AU665702B2 - Compost toilet - Google Patents

Description

P/00/01i Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

0 00 00 0 00 0 o COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: COMPOST TOILET S0000 i The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: 2 THIS INVENTION relates to a compost toilet for use in homes with or without sewerage, national parks, camping grounds, portable toilets for use in construction locations, and other applications.

Reference is made herein to a conventional compost toilet which has been previously sold in Australia under the trade mark "ROTA-LOO" and manufactured by Environment Equipment Pty Ltd of Braeside, Victoria. This conventional compost toilet is the subject of Australian Patent 575176. This conventional compost toilet includes an outer tank surrounding an inner four chambered waste collection tank which is installed below a conventional toilet comprising seat, lid and pedestal with a connection 0 00 oo 15 pipe communicating with the outer tank. As each chamber is filled, the inner tank may be rotated to 0 1bring the adjacent chamber into use. Liquid is evaporated from the waste by a small heater in a lower part of the outer tank and a fan draws the vapour up 20 through a vent pipe to atmosphere. The solid waste 00 °remaining in the inner tank is then slowly ccrerted to humus by naturally occurring aerobic micro- .oe organisms with the assistance of oxygen through the vent pipe. The vent pipe is also provided with a Iqt ventilator fan or exhaust fan which may cause air to be drawn through both inner tank and outer tank as well as venting to atmosphere. There is also provided a centrally located air inlet tube which extends above

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j 3 the outer tank and communicates with a base part of the outer tank which facilitates circulation of air.

The major disadvantage associated with the "ROTA- LOO" compost toilet was one of cost owing to its complex structure requiring four chambers in the inner tank and the provision of a rotatable inner tank within a surrounding outer tank. Another disadvantage was that installation was a relatively time consuming operation requiring the services of an experienced handyman. Thus in the "ROTA-LOO" compost toilet when supplied as a kit of parts it was necessary to cut a hole in a top wall of the outer tank to attach the connection pipe to the outer tank. It was also necessary in the "ROTA-LOO" compost toilet to cut a side wall in the outer tank to accommodate a vent tube inlet component which then had to be connected with the vent tube which was not supplied with the kit of parts and had to be obtained elsewhere. The vent tube which was often in the form of a long length of PVC 1 20 piping was then attached to an internal or external surface of a building to which the compost toilet was o. o being installed and then made to project outwardly to 0 .0 atmosphere often through the tiles or eaves of the roof of the building.

Another disadvantage of the "ROTA-LOO" compost toilet./'as that in operation it was necessary to gain access 'to the inner tank through a pair of opposed doors or Jatchways in both the inner tank and outer .4 4 tank to rotate the inner tank when a particular chamber was filled with faecal matter as well as to clean out all four chambers when the chambers were full of faecal matter. This could be in some cases a time consuming operation because depending upon where the outer tank was located access could be relatively difficult.

Reference also may be made to conventional compost toilets disclosed in US Patent 5192428, EP 500903 (W09204851), AU 69521/91, US 5005227, US 5171690, US 4627116, J 60094199, US 4633535, J 6005298, J 59222300, DE 3237866, GB 2112038, EP 62641, US 4254515, CA 1098654, SE 7705205, US 4196082, DE 2550812, GB 1496762, US 3918106, US 4001108, and US 15 3840907. However, all these references disclose tIrr 00a compost toilets which are considered to be relatively |4 complex in construction whereby for example US Patent 5192428 refers to the use of a composting container wherein urine is treated separately from faecal matter 20 and whereby it is necessary to treat urine with aerobic nitrifying bacteria and use a solar panel as oo means for generating electricity to operate a ventilation fan. The treatment vessel was also provided with a urine treatment chamber and a composting chamber each having separate inlets and outlets and a liquid storage vessel for receiving liquid product from the urine treatment chamber and liquid product from the compost treatifent chamber. EP

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1 500903, US 5171690, US 4633535, SE 7705205, DE 2550812 and GB 1496762 all disclose the use of a rotatable compost container which has the same disadvantages as discussed above in relation to the "ROTA-LOO" compost toilet. Other specifications, ie J 60094199, J 9222300 and EP 62641 describe the use of a helical mixing worm in a compost container which would be very expensive.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a compost toilet which is simple in construction and efficient in use.

SThe compost toilet of the invention includes: a toilet pedestal having a waste delivery conduit extending therefrom; i i| a compost container in fluid communication with the waste delivery conduit of the toilet pedestal i having an open top; and i a cover member for said compost container having an air exhaust conduit associated therewith; and separating means located in the compost container 4 1 for separation of liquid material from solid material.

a 0 The toilet pedestal may be of any suitable shape Sand may comprise a toilet bowl closed by a suitable 25 lid. The toilet bowl may have an enlarged upper section and a downwardly extending waste delivery conduit which in use may pass through the cover member.

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iur The cover member for the compost container is preferably circular in plan but this is not necessary and the cover member may have any suitable shape such as rectangular or polygonal.

The cover member is preferably releasably attachable to the compost container.

Preferably the cover member is provided with a peripheral flange extending downwardly from a top wall thereof so that the cover member may be attached to the compost container in any suitable way. Suitably the peripheral flange may taper outwardly from top to bottom and thus engage with the compost container by interference fit with the peripheral flange fitting over a top edge part of the compost container. In an alternative arrangement the peripheral flange may extend vertically downwardly and the compost container may have a side wall which tapers outwardly from top to bottom.

In another variation a clamping ring or band may be used to attach the cover member to the coinoost container when a snap fit or interference fit engagement is not utilised or in conjunction with a snap fit or interference fit.

The air exhaust conduit may be attached to or integral with the cover member. Suitably the air exhaust conduit may extend outwardly from a top wall of the cover member or from a continuous side wall thereof.

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*44 I 4o 4 1 i. LR r -mu~sl1 I 7 The cover member may also be provided with a central aperture so as to place the waste delivery conduit of the toilet pedestal in fluid communication with the compost container.

Preferably the air exhaust conduit may be constituted by a conduit spigot attached or integral with the cover member. Preferably a flexible hose is releasably attachable to the conduit spigot.

The compost container may have any suitable shape and thus may be cylindrical, frusto-conical or part cylindrical and part frusto-conical. The compost container may also have a constant circular cross section although this is not necessary and a rectangular cross sectional shape for example may be adopted.

t Preferably the container has an enlarged base section for accommodation of liquid waste material i which preferably is integral with the compost container although it may be releasably attached 20 thereto if desired. j S The separating means suitably comprises a i ao partition adapted to allow liquid material to pass 'o therethrough while retaining solid material.

The partition is suitably of similar cross sectional shape to an internal surface of the container and may be provided with a plurality of apertures to allow liquid material to pass therethrough. Thus the partition may be perforated

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8 throughout its surface area. The container may be provided with an internal retaining flange for retaining the partition in its desired location or alternatively the partition may be provided with a peripheral flange for engagement with a corresponding groove located in the retaining flange of the container.

Suitably the enlarged base section of the compost container is provided with one or more apertures to indicate the liquid level within the container located at an upper part of the enlarged base section and one or more drain apertures to allow liquid material to be drained from the compost container when acquired.

There also may be provided an air intake tube 15 which is integral with or releasably attached to a :suitable retaining tube or spigot of the compost Si container. The air intake tube may extend outwardly from the compost container and be attached to a flexible conduit which may be in air communication

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20 with a source of warm air inside a building o 0 incorporating the compost toilet of the invention such o* as an insulation space above the ceiling of the building and below the roofline.

Reference .iay be made to a preferred embodiment 044t*4 .I of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings wherein r 9 FIG 1 is a perspective view of one type of compost toilet constructed in accordance with the invention; FIG 1A is a sectional view through the compost container of the compost toilet of FIG 1 on a horizontal plane showing the partition; FIG 2 is a plan view of a cover member for use with the compost container of the compost toilet shown in FIG 1 after it has been filled with faecal matter; FIG 3 is a bottom plan view of the cover member shown in FIG 2; FIG 4 is a side view of another type of compost toilet constructed in accordance with the invention after installation in a building; 15 FIG 5 is a plan view of the partition used in the S ceooo o 0 0 0o. 0 compost toilet of FIG 4; and 00 0oo ro° FIG 6 is a side view of the compost container S °shown in FIG 5 when removed from the compost toilet of FIG 4.

20 In the drawings there is shown a compost toilet 9 i 000oooo o00o having a pedestal 11 which has an enlarged upper section 12, toilet lid 13 and a downwardly extending 0. o waste delivery conduit 14. There is also provided 00.0 0 cover member 10 for compost container 17 which has a S00 0 25 central aperture 8. There is further provided an air exhaust spigot 16 integral with cover member 10 for attachment of a suitable length of flexible hose 16A or rigid hose conduit if desired.

Pr -i i The compost container 17 has an open top 18 adapted to be closed by cover member 10. The compost container 17 has an air intake tube 19. There is also shown liquid storage area or chamber 21 and a partition 22 separating liquid storage area 21 from a solids storage area or chamber 22A.

As shown in FIG ]A the partition 22 may be provided with a filter mat 23 suitably formed from fibrous material and an overlying layer 24 of organic material such as mushroom compost or humus.

There is also provided a bottom layer of porous particulate material 25. The compost container 17 may also be provided with a liquid level indicator 26.

There also may be provided an auxiliary cover 27 which may be used to cover compost container 17 after it has become filled with faecal solids in storage 1 area 22A i, SThe auxiliary cover 27 may be provided with a I downwardly extending peripheral flange 27A and a hollow chamber 28 for retention of an exhaust fan 29 which may be operated by any appropriate means such as a transformer 30 shown in FIG 4. Suitably the i transformer 30 is a step down transformer.

S ~The compost toilet 31 shown in FIG 4 is similar to compost toilet 10 illustrated in FIGS 1-3 and the same reference numerals as used in FIGS 1-3 will be utilised to describe similar components.

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i I e ooro i i'' 1 1 .b The compost container 17A in FIG 4 has a frustoconical shape as compared to the cylindrical shape of compost container 17 shown in FIGS 1-3. There is also provided an enlarged base section 21A having a drain aperture 31A and a liquid level aperture 32. There also may be provided handles 33. The spigot 16 which has a housing 16B for an exhaust fan 42 is attached to a length of flexible hose 16A which as shown may extend through an external wall 34 of building 35 and hence upwardly along an external surface 36 of building 35 and through eaves 37 to atmosphere. The building may also be provided with ceiling 38 and if desired hose 16A may extend through floor 38A, ceiling 38 and subsequently to insulation area 40 located 15 between ceiling 38 and roof line 39. There is also provided support spigot 20A for flexible hose 16A.

As shown in FIG 5 the partition 22 may be provided with a plurality of perforations 41 and a peripheral flange 41A.

20 FIG 6 shows the auxiliary container 17A for use in the invention having attached thereto auxiliary cover 27A which may be stored in any suitable location so that faecal solid material may be converted into compost for use in gardens, nurseries and the like.

It therefore can be appreciated from the foregoing that the compost toilet of the invention provides a single compost container 17 or 17A located directly beneath the toilet pedestal 11 which may be -i 12 both removable and exchangeable.

When storage area or chamber 22A of container 17 or 17A is full with faecal material, it can be removed from engagement with cover member 10 or 10A and be replaced with an auxiliary compost container 17 or 17A for continued operation of the compost toilet. The auxiliary cover 27A with inbuilt fan 29 is then placed on the "full" container 17 or 17A which is then left to continue composting. When composted, the container 17 or 17A is emptied and awaits to be exchanged when the "in service" container 17 or 17A is full. In the event that the "in service" container 17 or 17A fills before the other has properly composted, a third container 17 or 17A can be put into service with two 4 4 S 15 "full" containers 17 or 17A composting separately.

I The number of containers 17 or 17A required can be increased indefinitely, depending on usage of the toilet system.

The compost toilet may be made of any suitable S 20 material (eg. plastics material) and may be produced fac<.ory moulding or utilising suitable existing S. drums or cylinders.

The auxiliary cover 27A shown in FIG 6 may engage Sv, compost container 17 in any suitable manner as described above. Use for example may be made of grub screws 44 shown in FIG 4 or of a clamping bond 44 incorporating screws 44 as shown in FIG 6.

13 The operation of the compost toilet of the invention is shown in the drawings wherein human waste is deposited into chamber 22A by means of a suitable toilet pedestal 11 via the conduit 14. The liquid content of this waste is immediately separated as it is allowed to filter through perforations 41 located in the partition 22.

To ensure that the perforations 41 do not become "clogged" by any solid waste, a layer of volcanic or porous type rock 25 or other suitable porous particulate material is placed on the partition 22 before the container 17A is put into service. The ~i liquid is then stored in the liquid storage area 21 S:I for evaporation and/or drainage.

S 15 Air is circulated through the chamber to ensure aerobic decomposition of the solid waste due to an air exhaust fan 42 located in the air exhaust spigot 16.

The circulation of air also increases evaporation of V liquid present in the container. The fan 42 can be powered by solar electricity or by mains electricity.

The spigot 20A for air intake tube 16A is preferably located just below partition 22 to ensure that the air flows through the pile of solid waste in chamber 22A.

Preferably, the air intake tube 16A should be connected to a warm air supply as described above to increase the speed of the composting process and evaporation of the liquid. An insulation blanket (not shown) may also be used to increase heat retention

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14 thus aiding the composting process and liquid evaporation.

The liquid level indicator 26 as shown in FIG 1 is located externally of chamber 21 for visual inspection of liquid content. This may be made of a clear plastic tube. A stopper 43 is placed in the end of the liquid level indicator to prevent spillage.

The stopper 43 is removable for access to the liquid storage area 21 in case the system requires any drainage. Alternatively, the indicator 26 could be connected permanently to a small absorption trench or any other suitable place to allow the run off of 10r liquid i Irr In relation to compost container 17A, when such 15 container is full, the container 17A is then removed from the cover member 10A by undoing, or unscrewing the appropriate fasteners 44 shown in FIG 4 and an identical container 17A is then put in its place. A i :layer of spent mushroom compost or other suitable 1 20 organic material 24 is placed inside the chamber 22A before use to supply the appropriate micro-organisms to start the composting process.

i .The exhaust fan 29 is built into cover 27A by appropriate means and is connected to either solar electricity or mains electricity. Therefore, the airflow for the aerobic composting process is ensured.

The liquid level indicator 26 will be sealed as no more liquid will be entering the system after removal of a full compost container 17 or 17A from engagement with cover member 10 or 10A. When the waste has turned to humus, it can be removed by detaching cover 27A and disposing of the compost in any suitable fashion (ie. on gardens or in nurseries) to be exchanged when the "in service" container 17 or 17A is full.

If the usage of the compost toilet 9 or 31 exceeds the composting of auxiliary containers 17 or 17A, extra containers 17 or 17A can be used to increase capacity of the system.

By the use of the compost toilet system of the invention with removable and exchangeable containers 17 or 17A, it can be supplied to any situation where toilets are required, and also where increased demand may be readily satisfied.

The invention also includes within its scope a :method of use of the compost toilet of the invention 1 including the steps of: SOC 8 20 locating a first of said compost containers under the toilet pedestal for collection of faecal solids; t removing said first compost container when full So and locating a second of said compost containers under said toilet pedestal; allowing the faecal matter in said second compost container to be converted into compost for ultimate disposal; and pr V 16 removing said second compost container when full and replacing same with said first compost

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container or another of said compost containers.

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Claims (8)

1. A compost toilet including: a toilet pedestal having a waste delivery conduit extending therefrom; a compost container in fluid communication with the waste delivery conduit of the toilet pedestal having an open top; and a cover member for said compost container having an air exhaust conduit associated therewith; and separating means located in the compost container for separation of liquid material from solid Smaterial. A compost toilet as claimed in claim 1 having an ri air exhaust conduit integral with the cover member.

3. A compost toilet as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the separating means is a partition adapted to allow liquid material to pass therethrough while retaining solid material.

4. A compost toilet as claimed in claim 3 wherein the partition is provided with a plurality of •apertures. A compost toilet as claimed in any preceding claim wherein there is further provided an air intake 4 tube extending outwardly from the compost container.

6. A compost toilet as claimed in any preceding claim including an exhaust fan in the air exhaust conduit. i r7 F i 1 -2 S *e I

7. A compost toilet as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the compost container is replaceable with another similar compost container when it is filled with solid material.

8. A compost toilet substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. A method of use of the compost toilet as claimed in Claims 1 to 6 including the steps of: locating a first of said compost containers 0 under the toilet pedestal for collection of faecal solids; removing said first compost container when full and locating a second of said compost containers under said toilet pedestal; 5 allowing the faecal matter in said second compost container to be converted into compost for ultimate disposal; and removing said second compost container when full and replacing same with said first compost container or another of said compost containers. DATED this Ninth day of November 1995 KEITH GLEN NIELSEN and NOEL NIELSEN By their Patent Attorney FISHER KELLY c' ABSTRACT A compost toilet including a toilet pedestal (11) having a waste delivery conduit (14) extending therefrom; a compost container (17,17A) in fluid communication with the waste delivery conduit (14) of the toilet pedestal (11) having an open top (18) and a cover member (10,10A) for said compost container (17,17A) having an air exhaust conduit (16,16A) associated therewith, and separating means (22) located in the compost container (17,17A) for separation of liquid material from solid material. There is also a method of use of a compost toilet including the steps of: locating a first compost container (17,17A) under a toilet pedestal (11) for collection of faecal solids; removing said first compost container (17,17A) when full and locating a second compost container (17,17A) under said toilet pedestal (11); allowing the faecal matter in said second compost container (17,17A) to be converted into compost for ultimate disposal; and removing said second compost container (17,17A) when full and replacing same with said first compost container (17,17A) or another compost container (17,17A). I till

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