EP0235412B1 - Appareil du type réservoir de matières résiduaires et commande hydraulique - Google Patents

Appareil du type réservoir de matières résiduaires et commande hydraulique Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0235412B1
EP0235412B1 EP19860301339 EP86301339A EP0235412B1 EP 0235412 B1 EP0235412 B1 EP 0235412B1 EP 19860301339 EP19860301339 EP 19860301339 EP 86301339 A EP86301339 A EP 86301339A EP 0235412 B1 EP0235412 B1 EP 0235412B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
fluid
tank
drain valve
piston
reservoir
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
EP19860301339
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German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0235412A1 (fr
Inventor
Laurence M. Grills
Eugene F. Colditz
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Rockwell Collins ElectroMechanical Systems Inc
Original Assignee
Kaiser Aerospace and Electronics Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority to US06/629,058 priority Critical patent/US4584726A/en
Application filed by Kaiser Aerospace and Electronics Corp filed Critical Kaiser Aerospace and Electronics Corp
Priority to DE8686301339T priority patent/DE3670114D1/de
Priority to EP19860301339 priority patent/EP0235412B1/fr
Publication of EP0235412A1 publication Critical patent/EP0235412A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0235412B1 publication Critical patent/EP0235412B1/fr
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E03—WATER SUPPLY; SEWERAGE
    • E03D—WATER-CLOSETS OR URINALS WITH FLUSHING DEVICES; FLUSHING VALVES THEREFOR
    • E03D5/00—Special constructions of flushing devices, e.g. closed flushing system

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to waste tank apparatus and to hydraulic actuators.
  • the invention is applicable inter alia to apparatus adapted to be installed in an aircraft lavatory waste tank.
  • a waste tank is provided in conjunction with the lavatory.
  • the waste tank which may be used with a recirculating toilet system or, alternatively with a fresh water system, is utilized to retain human wastes.
  • the tank is drained by ground service personnel.
  • the tank is rinsed out with a cleaning fluid which may include deodorants and disinfectants, and is provided with a predetermined quantity of precharge liquid (depending on the installation), prior to the next fight of the aircraft.
  • the tank drain valve is connected through a cable assembly to a manual release mechanism, which is located at the service panel.
  • a manual release mechanism which is located at the service panel.
  • alignment problems were encountered with a valve that was manually operable through a cable.
  • Prior art systems employed a long rigid extension tube to ensure continued alignment of the valve in the valve seat.
  • the above-mentioned patent illustrated an elastomeric valve plug which could accomodate some degree of misalignment and still form an adequate seal for the tank.
  • the tanks of the prior art also included a special fitting or nipple which was adapted to connect to a servicing vehicle.
  • the vehicle supplied a cleaning and rinsing fluid which was applied to the interior of the tank through a spray system. After the drain valve was seated, the same spray system was used to impart a premeasured precharge to the tank.
  • a technician In servicing a waste tank according to prior art, a technician would couple a waste line to the nipple at the service panel. The technician would then, manually, through use of a cable system, open the drain valve, dumping the contents of the tank into the coupled waste line. A cleaning fluid line would then be connected to an appropriate intake port through which a combination of a cleaning and disinfecting fluid could be applied, through a spray line to clean the interior of the tank while the drain valve was kept open.
  • the drain valve would be closed by releasing the cable.
  • the tank was then precharged by permitting additional, rinsing/cleaning fluid to be supplied for a timed interval or until the predetermined quantity of fluid had been furnished.
  • the prior art system became a source of at least two major problems, even with the modified drain plug of the above-mentioned patent.
  • One problem was cable side loads which made actuation difficult and which contributed to breakage.
  • a partial disassembly of the tank and aircraft was required to reinstall a new cable system.
  • the elements of the cable system required service and maintenance and, because of the hostile environment, from time to time would become inoperable, preventing the operation of the drain valve.
  • a second, potentially more serious problem may be caused by a service technician, when, either through inattention or carelessness, he fails to shut off the cleaning/rinsing supply after the specified time interval has elapsed.
  • the tanks are given an excessive precharge. In some instances, this would impose a premature limit on the usage of the lavatory, since, one the tank is determined to be full, further usage is prohibited. This circumstance will occur during the flight to the inconvenience of the passengers, and the lavatory must be taken out of service. in those aircraft which have a common tank for all of the lavatories, such an excessive precharge might require a shut down of all lavatories part way through a busy flight on a crowded aircraft, to the great distress and inconvenience of passengers and crew.
  • a more serious consequence of an overflow of the tank during servicing is the possibility of serious structural damage to the aircraft.
  • the cleaning/rinsing fluid tends to be highly corrosive to metallic parts and any overflow into the lavatory compartment or into the inaccessible interior of the fuselage of the aircraft, creates a potential hazard to the integrity of the structural and control elements of the aircraft.
  • What is needed is a system than can automatically open the drain valve upon the application of the cleaning/rinse fluid, and at the same time provide a predetermined quantity of precharge fluid to the tank, specific to the type of aircraft being serviced, without any special attention required of the service technician.
  • waste tank servicing apparatus having tank drain valve operating means (20) arranged to open a drain valve of the tank (30) automatically in response to a supply of servicing fluid.
  • FIG. 1 a waste tank servicing assembly 10 is illustrated in idealized diagrammatic form.
  • a waste tank 12 is installed in the aircraft and so much of the tank 12 as is necessary to illustrate the operation of the system is shown.
  • a fluid intake line 14 leads to a fitting at a service panel 15 to which a service truck may attach a line providing cleaning and rinsing fluid to clean the tank 12.
  • a check valve 16 is provided to supply the cleaning and rinsing fluid and is coupled, through a fluid line 18 to an intake port 19 of a fluid operated drain valve assembly 20.
  • the drain valve assembly 20 includes a piston housing 22, a movable piston 24 and a return spring 25 ( Figures 2 and 3) that is adapted to bias the piston 24 toward the bottom of the housing in the fully extended configuration.
  • a spider element 26 is mounted on the top of the piston 24 to permit manual actuation of the piston as explained below.
  • a bellows assembly 32 surrounds the actuator rod 28 and excludes the contents of the waste tank 12 from the interior of the bellows 32 and the drain valve assembly 20.
  • a drain orifice 34 is provided at the base of the tank 12 and is normally maintained closed by the fully extended piston 24 causing the valve assembly 30 to engage the valve seat 36.
  • a pressure relief opening 38 extends through actuator rod 28 to equalize the pressure in the drain line with the ambient pressure in the tank 12 and to drain fluid that remains in the housing 22 when the cleaning and rinsing fluid is shut off.
  • a bleed port 39 communicates through the piston 24 to permit flow from the housing interior to the relief opening 38. This also permits easy opening of the drain valve as well as the access port and plug of the drain line at the service panel 15 by preventing any pressure differential which could otherwise exist and tend to prevent easy opening.
  • a fluid outlet port 40 is provided in the piston housing 22 at a location in the housing 22 near the upper end of the piston stroke. Cleaning and rinsing fluid leaves the fluid pressure cavity through the port 40 and is diverted through a check valve 42 to a precharge tank 44.
  • the port 40 is effectively closed. If the fluid pressure is sufficient, the piston 24 will be held and the port 40 will remain open.
  • the piston 24 and outlet port 40 might act as a "servo" circuit maintaining the piston 24 at a position wherein the fluid pressure on the piston 24 just equals the restoring force of the bias spring 25. Any greater fluid pressure further drives the piston 24, thereby passing more fluid to the outlet port 40, whilst a lower pressure permits the piston 24 to return, bleeding the contents of the chamber through the bleed port 39 and through the drain valve 30.
  • valve assembly 20 becomes seated in the valve seat 36.
  • the precharge reservoir 44 includes a reservoir drain structure 46 that tends to be self emptying. Possible embodiments of the self emptying tank are shown in Figures 4 and 5.
  • Figure 4 shows precharge reservoir 44 and structure 46 in more detail.
  • Structure 46 comprises a pair of flat, flexible, elastic members joined at their side edges but not at the bottom.
  • An elongate oval opening exists between reservoir portions 44 and the structure 46. Full communication exists therefore between the two parts, but while the reservoir 44 is filled above the top of an outlet line 48 the primary outlet will be through a rinse or spray ring 50.
  • the liquid will flow slowly and steadily under its own weight between the elastic members of structure or valve 46.
  • the precharge reservoir 44 contains the outlet line 48 which goes into the rotatable rinse or spray ring 50.
  • the outlet line 48 could be coupled to a conventional spray ring (not shown) or other waste tank cleaning apparatus which may be found in the waste tank 12.
  • An emergency cable assembly 60 includes a pull ring 62, and a rod 64.
  • a cable 70 passes through the piston housing 22 and through an aperture in spider element 26 and an opening in the piston 24.
  • the cable 70 terminates in a ball cable end 72.
  • the aperture in spider element 26 does not permit the ball 72 to pass through and therefore upward movement of the pull ring 62 causes the ball end 72 to engage the spider 26, thereby lifting the piston 24 to its upper limit, opening the outlet port 40.
  • the waste tank 12 is ready for draining the cleaning and the aircraft is under-going service.
  • Maintenance personnel couple a fluid supply line to a port in the service access panel 15 and couple a waste drain line to the waste drain orifice in the service panel 15, as well. All plugs or valves at the service panel are opened in preparation for the draining of the tank 12.
  • the service truck then supplies cleaning/rinsing fluid under pressure to the port and through the fluid intake line 14 through the check valve 16.
  • the fluid under pressure then drives the piston 24 against the bias spring 25, thereby withdrawing the self aligning valve assembly 30 from the valve seat 36 and drain orifice 34 of the waste tank 12.
  • the interior of the piston housing 22 fills with fluid driving the piston 24 upward.
  • the drain valve is fully open and contents of the tank 12 flow out into the waste drain system.
  • the piston 24 reaches a shoulder of the housing 22, fully opening the outlet port 40 and filling the precharge reservoir 44. Excess fluid from the reservoir 44 passes through the outlet line 48 into the spray rinse nozzle assembly 50. The interior of the tank 12 is then sprayed with cleaning and rinsing fluid which is permitted to drain from the tank 12, as well. A limited amount of fluid passes through the pressure relief opening 38 and also exits the tank 12.
  • a prescribed time interval is allocated for this operation.
  • the service technician is instructed to provide cleaning/rinsing fluid for the prescribed interval. So long as fluid is being supplied from the service truck, however, the piston 24 will be held in its uppermost position and the contents of the tank 12 can freely drain into the waste line. At some point in time, however, the technician will shut off the fluid supply from the truck.
  • the technician at this point may disconnect from the fluid port at the service panel 15 and, after a reasonable interval, may close any valves and/or plugs at the service panels, disconnect the drain line and secure the access port hatch.
  • the technician has now completed his servicing of the waste tank 12.
  • the precharge reservoir 44 When the valve assembly 30 is seated, sealing the tank 12, the precharge reservoir 44 still retains a supply of cleaning/rinsing fluid. The fluid retained within the reservoir 44 will be discharged either through the spray rinse nozzle 50 or through the reservoir drain 46 which has been provided for this purpose. The reservoir tank contents thereby become the waste tank precharge that is recommended prior to placing the waste tank into use. Such a precharge is essential if a recirculating toilet system is employed, and is nevertheless useful in conjunction with other types of toilet systems for odor control.
  • a precharge reservoir 144 according to a further embodiment of the present invention.
  • the reservoir 144 includes a substantially rigid outer enclosure 146, in which is placed a collapsible bladder-reservoir 148.
  • An inlet 150 supplies fluid to the reservoir 144 and an outlet 152 is adapted to be coupled to a rinsing apparatus such as the spray ring 50 illustrated in Figure 4 above.
  • An outlet valve 154 releases the content of the collapsible bladder reservoir 148 into the outer enclosure 146.
  • the opening of outlet valve 154 is sufficiently small so that the fluid under pressure, when applied to the inlet 150, fully expands the bladder reservoir 148 to the dotted position, shown in Figure 5.
  • the pressure drops and the fluid held within the bladder-reservoir 148 is permitted to escape through the outlet valve 154 as the bladder collapses to its normal, uninflated state.
  • Valve 154 may be of a construction similar to that of valve structure 46 of Figure 4 in that it may comprise a pair of elastomeric sheets bound at the sides. The valve is sufficiently small that even if fluid escapes it is insufficient to prevent extension of the bellows. Valve structure 154 or structure 46 may simply be in effect a small orifice or may have outlet characteristics ranging in response to fluid pressure.
  • valves might merely have limited orifices so that the flow is small compared to the volumes of fluid flowing through the rinse rings to flush the tank.
  • the predetermined precharge can be added to the tank at a much slower rate which is controlled by the size and flow characteristics of the valve.
  • a check valve 156 prevents fluid from leaving the bladder reservoir 148 except through the outlet valve 154. As fluid flows into the outer enclosure 146, it continues to exit through the outlet 152 into the spray ring 50 and supplies the precharge to the waste tank discussed above.
  • precharge reservoir embodiments can be provided which are collapsible and tend to return to the collapsed state.
  • Other embodiments of a hydraulic valve operating system can be devised according to the present invention and the scope of invention should be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.
  • the described lavatory tank cleaning system includes a fluid operated waste drain valve and an auxiliary reservoir for precharge, serially connected thereto.
  • the valve and tank are connected in the clean/rinse line between the intake port and the spray rinse elements.
  • the fluid operated drain valve includes a hydraulic piston with a return spring whose force can be overcome by the fluid pressure available from the service vehicle.
  • the piston in its housing, together with a rod that couples to the waste drain valve, provides substantial stability and rigidity without the usual side loads imposed by the manual pull cable, to assure continued alignment of the valve with the valve seat.
  • the continued provision of cleaning/ rinsing fluid to the system maintains the drain valve in the open position.
  • the flowing fluid fills the precharge reservoir and from there enters the spray rinse system.
  • the technician can then continue to supply the cleaning/rinsing fluid for as long as is necessary or desirable. So long as fluid is provided under pressure, the waste valve remains open with no danger of overfilling the waste tank.
  • a container has an elastomeric closure that can slowly drain.
  • a normally closed bellows assembly or an elastic, balloon type receptacle which expands under pressure but can contract when source of pressure is removed, can be employed as reservoirs.
  • the fluid is supplied to the tank, either through the spray rinse system or through a drain valve in the reservoir. Even a simple tank capable of draining slowly could be employed.
  • the service technician need not be concerned with the precharge portion of the cycle, but rather merely turns off the fluid supply at the service panel. Next he can disconnect the waste and cleaning lines and secure the service panel. Although the actual precharging of the tank may require a finite time to complete, it will be completed long before the aircraft is placed into service.
  • the system can be coupled to existing spray rings or can be part of a different, independent spray system, as an integral part of the tank draining and cleaning system.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Hydrology & Water Resources (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Water Supply & Treatment (AREA)
  • Cleaning In General (AREA)

Claims (12)

1. Appareil pour l'entretien et le service de réservoirs d'eaux usées comportant un actionneur de valve (20) propre à ouvrir une valve de vidange du réservoir (30) automatiquement en réaction à une alimentation de fluide de service.
2. Appareil suivant la revendication 1, dans lequel l'actionneur (20) comprend un dispositif hydraulique (22, 24).
3. Appareil suivant la revendication 2, dans lequel le dispositif hydraulique est prévu pour ouvrir la valve de vidange (30) lorsque la pression de fluide excède une valeur prédéterminée.
4. Appareil suivant la revendication 3, comprenant un moyen de décompression (39) pour évacuer la pression de fluide dans le dispositif hydraulique afin de permettre la fermeture de la valve de vidange (30) lors de l'interruption de la transmission de pression au dispositif hydraulique.
5. Appareil suivant l'une quelconque des revendications 2, 3 ou 4, dans lequel le dispositif hydraulique comprend un piston (24) couplé à la valve (30), un cylindre (22) contenant le piston (24), et un moyen (18) pour recevoir du fluide de rinçage afin de déplacer le piston, ouvrant ainsi la valve de vidange.
6. Appareil suivant la revendication 5, comprenant, en outre, un dispositif manuel de supplantation (60) comportant un câble (70) avec un anneau de tirage (62) couplé au piston (24) et pouvant être actionné de l'extérieur du réservoir pour ouvrir la valve de vidange.
7. Appareil suivant l'une quelconque des revendications 2 à 6, dans lequel le dispositif hydraulique comprend un élément de rappel élastique (25) pour maintenir le piston (24) dans une position initiale dans laquelle la valve de vidange (30) est fermée.
8. Appareil suivant l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 7, comportant un dispositif de rinçage (50), un trajet d'écoulement de fluide (40) raccordant l'actionneur (20) et le dispositif de rinçage (50), et un dispositif de stockage de précharge (44) intercalé dans le trajet d'écoulement de fluide (40) de telle sorte qu'après actionnement de l'actionneur pour ouvrir la valve, du fluide puisse passer pour remplir le dispositif de stockage de précharge (44) et qu'après la fermeture de la valve de vidange, le dispositif de stockage de précharge vide son contenu dans le réservoir par l'intermédiaire du dispositif de rinçage sous la forme d'une précharge mesurée de fluide.
9. Appareil suivant la revendication 8, dans lequel le cylindre (22) comprend une lumière de sortie pour faire passer du fluide de rinçage au dispositif de stockage de précharge (44) et dans lequel la lumière de sortie est couplée activement à l'entrée lorsque le piston (24) a été déplacé pour ouvrir la valve de vidange (30).
10. Appareil suivant la revendication 8 ou 9, comprenant une capacité destinée à contenir une quantité mesurée de fluide de service et un moyen pour libérer le fluide et lui permettre de passer de la capacité dans le réservoir après que la valve de vidange ait été fermée.
11. Appareil suivant la revendication 10, dans lequel la capacité (44) est couplée à un dispositif de rinçage de réservoir (50) et à un dispositif d'évacuation de capacité supplémentaire (46) pour vider la capacité (44) dans le réservoir.
12. Appareil suivant la revendication 10 ou 11, dans lequel la capacité (146) comprend une chambre expansible (148) à même d'accepter un volume prédéterminé de fluide sous pression.
EP19860301339 1984-07-09 1986-02-25 Appareil du type réservoir de matières résiduaires et commande hydraulique Expired EP0235412B1 (fr)

Priority Applications (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US06/629,058 US4584726A (en) 1984-07-09 1984-07-09 Fluid operated waste tank servicing assembly
DE8686301339T DE3670114D1 (de) 1986-02-25 1986-02-25 Brauchwassersammelbehaelter und hydraulischer antreiber.
EP19860301339 EP0235412B1 (fr) 1986-02-25 1986-02-25 Appareil du type réservoir de matières résiduaires et commande hydraulique

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP19860301339 EP0235412B1 (fr) 1986-02-25 1986-02-25 Appareil du type réservoir de matières résiduaires et commande hydraulique

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0235412A1 EP0235412A1 (fr) 1987-09-09
EP0235412B1 true EP0235412B1 (fr) 1990-04-04

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ID=8195905

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19860301339 Expired EP0235412B1 (fr) 1984-07-09 1986-02-25 Appareil du type réservoir de matières résiduaires et commande hydraulique

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EP (1) EP0235412B1 (fr)
DE (1) DE3670114D1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE4335945C2 (de) * 1993-10-22 1997-07-10 Roediger Anlagenbau Absaugvorrichtung
CN112793718A (zh) * 2021-01-29 2021-05-14 孙团 一种压力平衡式水下厕所排污装置

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2838765A (en) * 1955-08-12 1958-06-17 Hosking Patent Corp Liquid discharging control
US4114203A (en) * 1977-07-22 1978-09-19 The Boeing Company Water closet tank drain valve
US4338689A (en) * 1980-12-05 1982-07-13 Kaiser Aerospace & Electronics Corporation Self-aligning valve assembly
AU7949082A (en) * 1981-01-23 1982-07-29 Robert Victor Wilson Chemical toilet and servicing unit

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE3670114D1 (de) 1990-05-10
EP0235412A1 (fr) 1987-09-09

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