Temporary Sanitary Waste Removal System and Method Useful for Application to Construction Sites

The conventional sanitary waste removal application for construction sites includes mobile temporary toilet assemblies that must be physically removed from the building to pump sanitary waste from integral tanks. This method requires extensive labor and use of vertical access devices, such as a temporary elevator or crane, to remove and replace the toilet assemblies.

The subject invention provides a new gravity based sanitary waste removal system and method that is more efficient than the conventional use of mobile temporary toilets, which must be moved out of a building for servicing and pumping, saving both time and costs. Also reduced is the requirement to utilize vertical access devices, such as a temporary elevator or crane, which can be utilized instead for construction/production related activities. The subject invention also eliminates exposure to sanitary waste by evacuating sanitary waste directly out of the building via gravity, thereby improving health and safety on the construction project.

The disclosed exemplary embodiments provide a system that efficiently provides the sanitary waste removal service on a temporary basis, adjustable to different elevations as a multi-floor building elevation increases during construction, with the components also having the potential to be removed and utilized in other buildings at other construction sites once the building's permanent waste removal system is installed.

In the following detailed description, the system according to the teachings for this application in the form of a sanitary system and related methods will be described by the embodiments. When the term “about” is used herein, in conjunction with a numerical value, it is understood that the value can be in a range of 90% of the value to 110% of the value, i.e. the value can be +/−10% of the stated value. For example, “about 1 foot” means from 0.90 of a foot to 1.1 feet.

An exemplary embodiment of the systemis illustrated in. The systemcomprises an enclosurewith a tankless gravity flush toiletand access. Accessis preferably through a hinged door, but, also could be through a slidable door, a slidable/foldable stacking door, a curtain, or other such alternative access means as is well known in the art. The optional toilet extended basewithin the enclosure and the subfloorprovides adequate space for plumbing piping to the tankless gravity flush toilet. Also included are the sanitary riser stackand waste lateral. Sanitary riser stackties into a sanitary sewer system below, allowing the gravity sanitary waste removal from toiletthrough waste lateralinto sanitary riser stackand down to the sewer system. A temporary water supply riseris preferably installed parallel to the sanitary riser stack.

A front cutaway view of the exemplary embodiment of the systemis illustrated in. The systemaccording to this embodiment includes the enclosurewith a tankless gravity flush toiletand the optional toilet extended baseand the subfloorto provide adequate space for plumbing piping to the tankless gravity flush toilet.

A side cutaway view of the exemplary embodiment of the systemis illustrated in. The systemaccording to this embodiment includes the enclosurewith the optional toilet extended basewithin the enclosure and the subfloorto provide adequate space for plumbing piping, such as the elevated inlet endof lateraland vertical toilet drain, to the tankless gravity flush toilet. Also included are the sanitary riser stackand waste lateralthat ties into the sanitary sewer system below, allowing the gravity sanitary waste removal, with the temporary water supply riserand water lateralinstalled preferably parallel to the sanitary riser stackoutside of the building floor.

Waste lateralincludes elevated inlet endand lower outlet endso that water supplied by water supply riserand flowing through water lateraland any accompanying waste will flow from tankless gravity flush toiletthrough toilet draininto lateral inlet endthrough waste lateraland lateral outlet end, down sanitary riser stackand ideally into a sanitary riser system, or if a sanitary sewer system is unavailable, the sanitary riser stack can connect to a single collection container as an alternative. The tankless gravity flush toilet according to the subject invention does not include a water tank or an internal P-trap like conventional toilets, and so does not have issues with overflowing due to clogs.

Although the preferred materials and methods of construction are disclosed herein, alternative suitable materials and methods are known and used regularly by those of ordinary skill in the art. The materials, examples, and exemplary embodiments disclosed herein are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting.

The gravity-based sanitary waste removal system enclosure preferably includes a 3″ diameter PVC sanitary drain pipe, which is increased to a 4″ diameter PVC drain pipe through a PVC reducer coupler at lateral inlet endbefore being tied into a 4″ diameter PVC sanitary riser. The riserpreferably includes a SOVENT single stack sanitary drainage assemblyat each location where a lateral outlet endof waste lateralties into sanitary riser stackthat provides for venting the PVC sanitary riser system.

The water supply preferably includes 2″ PVC piping for the water supply riserwith a separate PVC supply line lateralat each gravity-based sanitary waste removal system enclosure. The lateralalso includes a PRV (pressure reducing valve) at each lateral to regulate the water pressure. The system can also include a domestic water booster pump located on the first floor (or a higher floor, as needed) to provide adequate water pressure for the upper floors.

The foregoing riser components are added to both riser assemblies, respectively, progressively as needed as the building structure is built. Accordingly, the sanitary riserand the water risercan each comprise a plurality of respective riser segments connected in series in fluid connection, the number of riser segments increasing as needed as the system is extended upwards in increasing elevation.

The riser assemblies are increased in height to match the building structure progressively. As soon as the concrete structure is built, the riser components are added to both riser assemblies, respectively, to service and connect to the gravity-based sanitary removal assembly enclosures, which are also added progressively as the structure is completed. In this manner a plurality of tankless gravity flush toiletscan be effectively connected in series, in increasing elevation, by having lateralsandextending from each enclosureconnected to single risersand, respectively. Typically, in a systemcomprising two or more gravity flush toiletsconnected in series, in increasing elevation, there would preferably be between 4 feet and 40 feet, or between 4 feet and 100 feet, of riserbetween a connection of the lateral outlet endof a bottom-most or lower lateralto riserand the connection of the lateral outlet endof a next, vertically adjacent lateralto the same riser. Accordingly, as will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, in the subject temporary sanitary waste removal system 2 to 20 or more gravity flush toiletscan be fluidly connected to a same sanitary riseras desired and as the needs of the construction project dictate. When the system is no longer needed or desired at a certain construction project, the system can easily be dismantled and reassembled at another construction site.

It should be understood that the examples and embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and that various modifications or changes in light thereof will be suggested to persons skilled in the art and are to be included within the spirit and purview of this application and the scope of the appended claims. In addition, any elements or limitations of any invention or embodiment thereof disclosed herein can be combined with any and/or all other elements or limitations (individually or in any combination) or any other invention or embodiment thereof disclosed herein, and all such combinations are contemplated with the scope of the invention without limitation thereto.

Embodiment 1. A temporary sanitary waste removal system, comprising:

Embodiment 2. The system of embodiment 1, wherein the water supply riser comprises a plurality of riser segments in fluid connection.

Embodiment 3. The system of any preceding embodiment, wherein the sanitary riser stack comprises a plurality of riser segments in fluid connection.

Embodiment 4. The system of any preceding embodiment, comprising first and second tankless gravity flush toilets connected, in series, to a same water supply riser by respective first and second water laterals, and to a same sanitary riser stack by respective first and second waste laterals.

Embodiment 5. The system of any preceding embodiment, wherein an elevation distance between a connection of the first waste lateral to the sanitary riser stack and a connection of the second waste lateral to the sanitary riser stack is in a range of about 4 feet to about 100 feet.

Embodiment 6. The system of any preceding embodiment, comprising a third tankless gravity flush toilet connected, in series, to the same sanitary riser stack.

Embodiment 7. The system of any preceding embodiment, wherein the tankless gravity flush toilet is without an internal P-trap.

Embodiment 8. A method of providing for sanitary waste removal, the method comprising:

Embodiment 9. A method of providing for sanitary waste removal, the method comprising:

Embodiment 10. The method of any preceding claim, further comprising:

Embodiment 11. The method of any preceding claim, further comprising disassembling the temporary sanitary waste removal system and removing it from the building construction site.