Aircraft toilet

Abstract

The application relates to an aircraft toilet. The aircraft toilet comprises a toilet body, a flushing assembly, a flushing switch and a control assembly; the toilet body comprises a toilet cover and a toilet seat, the toilet cover is hinged to the toilet seat, and the toilet seat has a toilet cavity; the flushing assembly comprises a water inlet pipe, an air inlet pipe and a mixing chamber, the air inlet pipe and the water inlet pipe are both communicated with the mixing chamber, the mixing chamber is communicated with the toilet cavity, and the water inlet pipe is provided with a first control valve; the flushing switch is arranged outside the toilet body; the control assembly is electrically connected with the flushing switch, the toilet cover and the first control valve, and the control assembly is configured to: when it is detected that the flushing switch is triggered, the toilet cover is closed and the first control valve is opened, so that air and water enter the mixing chamber through the air inlet pipeline and the water inlet pipeline respectively to form a water-air mixture, and the water-air mixture is delivered into the toilet cavity through the mixing chamber to flush the wall surface of the toilet cavity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of toilet technology, and in particular to an airplane toilet. Background Technology

[0002] Civil aircraft lavatories are typically equipped with vacuum-suction toilets to collect wastewater generated by passengers. Conventional aircraft toilets rely on the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the cabin or an onboard wastewater treatment system to create a vacuum, using this negative pressure to suck wastewater from the toilet bowl into an onboard wastewater tank for temporary storage.

[0003] During the sewage pumping and transportation process, a large amount of ambient air from the lavatory flows into the toilet drain pipe along with the sewage. The airflow moves at high speed within the pipe, impacting the pipe structure and generating turbulence, which induces significant aerodynamic noise, typically exceeding 85 dB. Excessive toilet noise can continuously disturb passengers' rest in the cabin, significantly reducing their comfort throughout the flight. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide an airplane toilet to address the above problems.

[0005] An airplane toilet, comprising:

[0006] The toilet body includes a toilet lid and a toilet seat, wherein the toilet lid and the toilet seat are hinged together, and the toilet seat has a toilet chamber;

[0007] The flushing assembly includes a water inlet pipe, an air inlet pipe, and a mixing chamber. The air inlet pipe and the water inlet pipe are both connected to the mixing chamber, which is connected to the toilet bowl. The water inlet pipe is equipped with a first control valve.

[0008] A flush switch is located on the exterior of the toilet body; and

[0009] A control component is electrically connected to the flush switch, the toilet seat, and the first control valve. The control component is configured to: when the flush switch is detected to be triggered, close the toilet seat and open the first control valve, so that air and water enter the mixing chamber through the air inlet pipe and the water inlet pipe respectively to mix and form a water vapor mixture. The water vapor mixture is then transported through the mixing chamber to the toilet bowl to flush the walls of the toilet bowl.

[0010] In one embodiment, the air intake pipe is covered with a sound-insulating layer.

[0011] In one embodiment, the thickness of the sound insulation layer is greater than or equal to 10 mm.

[0012] In one embodiment, the air intake pipe is located on the side of the interior panel of the aircraft lavatory facing away from the interior of the aircraft lavatory, and the toilet body is located on the side of the interior panel facing the interior of the aircraft lavatory.

[0013] In one embodiment, the aircraft toilet further includes a housing disposed on the side of the interior panel facing away from the interior of the aircraft lavatory, and the flushing assembly, the flushing switch and the control assembly are all disposed in the housing.

[0014] In one embodiment, the mixing chamber is provided with a baffle, which is located on the airflow path and the water flow path and has multiple through holes.

[0015] In one embodiment, the air inlet of the air intake pipe is provided with an air intake shroud, the inner diameter of which gradually decreases along the air intake direction; and / or,

[0016] The outlet of the water inlet pipe is equipped with a nozzle; and / or,

[0017] The water inlet pipe is equipped with an anti-siphon valve.

[0018] In one embodiment, the aircraft toilet further includes a pressure sensor disposed on the toilet seat and used to detect the pressure information borne by the toilet seat. The pressure sensor is electrically connected to the control component, which is configured to: close the toilet lid and open the first control valve when it is detected that the flushing switch is triggered and the pressure borne by the toilet seat drops from a first pressure threshold range to a second pressure threshold range.

[0019] In one embodiment, the aircraft toilet further includes a drain pipe located at the bottom of the toilet seat and connected to the toilet chamber and the wastewater treatment system. The drain pipe is equipped with a second control valve. The control component is also electrically connected to the second control valve and the wastewater treatment system. The control component is configured to: when the flushing switch is triggered and the vacuum level of the wastewater treatment system is within a preset range, first close the toilet lid and open the second control valve, and then open the first control valve.

[0020] In one embodiment, the airplane toilet further includes a status switch and an ultraviolet disinfection lamp. The status switch is located on the toilet seat and is used to detect the open or closed state of the toilet lid. The ultraviolet disinfection lamp is located on the side of the toilet lid facing the toilet chamber.

[0021] The control component is also electrically connected to the status switch and the ultraviolet germicidal lamp, and the control component is further configured to: turn on the ultraviolet germicidal lamp when the toilet lid is detected to be closed; and turn off the ultraviolet germicidal lamp when the toilet lid is detected to be open.

[0022] The aforementioned aircraft toilet, by automatically closing the toilet lid before flushing via a control component, physically isolates the toilet bowl from the lavatory space. This confines the noise source generated during flushing within the toilet bowl, effectively blocking the noise propagation path to the lavatory and cabin, thus significantly reducing the perceived noise intensity for passengers. Furthermore, by incorporating a mixed-flow chamber, flushing water and inhaled air are pre-mixed within a closed cavity to form a water-vapor mixture before being delivered to the toilet bowl for flushing. This prevents a large amount of air from being directly drawn in at the bowl opening, avoiding intense airflow friction and airlock noise. Simultaneously, the tiny air bubbles in the water-vapor mixture buffer the energy of water impacting the walls, further reducing fluid impact noise. Moreover, compared to pure water flushing, the water-vapor mixture flushing method significantly reduces the water consumption per flush while achieving the same flushing effect. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of an airplane toilet provided in one embodiment of this application.

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the mixing chamber of an aircraft toilet provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0025] The labels in the attached diagram are explained as follows:

[0026] 10. Aircraft toilet; 100. Toilet body; 110. Toilet seat; 120. Toilet seat; 120a. Toilet chamber; 130. Spray ring; 200. Flushing assembly; 210. Water inlet pipe; 211. First control valve; 212. Anti-siphon valve; 213. Nozzle; 220. Air inlet pipe; 221. Sound insulation layer; 222. Air inlet hood; 230. Mixing chamber; 231. Baffle; 231a. Through hole; 300. Flushing switch; 400. Control assembly; 500. Housing; 600. Pressure sensor; 700. Sewage pipe; 710. Second control valve; 800. Status switch; 900. Ultraviolet disinfection lamp; 20. Interior panel; 30. Wastewater treatment system. Detailed Implementation

[0027] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0028] In the description of this application, it should be understood that if terms such as "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" appear, these terms indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0029] Furthermore, where the terms "first" and "second" appear, these terms are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, where the term "multiple" appears, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0030] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0031] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the use of descriptions such as "above" or "below" the second feature indicates that the first and second features are in direct contact or indirect contact via an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. Similarly, "below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0032] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. If an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. If so, the terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this application are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0033] Please see Figure 1 This invention provides an aircraft toilet 10, which is a vacuum-suction toilet primarily used in the lavatories of civil aircraft. Of course, this toilet can also be used in the vacuum sanitation systems of business jets and other transportation vehicles. The aircraft toilet 10 includes a toilet body 100, a flushing assembly 200, a flushing switch 300, and a control assembly 400.

[0034] The toilet body 100 includes a toilet lid 110 and a toilet seat 120. The toilet lid 110 is hinged to the toilet seat 120, allowing it to be opened and closed relative to the toilet seat 120. Specifically, the toilet lid 110 is hinged to the rear of the toilet seat 120. The toilet seat 120 has a recessed toilet chamber 120a for accommodating passenger excrement and flushing water. A drain outlet is located at the bottom of the toilet seat 120, which is connected to an onboard wastewater treatment system 30 via a drain pipe 700. The wastewater treatment system 30 is an aircraft vacuum wastewater system, which maintains a negative pressure environment below atmospheric pressure in the drain pipe 700 and the toilet chamber 120a during operation.

[0035] The flushing assembly 200 includes a water inlet pipe 210, an air inlet pipe 220, and a mixing chamber 230. The mixing chamber 230 is located behind the toilet seat 120 and has an air inlet, a water inlet, and a mixing outlet. One end of the air inlet pipe 220 connects to the external environment, and the other end connects to the air inlet of the mixing chamber 230, for introducing outside air into the mixing chamber 230. One end of the water inlet pipe 210 connects to the machine's water supply system, and the other end connects to the water inlet of the mixing chamber 230, for introducing flushing water into the mixing chamber 230. A first control valve 211, which is a solenoid valve or an electric valve, is installed on the water inlet pipe 210 to control the flow of flushing water. The mixing outlet of the mixing chamber 230 is connected to the internal space of the toilet chamber 120a, and its outlet direction is set towards the inner wall of the toilet chamber 120a so that the flushing water can effectively wash the wall.

[0036] Optionally, such as Figure 1 As shown, a spray ring 130 is provided on the upper part of the mixed flow chamber 230 along the direction of its opening. The spray ring 130 has a water flow channel and multiple water outlets. The water flow channel is connected to the mixing output port of the mixed flow chamber 230, and the multiple water outlets are spaced apart along the extension direction of the spray ring 130, with each water outlet connected to the water flow channel. The spray ring 130 allows the water vapor mixture to be sprayed onto the inner wall of the toilet chamber 120a from multiple angles simultaneously, improving the uniformity and integrity of the flushing coverage and effectively eliminating the flushing blind spots that are prone to occur in traditional single-point flushing methods, ensuring that the circumferential walls of the toilet chamber 120a are thoroughly cleaned. It also allows the multiple water outlets to disperse the total flow into several branch jets, reducing the instantaneous impact force on a single part of the wall and dispersing the fluid impact energy, thereby further suppressing the impact noise generated by the concentrated impact of water flow on the wall.

[0037] The flush switch 300 is located on the exterior of the toilet body 100, such as on the side wall of the toilet seat 120 or on the interior panel 20 of the washroom, for easy operation by the passenger. The flush switch 300 can be a push-button or a touch-sensitive switch.

[0038] The control component 400 can be a control circuit board with an integrated microcontroller, which is electrically connected to the flush switch 300, the toilet seat 110 and the first control valve 211.

[0039] The following describes the flushing process of the toilet 10 on the airplane:

[0040] After the passenger finishes using the toilet and gets up, they can manually press or touch the flush switch 300, which sends a trigger signal to the control component 400. Upon receiving the trigger signal, the control component 400 first outputs a first control command to control the toilet lid 110 to close quickly and cover the upper surface of the toilet seat 120, thereby sealing the toilet chamber 120a.

[0041] At this time, because the toilet chamber 120a is connected to the wastewater treatment system 30 through the drain pipe 700, and the wastewater treatment system 30 continuously provides suction negative pressure, a relatively sealed vacuum chamber is formed inside the toilet chamber 120a after the toilet lid 110 is closed. The internal air pressure is significantly lower than the air pressure inside the cabin. Based on this pressure difference, air from outside the cabin or outside the fuselage is automatically drawn into the air intake pipe 220 and continuously flows into the mixed flow chamber 230 along the air intake pipe 220.

[0042] Simultaneously, the control component 400 outputs a second control command to open the first control valve 211 on the water inlet pipe 210. The flushing water from the machine's water supply system enters the mixing chamber 230 synchronously through the water inlet pipe 210. Inside the mixing chamber 230, the high-speed airflow mixes and turbulently with the flushing water, forming a water vapor mixture containing a large number of tiny bubbles.

[0043] Under the continuous suction of the negative pressure inside the toilet bowl 120a, the water-vapor mixture is ejected at high speed from the mixing outlet of the mixing chamber 230, impacting the inner wall of the toilet bowl 120a at a preset speed and angle, washing away the dirt adhering to the wall. Finally, the water-vapor mixture, along with the flushed dirt, is continuously drawn into the wastewater treatment system 30 through the drain pipe 700, completing the entire flushing and discharge process.

[0044] As can be seen, the aircraft toilet 10 provided in this embodiment, by automatically closing the toilet lid 110 before flushing via the control component 400, physically isolates the toilet chamber 120a from the lavatory space, thereby confining the noise source generated during flushing within the toilet chamber 120a and effectively blocking the propagation path of noise to the lavatory and cabin, thus effectively reducing the noise intensity perceived by passengers. In addition, by setting up a mixing chamber 230, the flushing water and the inhaled air can be pre-mixed in the closed chamber to form a water-vapor mixture before being delivered to the toilet chamber 120a for flushing, avoiding the generation of severe airflow friction and airlock noise caused by a large amount of air being directly inhaled at the bowl opening of the toilet chamber 120a. At the same time, the tiny bubbles in the water-vapor mixture can buffer the energy of the water flow impacting the wall, further reducing fluid impact noise; and, compared with pure water flushing, the water-vapor mixture flushing method can significantly reduce the water consumption per flush while achieving the same flushing effect.

[0045] The air inlet pipe 220 of the flushing assembly 200 is primarily used to introduce air into the mixing chamber 230. In some embodiments of this application, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the air intake duct 220 is covered with a sound insulation layer 221. The sound insulation layer 221 can effectively absorb the noise generated when air flows through the air intake duct 220 and can effectively block the propagation path of noise along the air intake duct 220 to the lavatory and cabin areas.

[0046] The sound insulation layer 221 can be installed on the outer peripheral wall of the air intake pipe 220 and can be fixed by adhesive or binding.

[0047] The sound insulation layer 221 can be a lightweight porous sound-absorbing material, such as sound insulation cotton (e.g., aerospace-grade flame-retardant sound-absorbing materials such as polyurethane foam, melamine resin foam or glass fiber cotton).

[0048] The thickness of the sound insulation layer 221 is greater than or equal to 10mm, such as 10mm, 15mm, 20mm, 25mm, etc. This thickness of the sound insulation layer 221 can effectively absorb the noise generated when air flows through the air intake pipe 220.

[0049] See also Figure 1 The air intake duct 220 is located on the side of the interior panel 20 of the aircraft lavatory facing away from the lavatory interior, specifically hidden within the space between the interior panel 20 and the fuselage sidewall. The toilet body 100 is located on the side of the interior panel 20 facing the lavatory interior. The interior panel 20 itself acts as a physical sound barrier, effectively isolating the air intake duct 220 from the lavatory interior space. Noise generated by the high-speed airflow within the air intake duct 220 is first blocked by the interior panel 20 during its outward propagation, thus reducing the noise intensity directly transmitted into the lavatory interior space. Furthermore, placing the air intake duct 220 on the back side of the interior panel 20 fully utilizes the existing concealed space between the interior panel 20 and the aircraft sidewall, without occupying additional usable space within the lavatory interior. This helps maintain the cleanliness of the lavatory interior space, avoiding the impact of exposed pipes on passenger visual experience and ease of use, while also making the lavatory interior appearance more concise and aesthetically pleasing.

[0050] Furthermore, the aircraft toilet 10 may also include a housing 500, which is located on the side of the interior panel 20 facing away from the interior of the aircraft lavatory. The flushing assembly 200, the flushing switch 300, and the control assembly 400 are all located in the housing 500. The outer casing 500 centrally houses the flushing assembly 200, flushing switch 300, and control assembly 400 within a concealed space on the back side of the interior panel 20, physically isolating them from the passenger-accessible lavatory interior area. This effectively organizes the previously scattered pipes, wiring harnesses, and electrical components, making the overall structure of the aircraft toilet 10 more compact and modular. This facilitates rapid installation, complete replacement, and routine maintenance within the aircraft's confined fuselage space. Furthermore, the outer casing 500 also serves as a sound insulation layer. When the flushing assembly 200 and control assembly 400 generate noise during operation, the outer casing 500 first encloses the sound source within its internal cavity, forming the first acoustic barrier. Subsequently, sound waves must penetrate the interior panel 20 after passing through the outer casing 500 before entering the lavatory interior. This double-layer sound insulation structure effectively reduces noise.

[0051] The air inlet of the air intake pipe 220 is equipped with an air intake hood 222, the inner diameter of which gradually decreases along the air intake direction. The air intake hood 222 is designed as a constricting tube or a conical tube. When air flows through the constricting channel with its gradually decreasing inner diameter, the flow cross-sectional area gradually narrows, the airflow is accelerated, and a constriction effect is generated, making it easier for air to be drawn into the air intake pipe 220. This improves the intake efficiency and airflow, ensuring sufficient air to mix with the flushing water in the mixing chamber 230, thereby guaranteeing the formation effect of the water-vapor mixture and the wall flushing force. Furthermore, the gradually constricting structure of the air intake hood 222 acts as a rectifying and guiding force, allowing external air to achieve a smooth acceleration transition before entering the air intake pipe 220. This avoids airflow separation, eddies, and severe turbulence caused by abrupt changes in the air intake cross-section, effectively reducing noise at the air intake and further reducing noise from the air intake source.

[0052] The outer casing 500 has an opening that communicates with its own internal cavity, and the air intake shroud 222 is disposed in the outer casing 500 and exposed to the opening.

[0053] The inlet pipe 210 is mainly used to supply cleaning water to the mixing chamber. For example... Figure 1 As shown, in one embodiment, the outlet of the water inlet pipe 210 is provided with a nozzle 213. The nozzle 213 can throttle and accelerate the flushing water delivered by the water inlet pipe 210 and disperse and atomize it, so that it forms a fine droplet or fan-shaped spray pattern when it enters the mixing chamber 230. This effectively increases the contact surface area between the flushing water and the air, which is conducive to achieving a more complete and uniform gas-liquid mixing with the high-speed airflow in the mixing chamber 230. This improves the formation efficiency and quality of the water-vapor mixture, resulting in a denser distribution of bubbles and finer droplet size in the water-vapor mixture that is finally sprayed onto the inner wall of the toilet chamber 120a, thus providing stronger flushing coverage.

[0054] Nozzle 213 can be a pressure atomizing nozzle, a spiral nozzle, or a fan-shaped nozzle. Nozzle 213 can be installed on water inlet pipe 210 using a quick-release method such as threaded connection.

[0055] See also Figure 1 In one embodiment, the water inlet pipe 210 is equipped with an anti-siphon valve 212. After the aircraft toilet 10 has finished flushing, the first control valve 211 is closed. If the onboard water supply system experiences a sudden drop in pipeline pressure due to pressure fluctuations, changes in flight altitude, or sudden changes in cabin pressure differential, a negative pressure environment is formed in the water inlet pipe 210. The anti-siphon valve 212 can respond quickly and cut off the pipeline, effectively preventing residual sewage, dirt, and odorous gases in the mixing chamber 230 or toilet chamber 120a from being siphoned back into the water supply system along the water inlet pipe 210 under negative pressure.

[0056] The anti-siphon valve 212 can be installed on the water inlet pipe 210 downstream of the first control valve 211, and it can be a vacuum breaker valve or a one-way check valve.

[0057] The mixing chamber 230 is primarily used to mix air and flushing water to form a water vapor mixture. In one embodiment, such as... Figure 2 As shown, a baffle 231 is provided inside the mixing chamber 230. The baffle 231 is located on the airflow path and the water flow path and has multiple through holes 231a. When high-speed flowing air and flushing water enter the mixing chamber 230 through the air inlet pipe 220 and the water inlet pipe 210 respectively, the baffle 231 directly blocks the flow paths of the air and water phases, forcing the two fluids to collide with the surface of the baffle 231 and be forced to change their flow direction. This causes a sudden change in fluid direction and a redistribution of flow velocity, forming a strong local turbulence region before and after the baffle 231 and around the through holes 231a. This greatly increases the contact opportunity and mixing uniformity between the air and the flushing water, causing the water phase to be sheared and broken into finer droplets and the gas phase to be dispersed into smaller bubbles, thereby forming a water vapor mixture with better quality.

[0058] Multiple baffles 231 can be provided at intervals along the flow path of the gas and water phases. The baffles 231 can be installed in the mixing chamber 230 by welding, bonding or other methods.

[0059] In some embodiments of this application, such as Figure 1 As shown, the aircraft toilet 10 also includes a pressure sensor 600, which is located on the toilet seat 120 and used to detect the pressure information borne by the toilet seat 120. The pressure sensor 600 is electrically connected to the control component 400, which is further configured to: close the toilet lid 110 and open the first control valve 211 when it detects that the flush switch 300 is triggered and the pressure borne by the toilet seat drops from a first pressure threshold range to a second pressure threshold range. The pressure sensor 600 is used to identify whether the passenger is still seated. When the pressure sensor 600 detects that the pressure borne by the toilet seat 120 drops from the first pressure threshold range to the second pressure threshold range, it confirms that the passenger has finished getting up and leaving the toilet seat 120. At this time, the control component 400, combined with the signal of the flush switch 300 being triggered, initiates the flushing procedure. This dual-condition determination mechanism ensures that the flushing operation is only performed after the passenger has completely left, avoiding situations where waste is not completely emptied or flushing water splashes onto the passenger's body due to premature flushing, thus improving the accuracy of the flushing timing and the user experience.

[0060] The first and second pressure threshold ranges can be calibrated according to the weight distribution of different passengers, enabling the control component 400 to adaptively distinguish between "empty state", "child seated state" and "adult seated state", further improving the accuracy and applicability of the control and avoiding misjudgment or missed judgment due to improper pressure threshold settings.

[0061] In some embodiments of this application, such as Figure 1 As shown, the drain pipe 700 is located at the bottom of the toilet seat 120 and is equipped with a second control valve 710. The control component 400 is also electrically connected to the second control valve 710 and the wastewater treatment system 30. The control component 400 is further configured to: when the flush switch 300 is triggered and the vacuum level of the wastewater treatment system 30 is within a preset range, first close the toilet lid 110 and open the second control valve 710, and then open the first control valve 211. Through this vacuum level monitoring mechanism, the control component 400 first checks whether the vacuum level of the wastewater treatment system 30 is within a preset range before executing the flushing procedure, ensuring that the system has sufficient suction capacity before starting the flushing process. If the wastewater treatment system 30 fails or is overloaded, resulting in insufficient vacuum, the control component 400 can temporarily suspend or stop the flushing operation. This avoids insufficient water-vapor mixture formation, failure to drain flushing water in time, and retention of waste in the toilet chamber 120a due to insufficient suction power. This ensures that each flush can be completed under effective negative pressure, significantly improving the flushing success rate and operational reliability.

[0062] The preset range is 20 kPa to 60 kPa.

[0063] In some embodiments of this application, such as Figure 1 As shown, the aircraft toilet 10 also includes a status switch 800 and an ultraviolet disinfection lamp 900. The status switch 800 is located on the toilet seat 120 and is used to detect the open / closed state of the toilet lid 110. The ultraviolet disinfection lamp 900 is located on the side of the toilet lid 110 facing the toilet chamber 120a. The control component 400 is also electrically connected to the status switch 800 and the ultraviolet disinfection lamp. The control component 400 is also configured to: turn on the ultraviolet disinfection lamp 900 when the toilet lid 110 is detected to be closed; and turn off the ultraviolet disinfection lamp 900 when the toilet lid 110 is detected to be open. The status switch 800 serves as the basis for determining whether the ultraviolet disinfection lamp 900 is turned on or off, ensuring that the ultraviolet disinfection lamp 900 is only activated when the toilet lid 110 is completely closed. When the toilet seat 110 is opened, the ultraviolet disinfection lamp 900 is forcibly turned off, thus completely eliminating the possibility of ultraviolet rays accidentally irradiating the passenger's skin, eyes, or other items in the bathroom when the toilet seat 110 is open, effectively protecting the passenger's personal safety.

[0064] The status switch 800 can be any of a Hall sensor, an infrared sensor, or a micro switch. The status switch 800 can be located at the front end of the toilet seat 120.

[0065] It should be noted that, for scenarios where passengers stand to urinate or do not sit down throughout the entire process, the pressure sensor 600 detects that the pressure on the toilet seat 120 remains within the second pressure threshold range, and the control component 400 cannot determine whether the use has ended based on the pressure change signal. Therefore, the control component 400 is also configured to: trigger a timer to start counting when the toilet seat 110 is detected to be open; if the toilet seat 110 is detected to be closed during the counting process, the timer resets to zero and stops counting, restarting when the toilet seat 110 is opened again; when the accumulated counting time exceeds a preset duration (e.g., 10 to 60 seconds), and the control component 400 receives a trigger signal from the flush switch 300 after the counting begins, the control component 400 controls the toilet seat 110 to close and opens the first control valve 211 to execute the flushing procedure. This configuration ensures effective triggering of the flushing operation in standing usage scenarios, ensuring that the aircraft toilet 10 can adapt to the different usage habits of all passengers, eliminating the blind spots caused by the original single sitting posture determination logic, and greatly improving the product's universality and user experience.

[0066] The toilet seat 110 can be opened manually. Based on this, the toilet seat 110 may include a cover, a pivot, and a drive component; the cover is hinged to the toilet seat 120 via the pivot; the drive component includes a motor, a reducer, and a clutch, the output shaft of the motor is drivenly connected to the input shaft of the reducer, the output shaft of the reducer is drivenly connected to the driving end of the clutch, and the driven end of the clutch is drivenly connected to the pivot.

[0067] When the control component 400 outputs the first control command (i.e., the lid-closing command), the motor is powered on and starts, and its output shaft generates rotational torque. This torque is reduced and amplified by the reducer and then transmitted to the driving end of the clutch. At this time, the clutch is engaged, and the driving end transmits torque to the driven end, thereby driving the rotating shaft to rotate. The rotating shaft drives the lid to rotate around the axis, ultimately causing the lid to cover the upper surface of the toilet seat 120, completing the automatic lid-closing action.

[0068] When a passenger manually opens the toilet seat 110, the passenger applies force directly to the seat, causing the seat to rotate the shaft. At this time, the clutch is disengaged, preventing or eliminating the need to transmit the rotational torque of the shaft back to the reducer and motor. In other words, the clutch functions as either "disengaged" or "free-running" during manual operation. Therefore, the torque applied by the passenger only needs to overcome the rotational inertia of the shaft and seat itself, as well as the frictional resistance at the hinge, without simultaneously driving the reducer and motor rotor. This reduces the opening force required for manual operation, allowing the passenger to easily lift the toilet seat 110 with minimal effort.

[0069] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0070] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An airplane toilet, characterized in that, include: The toilet body includes a toilet lid and a toilet seat, wherein the toilet lid and the toilet seat are hinged together, and the toilet seat has a toilet chamber; The flushing assembly includes a water inlet pipe, an air inlet pipe, and a mixing chamber. The air inlet pipe and the water inlet pipe are both connected to the mixing chamber, which is connected to the toilet bowl. The water inlet pipe is equipped with a first control valve. The flushing switch is located on the outside of the toilet body; as well as A control component is electrically connected to the flush switch, the toilet seat, and the first control valve. The control component is configured to: when the flush switch is detected to be triggered, close the toilet seat and open the first control valve, so that air and water enter the mixing chamber through the air inlet pipe and the water inlet pipe respectively to mix and form a water vapor mixture. The water vapor mixture is then transported through the mixing chamber to the toilet bowl to flush the walls of the toilet bowl.

2. The airplane toilet according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air intake pipe is covered with a sound insulation layer.

3. The airplane toilet according to claim 2, characterized in that, The thickness of the sound insulation layer is greater than or equal to 10 mm.

4. The airplane toilet according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air intake pipe is located on the side of the interior panel of the aircraft lavatory facing away from the interior of the aircraft lavatory, and the toilet body is located on the side of the interior panel facing the interior of the aircraft lavatory.

5. The airplane toilet according to claim 4, characterized in that, The aircraft toilet also includes a housing, which is located on the side of the interior panel facing away from the interior of the aircraft lavatory. The flushing assembly, the flushing switch, and the control assembly are all located within the housing.

6. The airplane toilet according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mixing chamber is equipped with a baffle plate, which is located on the airflow path and the waterflow path, and has multiple through holes.

7. The airplane toilet according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air inlet of the air intake pipe is equipped with an air intake shroud, the inner diameter of which gradually decreases along the air intake direction; and / or, The outlet of the water inlet pipe is equipped with a nozzle; and / or, The water inlet pipe is equipped with an anti-siphon valve.

8. The aircraft toilet according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The aircraft toilet also includes a pressure sensor, which is located on the toilet seat and used to detect the pressure information borne by the toilet seat. The pressure sensor is electrically connected to the control component, which is further configured to: close the toilet lid and open the first control valve when it is detected that the flushing switch is triggered and the pressure borne by the toilet seat drops from a first pressure threshold range to a second pressure threshold range.

9. The aircraft toilet according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The aircraft toilet also includes a drain pipe located at the bottom of the toilet seat and connected to the toilet chamber and the wastewater treatment system. The drain pipe is equipped with a second control valve. The control component is also electrically connected to the second control valve and the wastewater treatment system. The control component is configured to: when the flushing switch is triggered and the vacuum level of the wastewater treatment system is within a preset range, first close the toilet lid and open the second control valve, and then open the first control valve.

10. The aircraft toilet according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The aircraft toilet also includes a status switch and an ultraviolet disinfection lamp. The status switch is located on the toilet seat and is used to detect the open and closed state of the toilet lid. The ultraviolet disinfection lamp is located on the side of the toilet lid facing the toilet chamber. The control component is also electrically connected to the status switch and the ultraviolet germicidal lamp, and the control component is further configured to: turn on the ultraviolet germicidal lamp when the toilet lid is detected to be closed; and turn off the ultraviolet germicidal lamp when the toilet lid is detected to be open.

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