panel 8 to accommodate screw-threaded fasteners (not shown) securable in screw-threaded sockets integrally formed in upper body member 2. The perimeter of roof panel 8 and the perimeter of the aperture in upper body member 2 in which roof panel 8 is located both have complementary stepped edge formations to allow a weatherproof air gap for enhanced ventilation but at the same time maintaining visual privacy.

To assemble the toilet cubicle, a double walled rotationally moulded support base 12 is secured to lower body member 3 by screw- threaded bolts (not shown) extending through apertures 13 formed in recessed regions 14,15 formed on upper and lower surfaces of base member. The bolts engage in aligned screw-threaded metal sockets (not shown) cast into lower body member 3 in recessed regions 16 whereby, when assembled, portion of the bolt shanks is accessible via complementary recessed regions 14,16 to function as lifting lugs for the portable toilet assembly, if so required.

Upper body member 2 is then positioned on lower body member 3 with the hinge pins 6 of door 5 located in respective hinge pin receiving sockets 7a, 7b integrally formed in upper and lower body members 2,3 respectively. When so positioned, spaced partly resilient socket members 17 formed in the upper wall of lower body member 3 are aligned with complementary sockets (not shown) formed in the lower wall of upper body member 2. Upper and lower body members are then urged into releasable engagement with the socket and spigot connections serving both to align the upper and lower body members 2, 3 and also to retain them in frictional engagement.

Adjacent the corners of the cubicle structure so formed, in the region of the junction between the upper and lower body members 2, 3 are aligned recesses 18a, 18b respectively into the inner walls of which are cast metal screw sockets (not shown). These sockets receive screws (not shown) which secure apertured metal brackets 19 between the upper and lower

body members 2,3 whereby the aperture 19a in each bracket 19 permits brackets 19 to function as lifting eyes for the portable toilet assembly as well as securing the upper and lower body members against separation.

Like the other cubicle components, door 5 is also formed as a double walled hollow rotationally moulded plastics member whereby the entire cubicle is able to offer superior insulation properties arising from the hollow double walled construction. About the periphery of door 5 is a stepped shoulder formation 5a which is complementary to a stepped shoulder formation 5b formed about the periphery of the door aperture 4 formed by upper and lower body members 2,3. These stepped or shouldered formations permit a weatherproof ventilation gap to be formed about the entire peripheral edge of the door while still maintaining visual privacy.

Lower body member 3 includes an integrally formed toilet pedestal 20 having an opening therein in fluid communication with the hollow interior of lower body member 3 which functions, in use, as a waste collection chamber. A non-slip self-draining floor surface 21 is formed on the inner surface of the double walled lower body member 2.

A toilet bowl assembly comprising a moulded plastics bowl 22, a counterbalanced wet seal member 23 pivotally secured to a lower opening in bowl 22 and a moulded plastics toilet seat 24 is releasably engageable with toilet pedestal 20 by resilient socket and spigot formations (not shown) extending between the bowl 22 and pedestal 20.

Similarly, a moulded plastics handbasin 25 is releasably securable to a handbasin support formation (not shown) integrally formed in an inner side wall of lower body member 3. The handbasin support formation is in fluid communication with the hollow interior of lower body member 3 and handbasin 25 and the support formation include socket and spigot couplings (not shown) to enable releasable engagement therebetween.

If required, toilet bowl 22, toilet seat 24, and handbasin 25 may be manufactured as double walled hollow elements by a rotational moulding

process. Alternatively, they may be formed as single walled elements by injection moulding or the like.

Shown schematically at 26 and 27 are simple poppet valve type faucets which secure to the inner rear and side walls of upper body member 2 to provide respectively fresh toilet flushing water and handbasin water from a source of fresh water stored within the hollow interior of upper body member 2.

A ventilation conduit 28 is also formed as a hollow or partially hollow member by rotational moulding of a thermoplastics material. Conduit 28 comprises at its lower end, open ended spigots 29 engageable in complementary sockets 30 formed in an upper rear wall portion of lower body member 3. Sockets 30 are in fluid communication with the hollow interior of lower body member 3. Hollow side ribs 31 of conduit 28 provide fluid communication between spigots 29 and an upper plenum 32 which vents gases from waste stored in lower body member 3 via apertures 33. After locating spigots 29 in respective sockets 30, conduit 28 is secured to the rear wall of upper body member by urging together an outwardly projecting spigot 34 on upper body member 2 with a complementary socket 35 integrally formed in conduit 28. FIG. 2 shows the exploded cubicle components of FIG. 1 in an assembled state.

As shown, the ventilation gaps 36, 37 surrounding roof panel 8 and door 5 can be more clearly seen as are the hand grips formed by recesses 2a, 3a. The structure as shown, when empty of fluids, is lightweight yet sturdy due to its double wall construction. In a manner well known in the art of rotational moulding of plastics bodies, stiffening ribs 38 or decorative formations 39 may be formed in one or both the inner or outer wall surfaces of selected mouldings and, particularly where load bearing surfaces are concerned "kiss-off' formations may be formed between inner and outer walls to further stiffen selected load bearing regions. In the embodiment shown, a planar display surface 39 is adapted to support decorative or

informative indicia such as cubicle numbers or the like. Preferably, display surface 39 may be leased or rented for marketing or promotional indicia. The marketing or promotional material may comprise printed paper or plastics sheets with self-adhesive properties or it may comprise a clear plastics protective member encasing printed material and protecting it from weather and/or tampering.

An aperture 40 in door 5 exhibits an indicator such as a red or green coloured member coupled to an internal latch (not shown) to indicate whether the cubicle is occupied or not. If required, the indicator may include a photo-luminescent pigment to indicate a state of occupancy during night time. While it is convenient to have moulded plastics articles which taper from one end to another to facilitate easy mould release, a toilet cubicle which tapers upwardly can feel slightly claustrophobic, particularly to tall people. To reduce this feeling and otherwise to add to the aesthetics of the appearance of the toilet cubicle, the door 5 tapers outwardly from the bottom to the top on both inner and outer surfaces to create an increase in internal volume of the cubicle in the region of head height of a user.

For the sake of greater clarity, FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6 respectively show a side elevation, a front elevation, a top plan view and a plan view from below.

In FIG. 6, it can be seen that, in addition to corner clamping bolt apertures, additional clamping bolt apertures 41 are provided in base 12 to allow coupling with aligned screw-threaded socket inserts in the floor of lower body member 3. Also visible in FIG. 6 are recessed "kiss-off' connections 42 between the inner and outer floors of lower body member 3 wherein spaced frusto-conical wall formations provide additional load bearing capacity.

FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view through A-A of the portable toilet assembly of FIG. 3.

In FIG. 7, the hollow frusto-conical "kiss-offs" 42 between the inner floor 45 of the cubicle and the outer or lower floor 46 of lower body member 3 are more clearly seen as is a recessed sump region 47 in lower floor 46 to facilitate emptying of the waste collection chamber shown

generally at 48. Also shown in FIG. 7 is the handbasin support formation 49 in fluid communication with waste collection chamber 48. Handbasin 25 is sealingly located in a moulded recess 50 of complementary shape to handbasin 25 and is releasably engaged therein by socket and spigot connections extending between handbasin 25 and its support formation 49.

Located in an upper portion of inner rear wall 60 is a conventional garden hose coupling 61 which enables the fresh water reservoir 62 within the hollow interior between the double walled upper body structure to be filled to a predetermined level. Coupling 61 also acts as an air vent to allow ingress of air as the water level in the reservoir 62 drops.

FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view through B-B of the assembly of FIG. 4.

In this view there can be seen recessed formations 51 ,52 in upper and lower body formations 2,3 respectively to locate a toilet roll holder (not shown). The outlet spigot 53 of faucet 26 is located behind formation 54 in the upper region of the inner rear wall 54 of lower body member such that only the faucet lever is exposed to a user. Spigot 53 of faucet 26 is in fluid communication with a flexible plastics tube or the like (not shown) which directs flushing water to a perimetral cavity 55 located between toilet seat 24 and toilet bowl 22 for effective flushing of the bowl. This flush water tube is sealingly engaged with the lower body moulding 3 to prevent escape of odours from waste storage chamber 48. A water seal 23 of known type is pivotally mounted to a lower opening in toilet bowl 22 and a counterweight 56 urges the wet seal 23 to a normally closed position with a retained pool of water forming a gas tight seal with chamber 48. An internally projecting protrusion 64 on the inner face of door 5 supports a rotary door latch 65.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view through C-C of the assembly of FIG. 3.

In this view the handbasin faucet 57 can be seen coupled to reservoir 62 to supply fresh water to handbasin 25. On the inner face 66 of door 5 are formed decorative and/or reinforcing formations 67,68. If required, a vanity mirror 69 may be secured to the door and formation 68

may also be adapted to display promotional and/or advertising indicia on replaceable signage 70. A door pull knob 71 is formed integrally with formation 68.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the assembly of FIG. 4 in the direction D-D representing the inner wall opposite to that shown in FIG. 8.

As shown in FIGS, 8 and 10, support base 12 has a recessed region 74 at the front of the cubicle assembly and a protruding region 75 at the rear of the cubicle assembly. These recessed and protruding regions enable the portable toilet assemblies to be nestingly engaged for transport on a flat tray transportation vehicle with a greater degree of stability in transit.

FIG. 11 shows the mounting of handbasin 25 in the complementary recess 50 formed in formation 49 formed integrally with the inner wall of lower body member 3. Located in the base of recess 50 is an overflow sump 80 which retains portion of the water released from the outlet 81 in handbasin 25. A drainage tube 82 coupled to the handbasin outlet 81 locates in sump 80 with its lower opening below the level of water retained therein to form an effective wet seal or gas trap to prevent issuance of odours from the waste storage tank. FIG. 12 illustrates the toilet bowl/seat/seal assembly shown in

FIG. 1.

Toilet bowl 22 is coupled to the spigot 53 of faucet 26 by a tubular conduit 85 which in turn is in fluid communication with cavity 55 (shown in FIG. 8) formed between an inner lip (not shown) of bowl 22 and a downwardly depending lip 86 formed on the underside of toilet seat 24. Lip 86 includes a plurality of spaced channels 87 which assist in guiding flush water evenly around the inner wall of bowl 22.

Also formed in the undersurface of seat 24 is a downwardly depending annular boss formation 88 having spaced protrusions 89 to assist in aligning seat 24 with bowl 22 prior to urging the two members together for releasable engagement via spigot members (not shown) in bowl 22 engageable in recessed sockets 90 in the underside of seat 24. Bowl 22

includes on its underside portion sockets 91 releasably engageable with complementary spigot members (not shown) formed in the upper surface of toilet pedestal 20 as shown in FIGS. 8 and 10. In this view are seen the sockets 92 which receivably locate the spigot members 17 shown in FIGS.1 and 11 when upper and lower body members 2,3 are engaged.

The construction of the portable toilet assembly according to the present invention offers substantial advantages over prior art assemblies in that the level of manufacturing tolerances attainable in rotational moulding processes permit a relatively high degree of precision and reproduceability in the interfitting relationship of the various components comprising the assembly. Accordingly, the portable toilet assemblies may be assembled very quickly by unskilled labourers with a minimum of fasteners and fittings with the only tools required being spanners and a screwdriver.

Importantly, assembly of the structures according to the invention does not require drilling of fastener apertures, which, if done incorrectly, could otherwise compromise structural integrity and/or weather resistance.

The portable toilets according to the invention utilize only a small number of plumbing fittings and metallic components such as the bolts securing the support base to lower body member 3 and the fasteners and lifting eye brackets 19 securing upper and lower body members 2, 3 together. Suitably, all fastener inserts are made from a corrosion resistant metal such as brass while the fasteners and the brackets 19 may be stainless steel thereby avoiding costly maintenance to repair unsightly rusted metal components as in the prior art.

The ventilation gap provided between the door and the door aperture about the respective peripheries thereof and the ventilation gap provided between the skylight and the skylight aperture about the respective peripheries thereof provides a superior cross-flow of ventilation air within the cubicle chamber without any compromise to privacy or weatherproofing. Moreover, the external venting of the waste tank, in combination with the cross-flow ventilation of the cubicle interior maintains the portable toilet of the

invention in a fresh odour free state in comparison with prior art portable toilet structures.

A still further advantage of the apparatus according to the invention is that both inner and outer surfaces are readily cleanable without difficult to access regions which might otherwise harbour dirt, bacteria or the like. The incorporation of a photo-luminescent agent into the translucent roof panel provides an effective means of illumination of the interior of a portable toilet during night time yet does not prevent the roof panel from functioning effectively as a skylight during daylight hours. It readily will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that portable toilet assemblies according to the invention offer substantial advantages over prior art assemblies and also that many modifications and variations may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.