Urinal cartridge with improved performance
A cartridge for placement in a urinal includes a chamber having an entry for receiving wastewater (e.g., urine), a quantity of sealant floatable on the wastewater in the chamber for functioning as a barrier to odors that may otherwise emanate from the wastewater in the chamber, a sealant reservoir coupled to the chamber for containing a supply of the sealant, and a closed path sealant dispenser for dispensing the sealant from the sealant reservoir to the chamber for maintaining the sealant modicum atop the wastewater. The sealant dispenser includes a cap having a U-shaped channel, and opening, and an orifice entering into a throat in which the sealant floats. An air vent avoids the buildup of suction in the primary reservoir. A secondary reservoir may be coupled to the sealant reservoir primarily for retaining additional sealant, in addition to any wastewater that might accompany the sealant for conserving sealant, and is particularly useful to avoid the deleterious effects of water being dumped into cartridge, particularly, sealant that is flushed out and into drain through the outlet-to-drain compartment, which flushing has a minimal effect on the sealant in the secondary reservoir. If desired, a water reservoir may be housed within the cartridge.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Applications No. 60/814,279, filed 16 Jun. 2006, entitled “Urinal Cartridge with Increased Sediment Collection” and No. 60/878,635, filed 3 Jan. 2007, entitled “Urinal Cartridge with Improved Performance.”
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to an essentially water free urinal cartridge and, in particular, to a cartridge having a reservoir for retaining sealant, a minimal area for sealant floating on wastewater and, if desired, a secondary sealant-retaining reservoir, and a water reservoir.
Prior water free cartridges required the external supply of a sealant, used to float on wastewater, when such cartridges were placed into operation in a urinal. Thus, a maintenance worker needed to travel with containers of sealant replacement containers in addition to the cartridges. Moreover, problems arose relating to the loss of sealant such as occasioned by the dumping of water into the cartridge which would flush the sealant into the drain. Repeated loss of the sealant would significantly reduce the life usage of the cartridge.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThese and other problems are successfully addressed and overcome by the present invention by including at least one reservoir, a primary reservoir, within the cartridge; if desired, a secondary sealant reservoir may be used. The primary reservoir provides an immediate supply of sealant to the wastewater-inlet or receiving chamber. The secondary reservoir forms an overflow source which is minimally affected by pressure differentials and turbulence exerted on the wastewater-receiving chamber due to excessive fluid flow, such as through the dumping of water into the cartridge. As an added potential guard against loss of sealant, the wastewater-receiving chamber is configured with a minimum area, a throat, where the sealant is floated on the wastewater. Further, the wastewater outlet-to-drain compartment is sufficiently large as to prevent siphoning of liquid within the cartridge should a negative pressure differential exist across the cartridge trap or should their be any excessive amount of fluid dumped into the cartridge. The cartridge acts as a trap for blocking sewer gases and/or wastewater odors from fouling the restroom.
Several advantages are derived from this arrangement. Sealant loss is minimized; conversely, sealant use is maximized. Siphoning of liquid from the cartridge, such as resulting from excessive fluid flow into the cartridge is guarded against. Cartridge useful life is extended.
Other aims and advantages, as well as a more complete understanding of the present invention, will appear from the following explanation of exemplary embodiments and the accompanying drawings thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the following exposition, a first embodiment has openings to a secondary reservoir or chamber for holding sealant and any wastewater that may accompany it. The second embodiment has a modification of the first embodiment in which such openings are not employed and, therefore, do not utilize the secondary reservoir or chamber. The third embodiment utilizes a water reservoir. Consistent therewith, the figure numbering and indicia attendant to the components depicted in the figures relevant to the second embodiment modification use numerals and the letter “M” and, for the third embodiment, indicia using the letter “x”; otherwise, there are no other distinguishing features made among the three embodiments. The three preferred embodiments can be used individually or in combination
Accordingly, as shown in
Intermediate portion 54/54M (see also
As depicted in
As exemplarily illustrated primarily in
From the above description, it is apparent (e.g., see
Cartridge 50 opens to its exterior through an entry 122 (e.g.,
A pair of fins 926 and 928 (
Some of the suction exerted on the contents of the secondary reservoir via sealant protection recovery channel 222 is directed on the lower depth fluids therein as directed thereto by a pair of fins 948 that extend downwardly from channel 222 into the lower depths of reservoir 220 (see
In addition, opening 936/936x is made sufficiently large as not to restrict fluid flow, and thus to encourage all fluid entering through vent openings 124 to drain through opening 936/936x. Further, the positioning of opening 936/936x is sufficiently low so that the water dumping, which would agitate the sealant bubbles, would not be sufficient as to cause the bubbles to float down to the level of opening 936 and, therefore, otherwise pass therethrough.
With reference to
As illustrated in
As best shown in
Referring now primarily to
These sealings at junctions 157 and 159 produce a closed chamber (secondary reservoir 220) defined by the exterior surface (indicium 156b) of lower extending part 156, lower surface 146 of chamber divider 140, and several of the interior surfaces of intermediate portion 54 (e.g., see
The juncture between upper and lower extending parts 154 and 156 defines a narrowed throat 158 (e.g., see
As best seen in
As shown in
Reference is now made to
As illustrated in
Referring back to chamber divider 140 and
A cap 180 (
Cap 180 is provided with flair tips 946 at one end thereof for key positioning it in place in chamber divider 140, to ensure that the slope of U-shaped channel 182 is properly oriented towards orifice 160 in narrowed throat 158 and thus to ensure proper flow of the sealant into the throat.
Sealant reservoir 190 (
Sealant reservoir fill hole 191 (see
As illustrated in
As depicted in
For use in the first embodiment and as depicted in
In preparation for use of cartridge 50, fluid passage opening 160 communicating between sealant reservoir 190 with throat 158 in wastewater-receiving compartment 96 is sealed. Specifically, as depicted in
Sealant reservoir 190 is then filled with sealant through its fill hole 191 which, thereafter, is sealed by sealing plug 940.
In operation, a maintenance person, or the like, then prepares the cartridges for use. Water is poured through entry 122 and into bottom portion 56, as shown in
The maintenance person then grasps sealant seal tape 234 and pulls it and plug 232 from sealant reservoir opening or orifice 160. This procedure enables sealant 238 to be released from sealant reservoir 190 and to flow through filter 176 and orifice limiter 172, along downwardly sloping cap 180 and its U-shaped channel 182 into throat 158, as depicted by arrow-headed lines 244 in
Entry of urine into cartridge 50 passes through sealant 238 and mixes with the dispersed water. Thus, only a modicum 242 of the sealant remaining floating on the surface of the mixture of water and wastewater in primary chamber 106. If desired, a larger quantity than a modicum may be used. This modicum 242 of the sealant functions as a barrier to odors that may otherwise emanate from the wastewater in chamber 106. Any surplus of the wastewater mixture which is greater than can be accommodated in (primary) wastewater inlet chamber 106, passes into wastewater inlet-to-outlet chamber 108 and over second weir 92 into wastewater outlet-to-drain compartment 98 and thence to the external drain. Some of this wastewater which is at a level that is higher than that of hook-shaped rounded end 112 of second weir 92 flows through passageway 116 and into wastewater treatment tablet compartment 58 and into contact with tablets 60. The thus treated wastewater is also directed into the eternal drain for cleansing and other sanitary purposes.
Rounded terminal end 110 of first weir 90 and hook-shaped rounded end 112 of second weir 92 are positioned so as to provide a complimentary matching therebetween to enable the volume of (primary) wastewater inlet chamber 106 to be substantially the same as wastewater inlet-to-outlet chamber 108 and, thus, to ameliorate the problems of negative pressure differential across the cartridge trap.
It is also an important feature of the present invention that the volume of wastewater outlet-to-drain compartment 98 and that in (primary) wastewater inlet chamber 106 and wastewater inlet-to-outlet chamber 108 are such as to avoid siphoning; that is, the wastewater outlet-to-drain compartment 98 is sufficiently large to prevent siphoning of liquid within the cartridge if a negative pressure differential exists across the cartridge trap or if any bucket of water is dumped into the cartridge.
As a further important feature of the present invention, in its first embodiment, the amount of sealant, as released from the sealant reservoir and floating on the dispersed water prior to urination is beyond what is needed for modicum 242 to exist in throat 158. This excess of sealant flows into secondary chamber 220 through second wastewater entry passageway 162. Therefore, should the modicum of the sealant be lost (e.g., by excessive flow of fluid into primary chamber 106) by its passage into wastewater inlet-to-outlet chamber 108 and thence into wastewater outlet-to-drain compartment 98, the reserved sealant in the secondary chamber is available for refurnishing the lost sealant modicum. The result is to limit excessive loss of sealant.
As stated above, the reason for orifice 162 and opening 936 is to use secondary reservoir 220 as a backup tank into which sealant and wastewater can be flowed. Orifice 162 allows a slow flow between the liquids in throat 158 and the secondary reservoir, as aided by sealant protection recovery channel 222. Although orifice 162 can be used alone without opening 936, it is preferred to use both orifices together. The main purpose of the secondary reservoir is to avoid the deleterious effects of when a bucket of water is dumped into cartridge 50. When dumping occurs, sealant in the first wastewater inlet chamber 106 can be flushed out of that chamber and into the drain through outlet-to-drain compartment 98, but this flushing has a minimal effect on the sealant in the secondary reservoir.
If the above features afforded by orifice 162, along with fins 948, and opening 936 in the first embodiment are not required or desired, these elements can be dispensed with, as illustrated in the figures identified by the figure numbering and indicia attendant to the components depicted therein relevant to the second embodiment modification using the numerals and the letter “M”.
Reference is now made to
As depicted in
As depicted, for example, in
Operation of this embodiment is the same as that as that previously described, except for the additional use of the water reservoir. Here, both the water and sealant reservoirs 100 and 190 are filled with their respective fluids, and sealed by their respective fill hole seals 104 and 232. These preliminary operations are performed, such as in the cartridge manufacturing plant, and these ready-for-shipping cartridges are distributed to their locations for placement in urinals.
A maintenance person, or the like, then prepares the cartridges for use, first by grasping water seal tape 232 and pulling it and its seal 104 from water reservoir opening 102. This procedure releases water into bottom portion 56. The level of dispersed water 236 contacts the bottom of first weir 90, effectively separating wastewater-receiving compartment 96 into (primary) wastewater inlet chamber 106 and wastewater inlet-to-outlet chamber 108. The maintenance person then proceeds with the unsealing of the sealant reservoir, as previously delimited with respect to the prior embodiments.
Although the invention has been described with respect to particular embodiments thereof, it should be realized that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Claims
1. A cartridge for placement in a urinal comprising:
- a chamber having an opening for receiving wastewater;
- a quantity of sealant floatable on the wastewater in said chamber functioning as a barrier to odors from the wastewater in said chamber;
- a reservoir coupled to said chamber containing a supply of the sealant; and
- a dispenser for dispensing the sealant from said reservoir to said chamber for maintaining the quantity of the sealant floating on the wastewater.
2. The cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising a wastewater outlet-to-drain compartment coupled to said opening, wherein said wastewater outlet-to-drain compartment is sufficiently large as to prevent siphoning of liquid within the cartridge should a negative pressure differential exist across a cartridge trap or should there be any excessive amount of fluid dumped into the cartridge.
3. The cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising:
- a secondary chamber coupled to said sealant reservoir;
- an entry having an access to said chamber, having an opening for receiving wastewater, for insertion of fluids therein and at least one vent adjacent to said opening;
- a sealant protection recovery channel having openings coupled between said entry and said secondary chamber; and
- an antisiphoning aid positioned adjacent to the at least one vent at one of the openings of said sealant protection recovery channel, said aid minimizing the loss of sealant that may occur when excessive fluid is dumped into said chamber.
4. The cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising an intermediate portion, top and bottom portions fittable respectively on opposed ends of said intermediate portion, and a divider positioned adjacent to and secured to said top portion for defining said reservoir.
5. The cartridge according to claim 4, wherein:
- said top portion includes an opening for receiving and directing the wastewater into said chamber; and
- said sealant dispenser includes a passageway for conducting the sealant from said reservoir into said chamber, and a flow-limiting orifice positioned between said passageway and said reservoir for metering the amount of sealant to be supplied from said reservoir to said chamber and for supplying additional sealant for any sealant lost from said chamber.
6. The cartridge according to claim 5, further comprising a sealant reservoir release seal for sealing said sealant passageway from said chamber, and a sealant reservoir release seal removal device secured to said sealant reservoir seal for enabling removal of said sealant reservoir seal.
7. The cartridge according to claim 6, wherein said seal removal device extends through said opening for enabling said device to be grasped by an operator for removal of said sealant reservoir seal.
8. The cartridge according to claim 5, wherein an entry opening opens into said chamber and further comprising a secondary chamber, an orifice between said entry having an access to said chamber and said secondary chamber whereby said secondary chamber collects excess of the sealant and supplies additional sealant atop the wastewater in said entry for maintaining a desired amount of sealant.
9. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein:
- said chamber includes an inlet through which said wastewater passes into said chamber, said inlet establishes a fluid level defining a position of where said wastewater with sealant floating thereon exists; and
- said dispenser comprises an orifice, a filter and a flow path exiting above said wastewater and said fluid level for providing a source of the sealant.
10. The cartridge according to claim 9, wherein said inlet has a diameter which is small with respect to said chamber as to enable said chamber to limit the escape of wastewater vapor.
11. The cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising:
- an intermediate portion and top and bottom portions fittable respectively on opposed ends of said intermediate portion, wherein said intermediate and bottom portions form said wastewater-receiving chamber and said bottom portion forms an undersurface for said wastewater-receiving chamber;
- a wastewater outlet chamber coupled to said wastewater-receiving chamber;
- a first baffle disposed in said wastewater-receiving chamber for separation thereof into a primary section coupled to said chamber opening and an exit section coupled to said wastewater outlet chamber, wherein said first baffle is sloped away from said wastewater outlet chamber for directing the wastewater and any sealant therein in a direction away from said exit section and said outlet chamber for enabling the conservation of the sealant; and
- a second baffle disposed between said exit section and said wastewater outlet chamber for conveyance of the wastewater to an external drain.
12. The cartridge according to claim 11, wherein said second baffle has a rounded end to militate against hair and other debris from sticking thereto.
13. The cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising:
- an intermediate portion and top and bottom portions fittable respectively on opposed ends of said intermediate portion, wherein said intermediate and bottom portions form said wastewater-receiving chamber and said bottom portion forms an undersurface for said wastewater-receiving chamber;
- a wastewater outlet chamber coupled to said wastewater-receiving chamber; and
- a baffle disposed between said exit section and said wastewater outlet chamber for conveyance of the wastewater to an external drain.
14. The cartridge according to claim 13, wherein said baffle has a rounded end to militate against hair and other debris from sticking thereto.
15. The cartridge according to claim 14, wherein:
- said wastewater outlet chamber comprises an enclosure enclosed by walls; and
- said baffle is secured to said walls and is provided with a terminal overhang that extends into said wastewater outlet chamber to provide a waterfall effect that directs the wastewater generally away from said walls.
16. The cartridge according to claim 15, wherein said terminal overhang slopes downwardly from said walls to direct the wastewater away from said walls.
17. The cartridge according to claim 16, wherein said terminal overhang slopes inwardly from said walls further to direct the wastewater away from said walls.
18. The cartridge according to claim 13, further comprising a compartment containing post-treatment chemicals for treating wastewater exiting from said wastewater outlet chamber.
19. A cartridge (50) for placement in a urinal comprising:
- (A-1) top (52), intermediate (54) and bottom (56) portions;
- (B-1) a compartment (58) containing wastewater treatment tablets (60), and having an opening (62) for receipt of wastewater (64) and an outlet (66) couplable to an external drain;
- (C-1) said intermediate portion (54) comprising a platform (68) having upper (70) and lower (72) surfaces with openings (76, 74) therethrough, and upper (78) and lower (80) parts joined respectively to said upper (70) and lower (72) surfaces, (C-1a) said upper part (78) including an upstanding enclosure (82), (C-1b) said intermediate portion lower part (80) including a compartmentalizing wall structure, in which (C-1b-I) a plurality of wall segments (84, 85, 86, 88) divide said compartmentalizing wall structure into a wastewater-receiving compartment (96), and a wastewater outlet-to-drain compartment (98), (C-1b-II) a first weir (90) divides said wastewater-receiving compartment (96) into a (primary) wastewater inlet chamber (106) and a wastewater inlet-to-outlet chamber (108) and forms a separation therebetween, wherein said first weir (90) slopes downwardly to a terminal end (110) in said (primary) wastewater inlet chamber (106) and away from said wastewater inlet-to-outlet chamber (108) for directing the wastewater (64) away from said wastewater inlet-to-outlet chamber, (C-1b-III) a second weir (92) is secured to and between a parallel pair (86a, 88a) of said wall segments (86, 88) and forms another one of said wall segments between said wastewater inlet-to-outlet chamber (108) and said wastewater outlet-to-drain compartment (98), (C-1b-IIIa) wherein said second weir (92) has an inwardly sloped ridged and hook-shaped rounded end (112) which is sloped downwardly from said parallel pair (86a, 86b) of said wall segments (86, 88) and which extends into said wastewater outlet-to-drain compartment (98) for providing a terminal overhang (90) that effects a waterfall-like effect whereby the wastewater is directed generally away from said parallel pair (86a, 86b) of said wall segments (86, 88) and said second weir (92) (as defining said wastewater outlet-to-drain compartment (98)), thus further militating against the adherence of hair and other debris to said hook-shaped rounded end (112), (C-1c) wherein said (primary) wastewater inlet chamber (106) communicates with a first (74) of said upper and lower surface openings, and both said wastewater inlet-to-outlet chamber (108) and said wastewater outlet-to-drain compartment (98) communicates with a second (76) of said upper and lower surface openings, (C-1c-I) a seat (114) positioned on said intermediate portion platform lower surface (72) adjacent said compartmentalizing wall structure for enabling the seating and attachment of said treatment tablet compartment (58) to said intermediate portion platform (68), and (C-1c-II) a passageway (116) positioned in said intermediate portion platform (68) at a height above said second weir hook-shaped rounded end (112) for coupling said wastewater inlet-to-outlet chamber (108) to said seat (114) and to said treatment tablet compartment (58) for supply of some of the wastewater (64) to said treatment tablets (60);
- (D-1) said top portion (52) secured to said intermediate portion (54) and having upper (118) and lower (120) surfaces with openings (122, 124) therethrough, in which (D-1a) a first (122) of said openings comprises a wastewater opening for passage of the wastewater into said (primary) wastewater inlet chamber (106) of said intermediate portion wastewater-receiving compartment (96), (D-1b) a second (124) of said openings comprises a plurality of air vent openings and passageways (130) extending downwardly from said top portion lower surface and being spaced from said wastewater opening (122), and (D-1c) an air vent-assisting guiding structure (132) and a tubular extension (916) positioned adjacent to said wastewater entry opening and extending downwardly from said top portion lower surface (120);
- (E-1) a chamber divider (140) including a platform (142) having upper (144) and lower (146) surfaces, and upper and lower parts joined respectively to said upper and lower surfaces, and further including (E-1a) a wastewater entry passageway (152) which comprises (1) a first part (154) extending upwardly from said upper surface (144) of said chamber divider into sealing securement to said lower surface (120) of said top portion, (2) a second part extending downwardly and flaring out from said lower surface (146) of said chamber divider into said intermediate portion (primary) wastewater inlet chamber (106), and (3) a narrowed throat (158) whose location is defined substantially at where it is attached to said chamber divider platform (142), which narrowed throat normally functions as the wastewater surface site, (E-1b) said wastewater entry passageway (152) further including first (160) and second (162) normally placed orifices adjacent said chamber divider platform (142) surfaces and in said narrowed throat (158), (E-1c) a first cover portion (164) which is configured as a dome which covers both said wastewater inlet-to-outlet chamber (108) and said wastewater outlet-to-drain compartment (98) and which is sealed to said second (76) of said upper and lower surface openings, and (E-1d) a second cover portion (166) which covers said (primary) wastewater inlet chamber (106) and has openings. (168, 170) therein, wherein (1) a first (168) of said second cover portion openings communicates with said first (74) of said intermediate portion upper and lower surface openings, and (2) a second (170) of said second cover portion openings forms a sealant flow limiting orifice (172) and a seat (174) for a sealant filter pad (176), and said second cover portion includes a vent tube (178) extending upwardly therefrom and from said first (168) of said second cover portion openings, said vent tube (178) and said second (170) of said second cover portion openings sealingly interfit with said air vent-assisting guiding structure (132) and said tubular extension (916) of said top portion to form a vent tube-opening path, (E-1e) whereby, a generally donut-shaped sealant reservoir (190) sealable by a seal (232) is formed when said chamber divider (140) is secured to said top portion (52) and to said intermediate portion (54), said platform upper surface (70) thereof, said circumscribing intermediate portion upper part upstanding enclosure (82), and said wastewater entry passageway first part (154) of said chamber divider (140), (E-1f) a cap (180) on said lower surface (146) of said chamber divider (140) covering said first openings (168, 170) in said second cover portion (166) for forming a conduit from said divider first openings (168, 170) to said first wastewater entry passageway orifice (160) whereby, because of said vent tube-opening path, pressure is equalized between said throat (158) and said air vent-assisting guiding structure (132) to permit air to pass from said throat through said air vent-assisting guiding structure so as not to unduly impede flow of the sealant from said sealant reservoir (190) into said throat,
- (F-1) said bottom portion (56) comprising (F-1a) a cap part (196) secured to and forming a fluid-tight closure both with said intermediate portion (54) at an end (83b) thereof opposite to where (83a) said top portion is secured thereto and to said second weir (92), and (F-1b) an extension part (198) secured to said wastewater outlet-to-drain compartment (98) for coupling to the external drain;
- (G-1) a secondary chamber (220) which is positioned adjacent to said (primary) wastewater inlet chamber (106) and communicates therewith through said wastewater entry passageway (152) whereby, when sealant (238) is supplied from said sealant reservoir (190) through said first wastewater entry passageway (160) into said narrowed throat (158) of said wastewater entry passageway, both a modicum (242) of the sealant is caused to float on the surface of any fluid (such as water and wastewater) in said primary chamber (106) for functioning as a barrier to odors that may otherwise emanate from the wastewater in said chamber and a further provision of the sealant is caused to flow into said secondary chamber (220) through said second wastewater entry passageway (162), whereupon, should said modicum of the sealant be lost by passage into said wastewater outlet-to-drain compartment (98), the further sealant in said secondary chamber refurnishes the lost sealant modicum, thereby limiting excessive loss of the sealant;
- (H-1) a plurality of air vent passageways (192), equal in number to said top portion air vent openings and passageways (130), extending upwardly from said chamber divider platform (142) and coupled to said top portion passageways (130) for providing air vents from said secondary chamber (220) to said top portion air vent openings (124) and the exterior thereof; and
- (I-1) a pull tape (234) secured to said sealant reservoir seal (232) and extending out of said top portion entry (122) for manipulation by an operator for removal of said seal when said cartridge is readied for use in the urinal.
20. The cartridge according to claim 19, wherein said outlet-to-drain compartment is sufficiently large so as to militate against any siphoning of the wastewater and the sealant from said primary chamber.
21. A cartridge (50) for placement in a urinal comprising:
- (A-1) top (52), intermediate (54) and bottom (56) portions;
- (B-1) a compartment (58) containing wastewater treatment tablets (60), and having an entry (62) for receipt of wastewater (64) and an outlet (66) couplable to an external drain;
- (C-1) said intermediate portion (54) comprising a platform (68) having upper (70) and lower (72) surfaces with openings (76, 74) therethrough, and upper (78) and lower (80) parts joined respectively to said upper (70) and lower (72) surfaces, (C-1a) said upper part (78) including an upstanding enclosure (82), (C-1b) said intermediate portion lower part (80) including a compartmentalizing wall structure, in which (C-1b-I) a plurality of wall segments (84, 85, 86, 88) divide said compartmentalizing wall structure into a wastewater-receiving compartment (96), and a wastewater outlet-to-drain compartment (98), (C-1b-II) a first weir (90) divides said wastewater-receiving compartment (96) into a (primary) wastewater inlet chamber (106) and a wastewater inlet-to-outlet chamber (108) and forms a separation therebetween, wherein said first weir (90) slopes downwardly to a terminal end (110) in said (primary) wastewater inlet chamber (106) and away from said wastewater inlet-to-outlet chamber (108) for directing the wastewater (64) away from said wastewater inlet-to-outlet chamber, (C-1b-III) a second weir (92) is secured to and between a parallel pair (86a, 88a) of said wall segments (86, 88) and forms another one of said wall segments between said wastewater inlet-to-outlet chamber (108) and said wastewater outlet-to-drain compartment (98), (C-1b-IIIa) wherein said second weir (92) has an inwardly sloped ridged and hook-shaped rounded end (112) which is sloped downwardly from said parallel pair (86a, 86b) of said wall segments (86, 88) and which extends into said wastewater outlet-to-drain compartment (98) for providing a terminal overhang (90) that effects a waterfall-like effect whereby the wastewater is directed generally away from said parallel pair (86a, 86b) of said wall segments (86, 88) and said second weir (92) (as defining said wastewater outlet-to-drain compartment (98)), thus further militating against the adherence of hair and other debris to said hook-shaped rounded end (112), (C-1c) wherein said (primary) wastewater inlet chamber (106) communicates with a first (74) of said upper and lower surface openings, and both said wastewater inlet-to-outlet chamber (108) and said wastewater outlet-to-drain compartment (98) communicates with a second (76) of said upper and lower surface openings, (C-1c-I) a seat (114) positioned on said intermediate portion platform lower surface (72) adjacent said compartmentalizing wall structure for enabling the seating and attachment of said treatment tablet compartment (58) to said intermediate portion platform (68), and (C-1c-II) a passageway (116) positioned in said intermediate portion platform (68) at a height above said second weir hook-shaped rounded end (112) for coupling said wastewater inlet-to-outlet chamber (108) to said seat (114) and to said treatment tablet compartment (58) for supply of some of the wastewater (64) to said treatment tablets (60);
- (D-1) said top portion (52) secured to said intermediate portion (54) and having upper (118) and lower (120) surfaces with openings (122, 124) therethrough, in which (D-1a) a first (122) of said openings comprises a wastewater entry for passage of the wastewater into said (primary) wastewater inlet chamber (106) of said intermediate portion wastewater-receiving compartment (96), (D-1b) a second (124) of said openings comprises a plurality of air vent openings and passageways (130) extending downwardly from said top portion lower surface and being spaced from said wastewater entry opening (122), and (D-1c) an air vent-assisting guiding structure (132) and a tubular extension (916) positioned adjacent to said wastewater entry opening and extending downwardly from said top portion lower surface (120);
- (E-1) a chamber divider (140) including a platform (142) having upper (144) and lower (146) surfaces, and upper and lower parts joined respectively to said upper and lower surfaces, and further including (E-1a) a wastewater entry passageway (152) which comprises (1) a first part (154) extending upwardly from said upper surface (144) of said chamber divider into sealing securement to said lower surface (120) of said top portion, (2) a second part extending downwardly and flaring out from said lower surface (146) of said chamber divider into said intermediate portion (primary) wastewater inlet chamber (106), and (3) a narrowed throat (158) whose location is defined substantially at where it is attached to said chamber divider platform (142), which narrowed throat normally functions as the wastewater surface site, (E-1b) said wastewater entry passageway (152) further including an orifice (160) adjacent said chamber divider platform (142) surfaces and in said narrowed throat (158), (E-1c) a first cover portion (164) which is configured as a dome which covers both said wastewater inlet-to-outlet chamber (108) and said wastewater outlet-to-drain compartment (98) and which is sealed to said second (76) of said upper and lower surface openings, and (E-1d) a second cover portion (166) which covers said (primary) wastewater inlet chamber (106) and has openings (168, 170) therein, wherein (1) a first (168) of said second cover portion openings communicates with said first (74) of said intermediate portion upper and lower surface openings, and (2) a second (170) of said second cover portion openings forms a sealant flow limiting orifice (172) and a seat (174) for a sealant filter pad (176), and said second cover portion includes a vent tube (178) extending upwardly therefrom and from said first (168) of said second cover portion openings, said vent tube (178) and said second (170) of said second cover portion openings interfit with said air vent-assisting guiding structure (132) and said tubular extension (916) of said top portion to form a vent tube-opening path, (E-1e) whereby, a generally donut-shaped sealant reservoir (190) sealable by a seal (232) is formed when said chamber divider (140) is secured to said top portion (52) and to said intermediate portion (54), said platform upper surface (70) thereof, said circumscribing intermediate portion upper part upstanding enclosure (82), and said wastewater entry passageway first part (154) of said chamber divider (140), (E-1f) a cap (180) on said lower surface (146) of said chamber divider (140) covering said first openings (168, 170) in said second cover portion (166) for forming a conduit from said divider first openings (168, 170) to said first wastewater entry passageway orifice (160) whereby, because of said vent tube-opening path, pressure is equalized between said throat (158) and said air vent-assisting guiding structure (132) to permit air to pass from said throat through said air vent-assisting guiding structure so as not to unduly impede flow of the sealant from said sealant reservoir (190) into said throat,
- (F-1) said bottom portion (56) comprising (F-1a) a cap part (196) secured to and forming a fluid-tight closure both with said intermediate portion (54) at an end (83b) thereof opposite to where (83a) said top portion is secured thereto and to said second weir (92), and (F-1b) an extension part (198) secured to said wastewater outlet-to-drain compartment (98) for coupling to the external drain;
- (G-1) a pull tape (234) secured to said sealant reservoir seal (232) and extending out of said top portion entry (122) for manipulation by an operator for removal of said seal when said cartridge is readied for use in the urinal.
22. A cartridge for placement in a urinal comprising:
- a chamber having an opening for receiving wastewater;
- sealant operable to float on the wastewater in said chamber for functioning as a barrier to odors from the wastewater in said chamber; and
- a reservoir having a coupling to said chamber for establishing a sealant communication path therebetween.
23. The cartridge according to claim 22, wherein said chamber includes a throat at its ingress, the breadth of the throat is narrower than that of said chamber to provide a minimum area for the sealant residing therein.
24. The cartridge according to claim 23, wherein said coupling has an orifice in said throat for defining an end to said communication path.
25. The cartridge according to claim 24, wherein said reservoir, further comprising a source for supplying the sealant within said throat when the sealant therein is diminished.
26. The cartridge according to claim 22, wherein said reservoir is capable of receiving sealant obtained from said chamber, and of redispensing and resupplying the sealant into said chamber.
27. The cartridge according to claim 22, wherein said reservoir further comprises a supply of the sealant for operating as a primary sealant dispensing source, and a secondary reservoir for receiving the sealant as overflow from said primary reservoir.
28. The cartridge according to claim 27, further comprising a water reservoir for dispensing water into said cartridge.
29. The cartridge according to claim 22, further comprising a water reservoir for dispensing water into said cartridge.
30. A cartridge for placement in a urinal including:
- a chamber having an entry for receiving wastewater;
- a quantity of sealant floatable on the wastewater in said chamber, for containing a supply of water for supply thereof to said chamber; and
- a closure, having a blocked position for preventing the supply of the water to said chamber and an open position for permitting the supply of water.
31. The cartridge according to claim 3, wherein said antisiphoning aid comprises at least one fin.
32. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein
- said dispenser includes a passageway for conducting the sealant from said reservoir into said chamber, and a flow-limiting orifice positioned between said passageway and said reservoir to said chamber and for supplying additional sealant for any sealant lost from said chamber.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 15, 2007
Publication Date: Feb 7, 2008
Inventors: Michael Higgins (La Habra Heights, CA), Robert Avetisian (Pico Riviera, CA), Erik Brown (Brea, CA), Thomas Helbig (Russelsheim)
Application Number: 11/812,242
International Classification: A47K 11/12 (20060101);