Portable toilet unit and method for transporting portable toilet unit

Abstract

To provide a portable toilet unit capable of preventing waste in a toilet tank from flowing back to a toilet bowl side during transportation to prevent the toilet bowl or its periphery from being soiled, and method for transporting the portable toilet unit.SOLUTION: A portable toilet unit 100 includes a toilet bowl unit 110 in a toilet room unit 101 forming a private room space. The toilet bowl unit 110 includes a toilet bowl 111 for relieving oneself and a toilet tank 130 provided below the toilet bowl 111 for storing waste. A flapper 140 for opening and closing a bowl outlet 117a is provided on the bowl outlet 117a of the toilet 111. Further, the portable toilet unit 100 includes a flapper lock body 150, the flapper lock mechanism for keeping the flapper 140 closed while the portable toilet unit 100 is being transported.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a portable toilet unit and a method for transporting a portable toilet unit. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there have been portable toilet units in which a waste tank unit with a waste tank for storing waste is provided below a toilet room unit having a toilet bowl. In this case, some portable toilet units are provided with a flapper on a waste discharge path between the toilet bowl and the waste tank that can be freely opened and closed. For example, Patent Document 1 listed below discloses a portable unit toilet as a portable toilet unit that is provided with a flapper configured such that a closing body that can be freely opened and closed to close the discharge outlet of a Western-style toilet bowl is pressed against the discharge outlet by the weight of a weight. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-21304

[0004] However, the portable toilet unit described in Patent Document 1 above had the problem that when the portable toilet unit was lifted and placed on the loading platform of a truck or the like, or when it was loaded onto a vehicle such as a truck for transport, the flapper would temporarily open due to impact or vibration, causing waste in the waste tank to leak into the toilet bowl and soil the toilet bowl or its surrounding area.

[0005] The present invention has been made to address the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a portable toilet unit and a method for transporting a portable toilet unit that can prevent waste in the waste tank from flowing back into the toilet bowl during transport, thereby preventing the toilet bowl or its surrounding area from becoming soiled. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is characterized by a portable toilet unit comprising a toilet room unit having a toilet bowl and forming a private space for relieving oneself, a waste tank provided below the toilet bowl for storing waste that is led through the toilet bowl, and a flapper provided in a discharge path that leads the waste from the toilet bowl to the waste tank and that can be freely opened and closed to close the discharge path, and further comprising a flapper locking mechanism that keeps the flapper closed while the portable toilet unit is being transported.

[0007] According to this, the portable toilet unit is equipped with a flapper locking mechanism that keeps the flapper in a closed position while the portable toilet unit is being transported, thereby preventing waste in the waste tank from flowing back into the toilet bowl while the portable toilet unit is being transported, thereby preventing the toilet bowl or its surrounding area from becoming soiled.

[0008] Another feature of the present invention is that in the portable toilet unit, the flapper locking mechanism is provided with an operator for manually switching the flapper between a locked state and an unlocked state, and the operator is provided on the outer surface of the toilet bowl.

[0009] According to this, the portable toilet unit has a lock mechanism operator on the outer surface of the toilet bowl for manually operating the flapper lock mechanism to lock or unlock the flapper, so the operator can operate the lock mechanism operator while checking the locked or unlocked state of the flapper. Also, because the operator can operate the flapper to lock or unlock even while using the toilet, for example, if the operator notices that the flapper is locked while using the toilet, the operator can easily release the lock.

[0010] Another feature of the present invention is that in the portable toilet unit, the flapper locking mechanism includes a lock state maintaining mechanism that fixes the flapper in a locked state or an unlocked state.

[0011] According to this, the portable toilet unit has a flapper locking mechanism equipped with a lock state maintaining mechanism that fixes the flapper in a locked or unlocked state, thereby preventing the flapper from unintentionally entering a locked state while the portable toilet unit is in use or from unintentionally entering an unlocked state while the portable toilet unit is being transported. In this case, the lock state maintaining mechanism can be configured to restrict the operation of an operator for manually switching the flapper between the locked and unlocked states.

[0012] Another feature of the present invention is that in the portable toilet unit, the flapper comprises a closing body that is provided in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis and rotates integrally with the rotation axis to freely open and close the waste discharge outlet of the toilet bowl, and a balance weight that is provided on the opposite side of the closing body with respect to the rotation axis and rotates integrally with the rotation axis to raise the closing body toward the discharge outlet, and the flapper locking mechanism comprises a rod-shaped or plate-shaped locking body that contacts the closing body or the balance weight to restrict the closing body from opening, and a locking body restriction means for restricting the locking body from moving in the direction of the closing body or the balance weight.

[0013] According to this, the portable toilet unit is equipped with a locking body restriction means for restricting displacement of the rod- or plate-shaped locking body, which restricts the opening of the closure by contacting the closure or balance weight, in the direction of displacement of the closure or balance weight, thereby more effectively preventing the flapper (closure) from opening or the locking body from being pressed excessively against the flapper (closure) due to impact or vibration during transport of the portable toilet unit. Note that in this case, contact of the locking body with the closure or balance weight includes indirect contact as well as direct contact. Furthermore, displacement of the locking body also includes deformation.

[0014] Furthermore, the present invention can be implemented not only as an invention of a portable toilet unit, but also as an invention of a method for transporting this portable toilet unit.

[0015] Specifically, the method for transporting a portable toilet unit includes a toilet room unit having a toilet bowl and forming a private space for relieving oneself, a waste tank provided below the toilet bowl for storing waste guided through the toilet bowl, and a flapper provided in a discharge path that guides waste from the toilet bowl to the waste tank and that can be opened and closed to close the discharge path, and the portable toilet unit is transported with the flapper fixed in a closed position. In this way, the method for transporting a portable toilet unit can be expected to have the same effects as the portable toilet unit described above. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing the exterior of a portable toilet unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention, with a portion of the exterior cut away to show the configuration thereof. [Figure 2] 2 is a partially cutaway front cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a toilet unit that constitutes the portable toilet unit shown in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 3] 3 is a partially cutaway front cross-sectional view showing the toilet unit shown in FIG. 2 with a closing body in an open state. FIG. [Figure 4] 3 is a partially cutaway front cross-sectional view showing a state in which a closing body of a flapper in the toilet unit shown in FIG. 2 is prevented from opening by a flapper locking body. FIG. [Figure 5] 3 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of a flapper that opens and closes the bowl discharge port of the toilet unit shown in FIG. 2, as seen from below. FIG. [Figure 6] 3 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a flapper lock body that constitutes the portable toilet unit shown in FIG. 2.

[0023] FIG. [Figure 7] 7 is a partial perspective view partially showing a state in which the flapper locking body and the operating element locking device shown in FIG. 6 are attached to an intermediate base. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a partially cutaway front cross-sectional view showing the exterior of a toilet unit in order to reveal a flapper lock body that constitutes a portable toilet unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 9 is a partially cutaway front cross-sectional view showing a state in which the operating element of the flapper locking body shown in FIG. 8 is pressed to separate the closing body downward from the bowl discharge port. FIG. [Figure 10] 9 is a partially cutaway front cross-sectional view showing a state in which the blocking body of the flapper lock body shown in FIG. 8 has been retracted to the rear of the bowl discharge port. FIG. [Figure 11] 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a flapper locking body according to a modified example of the first embodiment of the present invention in relation to a flapper. FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is an explanatory view showing a flapper locking body according to another modification of the first embodiment of the present invention in relation to a flapper. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is an explanatory view showing a flapper locking body according to another modification of the first embodiment of the present invention in relation to a flapper. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is an explanatory view showing a flapper locking body according to another modification of the first embodiment of the present invention in relation to a flapper. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is an explanatory view showing a flapper locking body according to another modification of the first embodiment of the present invention in relation to a flapper. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] First Embodiment A first embodiment, which is one embodiment of a portable toilet unit and a method for transporting a portable toilet unit according to the present invention, will now be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing the exterior of a portable toilet unit 100 according to the present invention, with a portion cut away to illustrate the configuration of the portable toilet unit 100. Fig. 2 is a partially cutaway front cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a toilet unit 110 that constitutes the portable toilet unit 100 shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a partially cutaway front cross-sectional view showing the toilet unit 110 shown in Fig. 2 in a state where the closing body 142 is open. Fig. 4 is a partially cutaway front cross-sectional view showing the toilet unit 110 shown in Fig. 2 in a state where the closing body 142 of the flapper 140 is prevented from opening by the flapper lock body 150.

[0018] (Configuration of portable toilet unit 100) This portable toilet unit 100 is a simple-to-install toilet (a so-called "temporary toilet") that can be installed, moved, or removed outdoors without the need for sewer construction. This portable toilet unit 100 is configured with a toilet room unit 101.

[0019] The toilet room unit 101 is a shed-like building that includes a toilet unit 110 and forms a space for users to relieve themselves, and is formed in an upwardly extending box shape. The toilet room unit 101 is mainly composed of a bottom plate 102, an outer wall 103, a door 104, and a roof 105.

[0020] The bottom plate 102 is a component that forms the bottom of the toilet room unit 101, and is made of a metal or resin material formed into a horizontally extending plate. The upper surface of the bottom plate 102 forms the floor surface within the toilet room unit 101, and supports the toilet unit 110.

[0021] The outer wall 103 is a component that surrounds the toilet unit 110 on all four sides to form a private space, and is configured by connecting multiple (four in this embodiment) metal or resin plate members together. More specifically, the outer wall 103 is configured by connecting four rectangular plate members that extend in the vertical direction in the figure to form a square tubular shape in plan view. In other words, the outer wall 103 is configured with four wall surfaces: one front surface, one left side surface, one right side surface, and one back surface. A door 104 is provided on the front surface of the outer wall 103, which is configured with these four wall surfaces.

[0022] The door 104 is a component that serves as an entrance and exit into the toilet room unit 101, and is made of a metal or resin plate material. In this embodiment, the door 104 is rotatably attached to the right side of the outer wall 103 via a hinge (not shown) and configured to open on the left side, but it can also be configured to be rotatably attached to the left side and open on the right side. The door 104 can also be configured as a sliding door.

[0023] Roof 105 is a component that constitutes the ceiling portion within toilet unit 101, and is made of a metal or resin material formed into a rectangular plate in a plan view, and is attached to the upper end of exterior wall 103. In this case, roof 105 can be configured to have a light-blocking property that blocks sunlight, or a translucent or transparent property that allows at least a portion of sunlight to pass through. In addition, four hooks 105a made of eyebolts for hoisting toilet unit 101 are provided on the top surface of roof 105.

[0024] The toilet unit 110 is a fixture for relieving oneself within the toilet room unit 101 and for temporarily storing excrement and urine. The toilet unit 110 is mainly composed of a toilet bowl 111, an intermediate base 120, and a waste tub 130.

[0025] The toilet bowl 111 is a container for receiving excrement excreted by a user while seated and directing it into the waste tank 130, and is made of resin, metal, or ceramic material formed into a container-like shape with an opening facing upward. In this case, the resin material can be a thermoplastic resin such as polypropylene resin, or FRP (fiber reinforced plastic). The metal material can be stainless steel or aluminum. The semi-lacquered material can be ceramic. The toilet bowl 111 is mainly made up of a toilet seat 112, a toilet lid 113, and a toilet bowl body 114.

[0026] Toilet seat 112 is a component on which the user sits, and is made of resin in the shape of a flat plate that is U-shaped or O-shaped in plan view. Toilet seat 112 is attached to the end of the upper surface of toilet body 114 on the outer wall 103 (rear face) side in a state where it can rotate freely in the vertical direction.

[0027] Toilet lid 113 is a resin part that covers toilet seat 112 placed on toilet body 114 from above, and is formed in a shape in which the outer edge of a plate-like body large enough to cover toilet seat 112 hangs down enough to cover the side of toilet seat 112. Like toilet seat 112, toilet lid 113 is attached to the end of the upper surface of toilet body 114 on the outer wall 103 (back) side in a state in which it can rotate freely in the vertical direction.

[0028] The toilet body 114 is a resin part that supports the toilet seat 112 and toilet lid 113, and also receives and directs the excrement excreted by the user. The toilet body 114 is mainly composed of a toilet seat support portion 115, a bowl portion 117, and an outer peripheral wall 118 of the toilet body, which are integrally molded.

[0029] The toilet seat mounting portion 115 is a portion that supports the toilet seat 112 and the toilet lid 113, and is formed with a flat surface that extends in an annular shape along the toilet seat 112. The inner portion of this toilet seat mounting portion 115 is formed like a wall that hangs down approximately vertically along the toilet seat mounting portion 115, and a water discharge nozzle 116 is provided on this inner peripheral wall, and a bowl portion 117 is formed below this inner peripheral wall. Furthermore, the outer portion of the toilet seat mounting portion 115 is formed with a toilet body outer peripheral wall 118 that hangs down approximately vertically along the toilet seat mounting portion 115.

[0030] The water discharge nozzle 116 is a component that discharges water supplied from a water source (not shown, for example, a tank or a water supply) into the bowl portion 117 as flushing water. The water discharge nozzle 116 is attached to the inner peripheral wall of the toilet seat mounting portion 115 on the side that supports the toilet seat 112 and the toilet lid 113.

[0031] Bowl portion 117 is a portion that receives and guides the excrement and flushing water excreted by the user downward, and is composed of a curved surface that is recessed downward from the lower end of the inner peripheral wall of toilet seat mounting portion 115. At the bottom of bowl portion 117, cylindrical bowl discharge port 117a is formed to extend downward, through which the excrement and flushing water excreted into bowl portion 117 are discharged below bowl portion 117.

[0032] The toilet body outer peripheral wall 118 is the part that is placed on the intermediate base 120, and is formed in a cylindrical shape that hangs down from the outer edge of the toilet seat mounting portion 115. In this case, the toilet body outer peripheral wall 118 has a flapper lock body penetration portion 118a formed at the bottom end of the right side wall when looking at the toilet 111 from the front.

[0033] The flapper lock body penetration portion 118a is an opening for passing through the flapper lock body 150 described below, and is formed by cutting out a rectangular portion in front view from the lower end portion of the toilet body outer wall 118. The lower end of this toilet body outer wall 118 is connected to the toilet body mounting portion 121 of the intermediate base 120 via a bolt (not shown).

[0034] The intermediate base 120 is a resin part that surrounds the bowl portion 117 of the toilet body 114 on all four sides, supports the toilet body 114 from below, and functions as a lid for the waste tub 130. This intermediate base 120 is mainly formed by integrally molding a toilet body mounting portion 121, an inner forming portion 122, an outer forming portion 123, and a lid portion 124.

[0035] The toilet body mounting portion 121 is the portion on which the toilet body 114 is placed, and the upper end of the intermediate base 120 is formed with a flat surface extending in an annular shape along the lower end of the toilet body outer wall 118. A guide 154 is attached to this toilet body mounting portion 121 in a position opposite the flapper lock body penetration portion 118a. The toilet body mounting portion 121 also has an inner forming portion 122 formed with its inner portion sloping down along the toilet body mounting portion 121, and an outer forming portion 123 formed with its outer portion sloping down along the toilet body mounting portion 121.

[0036] The inner forming portion 122 is a cylindrical portion that surrounds the bowl portion 117 on all four sides and supports the flapper 140. It is formed in a cylindrical shape with a cross-sectional area that decreases downward from the inner edge of the toilet body mounting portion 121, and a flapper mounting portion 122a is formed at the lower end of this cylindrical portion.

[0037] The flapper mounting portion 122a is the portion on which the flapper 140 is mounted in an engaged state, and is composed of a horizontal surface extending inward from the lower end of the cylindrical portion in the inner forming portion 122, and a cylindrical portion extending downward from the center of this horizontal surface.

[0038] The outer forming portion 123 is a cylindrical portion that surrounds the inner forming portion 122 on all four sides, and is formed into a cylindrical shape whose cross-sectional area increases downward from the outer edge of the toilet body mounting portion 121, and the lower end of this cylindrical portion is connected to the lid portion 124.

[0039] The lid portion 124 is a portion that covers the opening of the waste tub 130 and serves as a lid, and is formed in the shape of a plate that extends horizontally around the outer forming portion 123. In this case, the lid portion 124 is formed in a shape that is drooped down to such an extent that the outer edge of the plate-like body large enough to cover the opening of the waste tub 130 can cover the outside of the opening of the waste tub 130. The intermediate base 120 is supported by the waste tub 130 by placing the lid portion 124 over the opening of the waste tub 130.

[0040] The waste tub 130 is a resin component that stores waste (not shown), such as human waste, flushing water, or toilet paper, introduced via the toilet bowl 111 and the flapper 140, and supports the toilet bowl 111 via the intermediate base 120. The waste tub 130 is formed in a box shape that is open at the top. In this embodiment, the waste tub 130 is formed in a rectangular box shape in a plan view, with the entire top surface open.

[0041] Flapper 140 is a device that temporarily holds waste discharged from bowl discharge outlet 117a of toilet body 114 and discharges it downward in predetermined amounts, and has the function of sending the waste discharged from bowl discharge outlet 117a to waste tank 130. As shown in Figure 5, this flapper 140 is mainly composed of a flapper body 141 and a flapper cover 145.

[0042] Flapper body 141 is a component that temporarily holds waste discharged from bowl discharge port 117a and discharges it downward in predetermined amounts, and is primarily made of a resin material formed into a plate shape. Flapper body 141 is integrally molded with closure body 142, rotating shaft 143, and weight holder 144.

[0043] Closure 142 is a plate-like component positioned directly below bowl discharge opening 117a to receive waste discharged from bowl discharge opening 117a, and is configured with a wall portion that stands upright and hangs down along the outer edge of a disk. Parts of the outer edge of clutter 142 extend radially outward like a flat plate, forming rotation axis 143 and weight holder 144.

[0044] The rotating shaft 143 is a component for rocking the flapper body 141 in a seesaw-like manner, and is formed as a cylindrical body projecting from the plate surface of the disk body. The rotating shafts 143 are formed to project outward from the opposing side wall portions of the flat-plate-like extending portion of the blocking body 142, and are rotatably fitted into the rotating shaft holding portion 145a of the flapper cover 145.

[0045] The weight holding portion 144 is a portion that holds the balance weight 144a, and is formed in a cylindrical shape that can accommodate the balance weight 144a. The plug 142 is formed to extend in the opposite direction to the rotation axis 143 .

[0046] Balance weight 144a is a component for swinging obstruction body 142 up and down around rotation axis 143, and is made of a metal block. In this case, the weight of balance weight 144a is such that obstruction body 142 rises toward bowl discharge port 117a when a predetermined amount of waste is not placed on obstruction body 142 (see FIG. 2), and is such that obstruction body 142 can be lowered when a predetermined amount of waste is placed on obstruction body 142 (see FIG. 3).

[0047] Flapper cover 145 is a resin part that holds flapper body 141 in a rotatable state and covers all four sides and the top of flapper body 141. Flapper cover 145 is mainly composed of a rotating shaft holding portion 145a, a blocking body surrounding portion 145b, a weight accommodating portion 145c, and legs 147 that are integrally molded.

[0048] The rotary shaft holding portion 145a is a portion that supports the pair of rotary shafts 143 formed on the flapper body 141 in a freely rotatable state, and is formed in a cylindrical shape into which the rotary shafts 143 are fitted.

[0049] Closure body surrounding portion 145b is a portion that covers the outer edge of clutter 142 to restrict the upward movement of clutter 142 and ensure the passage of waste discharged from bowl discharge port 117a, and is formed in an annular shape. Closure body surrounding portion 145b is formed to extend in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of rotating shaft holding portion 145a with respect to rotating shaft holding portion 145a.

[0050] The weight accommodating section 145c is a section that accommodates the weight holding section 144 that swings up and down, and is formed in a box shape that extends upward beyond the rotating shaft holding section 145a on the opposite side of the blocking body surrounding section 145b with respect to the rotating shaft holding section 145a. A locking body restricting section 146 is formed on the back wall of the weight accommodating section 145c (the wall surface opposite to the blocking body surrounding section 145b).

[0051] The locking body restricting portion 146 is a portion of the flapper locking body 150 through which the locking body 151 passes and which restricts upward displacement or deformation of the locking body 151. Specifically, the locking body restricting portion 146 is formed as a through-hole that passes through the back surface of the weight accommodating portion 145c. In this case, the hole that constitutes the locking body restricting portion 146 is formed to have approximately the same size as the thickness of the locking body 151.

[0052] The locking body restricting portion 146 is formed at a position where the tip (lower end) of the locking body 151 contacts the upper surface of the weight holding portion 144. In this embodiment, the locking body restricting portion 146 is formed at the center of the weight holding portion 144 in the longitudinal direction (axial direction of the rotation shaft 143), that is, at a position corresponding to the center of the balance weight 144a in the longitudinal direction.

[0053] Leg portion 147 is a portion for fixedly disposing flapper cover 145 on flapper mounting portion 122a of intermediate base 120. Specifically, leg portion 147 is configured to have a cylindrical fitting cylindrical portion that fits into the cylindrical portion of flapper mounting portion 122a, and a mounting portion that is formed in a flange-like shape that protrudes from the outer periphery of this fitting cylindrical portion and bends downward, and is screwed in a state where it is placed on a horizontal portion formed on the outside of the cylindrical portion of flapper mounting portion 122a.

[0054] As a result, the flapper 140 is fixedly disposed on the flapper mounting portion 122a of the intermediate base 120. In this case, in this embodiment, the flapper 140 is disposed so that the weight accommodating portion 145c is located on the right side of the toilet bowl 111 with respect to the flapper mounting portion 122a.

[0055] Flapper locking body 150 is a device for restricting the downward opening of closing body 142 of flapper 140, and is made of a long, bent and elongated body made of metal (for example, stainless steel) or resin. As shown in Fig. 6, this flapper locking body 150 is mainly made up of locking body 151, reach portion 152, and operating element 153.

[0056] The locking body 151 is a rod-shaped part that comes into contact with the upper surface of the weight holding part 144 to restrict upward rotational displacement of the weight holding part 144. Specifically, the locking body 151 is formed by extending horizontally and then bending downward. In this case, the end of the horizontally extending part of each end of the locking body 151 is fixed to the reach part 152 by welding, and the tip of the downwardly bent part comes into contact with the upper surface of the weight holding part 144.

[0057] The reach portion 152 is a portion that connects the locking body 151 and the operating element 153, and is formed by bending a long, extending plate-like body. Specifically, the reach portion 152 extends while bending along the toilet body mounting portion 121 and the inner forming portion 122 of the intermediate base 120, and is then bent so as to extend horizontally from this inner forming portion 122 toward the weight accommodating portion 145c of the flapper 140. In this case, the length of the portion of the reach portion 152 that extends parallel to the toilet body mounting portion 121 is formed to a length that allows the locking body 151 to be positioned above the weight accommodating portion 145c and at a position away from the weight accommodating portion 145c.

[0058] The operating element 153 is a part for manually operating the flapper locking body 150, and is formed by bending a long, elongated plate-like body. Specifically, the operating element 153 extends downward from the upper end of the outer forming portion 123 along the outer forming portion 123, with the tip portion extending horizontally and then bending vertically to form a hook-shaped portion that projects outward from the outer forming portion 123.

[0059] This flapper locking body 150 is arranged along the outer forming portion 123, the toilet body mounting portion 121, and the inner forming portion 122 of the intermediate base 120. In this case, the flapper locking body 150 is arranged with the reach portion 152 passing through the flapper locking body passing-through portion 118a formed in the toilet body outer peripheral wall 118, and the locking body 151 passing through the locking body restricting portion 146 of the flapper 140.

[0060] As a result, the flapper locking body 150 is disposed between the toilet body 114 and the intermediate base 120 with the operating element 153 exposed to the outer forming portion 123 of the intermediate base 120 and the locking body 151 disposed within the weight accommodating portion 145c of the flapper 140. In this case, the flapper locking body 150 has its reach portion 152 restricted by the guide 154 on the toilet body mounting portion 121, and the operating element 153 restricted by the operating element locking device 155.

[0061] As shown in Figure 7, the guide 154 is a component for positioning the reach portion 152 of the flapper lock body 150, which is placed on the toilet body mounting portion 121, in a state where it can slide on the toilet body mounting portion 121, and is configured by forming a metal or resin plate into a rectangular shape that crosses the reach portion 152. In this case, the sliding direction of the reach portion 152 is a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the toilet body mounting portion 121, in other words, the direction in which the operating element 153 moves toward or away from the outer forming portion 123. This causes the lock body 151 of the flapper lock body 150 to move between a position on the weight holding portion 144 and a position where it is off the weight holding portion 144. The guide 154 is fixed to the toilet body mounting portion 121 with bolts.

[0062] As shown in Figure 7, the operator locking device 155 is a part that fixes the locked or unlocked state of the obstruction body 142 by regulating the forward / backward operation of moving the operator 153 toward or away from the outer forming portion 123, and is mainly composed of a lock cover 156 and a cover holder 157.

[0063] Lock cover 156 is a component that covers operating element 153 and fits into the hook-shaped portion of operating element 153 to restrict the forward and backward movement of operating element 153, and is formed in a box shape that is open at the bottom and made of metal or resin material. Inside lock cover 156, lock portion 156a, which is made of a rod with a C-shaped cross section that fits into the hook-shaped portion of operating element 153, is formed to extend in the vertical direction, and lock portion 156a fits into the hook-shaped portion of operating element 153 to restrict the forward and backward movement of operating element 153.

[0064] Cover holder 157 is a component for detachably holding lock cover 156 in a state in which it covers operating element 153, and is made of a metal or resin material formed into a substantially L-shaped cross section. Cover holder 157 is provided on each side of operating element 153 in outer forming portion 123, and fits inside lock cover 156. In this case, lock cover 156 is fixed to cover holder 157 by thumbscrew 157a. Therefore, lock cover 156 can be removed from cover holder 157 by loosening thumbscrew 157a and removing it from lock cover 156 and cover holder 157.

[0065] (Operation of portable toilet unit 100) Next, we will explain the operation of the portable toilet unit 100 configured in this manner. First, a worker who transports this portable toilet unit 100 to the installation site or removes it from the installation site locks the blocking body 142 so that the flapper 140 does not open.

[0066] Specifically, the worker loosens thumbscrew 157a and pulls lock cover 156 upward relative to cover holder 157 to remove it, thereby enabling flapper lock body 150 to be moved forward and backward. Next, the worker pushes operator 153 of flapper lock body 150 toward toilet unit 110. As a result, the entire flapper lock body 150 is displaced toward toilet unit 110, and lock body 151 is positioned within flapper cover 145 in a state where it contacts the upper surface of weight accommodating portion 145c (see FIG. 4). Therefore, because the upward displacement of weight accommodating portion 145c of flapper body 141 is restricted, downward displacement of closure body 142, i.e., opening of bowl discharge port 117a, is restricted.

[0067] Next, the worker fixes the locked state of the blocking body 142 by the flapper locking body 150. Specifically, the worker attaches the lock cover 156 to the cover holder 157 so as to cover the operating element 153 of the flapper locking body 150. In this case, since the operating element 153 is located in a position close to the outer forming portion 123, the locking portion 156a of the lock cover 156 is located in front of the operating element 153, thereby restricting the displacement of the operating element 153 in a direction away from the outer forming portion 123. In other words, the position of the locking body 151 of the flapper locking body 150 is fixed on the weight holding portion 144.

[0068] Then, the worker tightens the thumbscrew 157a to fix the lock cover 156 to the cover holder 157. As a result, the flapper lock body 150 is brought into a state in which the lock cover 156 cannot be easily removed, and therefore the flapper lock body 150 cannot be easily moved forward or backward (see FIG. 4).

[0069] Next, the worker uses a forklift or crane (not shown) to lift the portable toilet unit 100 and place it on the bed of a transport vehicle (not shown), and then secures the portable toilet unit 100 to the bed and transports it. Furthermore, when the worker has transported the portable toilet unit 100 to its destination, the worker uses a forklift or crane (not shown) to lift the portable toilet unit 100 that is placed on the bed of the transport vehicle, removes it from the bed, and places it in the desired location. Throughout these transport processes of the portable toilet unit 100, the closure member 142 of the portable toilet unit 100 is maintained in a closed state by the flapper lock member 150, so that waste in the waste tank 130 is prevented from flowing back into the bowl portion 117.

[0070] Next, the worker prepares the portable toilet unit 100 so that it can be used as a toilet. Specifically, the worker loosens the thumbscrew 157a to remove the lock cover 156 from the cover holder 157, thereby enabling the flapper lock body 150 to be moved forward and backward. Next, the worker pulls the operating member 153 of the flapper lock body 150 in a direction away from the toilet unit 110. As a result, the entire flapper lock body 150 is displaced away from the toilet unit 110, and the lock body 151 is positioned within the flapper cover 145 at a position where it is off the top surface of the weight holding portion 144 (see FIG. 2). Therefore, the flapper body 141 is in a state where the weight holding portion 144 is allowed to move upward, which allows the closure body 142 to move downward, i.e., the bowl discharge port 117a to open (see FIG. 3).

[0071] Next, the worker fixes the unlocked state of the blocking body 142 by the flapper locking body 150. Specifically, the worker attaches the lock cover 156 to the cover holder 157 so as to cover the operating element 153 of the flapper locking body 150. In this case, since the operating element 153 is located at a position separated from the outer forming portion 123, the locking portion 156a of the locking cover 156 fits into the hook-shaped portion of the operating element 153, thereby restricting the displacement of the operating element 153 in a direction approaching the outer forming portion 123. In other words, the flapper locking body 150 is fixed at a position where the position of the locking body 151 is displaced from above the weight holding portion 144.

[0072] Then, the worker tightens the thumbscrew 157a to secure the lock cover 156 to the cover holder 157 (see FIG. 2). This puts the flapper lock body 150 in a state where the lock cover 156 cannot be easily removed, and the flapper lock body 150 cannot be easily moved forward or backward. This allows the worker to make the portable toilet unit 100 ready to be used as a toilet.

[0073] Furthermore, even when the portable toilet unit 100 is installed, the manager or user of the portable toilet unit 100 can lock the closure 142 to prevent the flapper 140 from opening by operating the flapper lock 150 in the same manner as described above. For example, the manager of the portable toilet unit 100 can lock the closure 142 during periods when the portable toilet unit 100 is not in use or when use is prohibited. Additionally, the user of the portable toilet unit 100 can lock the closure 142 to prevent the closure 142 from opening frequently or inadvertently when using the toilet.

[0074] As can be understood from the above operation description, according to the first embodiment, the portable toilet unit 100 is equipped with a flapper lock body 150 that fixes the flapper 140 in a closed position while the portable toilet unit 100 is being transported, thereby preventing waste in the waste tank 130 from flowing back into the toilet bowl 111 while the portable toilet unit 100 is being transported, thereby preventing the toilet bowl 111 or its surroundings from becoming soiled. Second Embodiment Next, a toilet unit 200 mounted on a portable toilet unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 8 to 10. The portable toilet unit according to this second embodiment differs from the portable toilet unit 100 of the first embodiment in that it is equipped with a flapper lock body 210 instead of the flapper lock body 150 of the first embodiment. Therefore, in this second embodiment, the parts that differ from the first embodiment will be mainly described, and descriptions of parts that are common to both embodiments and corresponding parts will be omitted as appropriate.

[0075] (Configuration of portable toilet unit) As shown in Figure 8, the flapper locking body 210 is a device for restricting the closure body 142 of the flapper 140 from opening downward, and is mainly composed of a locking body 211, a reach portion 212, and an operating element 213.

[0076] The locking body 211 is a part that contacts the underside of the blocking body 142 to restrict downward rotational displacement of the blocking body 142, and is made of a metal or resin material formed into a disk shape. A cylindrical part that extends downward is formed on the underside of this locking body 211 and is connected to the reach part 212.

[0077] Reach section 212 is a section that connects locking body 211 and operating element 213, and is composed of a long, bent and extending body. Specifically, reach section 212 is composed of a metal or resin pipe material that penetrates lid section 124 of intermediate base 120, extends into waste tub 130, and bends within waste tub 130 to extend to a position directly below bowl discharge opening 117a. In this case, reach section 212 has through section 212a that penetrates lid section 124 and is supported rotatably by bearing 212b.

[0078] Operator 213 is a part for manually operating flapper lock body 210, and is made of a metal or resin material formed into a disk shape. A cylindrical portion extending downward is formed on the underside of operator 213, and is connected to the upper end of through-hole 212a of reach section 212. In addition, elastic body 213a made of a coil spring is provided between operator 213 and bearing 212b, for pressing operator 213 upward to raise the entire flapper lock body 210 upward.

[0079] As a result, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, the flapper locking body 210 can be positioned at a position away from the obstruction body 142 by pressing down the operating member 213 and rotating it around the central axis of the through-hole 212a of the reach portion 212 as the center of rotation, specifically, at a position away from the rear side of the bowl portion 117 (the back side of the paper in Figure 5) and at a position directly below the obstruction body 142.

[0080] (Operation of portable toilet unit) Next, the operation of the portable toilet unit configured in this manner will be described. When transporting the portable toilet unit to or removing it from the installation site, the worker locks the closing member 142 to prevent the flapper 140 from opening.

[0081] Specifically, the worker pushes the operating element 213 downward while resisting the elastic force of the elastic element 213a. As a result, the reach portion 212 of the flapper locking element 210 is displaced downward, and the locking element 211 is also displaced downward to be positioned below the lower end of the flapper 140. Next, the worker rotates the operating element 213 counterclockwise in a plan view while keeping the operating element 213 pressed down, thereby positioning the locking element 211 directly below the blocking element 142 (see FIG. 9). The worker can determine the rotation position of the operating element 213 from marks indicating "locked position" and "unlocked position" (not shown) that are painted on the top surface of the lid 124.

[0082] Next, the worker stops pressing the operating element 213, causing the elastic force of the elastic body 213a to raise the locking body 211, reach portion 212, and operating element 213. As a result, the flapper locking body 210 locks the closure body 142 in the closed state by causing the locking body 211 to come into contact with the underside of the closure body 142 or to press upward (see Figure 8). The worker can also use a similar operation to position the locking body 211 at an unlocked position away from the closure body 142, thereby releasing the locked state of the closure body 142 and enabling it to be opened, i.e., making the toilet 111 usable (see Figure 10).

[0083] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the first and second embodiments, and various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. In the description of each modification, the same parts as those in the above embodiments are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

[0084] For example, in the first embodiment described above, flapper locking body 150 is configured so that locking body 151 moves back and forth horizontally to contact the upper surface of weight holding portion 144. However, flapper locking body 150 may be configured so that closing body 142 of flapper 140 remains closed and does not open.

[0085] Therefore, for example, as shown in Fig. 11, the flapper lock body 150 can be configured so that the lock body 151 moves back and forth in the up and down direction to contact the upper surface of the weight holding portion 144. Also, as shown in Fig. 12, the flapper lock body 150 can be configured so that it moves in a rotational manner around the central axis of the horizontally extending reach portion 152 as the rotation axis to contact the upper surface of the weight holding portion 144. Also, as shown in Fig. 13, the flapper lock body 150 can be configured so that it moves in a rotational manner around the central axis of the vertically extending reach portion 152 as the rotation axis to contact the upper surface of the weight holding portion 144.

[0086] 14, the flapper lock body 150 can also prevent the flapper main body 141 from rotating by horizontally extending lock body 151 reciprocating horizontally to press against the side surface of weight holding portion 144. Furthermore, if the weight holding portion 144 is not present, the flapper lock body 150 may be configured to come into direct contact with balance weight 144a. In other words, the flapper lock body 150 can be configured to come into direct or indirect contact with balance weight 144a.

[0087] 15, the flapper locking body 150 can be configured so that the horizontally extending locking body 151 moves back and forth horizontally to contact the underside of the blocking body 142. In this way, the flapper locking body 150 may be configured to directly contact the blocking body 142, or to indirectly contact the blocking body 142 by contacting the weight holding portion 144.

[0088] In addition, in each of the above embodiments, the flapper locking bodies 150, 210 are configured to prevent the blocking body 142 from opening by restricting the displacement of the weight holding portion 144 or the blocking body 142 in the flapper main body 141. In other words, the flapper locking bodies 150, 210 correspond to the flapper locking mechanism according to the present invention. However, the flapper locking mechanism may be configured to maintain the blocking body 142 of the flapper 140 in a closed state and prevent it from opening.

[0089] Therefore, it goes without saying that the flapper locking mechanism may have a configuration other than the flapper locking bodies 150 and 210. For example, the flapper locking mechanism may be configured so that, when the blocking body 142 is electrically opened and closed, the blocking body 142 is prevented from opening electrically or by control. The flapper locking mechanism may also be configured with adhesive tape or string that can temporarily fix the flapper body 141 including the blocking body 142, the weight holding portion 144, or the balance weight 144a to the peripheral portion of the flapper body 141.

[0090] In addition, in each of the above embodiments, the flapper locking bodies 150, 210 are configured to include the operating elements 153, 213 so that the locking bodies 151, 211 can be displaced by manual operation. However, the flapper locking bodies 150, 210 can also be configured so that the locking bodies 151, 211 can be displaced using an actuator such as a solenoid or an electric motor.

[0091] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the portable toilet unit 100 is configured to include the operating locking device 155 to maintain the locked or unlocked state of the flapper lock body 150 and restrict operation. In other words, the operating locking device 155 corresponds to the locked state maintaining mechanism according to the present invention. However, the portable toilet unit 100 can also be configured without the locked state maintaining mechanism.

[0092] Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, portable toilet unit 100 is configured to restrict displacement or deformation of locking body 151 in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction by locking body restricting portion 146, which fits with an inner diameter substantially the same as the outer diameter of locking body 151. In this case, locking body restricting portion 146 is fixedly provided separately from locking body 151, with respect to locking body 151, which displaces in the horizontal direction. As a result, locking body restricting portion 146 restricts displacement or deformation of cantilever-shaped locking body 151 due to impact or vibration when portable toilet unit 100 is transported, and can prevent closing body 142 from opening momentarily or excessive pressing force from acting on closing body 142.

[0093] However, it is sufficient that the locking body restricting portion 146 is configured to at least restrict displacement or deformation of the locking body 151 in the direction in which the blocking body 142 opens (in the first embodiment, upward displacement or deformation of the locking body 151). Therefore, the locking body restricting portion 146 may be formed, for example, in the shape of an elongated hole extending horizontally. Furthermore, the locking body restricting portion 146 is provided in the vicinity of the portion where the locking body 151 contacts the weight holding portion 144, more specifically, in a portion closer to the portion where the locking body 151 contacts the weight holding portion 144 than the portion where the locking body 151 is attached (reach portion 152).

[0094] Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, the portable toilet unit 100 is configured to include a toilet bowl unit 110 in which the toilet bowl 111 and the waste tank 130 are integrally configured. However, the portable toilet unit 100 can also be configured such that the toilet room unit 101 includes only a toilet bowl corresponding to the toilet bowl 111, and a waste tank corresponding to the waste tank 130 is disposed separately below the toilet room unit 101 (in other words, a portable toilet unit in which the toilet room unit 101 is supported on the waste tank). In this case, the flapper 140 only needs to be provided in a discharge path that guides waste between the toilet bowl and the waste tank. [Explanation of symbols]

[0095] 100...Portable toilet unit, 101...toilet room unit, 102...bottom plate, 103...exterior wall, 104...door, 105...roof, 105a...hook, 110... toilet unit, 111... toilet, 112... toilet seat, 113... toilet lid, 114... toilet body, 115... toilet seat mounting portion, 116... water discharge nozzle, 117... bowl portion, 117a... bowl discharge port, 118... toilet body outer wall, 118a... flapper lock body penetration portion, 120... intermediate base, 121... toilet bowl body mounting portion, 122... inner forming portion, 122a... flapper mounting portion, 123... outer forming portion, 124... lid portion, 130...Toilet tank, 140...Flapper, 141...Flapper body, 142...Obstruction body, 143...Rotating shaft, 144...Weight holding portion, 144a...Balance weight, 145...Flapper cover, 145a...Rotating shaft holding portion, 145b...Obstruction body surrounding portion, 145c...Weight accommodating portion, 146...Lock body regulating portion, 147...Leg portion, 150...flapper lock body, 151...lock body, 152...reach portion, 153...operator, 154...guide, 155...operator locking device, 156...lock cover, 156a...lock portion, 157...cover holder, 157a...thumb screw, 200...Toilet unit, 210...flapper lock body, 211...lock body, 212...reach portion, 212a...penetration portion, 212b...bearing, 213...operator, 213a...elastic body.

Claims

1. a toilet room unit having a toilet bowl and a private room space for relieving oneself; a waste tank provided below the toilet bowl for storing waste guided through the toilet bowl; a flapper provided in a discharge path that guides the waste from the toilet bowl to the waste tank, and that closes the discharge path in an openable and closable manner; A portable toilet unit characterized by comprising a flapper locking mechanism that fixes the flapper in a closed state while the portable toilet unit is being transported.

2. The portable toilet unit according to claim 1, The flapper lock mechanism is an operator for manually switching the flapper between a locked state and an unlocked state; The operator is A portable toilet unit characterized in that it is provided on the outer surface of the toilet bowl.

3. The portable toilet unit according to claim 1, The flapper lock mechanism is A portable toilet unit characterized by comprising a lock state maintaining mechanism that fixes the flapper in a locked or unlocked state.

4. The portable toilet unit according to claim 1, The flapper is a closing body that is provided in a direction perpendicular to the rotation shaft and rotates integrally with the rotation shaft to open and close the waste discharge outlet of the toilet bowl; a balance weight that is provided on the opposite side of the closing body with respect to the rotation shaft and rotates integrally with the rotation shaft to raise the closing body toward the outlet, The flapper lock mechanism is a rod-shaped or plate-shaped locking body that contacts the closing body or the balance weight to restrict the closing body from opening; A portable toilet unit comprising a lock body restricting means for restricting the lock body from being displaced in the direction of displacement of the closing body or the balance weight.

5. a toilet room unit having a toilet bowl and a private room space for relieving oneself; a waste tank provided below the toilet bowl for storing waste guided through the toilet bowl; a flapper provided in a discharge path that guides the waste from the toilet bowl to the waste tank and that closes the discharge path freely, A method for transporting a portable toilet unit, comprising transporting the portable toilet unit with the flapper fixed in a closed position.

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