Cartridge apparatus for urinal

Abstract

A cartridge apparatus for use with a urinal (e.g., a waterless urinal) is configured to be received at least partially within a cartridge housing associated with the urinal bowl thereof. The cartridge apparatus includes a cartridge top member having at least one opening configured to allow urine in a urinal bowl to pass into the cartridge apparatus and a fluidless cartridge trap connected to the cartridge top member that is normally in a closed state to prevent gases (e.g., sewer gases or other odors) from exiting from a cartridge housing and that is in an open state to allow urine to pass therethrough when urine is received in the cartridge apparatus through the cartridge top member. A urinal apparatus with which the cartridge may be used may include a cleaning apparatus for use in disinfecting and/or deodorizing the urinal apparatus.

1 . A urinal apparatus, comprising: 
 a urinal bowl configured to receive urine, the urinal bowl including at least one opening;    a cartridge housing associated with the at least one opening of the urinal bowl and configured to allow urine received in the urinal bowl to be directed to a drain; and    a cartridge apparatus configured to at least partially be positioned in the cartridge housing, wherein the cartridge apparatus comprises: 
 a cartridge top member having at least one opening configured to allow urine in the urinal bowl to pass into the cartridge apparatus, and  
 a cartridge trap in watertight connection with the cartridge top member, wherein the cartridge trap comprises a valve device that is normally in a closed state to prevent gases from exiting from the cartridge housing through the valve device and that is in an open state to allow urine to pass through the valve device when urine is received in the cartridge apparatus through the cartridge top member.  
   
   
   
       2 . The urinal apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the valve device comprises a flexible material that is at least partially rolled at one end thereof in the closed state and that is unrolled when in the open state and urine is present.  
   
   
       3 . The urinal apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the valve device comprises a flexible material, wherein the flexible material includes two surfaces at least partially in direct contact with one another forming a seal when in the closed state.  
   
   
       4 . The cartridge apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cartridge apparatus comprises a cylindrical body portion having a first end and a second end, wherein the cartridge top member comprises a urine receiving element located at the first end of the cylindrical body portion, wherein the second end of the cylindrical body portion is open to allow urine to pass into the cartridge housing, and further wherein the cartridge trap is located within the cylindrical body in watertight connection with the cartridge top member such that urine is received in the cartridge trap through the urine receiving element.  
   
   
       5 . The cartridge apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the cartridge top member further comprises a cylindrical member having an opening extending therethrough, wherein the cylindrical member extends from the urine receiving element into the interior of the cylindrical body portion, wherein the cartridge trap comprises a first open end attached to the cylindrical member such that urine is received in the cartridge trap through the urine receiving element, and further wherein a second end of the cartridge trap is at least partially rolled in the closed state and is unrolled when in the open state and urine is present in the cartridge trap.  
   
   
       6 . The cartridge apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the cylindrical body portion comprises a channel defined therein proximate the first end thereof for receiving a sealing component, wherein the sealing component provides for a sealed fit between the cylindrical body portion and the cartridge housing of the waterless urinal.  
   
   
       7 . The urinal apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the urinal apparatus further comprises cleaning apparatus for use in disinfecting and/or deodorizing the urinal apparatus, wherein the cleaning apparatus provides a disinfecting and/or deodorizing composition through a plurality of openings defined in the urinal apparatus.  
   
   
       8 . The urinal apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the cleaning apparatus comprises a holding device for holding the disinfecting and/or deodorizing composition therein, wherein the holding device is configured such that the disinfecting and/or deodorizing composition is provided to a supply line associated with the urinal bowl to provide the disinfecting and/or deodorizing composition to the plurality of openings.  
   
   
       9 . The urinal apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the cleaning apparatus is associated with a time release mechanism for controlling the provision of the disinfecting and/or deodorizing composition to the plurality of openings.  
   
   
       10 . The urinal apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the urinal apparatus further comprises a curved trap extending from the cartridge housing associated with the at least one opening of the urinal bowl and configured to allow urine received in the urinal bowl to be directed to a drain.  
   
   
       11 . The urinal apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least the urinal bowl is formed using an antimicrobial formulation.  
   
   
       12 . A cartridge apparatus for use with a urinal, wherein the cartridge apparatus is configured to be received at least partially within a cartridge housing associated with a urinal bowl of the urinal, wherein the cartridge apparatus comprises: 
 a cartridge top member having at least one opening configured to allow urine in a urinal bowl to pass into the cartridge apparatus; and    a cartridge trap in watertight connection with the cartridge top member, wherein the cartridge trap comprises a valve device that is normally in a closed state to prevent gases from exiting from a cartridge housing through the valve device when installed in a urinal and that is in an open state to allow urine to pass through the valve device when urine is received in the cartridge apparatus through the cartridge top member when installed in the urinal.    
   
   
       13 . The cartridge apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the valve device comprises a flexible material that is at least partially rolled at one end thereof in the closed state and that is unrolled when in the open state and urine is present.  
   
   
       14 . The cartridge apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the valve device comprises a flexible material, wherein the flexible material includes two surfaces at least partially in direct contact with one another forming a seal when in the closed state.  
   
   
       15 . The cartridge apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the cartridge apparatus comprises a cylindrical body portion having a first end and a second end, wherein the cartridge top member comprises a urine receiving element located at the first end of the cylindrical body portion, wherein the second end of the cylindrical body portion is open to allow urine to pass into the cartridge housing, and further wherein the cartridge trap is located within the cylindrical body in watertight connection with the cartridge top member such that urine is received in the cartridge trap through the urine receiving element when installed in the urinal.  
   
   
       16 . The cartridge apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the cartridge top member further comprises a cylindrical member having an opening extending therethrough, wherein the cylindrical member extends from the urine receiving element into the interior of the cylindrical body portion, wherein the cartridge trap comprises a first open end attached to the cylindrical member such that urine is received in the cartridge trap through the urine receiving element when installed in the urinal, and further wherein a second end of the cartridge trap is at least partially rolled in the closed state and is unrolled when in the open state and urine is present in the cartridge trap.  
   
   
       17 . The cartridge apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the cylindrical body portion comprises a channel defined therein proximate the first end thereof for receiving a sealing component, wherein the sealing component provides for a sealed fit between the cylindrical body portion and the cartridge housing of the urinal when installed.  
   
   
       18 . A cartridge apparatus for use with a urinal, wherein the cartridge apparatus is configured to be received at least partially within a cartridge housing associated with a urinal bowl of the urinal, wherein the cartridge apparatus comprises a solution free cartridge trap that is normally in a closed state to prevent gases from exiting from a cartridge housing when installed in the urinal and that is in an open state to allow urine to pass therethrough when urine is received in the cartridge apparatus when installed in the urinal.  
   
   
       19 . The cartridge apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the cartridge further comprises a cartridge top member having at least one opening configured to allow urine in a urinal bowl to pass into the cartridge apparatus, and further wherein the solution free cartridge trap is connected to the cartridge top member.  
   
   
       20 . The cartridge apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the cartridge apparatus comprises a cylindrical body portion having a first end and a second end, wherein the cartridge top member comprises an urine receiving element located at the first end of the cylindrical body portion, wherein the second end of the cylindrical body portion is open to allow urine to pass into the cartridge housing, and further wherein the cartridge trap is located within the cylindrical body in watertight connection with the cartridge top member such that urine is received in the cartridge trap through the urine receiving element when installed in the urinal.  
   
   
       21 . The cartridge apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the solution free cartridge trap comprises a valve device that is normally in a closed state to prevent gases from exiting from a cartridge housing through the valve device and that is in an open state to allow urine to pass through the valve device when urine is received in the cartridge apparatus when installed in the urinal.  
   
   
       22 . The cartridge apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the valve device comprises a flexible material that is at least partially rolled at one end thereof in the closed state and that is unrolled when in the open state and urine is present.  
   
   
       23 . The cartridge apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein at least a portion of the cartridge apparatus is formed using an antimicrobial formulation.  
   
   
       24 . A fixture comprising at least one of a flush urinal, a flushless urinal, a sink, a toilet, and a toilet seat, wherein the fixture is formed of one or more ceramic forming raw materials and an antimicrobial formulation combined therewith, wherein the antimicrobial formulation comprises silver.