Separating Toilet With Lateral Urine Outlet And Odor Trap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing separation toilets are complex, prone to errors, and difficult to maintain, especially for children, as they require precise user targeting and complex valve mechanisms, and often contaminate urine outlets with feces, making them unsuitable for widespread adoption in both developing and industrialized countries.
Innovation Solution
A separation toilet design with a secondary outlet intake opening positioned below the bowl and above the odour seal, utilizing the 'teapot effect' to deflect urine flow into the outlet due to air pressure, surface tension, and geometry, eliminating the need for complex valve controls and allowing easy cleaning and use as a conventional, dry, vacuum, or flushing toilet.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a dividing wall or central barrier is used to separate urine and feces outlets, then separation function is improved, but device complexity and difficulty of use increase
Solution Approach 1:
The bowl is divided into two functional zones: a front urinal zone and a rear fecal discharge zone, separated by a longitudinal groove rather than a complete wall. This segmentation achieves separation functionality while maintaining simplicity in the bowl structure.
Solution Approach 2:
A longitudinal groove acts as an intermediary structure between the urinal and fecal outlet areas. The groove channels urine laterally to the side outlet while allowing feces to fall directly into the main outlet, achieving separation without requiring complex dividing walls.
2Ease of operation
If complex valve control mechanisms are added to enable automatic urine discharge, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity and maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the user's own weight on the seat to automatically open a simple valve through a pressure-activated lift mechanism, eliminating the need for complex electronic sensors or control systems. The valve opens automatically when sufficient pressure is applied and closes when the user stands up.
Solution Approach 2:
The complex electronic sensor and control system is replaced with a simple mechanical pressure-activated lift mechanism that uses the user's body weight to open the valve, reducing device complexity while maintaining automatic operation.
3Reliability
If the urine outlet is positioned at the bottom of the bowl requiring precise user targeting, then separation function is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of positioning the urine outlet at the bottom requiring vertical precision, the outlet is moved to the side of the bowl at a higher position. The longitudinal groove channels urine laterally, changing the targeting dimension from vertical to lateral, which is more intuitive and easier for users to achieve.
4Quantity of substance
If a large annular groove is used to collect urine, then urine collection capacity is improved, but ease of cleaning deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The large annular groove is replaced by a longitudinal groove that runs along the front of the bowl. This segmentation creates a narrower, more linear channel that is much easier to clean while still providing sufficient urine collection capacity through the lateral channeling effect.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures effective and efficient separation and collection of urine without contaminating the secondary outlet, reducing maintenance and production costs, and allowing for easy cleaning and use across various toilet types and sewage connections.
Implementation Method 1
the transition section between the upper edge of the intake opening of the secondary outlet and the vertical side wall of the pipe section is rounded... the majority of the urine flows in the case of conventional use... the urine flow adheres and is deflected into the intake opening of the secondary outlet
Implementation Method 2
the so-called teapot effect is put to use, in which, based on different criteria such as air pressure, flow velocity, surface tension of the liquid as well as the geometry and nature of the material, the urine flow adheres and is deflected into the intake opening of the secondary outlet
Implementation Method 3
The odour seal is formed by a siphon
Data Source
AI summary
A separating toilet including a pan having a pipe section, which is connected in the outflow region and has vertical side walls at least in certain portions, and having a main discharge line connected downstream of the pipe section. An odor trap is provided between the pipe section and the main discharge line. At least one separate auxiliary discharge line for separating urine is provided. The inlet opening of the auxiliary discharge line is arranged on a side of the vertical side wall of the pipe section and thus below the pan and above the odor trap.