Trailered mobile showering facility

Abstract

An improved, uniquely configured, self-contained, trailered mobile shower facility for use at large attendance events, such as concerts, races, fairs or exhibitions, with 11 separate and private coined operated, timed showering units, each shower unit having a changing area and a shower stall separated by an interior access partition, and each accessible by an exterior access door. The queue line for each showering unit would be directly in front of the exterior access door, thus providing users with the availability of choosing similar length lines as their friends, or short lines for quickly accessing the showers. The trailered mobile shower facility also has its own separate water heater, generator, air conditioning unit, fuel tank and pressure tank, thus being a one-stop showering facility for a great number of people.

Description

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

This invention relates to a high capacity, trailered mobile showering facility for use at major and multi-day outdoor events, such as festivals, concerts, sporting events, and motorcycle rallies. There has always been a need for showering facilities at such events considering the large number of multiple day attendees. There are numerous portable showering and personal hygiene modules described in the prior art, none of which offer the amenities, privacy, convenience, servicing capabilities and transportability the current invention offers.

It is a primary objective of the current invention to offer clean and sanitary showering facilities to a large number of event fans, wherever the event may be located. The preferred embodiment would be capable of showering up to 1000 people per day.

DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART

A sampling of the prior art, such as in Ashley, U.S. Pat. No. 4,675,923, teaches side-by-side base pans and a tent frame extending upward to support curtains that form the walls and the passageways of the three compartments. The base pans are arranged to form a shipping box for the apparatus for delivery or removal from the work site.

In the patent of Peterson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,348,777, a semi-portable shower is disclosed having a single skid base and three permanently fixed compartments positioned thereon. The Peterson facility requires a conveyor for moving clothing from the first to the third compartment for recovery after the person has bathed in the intermediate second compartment.

Other examples of portable shower units that employ the use of gravity include U.S. Pat. No. 1,330,312 of Figueora which discloses a portable showering unit employing a holding tank that is supported in an elevated position with water being distributed by gravity from a shower nozzle, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,466,378 of Charter which discloses a shower stall construction wherein the water is supplied by gravity from an overhead water storage tank.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,561,265 of Burns discloses a shower facility for a recreational vehicle or trailer house, the apparatus being portable and also built into the vehicle structure such that the shower unit is collapsible into a floor compartment and covered by cover plate. U.S. Pat. No. 2,634,425 of Sturwold discloses a collapsible shower structure which is also built into a vehicle structure. U.S. Pat. No. 3,265,262 discloses a plastic bag for carrying water on motor vehicles and which may be filled or drained in place.

A portable shower system is also disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 3,381,316 of Anderson which discloses a portable shower system for a truck mounted camper which utilizes water fed by a pump from a storage tank, with the water being heated by the temperature of the engine coolant of the vehicle.

Another type of portable shower system is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 3,925,828 of Kim and which may be set up externally of a vehicle to enable outdoor showering. The apparatus of Kim obviously requires a significant amount of time for assembly and disassembly.

In Powell, U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,279, an adaptable low-cost, substantially disposable facility for decontamination and bathing applications is taught. The Powell facility has an entry compartment where the worker disrobes when the decontamination task is complete, an inside compartment for bathing, and an exit compartment where the worker dresses for the return to off work activities and requires a local pressurized water source.

Other prior art, such as Shankman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,256 teach portable showering units for use as decontamination facilities at chemical spills, or offer small, private, individual bathroom facilities such as those manufactured by Wells Cargo, Inc. and Black Tie Event Services, Inc., or inter-connected facilities such as those manufactured by Porta Kleen. The inter-connected facilities manufactured by Porta Kleen also are disadvantageous in that the waiting line or queue area is confusing and difficult to navigate. An advantage of the present invention over the Porta Kleen facilities is that each shower unit of the present invention is private and accessible from a singly outer door, thus allowing the user to queue directly in front of a shower unit, choosing the shortest line or, if with a group of friends, choosing lines that will allow more opportunity to finish showering at or near the same time. The Porta Kleen facilities have only two outer door serving eight shower units, the eight shower units sharing a common open area within the facilities, presumably used to queue for use of the individual shower units. It is apparent that the configuration of the Porta Kleen facilities makes for a difficult and awkward queue for using the showers without the aid or assistance of a person or queue control means outside of the showering facilities.

All of the cited prior art is disadvantageous in that none offer the transportability of efficient, private, easy to use shower units that can accommodate a large number of people.

Thus, the need for a transportable, private, easy to use, high capacity, large event showering facility was not being addressed by the prior art.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention meets the need for a high capacity, efficient trailered mobile shower facility. The trailered mobile shower facility unit is adapted to be transported as a conventional semi-trailer, that is, being pulled by a semi-truck cab or similar transporting means.

The trailered mobile shower facility unit, having an interior and an exterior, a front and a back, and a plurality of wheels, would be of sufficient length to accommodate within its interior a plurality of shower units, 11 shower units being preferred, and a water heater, fuel tank, pressure tank, generator and air conditioning unit to cool the generator; and would have a sufficient width to accommodate within its interior one of the shower units each of which comprises a shower stall and a changing area, and mechanical and inlet water plumbing means, as well as the water heater, fuel tank, and pressure tank and the generator and air conditioning unit. The trailer unit would also be of sufficient height to comfortably accommodate persons wishing to shower, as well as accommodate over-head mechanical and inlet water plumbing equipment means, and under-floor mechanical and waste water outlet drainage means, again, within its interior. Of course, the trailer unit could be of lesser or greater length to accommodate fewer or more shower units, as desired.

Pumps would be included to pump the gray water from the unit to an on-site disposal means, such as a sewer or gray water tank truck, and to pump fresh water from an on-site water supply, such as a fire hydrant or fresh water tank trunk. The unit would also contain a filter to filter the fresh water prior to entering the pressure tank. The pressure tank would be connected to the hot water heater by plumbing means which would include a valve to regulate the flow of water from the pressure tank to the hot water heater, and thus to the shower units. Conventional plumbing means and plumbing connection means would be used and thus are not unique to this invention.

Each shower unit would be accessible from the exterior on side one of the trailered unit by an exterior access shower unit door. Each shower unit would also have an interior partition such as a door or shower curtain between the shower stall and the changing area. The changing area of each shower unit would also have a seat or bench and a means to hang or store clothing, toiletries and towels. A changing area floor drain would be situated near the center of the changing area in the floor to allow for drainage of water.

Each shower unit would also be supplied with ceiling or wall lighting such that the shower stall and changing area would be sufficiently illuminated and electricity to power the lighting. Again, conventional electrical wiring means and electrical connection means would be used and are thus not unique to this invention.

Each shower stall of the shower unit would also have a shower stall floor drain situated near the center of the shower stall in the floor to allow the drainage of the gray or shower water. Both floor drains would connect to waste water outlet drainage means for draining and collecting the gray water for storage in the trailer unit or for draining to an onsite disposal facility, such as a sewer line, or for transfer to a gray water holding tank or tank truck.

The preferred embodiment would show the shower unit walls, floor and ceiling made of stainless steel for easy and efficient cleaning and sanitizing, although other suitable materials would also meet those needs. The fixtures, including the inlet shower water means and shower head, and the faucet control handle would be made of stainless steel as well.

The shower water would be regulated and dispersed by way of a timed system using coin tokens, such that a user would be required to purchase the tokens and insert them into the timed water dispersal regulator, at which time the water would begin flowing from the water heater for a determined period of time, through the inlet plumbing means and into the shower unit via the inlet shower water means and shower head. Each token would allow a set period of time for the water to flow, thereby allowing the user to enjoy a self determined length of shower time, depending upon the number of tokens used. The preferred embodiment would require one token for each minute of shower time, each token costing one dollar. The cost of a shower could, of course, vary depending upon demand and other factors. Toiletries, such as shampoo and soap, as well as towels, could also be provided at a nominal cost to users of the showers.

The preferred embodiment would have dimensions of the unit as follows: the trailer unit with 6 wheels and having a length of 50 feet, a width of 98 inches, a height 10 feet 6 inches, 4 mechanical access doors measuring 64 inches by 36 inches and one mechanical access door measuring 105 inches by 24 inches on side two, a 125 gallon diesel fired water heater, a diesel fuel tank, a 20 kilowatt DSL generator, a 5 ton air conditioning unit, with each shower unit being 37 inches long by 83 inches wide by 7 feet 6 inches tall, each shower stall being 37 inches long by 32 inches wide by 7 feet 6 inches tall, and each changing area being 37 inches long by 50 inches wide by 7 feet 6 inches tall.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of the trailered mobile shower facility unit 1.

FIG. 2 is an overhead sectional view of the trailered mobile shower facility unit 1 along the section line A as shown on FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view of the shower unit 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The trailered mobile shower facility unit 1 is adapted to be transported as a conventional semi-trailer, that is, being pulled by a semi-truck cab. The semi-truck cab is not shown in the drawings, however, the hitch is shown, which is the point where the attachment to the semi-truck cab would occur.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 the trailered mobile shower facility unit 1 would be of sufficient length L to accommodate 11 shower units 7 and a water heater 2, fuel tank 3, pressure tank 4, generator 5 and air conditioning unit 6; and would have a sufficient width W to accommodate a shower unit 7 comprising a shower stall 8 and a changing area 9, and mechanical means 10, electrical and electrical connecting means 11 for providing electricity from the generator 5 throughout the trailered mobile shower facility unit 1 and plumbing and plumbing connecting means 12 for providing water from the water heater 2 to the shower units 7, as well as the water heater 2, fuel tank 3, and pressure tank 4 and the generator 5 and air conditioning unit 6. The water heater 2 would have an inlet to connect to the pressure tank 4 which would connect to an outside water source for refilling the pressure tank 4 and water heater 2, and an outlet connected to the plumbing means to provide water to the shower units. The trailered mobile shower facility unit 1 would also be of sufficient height H to comfortably accommodate persons wishing to shower, as well as accommodate any over-head mechanical means 10, electrical means 11 and plumbing means 12, and any under-floor mechanical means 10 and the waste water outlet drainage means 13. Of course, the trailered mobile shower facility unit 1 could be of lesser or greater length L to accommodate fewer or more shower units 7, as desired.

Referring to FIG. 1, the trailered mobile shower facility unit 1 is shown having a plurality of exterior access shower unit doors 14, a plurality of wheels connected to the unit so as to facilitate mobility and transportability by a semi-truck cab, and a mechanical room door 15 on side one 16.

On side two 17, as shown on FIG. 2, the trailered mobile shower facility unit 1 has a plurality of equipment access doors 18 for the purpose of accessing the mechanical means 10 and plumbing means 12 and equipment and connections. The preferred embodiment would have 11 shower units 7, each with an exterior access shower unit door 14. The 11 shower units 7 would be located within the interior of the trailered mobile shower facility unit 1 starting at the back of the trailered mobile shower facility unit 1. A mechanical room 19 is located near the front of the trailered mobile shower facility unit 1, containing a water heater 2, fuel tank 3 and pressure tank 4. Immediately in front of the mechanical room 19, and located at the front of the trailered mobile shower facility unit 1 is a generator 5 and air conditioning unit 6.

Referring to FIG. 3, the preferred embodiment would also show each shower unit 7 to be 37 inches wide by 83 inches long. Those dimensions may vary upward and downward, depending upon the size of the trailer. Each shower unit 7 would have a shower stall 8 and a changing area 9, a ceiling 20, a floor 21 and electrical lighting means on each ceiling such that the shower stall and changing area would be illuminated. The dimension of each shower stall 8 would ideally be 37 inches by 32 inches, although, depending upon the size of the trailer, those dimensions may vary and be larger or smaller. Each shower stall 8 would have the ceiling 20a, the floor 21a with a shower stall floor drain 22a, 3 side walls 23a and an interior access partition 24 such as a door or shower curtain, through which a user can access the shower stall 8 from the changing area 9.

The dimension of each changing area 9 would ideally be 37 inches by 50 inches, although, again depending upon the size of the trailer, those dimensions may vary and be larger or smaller. Each changing area 9 would have the floor 21b with a changing area floor drain 22b, the ceiling 20b, a seat or bench 25, and 2 interior side walls 23b. The interior access partition 24 would be between the shower stall 8 and the changing area 9 and the exterior access shower unit door 14 would be at the other end of the changing area 9 to allow users to enter into the changing area 9 from the exterior of the trailered mobile shower facility unit 1. A preferred embodiment would disclose a towel and clothes hangers attached to one wall of the changing area.

Referring again to FIG. 3, each shower stall 8 would have a conventional shower set-up, comprising an inlet shower water means 26 and shower head 27, a faucet control 28 connected to the inlet shower water means 26 delivering the water to the faucet control 28 and shower head 27, and a shower stall floor drain 22a connected to the waste water outlet drainage means 13 to take the gray water away from the shower stall 8 for storage in or outside of the unit or for disposal outside of the unit. The shower head 27 could be mounted either on a wall 23a or on the ceiling 20a of the shower stall 8.

The shower water would be regulated and dispersed by way of a timed water regulating system means 29 using coin tokens 30, such that a user would be required to purchase the tokens 30 and insert them into the timed water dispersal regulator 31, at which time the water would begin flowing from the water heater 2, through the inlet plumbing means 12 and into the shower stall 8 via the inlet shower water means 26 and shower head 27. Each token 30 would allow a set period of time for the water to flow, thereby allowing the user to enjoy a self determined length of shower time, depending upon the number of tokens used. The timed system 29 would be conventionally connected to the plumbing means and electrical means so adequately regulate the flow of water, and would be located on a wall 23a of the shower stall 8, and would be accessible via the equipment access doors 18, thus allowing the removal of tokens 30 from the timed water dispersal regulator 31, or for allowing repair and maintenance to the timed system 29.

A preferred embodiment would also disclose a set of stairs and hand railings to each exterior access door that can be attached to the unit for ease of access to each shower unit.

Claims

1. A trailered mobile shower facility unit comprising a conventional semi-trailer structure with a plurality of wheels and having a length, a width, a height, an interior, an exterior, a side one and a side two, a plurality of exterior access shower unit doors on side one, a mechanical room door on side one, a plurality of mechanical access doors on side two, a plurality of shower units, a water heater, a fuel tank, a pressure tank, a generator, an air conditioning unit, an inlet water plumbing means, a waste water outlet drainage means, electric wiring and lighting means, and a timed water regulating system means;

the length sufficient to accommodate within the interior the plurality of shower units, the water heater, fuel tank, pressure tank, generator and air conditioning unit;

the width sufficient to accommodate within the interior one of the shower units, the timed water regulating system means and inlet water plumbing means;

the width sufficient to accommodate within the interior a mechanical room containing the water heater, fuel tank, and pressure tank and accessible through the mechanical room door;

the width sufficient to accommodate within the interior an electrical room containing the generator and air conditioning unit and accessible through a mechanical access door;

the height sufficient to comfortably accommodate within the interior persons wishing to shower, the electric wiring and lighting means, the inlet water plumbing means, and waste water outlet drainage means;

the shower unit having a shower stall, a changing area, a ceiling, a floor, an interior access partition, and accessible through the exterior access shower unit door; the ceiling having the lighting means attached so as to illuminate the shower stall and changing area, the floor having a shower stall floor drain and a changing area floor drain, the shower stall having the interior access partition, three walls, one wall of which is located opposite the interior access partition and upon which is located the timed water regulating system means, a shower head connected to an inlet shower water means which is connected to the inlet water plumbing means, a faucet control located on one of the walls and further connected to the inlet shower water means such that the faucet control can regulate the temperature and the flow of water flowing to the shower head, and said floor with the shower stall floor drain centered in the shower stall, and the shower stall floor drain being connected to the waste water outlet drainage means; the timed water regulating system means being connected to the inlet water plumbing means and the electrical means and operated by tokens such that a user would insert tokens into the timed water regulating system means to begin water flow in the shower stall; the timed water regulating system means being accessible through the mechanical access doors on side two of the trailered mobile shower facility unit; the changing area having a seat, two walls, the interior access partition, the exterior access shower unit door, and said floor with the changing area floor drain centered in the changing area, the changing area floor drain being connected to the waste water outlet drainage means;

the pressure tank having a pump to pump water from an outside source into the pressure tank;

the water heater and pressure tank connected to the inlet water plumbing means such that water from the pressure tank can flow into the water heater through a valve and out of the water heater through the inlet water plumbing means to the shower units for use in the shower stalls;

the fuel tank connected to the generator such that the fuel in the fuel tank can flow to the generator, thus providing fuel allowing the generator to generate electricity;

the air conditioner situated near the generator to provide cooling of the unit due to heat created by the generator;

the electrical means connecting the generator to the air conditioner, lighting means and timed water regulating system means such that electricity is provided to the air conditioner, lighting means and timed water regulating system means;

the waste water outlet drainage means being connected to the shower stall floor drain and the changing area floor drain such that the gray water from the shower stall and the changing area can flow into the waste water outlet drainage means and disposed of outside the trailed mobile shower facility unit;

whereby a user, choosing a queue line in front of one of the exterior access doors and waiting in the queue line for a turn to use the shower facility, then enters the changing area of the shower unit through the exterior access door, closes the exterior access door for privacy, disrobes and enters the shower stall with tokens, closes the interior access partition and inserts tokens into the timed water regulating system means, thereby starting the flow of water to the shower head for a determined period of time, the user also able to adjust the temperature and flow of the water with the faucet control, thus allowing the user to shower, and upon the determined period of time ending, the shower stops and the user opens the interior access partition and exits the shower stall, entering the changing area to dry off and dress, and after dressing, exits the shower unit through the exterior access door, thus providing another user the opportunity to use the shower facility.

2. The trailered mobile shower facility unit of claim 1, wherein the ceiling, floor, walls, and floor drains of the shower stall and changing area and the faucet control, inlet water plumbing means and timed water regulating system means are made of stainless steel.

3. The trailered mobile shower facility unit of claim 1, wherein the interior access partition is a door.

4. The trailered mobile shower facility unit of claim 1, wherein the interior access partition is a shower curtain.

5. The trailered mobile shower facility unit of claim 1, wherein the shower units number 11.

6. The trailered mobile shower facility unit of claim 1, wherein the changing area seat is a bench.

7. The trailered mobile shower facility unit of claim 1, having stairs and a hand railing at each exterior access door.

8. The trailered mobile shower facility unit of claim 1, having a towel and clothes hanger attached to one of the walls of the changing area.

9. A trailered mobile shower facility unit comprising a conventional semi-trailer structure with 6 wheels and having a length of 50 feet, a width of 98 inches, a height 10 feet 6 inches, an interior, an exterior, a side one and a side two, 11 exterior access shower unit doors on side one, a mechanical room door on side one, 4 mechanical access doors measuring 64 inches by 36 inches and one mechanical access door measuring 105 inches by 24 inches on side two, 11 shower units, a 125 gallon diesel fired water heater, a diesel fuel tank, a pressure tank, a 20 kilowatt DSL generator, a 5 ton air conditioning unit, an inlet water plumbing means, a waste water outlet drainage means, electric wiring and lighting means, and a stainless steel timed water regulating system means;

the shower unit being 37 inches long by 83 inches wide by 7 feet 6 inches tall, and having a shower stall being 37 inches long by 32 inches wide by 7 feet 6 inches tall, a changing area being 37 inches long by 50 inches wide by 7 feet 6 inches tall, a stainless steel ceiling, a stainless steel floor, an interior access partition, and accessible through the exterior access shower unit door; the ceiling having the lighting means attached so as to illuminate the shower stall and changing area, the floor having a stainless steel shower stall floor drain and a stainless steel changing area floor drain, the shower stall having the interior access partition, three stainless steel walls, one wall of which is located opposite the interior access partition and upon which is located the stainless steel timed water regulating system means, a stainless steel shower head connected to a stainless steel inlet shower water means which is connected to the inlet water plumbing means, a stainless steel faucet control located on one of the walls and further connected to the stainless steel inlet shower water means such that the stainless steel faucet control can regulate the temperature and the flow of water flowing to the stainless steel shower head, and said stainless steel floor with the stainless steel shower stall floor drain centered in the shower stall, and the stainless steel shower stall floor drain being connected to the waste water outlet drainage means; the stainless steel timed water regulating system means being connected to the inlet water plumbing means and the electrical means and operated by tokens such that a user would insert tokens into the timed water regulating system means to begin water flow in the shower stall; the stainless steel timed water regulating system means being accessible through the mechanical access doors on side two of the trailered mobile shower facility unit; the changing area having a seat, two stainless steel walls, a towel hanger and clothes hanger attached to one of the walls, the interior access partition, the exterior access shower unit door, and said stainless steel floor with the stainless steel changing area floor drain centered in the changing area, the stainless steel changing area floor drain being connected to the waste water outlet drainage means;

the pressure tank having a pump to pump water from an outside source into the pressure tank;

the water heater and pressure tank connected to the inlet water plumbing means such that water from the pressure tank can flow into the water heater through a valve and out of the water heater through the inlet water plumbing means to the shower units for use in the shower stalls;

the fuel tank connected to the generator such that the fuel in the fuel tank can flow to the generator, thus providing fuel allowing the generator to generate electricity;

the air conditioner situated near the generator to provide cooling of the unit due to heat created by the generator;

the electrical means connecting the generator to the air conditioner, lighting means and timed water regulating system means such that electricity is provided to the air conditioner, lighting means and timed water regulating system means;

the waste water outlet drainage means being connected to the shower stall floor drain and the changing area floor drain such that the gray water from the shower stall and the changing area can flow into the waste water outlet drainage means and disposed of outside the trailed mobile shower facility unit;

whereby a user, choosing a queue line in front of one of the exterior access doors and waiting in the queue line for a turn to use the shower facility, then enters the changing area of the shower unit through the exterior access door, closes the exterior access door for privacy, disrobes and enters the shower stall with tokens, closes the interior access partition and inserts tokens into the timed water regulating system means, thereby starting the flow of water to the shower head for a determined period of time, the user also able to adjust the temperature and flow of the water with the faucet control, thus allowing the user to shower, and upon the determined period of time ending, the shower stops and the user opens the interior access partition and exits the shower stall, entering the changing area to dry off and dress, and after dressing, exits the shower unit through the exterior access door, thus providing another user the opportunity to use the shower facility.