Anti-Splash Holding Tank and Stand-Alone Anti-Splash Guard for Portable Toilets

Abstract

Described herein is an inventive anti-splash guard for non-flush portable toilets. The innovation comprises a sloped structure either affixed to or made integral with the bottom of the holding tank of a portable toilet, positioned under the seat. The form of the inventive anti-splash guard is preferably conical, but may also be pyramidal, hemispherical and ellipsoidal. Functionally, the innovation may be submerged fully under the level of the holding tank water, so that the impact of deposited solid matter is absorbed by the anti-splash guard and not transferred to the surrounding water. In this way the upward splash of the water is suppressed, and risk of contamination to the user is greatly reduced. The disclosure describes both a portable toilet holding tank with an integrally formed anti-splash guard according to the invention, and stand-alone embodiments that may be retrofitted to existing portable toilets.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO PRIORITY APPLICATIONS

This non-provisional utility patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/982,874, filed on Apr. 23, 2014.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to anti-splash devices for toilets, in particular portable toilets and restrooms.

BACKGROUND

Portable toilets are necessary to dispose of liquid and solid waste from human beings when normal toilet facilities are not available. Examples are construction sites, concerts, sporting events, and the like. When portable toilets are delivered for use, the holding tank is filled with a few inches of water containing sanitation chemicals. A problem is generally encountered by users of these facilities when accessing the toilet, as deposition of solid or liquid matter into the tank frequently causes holding tank water to splash upwards, contacting the user while sitting down on the seat. Current designs of holding tanks for portable toilet are all flat-bottomed. This arrangement promotes upward splashing of toilet water when solid or liquid bodily wastes drop onto the surface of the water. Until enough solid matter floating on or near the surface of the water in the portable toilet accumulate to dampen the impact of falling bodily wastes on the toilet water surface, the water will continue to splash upwardly, often contacting the user. This situation is highly unsanitary for the user, as pathogens of many kinds can contact the user's skin and orifices, potentially causing serious infections. This problem is particularly acute in portable toilets where the water holds accumulated waste by many users, and not flushed away and replenished with clean water, as is done in a flush toilet after each use.

Prior examples have been disclosed wherein devices are designed to reduce or eliminate splashing in this regard, however all were directed to flush toilets or urinals. While previously disclosed devices may work well for flush toilets, they may prove inadequate for portable non-flush toilets as they generally rely on the fact that the bowl of the flush toilet will be evacuated by flushing after each use, and in general would not tolerate accumulation of solid matter. A splash-suppression device specifically for portable toilets is therefore necessary.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The embodiments of the instant innovation comprise a substantially sloped anti-splash guard that is located at the bottom of a non-flush portable toilet holding tank directly under the seat, immersed below the water level in the tank. In the preferred embodiment of the instant innovation, the anti-splash guard is conically shaped, and integrally formed with a portable toiled holding tank to form a permanent raised portion directly under the seat that is manufactured in place with the holding tank. In other embodiments, the invention is a stand-alone conical or pyramidal insert that may be retrofitted into existing portable toilet holding tanks. In the preferred embodiment, a portable toilet holding tank may be manufactured by injection or rotational molding techniques, where the mold is machined to include a conical/pyramidal guard of specific dimensions directly under the opening of the toilet seat. In this manner, the inventive anti-splash guard is formed integrally with the holding tank.

In stand-alone embodiments of the invention for retrofitting purposes, tapered pillar inserts having conical or pyramidal shapes of specific dimensions may be formed by injection and rotational molding polymers such as high-density polyethylene. The anti-splash guard inserts may be hollow or solid, although the former embodiment may be preferable due to lower costs of materials and manufacture. While the latter embodiment is heavier than the former, but both embodiments may be positively buoyant in water if made from most common plastics, and tend to float if not affixed to the bottom of the holding tank. In addition to the conical or pyramidal shape, a mounting flange or rim may be integrally formed around the base of the structure. The inventive anti-splash inserts may be affixed to the bottom of the holding tank by a variety of means, including, but not limited to, adhesives, suction cups, weights and fastening means such as bolts. The inserts may also be made from light corrosion-resistant metals such as aluminum, brass or copper, which would have negative buoyancy in water and tend to stay at the bottom without the aid of a fixation means. However, to prevent the inventive guard insert from moving laterally away from the position of highest effectiveness, that is, directly under the seat opening of the holding tank, a fixation means may be necessary.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1a. Isometric view of the portable toilet holding tank with the inventive anti-splash guard seen in the cutaway affixed to the bottom of the tank, directly under the seat.

FIG. 1b. Frontal cross-sectional view of the portable toilet holding tank, showing the inventive conical form anti-splash guard centered under the seat, with the apex of the cone submerged approximately 1 inch under the water surface, denoted by the broken line.

FIG. 1c. Plan view of the portable toilet holding tank, showing the inventive anti-splash guard centered under the seat.

FIG. 2a. Isometric view of a stand-alone embodiment of the inventive anti-splash guard, depicting a conical form with a perforated mounting flange integral with the base of the cone, for bolting the anti-splash guard to the bottom of a portable toilet holding tank. Below is a mounting gasket.

FIG. 2b. Isometric view of a stand-alone embodiment of the inventive anti-splash guard, depicting a conical form, with no mounting flange. The inventive anti-splash guard is affixed to the bottom of the portable toilet holding tank by an adhesive in this example.

FIG. 3a. An example of a concave conical form of the inventive anti-splash guard, affixed to the bottom of a portable toilet holding tank.

FIG. 3b. An example of a concave pyramidal form of the inventive anti-splash guard, affixed to the bottom of a portable toilet holding tank.

FIG. 3c. An example of a straight pyramidal form of the inventive anti-splash guard, affixed to the bottom of a portable toilet holding tank.

FIG. 3d. An example of a hemispherical form of the inventive anti-splash guard, affixed to the bottom of a portable toilet holding tank.

FIG. 3e. An example of an ellipsoidal form of the inventive anti-splash guard, affixed to the bottom of a portable toilet holding tank.

FIG. 4a. Example of deployment of a stand-alone embodiment mounted in a portable toilet holding tank. In this example, the straight conical stand-alone splash-guard shown in FIG. 2a is affixed to the holding tank bottom by bolting the mounting flange to the bottom of the holding tank.

FIG. 4b. Example of deployment of a stand-alone embodiment mounted in a portable toilet holding tank. In this example, the concave conical stand-alone splash-guard shown in FIG. 3a is attached to the bottom of the holding tank bottom by use of an adhesive.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1a shows an isometric view of the preferred embodiment of the invention, a portable toilet holding tank 100 having a tapered pillar anti-splash guard 101 having sloped sides converging to an apex, where in the embodiment shown, the tapered pillar is a cone, shown in the cut-away view rising up from the bottom of the tank directly under the seat 102 integral with tank body 103. Other conical shapes may be used as tapered pillars, where the shape may be substantially conical. In the preferred embodiment, anti-splash guard 101 projects upward from the bottom of holding tank 100, whereby the height of its apex may be a small fraction of the total height of tank 100, in order to remain submersed below the water surface. However, a taller embodiment of anti-splash guard 101 may extend above the water surface so as to expose the apex. Also shown in FIG. 1a are vent hole 104 and seat mounting holes 105. The surface of the water or portable toilet fluid, such as those commercially available for chemical toilets, is normally only a few inches above the bottom of the holding tank in most portable toilet installations, and the submersion depth of the apex of guard 101 is preferably 0 to 2 inches (<5 cm) for the inventive anti-splash guard to be effective. This is shown in the frontal view in FIG. 1b, where the conical profile of anti-splash guard 101 is depicted mounted at the bottom of holding tank 100, shown in cross-section, under seat 102. In FIG. 1b, a water or portable toilet fluid surface level is indicated by the dashed line, depicting a typical depth of the apex of a conical-profile anti-splash guard 101 under the surface of the water in holding tank 100, preferably 0-2 inches as previously mentioned. In alternative embodiments, the inventive anti-splash guard may not be completely submerged, where the apex may protrude from the water or chemical toilet fluid surface. The plan view of holding tank 100 in FIG. 1c further shows the preferred placement of anti-splash guard 101 directly under toilet seat 102. Guard 101 may be centered with respect to the lateral edges of seat 102, and may be centered with respect to the front and rear of seat 102, but may also be strategically positioned off-center to best intercept solid waste matter.

The inventive anti-splash guard functions by reducing the amount of water or portable toilet fluid displaced by the falling solid matter. In a typical situation where no anti-splash guard is in place, solid waste matter deposited in the holding tank penetrates the water surface upon impact, with a fair degree of momentum and kinetic energy. In doing so, the solid matter is eventually slowed down by buoyant forces, and transfers its kinetic energy and impact force to the surrounding water. Moreover, the degree of penetration of the solid matter will determine what fraction of its volume it displaces. Typically, a large volume fraction of the solid matter is displaced, if not all of the volume, causing a significant amount of water or chemical toilet fluid to be ejected in an upward direction due to the transfer of kinetic energy and momentum to the water. The momentum or kinetic energy of the falling solid matter is transferred to this water, causing a violent ejection of the displaced water in a column or stream moving upwards with enough energy to exceed the height of the holding tank, thus splashing the user.

In a holding tank equipped with the inventive anti-splash guard as shown in FIGS. 1a-c, the solid matter penetrates the water or fluid surface and may immediately contact the sloped sides of the inventive anti-splash guard, whereupon a substantial amount of the momentum of the solid matter is absorbed by transfer of kinetic energy to the anti-splash guard, whereby the kinetic energy is dissipated as heat. The volume of water that is suddenly displaced by the initially penetrating solid matter may also be significantly reduced by presence of the anti-splash guard, as the sloped walls of the guard effectively limits the volume of solid matter that penetrates the water surface before absorbing the momentum of the solid matter, reducing the impact of the solid matter with the water. While the same action may be accomplished using a raised flat portion of the holding tank bottom, such as a pillar or platform, such a configuration is not desirable as the solid matter would tend to be trapped on the flat surface and accumulate.

In other embodiments, the inventive anti-splash guard may be a stand-alone insert that may be retrofitted into the holding tank of an existing portable toilet. FIG. 2a shows an example of a stand-alone embodiment of the inventive anti-splash guard insert 200. The stand-alone insert embodiment depicted in FIG. 2a shows conical projection 201 integral with mounting flange 202, which is integral with the base of the central cone. A plurality of bolt-holes 203 are arranged in a 3-hole symmetric pattern on mounting flange 202 for passing mounting bolts. For retrofitting an existing portable toilet holding tank with the stand-alone anti-splash guard insert, holes may be drilled on the bottom of the empty tank that align with bolt-hole pattern 203 on mounting flange 202. A rubber gasket 204 may also be provided between the stand-alone anti-splash guard and the holding tank bottom for a leak-proof installation. In another embodiment shown in FIG. 2b, a suitable adhesive is employed to permanently affix the guard 201 to the bottom of the holding tank. Any adhesive specifically formulated for bonding plastic parts is suitable. The use of an adhesive for attaching the anti-splash guard advantageously eliminates the need for drilling holes in the holding tank.

The sloped geometry of the inventive anti-splash guard allows the solid waste to either slide to the bottom of the tank or to float away. Accordingly, the inventive anti-splash guard embodiments are imbued with rounded profiles such as conical, hemispherical, or ellipsoidal, while a sloped profile having edges, such as a pyramidal shape, are not excluded. In some embodiments, both conical and pyramidal shapes may have straight or curved profiles, as shown in FIG. 3. Shapes having curved edges necessarily possess concave sides, as shown in. The apex angle may range from 60° to 150°, and preferably range from 60° to 120°. A preferred apex angle may be 90°. Alternative shape embodiments that may offer similar performance to the straight conical design are shown in FIGS. 3a-3c, wherein examples of concave conical 301 and concave pyramidal (having curved edges) 302 variations are shown along with straight pyramidal 303 variations of the inventive anti-splash guard. Additionally, a hemispherical 304 and ellipsoidal 305 examples are also depicted in FIGS. 3d and 3e, respectively. The embodiments shown in FIGS. 3a-e are exemplary, and are shown affixed to the bottom of a holding tank using, by way of example, an adhesive to attach the inventive anti-splash guard to the holding tank bottom. It is understood that the instant anti-splash guard is not limited to the particular examples of shapes of the embodiments as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and that they may be modified by more complex shapes or features that may have particular functional advantages, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

FIGS. 4a and 4b show examples of deployment of the stand-alone anti-splash guard embodiments in a portable toilet holding tank 400, where an example of a straight conical anti-splash guard 401 having a mounting flange (shown in detail in FIG. 2a) is bolted to the bottom of holding tank 400. In FIG. 4b, the concave conical embodiment 402 (shown in detail in FIG. 3a) is shown affixed to the bottom of portable toilet holding tank 400, for example using an adhesive.

It is also understood that while the embodiments depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3 describe stand-alone anti-splash guards according to the invention, the same forms that are shown for the stand-alone embodiments may also be incorporated into an entire holding tank structure by unitary manufacture, such as injection or rotational molding processes. While the embodiments described in this disclosure show the best mode of use of the innovation, persons skilled in the art will recognize that other related embodiments may be conceived without departing from the scope and spirit of the instant innovation, as is defined by the claims set forth below.

Claims

1. An anti-splash holding tank for portable toilets, comprising:

(i) A portable toilet having a holding tank having a top, a bottom, and an interior volume, said holding tank having a toilet seat disposed above the volume of the holding tank, said toilet seat comprising a rim surrounding an opening in the top of the holding tank; and

(ii) An anti-splash guard disposed on the bottom of said holding tank and substantially under the toilet seat opening, said anti-splash guard having a base disposed on the bottom of said holding tank and at least one wall extending upward at angle from said base is such a way as to form a tapered pillar.

2. The anti-splash holding tank for portable toilets of claim 1, wherein the anti-splash guard has a conical shape.

3. The anti-splash holding tank for portable toilets of claim 1, wherein the anti-splash guard has a pyramidal shape, and wherein the apex of the anti-splash guard is blunt.

4. The anti-splash-holding tank for portable toilets of claim 1, wherein the anti-splash guard has a hemispherical shape.

5. The anti-splash holding tank for portable toilets of claim 1, wherein the anti-splash guard has an ellipsoidal shape.

6. The anti-splash holding tank for portable toilets of claim 1, wherein the anti-splash guard is affixed to the bottom of the holding tank.

7. The anti-splash holding tank for portable toilets of claim 1, wherein the anti-splash guard further comprises a mounting flange disposed on the base and surrounding the perimeter of the base.

8. The anti-splash guard of claim 7, wherein the mounting flange comprises a plurality of bolt holes for passage of bolts therethrough for affixing the anti-splash guard to the bottom of the holding tank by use of bolts.

9. The anti-splash holding tank for portable toilets of claim 1, wherein the anti-splash guard is affixed to the bottom of said holding tank by use of adhesives.

10. The anti-splash holding tank for portable toilets of claim 1, wherein the anti-splash guard is formed integrally with the holding tank.

11. A stand-alone anti-splash guard insert for inserting into the holding tank of portable toilets, comprising:

(i) a tapered pillar having a base portion and an apex portion, wherein the base portion is wider than the apex portion forming sloped sides converging at the apex; and

(ii) a means for affixing the anti-splash guard insert to the bottom of a portable toilet holding tank.

12. The stand-alone anti-splash guard insert of claim 11, wherein the tapered pillar is substantially cone-shaped.

13. The stand-alone anti-splash-guard insert of claim 11, wherein the tapered pillar is substantially pyramidal shaped.

14. The stand-alone anti-splash-guard insert of claim 11, wherein the tapered pillar is substantially ellipsoidal.

15. The stand-alone anti-splash guard insert of claim 11, wherein the apex portion is blunt.

16. The stand-alone anti-splash guard insert of claim 11, wherein the means for affixing the anti-splash guard insert to the bottom of a portable toilet holding tank is a mounting flange, wherein the mounting flange at least partially surrounds the base of said anti-splash insert.

17. The stand-alone anti-splash guard insert of claim 15, wherein the mounting flange comprises a plurality of bolt holes.

18. The stand-alone anti-splash guard insert of claim 11, wherein the means for affixing the anti-splash guard insert to the bottom of a portable toilet holding tank is an adhesive applied to the base of the stand-alone anti-splash guard insert.

19. A method for using an anti-splash guard, comprising the steps of:

(i) providing an anti-splash guard disposed on the bottom of the holding tank of a portable toilet, wherein the holding tank has a top, a bottom, and an interior volume, said holding tank having a toilet seat disposed above the volume of the holding tank, said toilet seat comprising a rim surrounding an opening in the top of the holding tank, and wherein the anti-splash guard is disposed substantially under the toilet seat opening, said anti-splash guard having a base disposed on the bottom of said holding tank and at least one wall extending upward at angle from said base is such a way as to form a tapered pillar having sloped sides and an apex; and

(ii) filling the holding tank with a portable toilet fluid to a depth such that the apex of the anti-splash guard is submerged to a level between 0 to 2 inches below the surface of the portable toilet fluid.