LUBRICATION SYSTEM FOR MARINE OR RV TOILET

Abstract

A manual lubrication system for a manual toilet flush pump on a manual toilet of the type used in boats and RV's. The lubrication system comprises a lubricant reservoir affixed in parallel to the housing of the manual toilet flush pump laterally opposite the toilet, with a movable lubricant pump head located below the operating handle of the manual toilet flush pump and having an operating axis generally parallel to the that of the manual toilet flush pump's operating handle. A positive manual shutoff normally keeps the lubricant reservoir isolated from the normal in-flow of water to and through the manual toilet flush pump except when lubricant is being manually added during a maintenance procedure.

Claims

1. In combination with a manual toilet flush pump in a manual toilet, the manual flush pump being located to one side of the manual toilet and having a linear reciprocating operating handle having a generally vertical operating axis, a manual lubrication system comprising: a lubricant reservoir affixed ingenerally parallel fashion to a housing of the manual flush pump laterally opposite the manual toilet, the lubricant reservoir being at least partially translucent and a lubricant therein being colored so that a lubricant level can be visually gauged; the lubricant reservoir including a manual lubricant pump assembly with a movable lubricant pump head having an operating axis generally aligned in spaced parallel fashion with the manual toilet flush pump operating handle operating axis, the movable lubricant pump head movable in a linear reciprocating fashion relative to the lubricant reservoir and the manual toilet flush pump on the toilet to pump a small, consistent quantity of lubricant from the lubricant reservoir with each stroke; the movable lubricant pump head comprising a lubricant outlet connected by a flexible movable lubricant feed line to a fluid connection in a flush water feed line for the manual toilet flush pump between a clean water supply and the manual toilet flush pump; and, a manual shutoff valve in the flexible movable lubricant feed line between the movable lubricant pump head and the fluid connection in the flush water feed line.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein the fluid reservoir is affixed to the housing of the manual toilet flush pump such that the movable pump head in both raised and lowered positions is below the manual flush pump toilet operating handle.

3. The combination of claim 1, wherein the fluid reservoir is affixed to the housing of the manual toilet flush pump in spaced parallel fashion with a Z-shaped bracket.

4. The combination of claim 1, wherein the lubricant outlet on the movable pump head faces rearwardly relative to the toilet.

5. The combination of claim 1, wherein the lubricant feed line is translucent.

6. The combination of claim 5, wherein the manual shutoff valve between the lubricant outlet and the fluid connection in the flush water feed line valve is normally closed except when lubricant is being pumped from the lubricant reservoir to the flush water feed line.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a prior art manual flush toilet system shown relative to a partially cut-away boat hull.

[0021] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a lubrication system according to the invention installed on a manual pump toilet.

[0022] FIG. 3 is an exploded assembly view of the lubrication system of FIG. 1 relative to the manual pump toilet.

[0023] FIG. 4 is a detail perspective view of the upper part of the lubrication system of FIG. 1.

[0024] FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 1, but shows the motion of the lubrication system pump head and supply line relative to the toilet on an upstroke.

[0025] FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 4, but shows the motion of the lubrication system pump head and supply line relative to the toilet on a downstroke, with a flow diagram of the lubricant to the toilet water supply line.

[0026] FIG. 7 is a front elevation view of the toilet and lubricant pump of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] FIG. 1 schematically shows a boat 10 with a partially cut away hull 12, in particular the head or bathroom 14 equipped with a common type of commercially available manual flush toilet 16, for example a Jabsco toilet from Xylem Applied Water, Inc. Toilet 16 receives flushing water from an inlet line 18, in the illustrated example directly from lake or ocean water W through a selectively closeable seacock valve 17 in hull 12. Wastewater is flushed from the toilet 16 through an outlet line 20, either to a holding tank T on the boat, or directly back to the body of water W through another seacock valve 21, depending on applicable regulations governing the handling of onboard wastewater. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the water inlet and outlet lines 18, 20 may vary in their routing between the toilet and various portions of the boat. It should further be understood that boat 10 may also schematically represent an RV land vehicle, using tank T for wastewater and with an onboard clean water tank of known type replacing the inlet seacock valve 17 for supply water to the toilet.

[0028] Toilet 16 is flushed with a manual flush pump 30 installed on and forming an integral part of the toilet mechanism, typically to one side of the toilet with a unitary sealed housing 32. Manual flush pump 30 has a generally vertically-oriented operating handle 34 which, along with the housing 32, is typically set at a vertical or slightly forward-leaning angle relative to the horizontal plane of the toilet seat as shown. Linear reciprocation of operating handle 34 draws flushing water into the upper part of pump 30 through line 18, and then forces water from pump 30 through flush supply line 19 into the toilet bowl and then down and out through a lower portion 33 of the pump housing into wastewater line 20, in known manner. Whether the operating handle 34 is raised or lowered for a water-intake and then lowered or raised for a flush is not important to the invention, provided that the manual pump 30 draws clean water into the pump housing on one part of the stroke and then forces the water through the pump housing and internal pump mechanism into the toilet and out the wastewater line on another part of the stroke.

[0029] Referring next to FIG. 2, a manual lubrication system 100 is shown installed on toilet 16 in exemplary form in order to teach how to make and use the claimed invention. Lubrication system 100 comprises a lubricant reservoir 102, in the illustrated example an elongated, at least partially translucent or transparent plastic bottle holding on the order of 8-16 ounces of lubricant L. Lubricant L may be any known type of natural or synthetic lubricating oil approved or acceptable for use with manual toilets, and is colored distinctly so as to be clearly visible through the wall of reservoir 102 and through the translucent or transparent fluid tubing of the system as described further below.

[0030] Lubricant reservoir 102 includes a manual lubricant pump assembly 104 of known, commercially available type, such as used for example in countertop soap dispensers, hand lotion dispensers, and the like. Lubricant pump assembly 104 includes a pump head 106 movable up and down relative to the reservoir 102 and the remainder of the pump assembly 104 in the reservoir 102 to pump a small, consistent quantity of lubricant L out of the reservoir with each (typically downward) stroke through a lubricant outlet 108.

[0031] Lubricant L pumped from reservoir 102 enters a lubricant feed line 110 connected to outlet 108 at one end and to a connection 112 in clean water inlet line 18 upstream of pump 30. In the illustrated example, connection 112 is a three port T-fitting with a water inlet stem 112a and a water outlet stem 112b connected to clean water inlet line 18, and a lubricant inlet stem 112c connected to lubricant feed line 110. In the illustrated example, clean water inlet line 18 is made from a flexible translucent hose, and stems 112a and 112b of connection 112 are common barbed connector ends that can be inserted with a watertight fit into open ends of the hose of line 18. Lubricant feed line 110 is also made from a flexible translucent hose, typically smaller in diameter than clean water inlet line 18, and may be tightly secured to the outlet 108 on the lubricant pump head 106, for example with a friction fit or with an optional tube clamp (such as clamp 109 shown in FIG. 4). The illustrated example shows lubricant outlet 108 facing generally rearwardly toward the back of the toilet, which is a preferred orientation.

[0032] Lubricant feed line 110 includes a positive, manually-operated shutoff valve 120, in the illustrated example a common type of fluid-tight ball shutoff valve. Shutoff valve 120 will normally remain in the closed condition (FIG. 4, phantom lines), except when lubricant is periodically pumped into the toilet system, which may occur for example once every month or two. This prevents the ingress of lake or sea water into the interior of the boat from line 18 via line 110 when the pump 30 is operated for a flush. In most of the drawing Figures herein, the shutoff valve is shown in an open condition preparatory to or during the delivery of lubricant L to the toilet feed water line 18.

[0033] FIGS. 3 and 4 show manual lubrication system 100 in an exploded assembly condition relative to the toilet pump 30, for example where the lubrication system 100 is sold as an aftermarket kit to be added to a previously installed toilet 16. Reservoir 102 is mounted to the pump housing 32 with a generally Z-shaped bracket 130, the bracket having an upper horizontal flange 132 attached to the pump housing with screws or other connectors via holes 32b either formed or existing in the upper surface 32a of the pump housing 32. Bracket 130 has a vertical sidewall 133 that positions a lower horizontal flange 134 below the upper surface 32a of pump housing 32. Lower horizontal flange 134 on bracket 130 includes a slot or hole 136 so that the pump head 106 and the remainder of the pump assembly 104 in reservoir 102 can be joined together through flange 134 to positively secure the reservoir 102 and the pump head 106 to the bracket 130. The vertically offset, oppositely-facing lower position of lower flange 134 relative to the upper flange 132 places pump head 106 below the lowermost position of operating handle 34 of the toilet pump. Connection 112 may be inserted in pump inlet supply line 18 by making a split or cut in line 18 and inserting ends 112a and 112b in the split line; alternately, connection 112 may be installed in the supply line 18 to the toilet pump inlet 31 by removing line 18 from the toilet pump supply inlet, inserting connection inlet 112a in the open end of line 18, and providing connection outlet 112b with a short adapter length of hose 118 mating with the diameter of the toilet pump supply inlet 31 for connection thereto.

[0034] A feature of the present invention is the vertically and horizontally offset, generally parallel mounting of lubrication system 100 relative to the toilet pump housing 32, with the lubricant reservoir 102 and pump head 106 offset to one side and positioned below the upper end of the pump housing 32 and operating handle 34 as best shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 7. Further, the lubricant reservoir 102 and its pump mechanism 104, 106 are preferably mounted to a side of the toilet pump housing laterally opposite the toilet 16, as best shown in FIG. 7, and preferably with the lubricant feed line 110 and water line connection 112 located rearwardly of and below the uppermost part of the toilet pump housing 32 and the operating handle 34. Further, the operating axis of the lubricant pump head 106 is preferably parallel to that of the operating handle 34 of the toilet pump.

[0035] FIGS. 5 and 6 show the pump head 106 of the lubrication system 100 being operated to pump controlled amounts of lubricant L through feed line 110 into toilet water inlet line 18. In FIG. 5, pump head 106 is shown in a raised position, either lifted manually as shown or held there by an internal bias spring of known type, in order to prime the pump assembly 104 with lubricant L. In FIG. 6, the pump head 106 is pushed downwardly to force lubricant L out through outlet 108 and into feed line 110 to connection 112, where it enters the toilet supply water inlet line 18. The coloring of the lubricant L (e.g., bright blue, red, etc.) allows the entry of lubricant into the translucent water inlet line 18 to be visually verified. Once a desired amount of lubricant L is pumped into water inlet line 18 using pump head 106, shutoff valve 120 is closed, and operating handle 34 on toilet pump 30 is used to draw the lubricant-supplemented water from line 18 into the clean-water side of the internal mechanism of toilet pump 30, then out through flush line 19 to the toilet bowl, and then out of the toilet bowl and into and through the lower internal mechanism of the toilet pump 30 on the wastewater side of the toilet pump mechanism. In this manner the entirety of the internal toilet pump mechanisms exposed to both clean and waste water is lubricated.

Description of Operation

[0036] In use, once lubrication system 100 is installed on the housing 32 of toilet pump 30, it remains out of the way and disconnected from normal toilet pump usage, isolated from the flow of water into the toilet from line 18 by the positive manual shutoff valve 120 in a closed position. When periodic maintenance lubrication of the internal toilet pump mechanisms is desired, shutoff valve 120 is turned to the open position, a precise amount of lubricant L is pumped with head 106 into the clean water inlet line 18, shutoff valve 120 is closed, and the toilet pump is operated like normal to draw and flush the lubricant through the toilet pump.

[0037] It will finally be understood that the disclosed embodiments represent presently preferred examples of how to make and use the invention, but are intended to enable rather than limit the invention. Variations and modifications of the illustrated examples in the foregoing written specification and drawings may be possible without departing from the scope of the invention. It should further be understood that to the extent the term invention is used in the written specification, it is not to be construed as a limiting term as to number of claimed or disclosed inventions or discoveries or the scope of any such invention or discovery, but as a term which has long been used to describe new and useful improvements in science and the useful arts. The scope of the invention supported by the above disclosure should accordingly be construed within the scope of what it teaches and suggests to those skilled in the art, and within the scope of any claims that the above disclosure supports in this application or in any other application claiming priority to this application.