Patents Assigned to Falcon Waterfree Technologies
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Patent number: 10597859Abstract: A device for the disposal of human waste matter, specifically a toilet, is presented. This toilet incorporates elements designed to prevent both a loss of flushing efficiency and an extensive consumption of water, all while improving upon the basic functionalities of the toilet as such. These elements include specialized parts designed to both improve the efficacy of the “siphon jet” type toilet by precluding the possibility of aeration within certain critical components of the toilet system proper, as well as a specialized rim fed channel whose intersection of the filled jet channel always travels below the operating water level of the bowl, and a vacuum assisted flushing system, whose primary purpose is to enhance the power of the toilet's flushing action.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2016Date of Patent: March 24, 2020Assignee: Falcon Waterfree Technologies, LLCInventors: Philip Hennessy, Edward Michael Goldsmith
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Patent number: 10294650Abstract: A non-flushing urinal system with a large sealing and flow area using a bell-shaped valve with supporting ribs on its interior surface, which utilizes low “crack pressure,” or ease of initial opening to create for high flow rate and superior sealing.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2017Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignee: FALCON WATERFREE TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Michael Wächter, Manuel Peter, Edward Michael Goldsmith
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Patent number: 10273675Abstract: A hybrid flushing system for water free urinals is presented with a housing having a wall portion forming a cavity for receiving a cartridge. The housing also includes a flushing fluid inlet portion for receiving a flushing fluid and a flushing fluid directing portion configured to direct the flushing fluid. A cartridge for installation into a housing is presented, including a cartridge wall, a flushing fluid receiving portion and a flushing fluid directing portion to direct flushing fluid received to any portion to clean areas of the housing, the cartridge, and connected plumbing. Steps for cleaning a hybrid flushing system are presented with an act of directing a flushing fluid into an area, where the area is one of a cartridge for a hybrid flushing system, a housing for a hybrid flushing system, and a plumbing system connected with the hybrid flushing system.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2014Date of Patent: April 30, 2019Assignee: FALCON WATERFREE TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventor: Edward Michael Goldsmith
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Patent number: 10197430Abstract: A visual indicator for denoting a fluid level in a throat portion of a waterless urinal cartridge is presented. The visual indicator comprises a fluid level indicator disposed in the throat portion of the cartridge. As material buildup occurs inside the cartridge, a corresponding rise in the fluid level in the throat of the cartridge may be seen relative to the indicator, indicating when the cartridge will need replacement. The visual indicator may comprise markings that indicate the level of fluid within the throat portion, reactive materials, or an electronic reader. The fluid level indicator may also be made visible by ultraviolet radiation.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2014Date of Patent: February 5, 2019Assignee: FALCON WATERFREE TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventor: Edward Michael Goldsmith
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Patent number: 10182688Abstract: A fluid exit portion for a splash-reducing urinal cartridge is presented. The exit portion comprises a splash reducer for causing fluid to exit the cartridge in a splash-reduced manner. The splash reducer is generally in the form of a spout with a tapered exit area for accelerating and directing the fluid. The spout may comprise converting fins to urge fluid to collect in a progressively narrower channel. When the cartridge is installed into a housing, the splash reducer ensures that fluid exiting the cartridge transitions into the housing with minimal disturbance, substantially parallel to the housing. The splash reducer is formed of a flexible material or is hinged with respect to the cartridge body to allow for easy insertion into a housing.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2014Date of Patent: January 22, 2019Assignee: FALCON WATERFREE TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventor: Edward Michael Goldsmith
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Patent number: 10184235Abstract: A fluid inlet portion for a waterless urinal cartridge is presented. The fluid inlet portion comprises to fluid director comprising a non-linear surface proximate a throat portion of the cartridge formed to impart a horizontal velocity component to fluid flowing through the throat portion of the cartridge to reduce vertical turbulence within the fluid. The fluid director can be formed so that it is in fluid communication with at least part of a fluid layer within the cartridge. The non-linear surface imparts a horizontal velocity component, thereby reducing disruption of the fluid layer by fluid flowing through the throat portion of the cartridge. The fluid director may be positioned within the cartridge to impart a substantially horizontal swirling motion to fluid within the cartridge. A fluid deflector proximate the fluid director can receive fluid from the fluid deflector and for re-directing the fluid from the fluid director.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2014Date of Patent: January 22, 2019Assignee: FALCON WATERFREE TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventor: Edward Michael Goldsmith
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Patent number: 8938821Abstract: A bushing (58) has an entry portion (68) which is secured to a urinal housing (50) and an exit portion (70) which faces a drain pipe (54, 54a, 54b). The entry portion interior surface (74) is fittable about and sealingly grips the urinal exit tube (52). The interiors of the entry and exit portions lie on a common axis (58x) and with the axis (52x) of the urinal exit tube. These axes define a sloped incline and, thus, a built-in, gravitationally-directed downwardly-disposed inclination. Because the axes usually do not fall on the axis (56x) of the conduit, they are angled and offset from the conduit axis. The offset of the bushing raises it above the axis of the conduit. Tubing (60, 60a) is secured at its end (62, 62a) to the bushing exit portion so that the tubing axis at its end (62, 62a) similarly is raised above the conduit axis. The tubing extends from the bushing at an incline that is determined by the built-in incline of the bushing.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2005Date of Patent: January 27, 2015Assignee: Falcon Waterfree Technologies, LLCInventor: Michael Higgins
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Patent number: 8646117Abstract: To reduce the barrier sealant amount, the area of a throat (88), communicating an inlet compartment (78) to an outlet opening (64), is made small. Should sealant not be in the throat, wastewater in the throat would be correspondingly small. A snorkel (110) in a discharge section drain tube (98) extends downwards to above the level of the horizontal drain, and allows any air from the external drain to pass to the outlet compartment generally below the ceiling (90) so that, should wastewater cover the opening of the drain tube, such air is permitted to enter into the cartridge and to prevent any syphoning. A three rib channel guide mechanism (100) within the tube guides wastewater flow towards the drain tube center, and away from the drain tube walls to avoid deposit of any sediment contained in the wastewater.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2010Date of Patent: February 11, 2014Assignee: Falcon Waterfree Technologies, LLCInventor: Robert Avetisian
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Patent number: 8485216Abstract: In a urine cartridge or wastewater trap, equalized pressures and increased flow rate between its inlet and outlet compartments increases the life of the cartridge. The pressure equalizing is effected by placement of a separator between the two compartments to provide them with substantially equal volumes. The increased flow rate is created by a uniquely configured baffle positioned adjacent a pan at the bottom of the cartridge. The baffle configuration is shaped to provide a constriction that increases the flow velocity of the urine so that the fluid flow effects a channel along the bottom pan and through any solids deposited on the bottom pan. A diverter may be placed above the centrally located entry to the inlet compartment to create a circuitous path for preventing a disturbing impingement of the urine onto the sealant contained in the inlet compartment.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2009Date of Patent: July 16, 2013Assignee: Falcon Waterfree Technologies, LLCInventor: Michael Higgins
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Publication number: 20120023649Abstract: A dry trap valve, such as usable in a non-flushing urinal and other drains, is employed to transport a fluid, such as urine or other wastewater to a sewer line for receipt and disposal of the wastewater. The dry trap valve includes a holder (e.g., a band holder) having an entry for receipt of the wastewater, a drain for disposal of the wastewater, a passageway (e.g., dent, depression or bypass) for conducting the wastewater from the entry to the drain, and an element e.g., a sealing band) for sealingly covering the passageway. The sealing band includes a hinged portion adjacent the lower end of the dent and is disposed to articulate upon flow of the wastewater from the dent and to permit the wastewater to flow to the drain and to close in the absence of the wastewater flow. Gases from the sewer line also press upon the sealing band in the absence of wastewater flow to further seal the dent.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 20, 2011Publication date: February 2, 2012Applicant: Falcon Waterfree TechnologiesInventors: Thomas Helbig, Joerg-Michael Fitzke
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Publication number: 20100230333Abstract: The amount of sealant needed as an odor barrier in a wastewater cartridge is reduced. The cartridge inlet compartment (78) has a ceiling (90) of given area. The ceiling is spaced from the cartridge upper wall (60) and from the wastewater-receiving opening (64) therein. A throat (88), which communicates the inlet compartment with the wastewater-receiving opening, has an area which is less than the area of the ceiling, so that the amount of the sealant acting as the barrier, as contained within the throat, is less than any further amount of the sealant (under the ceiling) which floats on the wastewater in the inlet compartment. Also, should sealant not be present within the throat to act as an odor barrier, only a small area of wastewater present within the throat would be exposed to the air external to the cartridge and, thus, present a lesser opportunity of odor to emanate to the outside environment.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2010Publication date: September 16, 2010Applicant: Falcon Waterfree TechnologiesInventor: Robert Avetisian
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Publication number: 20100095445Abstract: A urinal uses a sloped interior back wall to create a specific angle between an incoming urine stream and the back wall to effect an anti-splash phenomenon which involves the contact angle hysteresis and the coanda effect, thereby at least to minimize urine splashing. The contact angle hysteresis deals with the perpendicular angles at which the urine stream comes into contact with the back wall of the urinal bowl, that is the amount of angle degrees between the angle of surface of the bowl and the angle of the urine stream at the point of contact. This angle takes advantage of the Coanda effect so as to cause the fluid (urine) to run down the surface of the back wall to the bottom of the urinal, rather than splashing back. The Coanda effect is the tendency of a fluid jet to stay attached to an adjacent curved surface that is very well shaped. In one embodiment, the interior back wall is vertically sloped towards the user, at an angle greater than 20° from the vertical (e.g.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 9, 2009Publication date: April 22, 2010Applicant: Falcon Waterfree TechnologiesInventors: Jimmy R. Rice, Mehmet Yavas, Thomas Helbig
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Patent number: 7571741Abstract: In a urine cartridge, equalized pressures and increased flow rate between its inlet and outlet compartments increases the life of the cartridge. The pressure equalizing is effected by placement of a separator between the two compartments to provide them with substantially equal volumes. The increased flow rate is created by a uniquely configured baffle positioned adjacent a pan at the bottom of the cartridge. The baffle configuration is shaped to provide a constriction that increases the flow velocity of the urine so that the fluid flow effects a channel along the bottom pan and through any solids deposited on the bottom pan. A diverter may be placed above the centrally located entry to the inlet compartment to create a circuitous path for preventing a disturbing impingement of the urine onto the sealant contained in the inlet compartment.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2005Date of Patent: August 11, 2009Assignee: Falcon Waterfree TechnologiesInventor: Michael Higgins
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Patent number: 6973939Abstract: An exit opening (78) in a cartridge (22) is alignable with an opening (48) in a housing (32) for communication to an external drain. The cartridge and the housing have positions of final secured and initial unsecured interconnections, when openings (78, 48) are respectively aligned and unaligned. A lever (52) is swivelably secured to the housing bottom wall (46), whose cap (54) can close housing exit tube (28); a projection (56) is engageable with the cartridge for effecting the closure when the housing and cartridge openings (48, 78) are not aligned. Three L-shaped keyways (60) in the housing interior mate with three keyways (82) in the cartridge, and have corrugated surfaces to provide a ratcheted secure connection between the cartridge and the housing when in the secure connection. A tool (92) is used to insert and to remove the cartridge into and from the housing.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2003Date of Patent: December 13, 2005Assignee: Falcon Waterfree TechnologiesInventors: Ditmar L. Gorges, Michael Higgins
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Patent number: 6750773Abstract: A liquid flow meter (50), including a microcontroller (60) and associated algorithm, monitors urine flow through a cartridge trap (20). Measuring the duration of such flow and the number of times the urinal is used will determine, in accordance with preset criteria, when servicing or replacement is needed, and alerts a service person to that effect by a warning light (68) or other signal. Because urine has a high mineral content, it is electrically conductive, effective to complete circuits between closely spaced metal contacts (62a-62c, 64a-64c) coupled to the PROM, which allows the manner and existence of the urine to be detected. The liquid flow meter is installed in the cartridge trap by utilizing and placing a split ball stem (52) located at the base of the meter into a mounting hole (42) located in the center of the drain holes (36) on the cartridge cover (26).Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2002Date of Patent: June 15, 2004Assignee: Falcon Waterfree TechnologiesInventor: Michael Higgins
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Publication number: 20020069913Abstract: An odor trap apparatus (20) for conveyance of waste water to an external drain includes a housing (32) having an interior and an opening (48) extending from the interior to the external drain, and a cartridge (22) receivable in the housing interior. The cartridge has an opening (26) for receiving the wastewater, and an exit opening (78) disposed to communicate with the housing opening. The cartridge and the housing have positions of final secured interconnection, when openings (26, 48) are aligned, and and of initial unsecured interconnection, when their openings are not aligned. A lever (52) is swivelably secured to the housing bottom wall (46), and has a cap (54) for closing the housing exit tube (28) and a projection (56) engageable with the cartridge for effecting the closure when the housing opening (48) is not aligned with the cartridge exit opening (78).Type: ApplicationFiled: January 22, 2002Publication date: June 13, 2002Applicant: Falcon Waterfree TechnologiesInventors: Ditmar L. Gorges, Michael Higgins