Dual phase flush urinal

Abstract

The present invention provides a dual-phase flush urinal that maintains itself in a sufficiently sanitary condition with minimal water consumption. The urinal includes a piece of chinaware having a rear wall with a pair of sidewalls depending normally outward therefrom. A bottom extent of the sidewalls terminates in a curved bowl portion having a fluid well and a water drain therewithin. The sidewalls and rear wall together define a containment area in which an atmospheric vacuum breaker and valve means are disposed. The valve means is in electrical communication with a sensor that detects the presence of a user and has a first fluid discharge port in fluid communication with the bowl portion and a second fluid discharge port. Upon detection of the user, the sensor transmits a first signal to the valve means to initiate a first water exchange phase of the flush cycle. The first fluid discharge port provides water along an elongate channel to remove waste from the bowl portion. After a preprogrammed delay, the sensor transmits a second signal to the valve means to initiate a subsequent, time-delayed wall-scouring phase of the flush cycle. The second fluid discharge port provides water through a urinal spreader to ensure rinsing of the back surface subsequent to actuation of the jet. The valve means operates according to a desired preprogrammed schedule to ensure delivery of adequate water to the urinal jet and expulsion of waste from the urinal to an exterior sewage system.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention is directed to sanitaryware that consumes less water than conventional devices yet sustains sufficient hygiene standards. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a urinal that implements valve means having a pair of fluid discharge ports to substantially reduce the amount of water necessary to maintain the urinal in a clean and sanitary condition. In this configuration, the present invention urinal desirably effects water exchange and wall scouring functions on a time delay basis, thereby substantially reducing the amount of water consumed without sacrificing cleanliness. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The excessive consumption of potable water remains a dilemma for water agencies, commercial building owners, homeowners, residents and sanitaryware manufacturers. An increasing global population has negatively affected the amount and quality of suitable water. Effluents in water supplies and increasing air polluta...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006] It is an advantage of the present invention to provide an improved urinal that consumes substantially less water than conventional flush urinals.

[0007] It is also an advantage of the present invention to provide a urinal that overcomes the deficiencies of waterless urinals by providing a code-compliant fixture that periodically scours itself with water to ensure cleanliness and odor-free operation.

[0008] It is additionally an advantage of the present invention to provide a urinal that effects successive time-delayed water exchange and wall-scouring functions as separate phases of a complete flush cycle.

[0009] It is still further an advantage of the present invention to provide a urinal having the aforementioned advantages that can assume the appearance and proportions of conventional urinals for simple installation and maintenance in existing sanitary facilities.

[0010] In accordance with these and other advantages, the present invention is directed to a dual-phase flush urinal that maintains itself in a sufficiently sanitary condition with minimal water consumption. The urinal of the present invention includes a piece of chinaware that is in fluid communication with each of a pre-existing water supply and a waste removal conduit. The chinaware has a rear wall that is affixed to a parallel mounting surface and lies flush therewith. The rear wall has an upper extent that accommodates ingress of the water supply therein, and a bottom extent that accommodates egress of the waste conduit therefrom. Each of a pair of sidewalls depends normally outward from the rear wall and extends along the length thereof. The sidewalls and rear wall together delineate an interior portion and a containment area having an open ingress defined thereover. The containment area includes an atmospheric vacuum breaker and valve means in fluid communication with the water supply and in electrical communication with a sensor that detects the presence of a user. The valve means comprises a pair of first and second solenoid valves having respective first and second fluid discharge ports. Alternatively, the valve means comprises a single solenoid valve that has a pair of fluid discharge ports and operates in substantially the same manner as the first and second solenoid valves. A bottom extent of the sidewalls terminates in a curved bowl having a fluid well therewithin and a water drain within which a trap seal is maintained. The drain leads to a trapway of generally circular cross-section that directs waste to the waste conduit.

[0011] The sensor detects the presence of a user and transmits a signal to the first solenoid valve, thereby initiating valve operation. The first solenoid valve desirably activates after each use of the urinal. Upon activation, the first solenoid valve charges the urinal jet via a hollow channel defined along a urinal surface of the rear wall, thereby effecting the expulsion of waste from the urinal to an exterior sewage system. The second solenoid valve provides water through a urinal spreader and down the back surface of the fixture to ensure rinsing of the back surface subsequent to actuation of the jet. The second solenoid valve is programmed to activate after a desired temporal duration (for instance, a predetermined time subsequent to departure of a user from the vicinity of the urinal); after a predetermined number of uses; upon reaching a predetermined fluid volume in the bowl; or using any other parameter conducive to achieving a dual phase flush function. The single solenoid valve, provided with first and second fluid discharge ports therein, operates in substantially the same manner. The first sensor signal initiates the water exchange function by discharging water from the first fluid discharge port, and the subsequent second sensor signal initiates the wall scouring function by discharging water from the second fluid discharge port.

Problems solved by technology

The excessive consumption of potable water remains a dilemma for water agencies, commercial building owners, homeowners, residents and sanitaryware manufacturers.

An increasing global population has negatively affected the amount and quality of suitable water.

Effluents in water supplies and increasing air pollutants have drastically altered fresh water supplies.

Many such designs still use an inordinate amount of water to complete a flush cycle, especially in consideration of contemporary water conservation efforts.

Conventional waterless designs, however, do not scour a back wall surface and do not provide a water trap seal as required by plumbing codes in the United States and other jurisdictions.

In addition, omission of the water trap seal in waterless fixtures necessarily omits replenishment of the trap seal after each use, thereby requiring frequent maintenance of the fixtures to maintain satisfactory cleanliness (such as the addition of a liquid medium to provide a seal between the liquid waste and the room, and periodic cartridge replacement).

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