Portable Toilet

Abstract

A portable toilet comprises a holding tank and a toilet bowl unit supported above the holding tank. An uppermost wall of the holding tank locates an inlet opening therein which co-operates with a bottom discharge opening of the toilet bowl unit. A valve mechanism is operable across the inlet opening. The uppermost wall of the tank which locates the inlet opening therein is readily removable for greater access to the interior of the holding tank for disposable of the contents of the tank and for cleaning.

1 . A portable toilet comprising:
 a bowl unit comprising a toilet bowl with a bottom discharge opening and a reservoir arranged to receive a flushing liquid for flushing the toilet bowl;   a holding tank arranged to support the bowl unit thereabove, the holding tank defining a waste holding chamber enclosed by a plurality of wall sections;   an inlet opening in an upper one of the wall sections of the holding tank which is arranged to co-operate with the discharge opening of the toilet bowl when the bowl unit is supported on the holding tank such that waste material in the toilet bowl is arranged to be received through the inlet opening into the waste holding chamber; and   a valve mechanism associated with the inlet opening of the holding tank, the valve mechanism comprising a valve member operable across the inlet opening between respective open and closed positions;   one of the wall sections of the holding tank comprising a removable wall section which is selectively separable from remaining ones of the wall sections such that the remaining ones of the wall sections define a wall opening in the holding tank through which waste material in the waste holding chamber is arranged to be discharged.   
     
     
         2 . The toilet according to  claim 1  wherein the removable wall section comprises an uppermost one of the wall sections which spans a top end of the holding tank. 
     
     
         3 . The toilet according to  claim 1  wherein the removable wall section locates the inlet opening therein. 
     
     
         4 . The toilet according to  claim 1  wherein the removable wall section is held in a closed position spanning the wall opening by the bowl unit supported on the holding tank. 
     
     
         5 . The toilet according to  claim 1  wherein the bowl unit is arranged to be latched to the holding tank with the removable wall section clamped between the holding tank and the removable wall section. 
     
     
         6 . The toilet according to  claim 1  wherein the bowl unit is supported on the removable wall section and the removable wall section is supported on the holding tank. 
     
     
         7 . The toilet according to  claim 1  wherein the wall sections include a plurality of upright wall sections and the removable wall section overlaps a top end of the wall sections about a full periphery of the wall opening. 
     
     
         8 . The toilet according to  claim 1  wherein the plurality of wall sections comprise a bottom wall section, a plurality of upright side walls sections extending upwardly from the bottom wall section about a periphery thereof and formed integrally therewith, and a top wall section spanning a wall opening defined at a top end of the holding chamber by the side wall sections, the top wall section comprising the removable wall section. 
     
     
         9 . The toilet according to  claim 8  wherein the bottom wall section and the side wall sections are generally flat and smooth. 
     
     
         10 . The toilet according to  claim 1  wherein the wall opening fully spans a top end of the holding tank. 
     
     
         11 . The toilet according to  claim 1  wherein the wall sections include a plurality of upright wall sections upon which the bowl unit is arranged to be supported. 
     
     
         12 . The toilet according to  claim 1  wherein the removable wall section is arranged to be frictionally engaged within the wall opening. 
     
     
         13 . The toilet according to  claim 12  wherein the removable wall section is arranged to frictionally engage inner surfaces of the holding tank about a full periphery of the wall opening. 
     
     
         14 . The toilet according to  claim 1  wherein the removable wall section is arranged to be snap fit over the wall opening. 
     
     
         15 . The toilet according to  claim 1  wherein frictional connection between the valve mechanism and the inlet opening is arranged to be stronger than connection between the valve mechanism and the discharge opening. 
     
     
         16 . The toilet according to  claim 1  wherein the wall opening has an area which is plural times greater than an area of the inlet opening. 
     
     
         17 . The toilet according to  claim 1  wherein the wall sections include a plurality of upright wall sections about the wall opening and wherein at least one of the wall sections is generally curved about the wall opening. 
     
     
         18 . The toilet according to  claim 1  in combination with a liner securable within the waste holding chamber about a periphery of the wall opening. 
     
     
         19 . The toilet according to  claim 1  wherein there is provided a gauge supported on the holding tank and arranged to visually indicate a volume of contents in the waste holding chamber. 
     
     
         20 . A portable toilet comprising:
 a holding tank defining a waste holding chamber surrounded by a plurality of wall sections;   a bowl unit arranged to be supported above the holding tank comprising a toilet bowl with a bottom discharge opening;   an uppermost one of the wall sections of the holding tank comprising a removable wall section which is selectively separable from remaining ones of the wall sections such that the remaining ones of the wall sections define a wall opening in the holding tank spanning the top end of the holding tank through which waste material in the waste holding chamber is arranged to be discharged;   the uppermost one of the wall sections having an inlet opening therein which is arranged to co-operate with the discharge opening of the toilet bowl when the bowl unit is supported above the holding tank such that waste material in the toilet bowl is arranged to be received through the inlet opening into the waste holding chamber; and   a valve mechanism associated with the inlet opening of the holding tank, the valve mechanism comprising a valve member operable across the inlet opening between respective open and closed positions.