Bathroom diaper washing apparatus

Abstract

Disclosed is a washing apparatus for small garments such as diapers and the like. The apparatus comprises a housing sized for installation in a bathroom, and a laundry tub for handling small loads rotatable in said housing and sized to receive the small garments. A water intake pipe connects to a supply of standing water, and a feed arrangement draws water through the intake pipe from the supply of standing water and supplying the water to the laundry tub. A wastewater pipe for returning wastewater from the laundry tub to a bathroom drain. The feed arrangement may be a gravity feed or an electric pump. The supply of standing water is preferably a toilet tank and the bathroom drain is preferably a toilet bowl.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A washing apparatus for small garments such as diapers and the like, the apparatus comprising: 
 a housing sized for installation in a bathroom;    a laundry tub for handling small loads rotatable in the housing and sized to receive the small garments;    a water intake pipe for connection to a supply of standing water;    a feed arrangement for drawing water through the intake pipe from the supply of standing water and supplying the water to the laundry tub; and    a wastewater pipe for returning wastewater from the laundry tub to a bathroom drain.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the feed arrangement is a gravity feed.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the feed arrangement is an electric pump.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the supply of standing water is a basin filled with water.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the supply of standing water is a toilet tank.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the bathroom drain is a toilet bowl.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the wastewater pipe is routed from the laundry tub to the toilet bowl under a toilet seat.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the water intake pipe is routed from the toilet tank to the laundry tub under a tank lid of the toilet tank.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the housing is wall mountable.  
     
     
         10 . In combination, a tank for holding a supply of standing water and a washing apparatus for small garments such as diapers and the like, said washing apparatus comprising: 
 a housing sized for installation in a bathroom;    a laundry tub for handling small loads rotatable in said housing and sized to receive said small garments;    a water intake pipe connected to said tank;    a feed arrangement for drawing water through said intake pipe from said tank and supplying said water to said laundry tub; and    a wastewater pipe for returning waste water from said laundry tub to a bathroom drain.    
     
     
         11 . The combination of  claim 10 , wherein said feed arrangement is a gravity feed.  
     
     
         12 . The combination of  claim 10 , wherein said feed arrangement is an electric pump.  
     
     
         13 . The combination of  claim 10 , wherein said tank is a toilet tank.  
     
     
         14 . The combination of  claim 13 , wherein said bathroom drain is a toilet bowl.  
     
     
         15 . The combination of  claim 14 , wherein the wastewater pipe is routed from the laundry tub to the toilet bowl under a toilet seat.  
     
     
         16 . The combination of  claim 15 , wherein the water intake pipe is routed from the toilet tank to the laundry tub under a tank lid of the toilet tank.  
     
     
         18 . An apparatus for washing small garments, such as cloth diapers, the apparatus comprising: 
 an automatic washing machine for receiving the garments to be washed;    a water intake pipe taking water from a toilet tank and supplying it to the washing machine; and    a wastewater pipe for discharging wastewater from the washing machine to a toilet bowl.    
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the wastewater pipe is routed from the washing machine to the toilet bowl under a toilet seat.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the water intake pipe is routed from the toilet tank to the washing machine under a tank lid of the toilet tank.