초록 ▼

Embodiments of the present invention provide a grey water flush system for use with vacuum toilets. One embodiment of the system provides a two-stage flush that uses a transient tank in between the toilet bowl and the main aircraft waste tank, which reduces the noise level associated with the flush

Embodiments of the present invention provide a grey water flush system for use with vacuum toilets. One embodiment of the system provides a two-stage flush that uses a transient tank in between the toilet bowl and the main aircraft waste tank, which reduces the noise level associated with the flush process because a lesser vacuum is demanded for the first stage of the flush. Embodiments of the system further capture grey water from a sink basin in a reservoir and use that water in the toilet flush process. There is further provided a lavatory odor removal system option that is activated during the second stage of the flush.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A two-stage flush system for use in connection with a vacuum toilet, wherein the vacuum toilet is configured to be installed in a lavatory and plumbed in-line with a main waste line that leads to a main waste holding tank under vacuum, comprising: (a) a vacuum toilet bowl,(b) a transient waste ta

1. A two-stage flush system for use in connection with a vacuum toilet, wherein the vacuum toilet is configured to be installed in a lavatory and plumbed in-line with a main waste line that leads to a main waste holding tank under vacuum, comprising: (a) a vacuum toilet bowl,(b) a transient waste tank below the vacuum toilet bowl plumbed in-line between the vacuum toilet bowl and the main waste holding tank,(c) an odor removal line;(d) a first valve positioned between the vacuum toilet bowl and the transient waste tank, wherein the transient waste tank is under an initial vacuum pressure prior to a flush, and wherein a first stage flush sequence opens the first valve to transfer waste from the vacuum toilet bowl to the transient waste tank;(e) a second valve positioned between the transient waste tank and the main waste line, and(f) a third valve positioned between the transient tank and the odor removal line, wherein once the first stage flush sequence is complete and the first valve is closed, a second stage flush sequence simultaneously opens the second valve and the third valve, wherein opening of the second valve allows vacuum to transfer waste from the transient waste tank to the main waste holding tank, wherein opening of the third valve pulls air out of the lavatory, into the odor removal line, and into the transient tank, wherein the air follows the transfer of waste to the main waste holding tank through the second valve,wherein time between the first stage flush sequence and the second stage flush sequence is a few milliseconds to a few seconds. 2. The two-stage flush system of claim 1, wherein the second valve comprises a multi-port valve, wherein one port of the multi-port valve leads to the main waste line and a second port of the multi-port valve comprises the third valve that leads to the odor removal line. 3. The two-stage flush system of claim 1, further comprising a water basin, with a grey water reservoir in fluid communication with the water basin. 4. The two-stage flush system of claim 3, wherein grey water from the water basin is collected in the grey water reservoir and delivered to the vacuum toilet when a flush sequence is triggered. 5. The two-stage flush system of claim 3, wherein grey water collected from the basin is treated prior to being delivered to the vacuum toilet. 6. The two-stage flush system of claim 5, wherein the grey water is treated via filtration, ultraviolet light, chemical treatment, or any combination thereof. 7. The two-stage flush system of claim 1, wherein when the first valve is opened to transfer waste from the toilet bowl to the transient tank, the second valve remains closed. 8. The two-stage flush system of claim 7, wherein after transfer of the waste from the toilet bowl to the transient tank, the first valve closes, and the second valve opens to transfer the waste from the transient tank to the main waste holding tank. 9. The two-stage flush system of claim 7, wherein the third valve comprises an odor removal valve, wherein after transfer of the waste from the toilet bowl to the transient tank, (a) the first valve closes, (b) the second valve opens to transfer the waste from the transient tank to the main waste holding tank, and (c) simultaneous with the opening of the second valve, the odor removal valve opens to pull air through the odor removal line and into the main waste line. 10. A grey water flush system for use in connection with an aircraft lavatory having a vacuum toilet, wherein the vacuum toilet is configured to be plumbed in-line with a main waste line that leads to a main waste holding tank under vacuum, comprising: (a) a water basin for hand-washing;(b) a grey water reservoir in fluid communication with the water basin in order to collect spent grey water;(c) a vacuum toilet bowl,(d) a transient waste tank plumbed in-line between the vacuum toilet bowl and the main waste holding tank, wherein the transient waste tank is charged with an initial vacuum;(e) an odor removal line;(f) a first valve positioned between the vacuum toilet bowl and the transient waste tank, wherein a first stage flush sequence opens the first valve to transfer waste from the vacuum toilet bowl to the transient waste tank;(g) a second valve positioned between the transient waste tank and the main waste line, and(h) a third valve positioned between the transient tank and the odor removal line, wherein once the first stage flush sequence is complete and the first valve is closed, a second stage flush sequence simultaneously opens the second valve and the third valve, wherein opening of the second valve allows vacuum to transfer waste from the transient waste tank to the main waste holding tank, wherein opening of the third valve pulls air out of the lavatory, into the odor removal line, and into the transient tank, wherein the air follows the transfer of waste to the main waste holding tank through the second valve. 11. The grey water flush system of claim 10, wherein the grey water reservoir comprises a water sensor to detect a level of grey water in the reservoir. 12. The grey water flush system of claim 10, wherein the grey water reservoir is configured to accept water if level of grey water in the reservoir is insufficient for a flush cycle and to purge water if the level of grey water in the reservoir is in danger of overflowing. 13. The grey water flush system of claim 10, wherein the second valve comprises a multi-port valve, wherein one port of the multi-port valve leads to the main waste line and a second port of the multi-port valve comprises the third valve that leads to the odor removal line. 14. The two-stage flush system of claim 1, wherein the first stage flush uses less vacuum than the second stage flush. 15. The two-stage flush system of claim 1, further comprising a conduit pipe positioned between the vacuum toilet bowl and the transient waste tank. 16. The two-stage flush system of claim 1, wherein the second valve and the third valve are combined into a single multi-port orbital valve. 17. The two-stage flush system of claim 1, further comprising and air muffler at a lavatory-end of the odor removal line. 18. The grey water flush system of claim 10, wherein the second valve and the third valve are combined into a single multi-port orbital valve. 19. The grey water flush system of claim 10, further comprising and air muffler at a lavatory-end of the odor removal line.