Toilet facility for a patient

Abstract

A self contained toilet facility ( 10 ) for use with wheel chairs or beds and comprising a toilet bowl ( 12 ) having at least one inlet ( 25 or 26 ) connectable via a respective pump ( 48 or 47 ) to each of a patient cleansing liquid supply tank ( 18 ) and a bowl cleansing liquid supply tank ( 17 ) , and to a source of air flow ( 36 ). The bowl ( 12 ) also has a waste outlet ( 13 ) connected to a waste tank ( 19 ) via a mascerator ( 14 ) and respective pump ( 49 ) , the inflow of cleansing liquids to the bowl and outflow of waste from the bowl being controlled by a programmable control unit ( 37 ). The three tanks ( 17,18,19 ) are arranged side by side and are readily detachable from and connectable to conduits connected to the bowl and may colour coded to indicate the contents thereof

1 . A self contained toilet facility comprising a toilet bowl having at least one inlet connectable via respective pumps to each of a patient cleansing liquid supply tank and a bowl cleansing liquid supply tank, and to a source of air flow, the bowl also having a waste outlet connected to a waste tank via a mascerator and respective pump, the inflow of cleansing liquids to the bowl and outflow of waste from the bowl being controlled by a programmable control unit. 
     
     
         2 . A facility as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the three tanks are arranged side by side and are readily detachable from and connectable to conduits connected to the bowl. 
     
     
         3 . A facility as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the tanks are colour coded to indicate the contents thereof. 
     
     
         4 . A facility as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bowl is provided with a removable splash guard which may also serve to direct the cleaning liquid onto a user and/or drying air flow onto said user. 
     
     
         5 . A facility as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bowl rim has an external flange extending outwardly from the rim to provide a cleanable area around the bowl and support a closure which overlies the bowl when not in use. 
     
     
         6 . A facility as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein heaters are provided for heating the patient cleaning liquid and air flow to approximately body temperature for user comfort. 
     
     
         7 . A facility as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the control unit has a programmable microprocessor with memory and is operable by direct command input through a keypad and/ or via a remote handset command input. 
     
     
         8 . A facility as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the control unit is programmed to operate the pumps, mascerator and air flow system in a pre-programmed sequence. 
     
     
         9 . A facility as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the control unit is also connected to respective sensors in the tanks to monitor various parameters such as liquid temperature, liquid levels within the respective tanks. 
     
     
         10 . A facility as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the air flow system is reversible so as to act as an a odour extraction system from the bowl. 
     
     
         11 . A bed for a bed-ridden patient and including a toilet facility as claimed in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         12 . A bed as claimed in  claim 11  where the bed is provided with a mattress having a readily removable portion which can be removed to reveal the bowl of the toilet facility.