Liquid sealant and methods of use

Abstract

The invention provides a composition useful for forming odor suppressing seals in waterless urinals. Methods of using the composition to form liquid seals as well as waterless urinals employing such liquid seals are further provided.

1 . A composition useful as a liquid sealant in a waterless toilet comprising a gellant and a glyceride.  
   
   
       2 . The composition according to  claim 1  wherein the gellant is a polyamide-based gellant.  
   
   
       3 . The composition according to  claim 1  wherein the gellant is from about 1 to about 50 weight percent of the liquid sealant.  
   
   
       4 . The composition according to  claim 1  wherein the glyceride is in the form of a vegetable oil.  
   
   
       5 . The composition according to  claim 4  wherein the vegetable oil is selected from the group consisting of almond oil, canola oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, flaxseed oil, grape seed oil, olive oil, palm oil, peanut oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, walnut oil, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       6 . The composition according to  claim 1  wherein the glyceride is from about 50 to about 99 weight percent of the liquid sealant.  
   
   
       7 . The composition according to  claim 1  wherein the liquid sealant further includes an odor control agent.  
   
   
       8 . The composition according to  claim 1  wherein the liquid sealant further includes a fragrance.  
   
   
       9 . The composition according to  claim 1  wherein the liquid sealant further includes a preservative.  
   
   
       10 . The composition according to  claim 1  wherein the liquid sealant further includes an anti-stick agent.  
   
   
       11 . The composition according to  claim 1  wherein the liquid sealant further includes a dye.  
   
   
       12 . The composition according to  claim 1  wherein the liquid sealant includes a blend of a dye, a fragrance, a preservative, an anti-stick agent, and an odor control agent, with the dye about 0.1 weight percent of the liquid sealant, the fragrance about 2 weight percent of the liquid sealant, the preservative about 1 weight percent of the liquid sealant, the anti-stick agent about 2 weight percent of the liquid sealant, and the odor control agent about 1 weight percent of the liquid sealant.  
   
   
       13 . The composition according to  claim 1  wherein the liquid sealant possesses a viscosity of about 100 to about 1000 centipoise, using a Brookfield viscometer DV-E at 12 rpm with a #3 spindle.  
   
   
       14 . The composition according to  claim 1  wherein the liquid sealant possesses a viscosity of about 400 centipoise, using a Brookfield viscometer DV-E at 12 rpm with a #3 spindle.  
   
   
       15 . The composition according to  claim 1  wherein the liquid sealant possesses a specific gravity of about 0.7 to about 0.99.  
   
   
       16 . The composition according to  claim 1  wherein the liquid sealant possesses a specific gravity of about 0.88.  
   
   
       17 . The composition according to  claim 1  wherein the liquid sealant possesses a flash point of about 200° F. to about 500° F.  
   
   
       18 . The composition according to  claim 1  wherein the liquid sealant possesses a flash point of about 330° F.  
   
   
       19 . In a waterless urinal including a compartment holding collected urine, the improvement comprising a composition according to  claim 1 , said composition floating on the collected urine to provide an odor suppressing seal.  
   
   
       20 . A method of suppressing odors from a waterless urinal including a compartment holding urine, said method comprising a step of placing a composition according to  claim 1  in the compartment wherein said composition floats on the urine thereby providing an odor suppressing seal.  
   
   
       21 . A method of increasing the odor-suppressing effectiveness of a waterless urinal liquid seal comprising adding an amount of gellant to the liquid seal to set the viscosity of the liquid seal to between about 100 and about 1000 centipoise.