US3340543A - Zero gravity toilet - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 12, 1967 T CELLA 3,340,543

ZERO GRAVITY TOILET Filed April 8, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR RlCHARD T. CELLA 7 ATTORNEY Sept. 12, 1967 R. T. CELLA 3,340,543

ZERO GRAVITY TOILET Filed April 8, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Sept. 12, 1967 R. T. CELLA ZERO GRAVITY TOILET Filed April 8, 1965 5M 5 uw wwmwwwmmmww m x y i INVENTOR RICHARD T. CELLA ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,340,543 ZERO GRAVITY TOILET Richard T. Cella, 35 Park Ave., New York, N.Y. 10016 Filed Apr. 8, 1965, Ser. No. 446,633 9 Claims. (Cl. 410) This invention relates to toilets and more particularly to a toilet which is suitable for use in space capsules under zero gravity conditions or in hospitals for bed patients.

An object is to provide a toilet of the above type having novel and improved characteristics.

Another object is to provide such a toilet with minimum space requirements and convenience.

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent as the nature of the invention is more fully disclosed.

The nature of the invention will be better understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which a specific embodiment has been set forth for purposes of illustration.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a toilet embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse vertical section showing the locating pad and flush ring;

FIG. 3 is a similar section showing the refuse bag and closure valve;

FIG. 4 is a similar transverse section showing the bag coupled to the flush ring for use;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal vertical section taken on the 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a horizontal section taken on the line 66 of FIG. 5 showing the construction of the flush ring and valve;

FIG. 7 is a horizontal section taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 5 showing the construction of the closure valve and coupling ring for the bag;

FIG. 8 is a section similar to FIG. 4 showing the valves in open position for use; and

FIG. 9 is a horizontal section taken on the line 9-9 of FIG. 8 showing the closure valve in open position.

Referring to the drawing more in detail the invention is shown as embodied in a compact device comprising apositioning pad 10 on which the person sits. Thepad 10 is formed with anupper surface 11 shaped to conform to the contour of the body with a pair ofconcave portions 12 separated by acentral rib 13. The pad has acentral hole 14 which is surrounded on the upper surface of the pad by aninflatable sealing ring 15. The ring is adapted, when inflated, to contact the body to form an effective seal around thehole 14 of the pad. Thering 15 is connected by aduct 16 to a valve panel 17 which forms a part of the equipment and is connected to anair cylinder 18.

Acylindrical housing 21 is disposed in thehole 14 and is fixed to thepad 10. Thehousing 21 is formed with acentral bore 22 registering with thehole 14 and forming a continuation thereof and has anannular passage 23 communicating with thebore 22 byradial passages 24 to form a flush ring as will be described. Theannular passage 23 is connected to the valvepanel 17 to be connected thereby to theair supply bottle 18 or to awater supply bottle 26 or to abottle 27 containing cleansing foam.

Avalve 31 in the form of a tubular sleeve of suitable material has a circularupper end 32 attached to the inner surface of thebore 22 of thehousing 21 in a position to hang downwardly Within the bore. Thesleeve 31 is composed of a material which is sufliciently resilient to assume and retain a flat ribbon form which at itslower end 33 is coiled up upon itself so that the sleeve normally forms a closure valve for thebore 22 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 but it may be opened and extended as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 by the application of air pressure from theflush ring 23.

Abag 41 as shown in FIG. 3 is carried by acoupling ring 42 having an inner surface formed with aresilient lip 43 adapted to snap over aresilient ring 44 carried on the outer surface of thehousing 21 for coupling the bag to the apparatus. Thecoupling ring 42 carries aclosure valve 45 in the form of a pair of inflatable,semi-circular diaphragms 46 which are normally in contact along theirdiametric edges 47 to form a closure for thebag 41 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.Elastic strips 54 extend along theedges 47 of thediaphragm 46, and carry a dependingtube 55 through which thesleeve 31 extends when the diaphragms are in open position. Thediaphragms 46 are connected bypassages 49 in thecoupling ring 42 and aduct 50 to the valve panel 17 to receive compressed air from thebottle 18. When air is supplied to thediaphragms 46 theirdiametric edges 47 are drawn apart to form an opening to thebag 41 as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

Thepad 10 andhousing 21 are supported on ahollow base 51 within which thebag 41 is contained.

When the device is to be used thebag 41 is coupled to thehousing 21, the pad and bag placed on thebase 51 and the assembly brought into contact with the body. By suitable manipulation of the valves 0n the valve panel 17 thesealing ring 15 is inflated to provide a seal with the body. Air is then applied to thevalve diaphragms 46 to open thevalve 45 after which air is supplied to theflush ring 23 to cause thesleeve valve 31 to unroll and pass down through theopen valve 45. After use wash water or foam are supplied to theflush ring 23, air pressure is released from thediaphragms 46 and from thesealing ring 15 and the apparatus can be removed and uncoupled. When thesleeve 31 is withdrawn from thevalve 45 it again flattens out and coils to form a closure for thehousing 21.Caps 52 and 53 may be placed over the open ends of thehousing 21 and thecoupling ring 42 if desired.

What is claimed is:

1. A toilet for use under zero-gravity conditions comprising a pad having a surface conformed to the shape of the body and having an opening therethrough, an annular housing containing a flush ring disposed in said opening and adapted to be coupled to a receiver, and means supplying fluids under pressure to said flush ring.

2. A toilet as set forth in claim 1 in which a closure valve is carried by said housing.

3. A toilet as set forth in claim 2 in which said valve comprises a collapsible sleeve.

4. A toilet as set forth in claim 1 in which an inflatable sealing ring is carried by said pad around said opening.

5. A toilet as set forth in claim 1 in which said receiver comprises a bag having a coupling ring adapted to be coupled to said housing, said coupling ring having a closure valve for closing said bag.

6. A toilet as set forth inclaim 5 in which said last valve comprises a pair of semi-circular inflatable diaphragms having normally contacting diametric edges to separate for forming a valve opening.

7. A toilet as set forth inclaim 6 in which a collapsible sleeve valve is carried by said housing, said sleeve being normally flattened and coiled but being adapted to pass 3 through said diaphragm valve in response to air pressure from said flush ring.

8. A toilet as set forth in claim 7 including a valve panel and means connecting a source of compressed air and a source of cleansing fluid selectively to saidflush 5 ring.

7 '9. A toilet as set forth in claim 8 including a hollow base member supporting said pad and adapted to contain said bag.

4 References Cited 7 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,749,558 6/1956 Lent et a1 4112 3,034,131 5/1962 Lent 490 3,158,874 12/1964 Bennett 4142 LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner. H. K. ARTIS, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A TOILET FOR USE UNDER ZERO-GRAVITY CONDITIONS COMPRISING A PAD HAVING A SURFACE CONFORMED TO THE SHAPE OF THE BODY AND HAVING AN OPENING THERETHROUGH, AN ANNULAR HOUSING CONTAINING A FLUSH RING DISPOSED IN SAID

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