Lighted portable toilet

Abstract

A portable toilet has a cabin, a water closet in the cabin, a light-transmitting roof upwardly closing the cabin and having an outer edge, and a vent pipe projecting upward through the roof. A light fixture for the toilet has a housing adapted to fit in an installed position against an outer face of the roof and having a throughgoing hole fittable over the vent pipe and a side turned toward the roof. A light source in the housing is energizeable to emit light from the side through the roof and into the cabin. A latch formation on the housing is engageable with the rim to secure the housing to the roof.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a portable toilet. More particularly this invention concerns a portable toilet having an at least partially transparent roof, a vent pipe projecting up through the roof, and an electrical light fixture normally mounted under the roof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Portable toilet facilities of this type are well-known in multiple forms in the art. When they are equipped with electrical light fixtures, these devices are normally mounted inside the cabin on the roof and powered from the power grid or from a source independent of the power grid, such as, for example, a battery.

This light fixture inside the portable toilet is often destroyed by vandals, with the result that the portable toilet cannot be used. The battery may also, for example, be drained, with the result that the light fixture cannot continue to provide light. As a result, such a portable toilet can only be utilized to a limited extent or not at all when conditions are dark.

A lighting system, for example, for a portable toilet was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,402,338, which is an outside-mount system fitting through the roof. In order to attach this type of lighting system, the roof of the cabin must have a hole into which parts of the lighting system are installed from outside inward in order to illuminate the portable toilet from the inside. This necessitates an increased assembly cost, and this lighting system too is not protected from being destroyed from inside the toilet. If the portable toilet is to be used without the light fixture, for instance for a daytime event, the hole would need to be fitted with a plug. This hole, however, is necessary both to get light into the cabin and to provide a secure mount for the light fixture.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved portable toilet.

Another object is the provision of such an improved portable toilet that overcomes the above-given disadvantages, in particular that can be quickly and easily installed on and taken off the toilet, and that allows existing portable toilet facilities without illumination to be quickly and easily retrofitted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

These objects are obtained by the combination of a portable toilet and an electric light fixture. The portable toilet has according to the invention a cabin, a water closet in the cabin, a light-transmitting roof upwardly closing the cabin and having an outer edge, and a vent pipe projecting upward through the roof. The light fixture has a housing adapted to fit in an installed position against an outer face of the roof and having a throughgoing hole fittable over the vent pipe and a side turned toward the roof. A light source in the housing is energizeable to emit light from the side through the roof and into the cabin. A latch formation on the housing is engageable with the rim to secure the housing to the roof, and is normally formed J-shaped or like a hook to solidly lock the light fixture to the roof.

A light fixture of this type can be quickly and easily attached in or on the portable toilet without the aid of tools, or, for example, drilling a perforation into the roof of the cabin. To this end, the light fixture with its throughgoing hole is mounted on the vent pipe and then rests roughly flat on the roof of the cabin. As a result, the light fixture is matched to the contour of the roof and is difficult to recognize as an external light fixture. It can be used on any existing portable toilet with a light-transmitting roof and a vent pipe.

The light fixture is attached to the roof, or to the rim of the roof, by retaining components or latch formations, and therefore cannot be removed nondestructively.

A light fixture of this type emits light into the portable toilet through the light-emitting surface or light-emitting opening via the translucent roof of the portable toilet. As a result, no light fixture is present inside the cabin that could be destroyed, for example, by vandals.

A light fixture of this type can be attached, for example, immediately during manufacture of the portable toilet facilities, or also subsequently on or in existing toilet facilities. As a result, the invention enables existing toilet facilities without illumination to be quickly and easily retrofitted without the aid of tools. Similarly, a company renting out such toilets can offer the light fixture as an extra, not needed for installations where only daylight use is contemplated.

To provide especially quick and easy installation of the housing of the light fixture on a rim of the roof, provision can be made in an especially preferred approach whereby the retaining components or latch formations reach around and interfit with the rim of the roof close to the pipe. In an especially preferred approach, the rim of the roof projects beyond the point where the side wall of the cabin meets the lower side of the roof.

The retaining and latch formations of the housing thus fits around the rim of the roof that in turn projects beyond the side wall of the cabin. The fact that the rim of the of the roof is complementary fitted prevents removal of the light fixture from the vent pipe, for example, approximately vertically. In addition, this approach secures the light fixture in the desired installation position.

In an especially preferred approach, provision can furthermore be made here whereby the throughgoing hole of the housing is designed as an elongated hole extending with its longer dimension from the vent pipe to the adjacent rim, and the roof slopes downward from the center toward the rim, with the result that, in the desired installation position in which the housing is sloped in a manner corresponding to the roof pitch, the uphill side of the hole fits the uphill side of the cross-sectionally circular vent pipe.

Particularly for vent pipes, the diameter decreases upward to impart an upward taper or frustoconical shape to it, this approach provides a tight and thus play-free fit for the uphill side of the hole of the housing against the vent pipe. At the same time, it achieves a secure seat for the light fixture in the desired installation position.

In order to create an especially secure grip on the roof or to the rim of the roof, provision can be made in an especially preferred approach whereby the retaining or latch formations are rigid. This enables the partially flexible rim of the roof to be complementary fitted with a rigid body, thereby providing a secure and fixed grip for the light fixture on the rim of the roof despite the flexibility of the rim of the roof, normally made of plastic.

In addition, provision can be made in an especially preferred approach whereby the housing is of two-part design, a first housing part having the light source and the hole while a second housing part has the retaining or latch formations. The housing parts telescope in each other so that the can move between an open preinstallation position in which they are spread apart and the spacing between the latch formations and the hole is greater than that corresponding to the distance of the vent pipe from the adjacent rim of the roof, and a closed installation position in which this spacing is reduced and the retaining or latch formations fit around the rim of the roof.

A light fixture of this design is mounted in a first step approximately vertically on the vent pipe of the portable toilet and placed on the outer surface of the roof. In a subsequent step, the second housing part carrying the retaining or latch formations is pushed into the first housing part. In this desired installation position, the second housing part along with its retaining or latch formations rests tightly against the rim of the roof and fits around this rim.

In order to prevent the light fixture from being opened and thus removed from the portable toilet, provision can be made in an especially preferred approach whereby a lock is mounted in the housing to lock the two housing parts in the closed or retracted installation position. Hence, a light fixture attached in this way to a toilet also cannot be removed from the roof of the cabin either vertically or approximately horizontally. In terms of any removal vertically, the light fixture is secured by the retaining or latch formations fitting around the rim of the roof. Removal approximately horizontally is also impossible since the hole uphill side of the hole rests on the vent pipe, thereby preventing any movement of the light fixture parallel to the plane of the roof in a direction unhooking the latch from the roof rim. Thus any unauthorized detachment of the light fixture is impossible.

In order to enable the light fixture to turn on automatically in response to poor lighting conditions and to turn off when the cabin is unoccupied, provision can be made in an especially preferred approach whereby a photoelectric switch and a motion sensor are mounted on or in the housing, the switch or sensor actuating or de-actuating the lighting.

In order to enable the light fixture to operate independently of the power grid, it can be provided with a standalone power supply. This can consist of solar cells and/or a battery. In a preferred embodiment the solar cells serve to charge the batteries so that during the day when the light source is disabled by the photocell, the batteries can get recharged. Operation using solar cells also enables the light fixture to be operated independently of a wired power supply. The solar cells here are mounted in slightly sloped fashion on or in the housing. This enables water from rain to run off more easily, thereby reducing the contamination level of the solar cells.

In order to allow for power-saving yet efficient operation of the light fixture, provision can be made in an especially preferred approach whereby one or more light-emitting diodes (LED) are mounted as the light source in or on the light fixture. Another advantage of the LED is its long service life. The light generated by the LED also passes easily through the roof, while in the daytime the roof also functions to provide incident light. Use of blue-color LED's is, for example, well suited to the color design of the portable toilet and also conceals the colors of soiling. A blue-color light also makes it more difficult for drug addicts to locate their veins, reducing the attractiveness of this facility for illicit purposes.

In order to create extra strength for the housing, provision can be made in an especially preferred approach whereby the housing is composed of a metal frame with a plastic shell being mounted or molded onto it. This type of construction comprising a plastic shell mounted on a metal frame provides the necessary resistance to theft attempts, while on the other hand being of sufficiently flexible design that it yields in response to small deformations to the roof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The above and other objects, features, and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description, it being understood that any feature described with reference to one embodiment of the invention can be used where possible with any other embodiment and that reference numerals or letters not specifically mentioned with reference to one figure but identical to those of another refer to structure that is functionally if not structurally identical. In the accompanying drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable toilet according to the invention seen somewhat from above;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the light fixture according to the invention;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the light fixture in an extended position;

FIG. 4 is a view like FIG. 3 but in the retracted position;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section through the fixture according to the invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the eight fixture with the vent pipe;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the light fixture and vent pipe;

FIG. 8 is a small-scale side exploded view of the toilet according to the invention;

FIG. 8a is a large-scale view of the detail shown at VIIIa in FIG. 8;

FIG. 9 is a small-scale side view of the partly assembled toilet and light fixture according to the invention;

FIG. 9a is a large-scale view of the detail shown at IXa in FIG. 9;

FIG. 10 is a small-scale view of the fully assembled toilet and light fixture according to the invention; and

FIG. 10a is a large-scale view of the detail shown at Xa in FIG. 10.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION

As seen in FIG. 1 a portable toilet has a cabin 1 with planar and vertical side walls la and a roof 2 formed by a pair of planar translucent panels meeting at a central raised peak 2a. A cylindrical vent pipe 3 projects up through one panel of the roof 2, forming an acute angle with the roof on its uphill side. A light fixture has a housing 4 fitting on the roof 2. FIG. 8 shows that the cabin 4 holds a water closet or toilet T.

According to the invention, the light-fixture housing 4 fits against the upper surface of the roof around the vent pipe 3, to which end it is formed with a generally central hole 6 (FIG. 2) The housing 4 has a lower light-emitting side or surface 5 that is directed downwardly at and extends generally parallel to the respective part of the roof 2. The housing 4 rests in the desired installation position on the outer surface of roof 2 as shown in FIGS. 1, 9, 9a, 10, and 10a. In this position, light generated by a light source 14 (FIG. 5) in the housing 4 can shine through the translucent roof 2 into the interior of portable toilet 1.

As mentioned above the housing 4 of the light fixture has a throughgoing hole 6 by which it can be mounted on and fit around the vent pipe 3. In the desired installation position, the hole 6 is penetrated here by vent pipe 3, whose upper end opens well above it, and above the roof peak as required by most codes. In addition, the housing 4 has a J-section latch formation or arm 7 that in the desired installation position fits around a horizontally projecting rim 2b of the roof 2.

For assembly, a light fixture of this type is simply fitted with its throughgoing hole 6 on the vent pipe 3, then, once it is sitting flatly on the roof outer surface, is latched to the rim 2b rim of roof 2 by the latch formation 7. As a result, removal either in an approximate horizontal or vertical direction is impossible. A light fixture of this type can be installed quickly and easily and without great installation cost on a portable toilet 1, and is therefore suitable for retrofitting existing portable toilet facilities, so long as they have light-transmitting roofs 2.

In order to provide the housing 4 of the light fixture with a simple and small design, the latch 7 fits around the outer edge or rim 2b of the roof 2 near the pipe 3. The rim of roof 2 normally projects horizontally past where the respective side wall la of the cabin 1 meets the lower side of the roof 2.

The hole 6 of the housing 4 is elongated, extending by its longer extent or major axis from vent pipe 3 to the adjacent rim 2b, that is exactly perpendicular to the slope of the roof around the pipe 3. The roof 2 here slopes downward from the peak 2a to the rim 2b, so that the uphill side of the hole 6 in the installation position in which housing 4 sloped like the roof, fits flatly against the uphill side of the cross-sectionally circular vent pipe 3, so as to provide good surface or at least line contact with the pipe 3 on this uphill side. As is evident in particular in FIGS. 6 and 7, this also enables the uphill side of the hole 6 to rest on vent pipe 3 whose portion passing through the roof 2 is frustoconical, tapering upward as shown in FIG. 7.

The latch 7 that attaches to the rim 2b of the roof 2 is of rigid design. This provides an especially stable grip for the light fixture even when the rim of the roof is flexible. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3, the housing 4 is of a two-part design. Here a first housing part 4a has the light source 9 and the hole 6, while a second housing part 4b has the latch 7. The housing parts 4a and 4b in telescope to allow movement between an open or pre-installation position (FIG. 3) in which the spacing of the latch 7 from the hole 6 is greater than the distance from vent pipe 3 from the nearest part of the rim 2b of the roof 2. From this pre-installation position, the housing parts are slidable into a desired closed installation position in which this distance is reduced and latch formations 7 grip around and under the rim 2b of the roof 2.

Thus to install the light fixture, in a first step the housing part including throughgoing hole 6 is fitted over the vent pipe 3 so as to surround it. In a subsequent installation step, the light fixture now resting on the outer surface of the roof is latchedly secured to the roof 2 by telescoping together the housing parts 4a and 4b, which action causes the latch 7 to grip around the rim 2b of the roof 2.

In order to permanently secure the system and prevent theft, a lock 10 is mounted on the housing 4 so that the two parts 4a and 4b can be locked in their closed installed position.

A photoelectric switch 11 is mounted on the housing 4, to switch off the fixture during the day when sufficient ambient light can get through the transparent roof. The light fixture can also have a motion sensor 13 (FIG. 5) so the light fixture is only turned on when a person enters the cabin 1.

Electric power for this fixture is supplied by an array 8 of solar cells on the upper side of the housing part 4a, between the hole 6 and the upper edge where they are protected. The solar cell array 8 is planar and slightly tilted from the horizontal so as to allow dust or contamination to be flushed off by rain. Alternatively or additionally, batteries 9 can also be mounted in housing 4 as the light source's power supply or for storing the electricity generated by the solar cells 8.

The light source 14 can be an array of light-emitting diodes (LED). For example, standard LED's emit a blue light that shines through the outer roof surface and illuminates the interior of the portable toilet. Blue light both also de-emphasizes unsanitary conditions inside the portable toilet and makes it more difficult for drug addicts to find their veins.

The housing 4 has a metal frame carrying a plastic shell, thereby providing both the necessary protection against theft attempts as well as the requisite degree of flexibility in response to deformations of the roof. The solar cells, batteries, and LED can be permanently sealed together with the metal frame so as to achieve protection class IP65 and to enhance protection from theft.

The invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment but variable in multiple ways within the scope of the disclosure. All novel individual features or combination features disclosed in the description and/or drawing are considered essential to the invention.

Claims

1. In combination, a portable toilet comprising:

a cabin;

a water closet in the cabin;

a light-transmitting roof upwardly closing the cabin and having an outer edge; and

a vent pipe projecting upward through the roof; and an electrical light fixture having

a housing adapted to fit in an installed position against an outer face of the roof and having a throughgoing hole fittable over the vent pipe and a side turned toward the roof;

a light source in the housing and energizeable to emit light from the side through the roof and into the cabin; and

a latch formation engageable with the rim to secure the housing to the roof.

2. The portable toilet defined in claim 1 wherein the latch formations engage under the edge adjacent the pipe.

3. The portable toilet defined in claim 2 wherein the outer edge of the roof projects horizontally past a respective side wall of the cabin.

4. The portable toilet defined in claim 3 wherein the roof lies around the vent pipe on a plane inclined to the horizontal and the hole is elongated with an uphill side fitting flatly against the vent pipe the installed position.

5. The portable toilet defined in claim 1 wherein the latch formation is rigid.

6. The portable toilet defined in claim 1 wherein the housing has two relatively telescoping parts, one of the parts being formed with the hole and the other of the parts with the latch formation, the parts being relatively slidable between an open position and a closed position with the latch formation being closer to the hold in the closed position than in the open position, the latch formation being open toward the hole so that in the closed position it can grip around the roof outer edge.

7. The portable toilet defined in claim 6, further comprising

a lock engageable between the housing parts for locking same in the closed position.

8. The portable toilet defined in claim 1, further comprising

means including a photoelectric cell for inhibiting energization of the light source during daylight.

9. The portable toilet defined in claim 1, further comprising

means including a motion sensor for inhibiting energization of the light source except when the cabin is occupied by a user.

10. The portable toilet defined in claim 1, further comprising

a standalone power source in the housing for energizing the light source.

11. The portable toilet defined in claim 10 wherein the source includes an array of solar cells on an upper face of the housing.

12. The portable toilet defined in claim 10 wherein the source includes a battery in the housing.

13. The portable toilet defined in claim 1 wherein the source includes at least on light-emitting diode.

14. The portable toilet defined in claim 1 wherein the housing has a metal frame and plastic shell.