Water-conserving toilet

Abstract

A water-conserving toilet and method of manufacture includes an upper portion jointed to a lower portion. The upper portion includes an upper and lower opening with a smooth, shallow, sweeping transition therebetween. A first flowpath enters the upper portion for allowing water to wash the upper portion. The lower portion includes a base with sidewalls extending upward to an upper opening, with the sidewalls defining a concave, steeply-sided flushing cavity. A second flowpath enters the lower portion for evacuating the pushing waste out of the flushing cavity and into a waste outlet. In an embodiment the distance between the front and back of the upper portion upper opening is approximately 3 times the distance between the front and back of the upper portion lower opening. In another embodiment the sidewalls extend from the base at an angle between about approximately 45 degrees and approximately 90 degrees.

Having thus described the preferred embodiments of the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent includes the following: 
     
         1 . A toilet, comprising:
 a bowl including an upper portion and a lower portion;   the upper portion, comprising:
 an upper opening having a length and a width; 
 a lower opening having a length and a width; 
 a first flow path adjacent the upper opening; and 
 wherein the transition between the upper opening and lower opening is a smooth, shallow, sweeping shape; 
   the lower portion, comprising:
 an upper opening having a length and a width; 
 a base; 
 a sidewall extending between the upper opening and the base; 
 a second flowpath adjacent the base; 
 a waste outlet adjacent the base; and 
 wherein the lower portion defines a concave, steeply-sided flushing cavity defining a volume of space such that no more than approximately 0.5 gallons of water is sufficient to cover and seal the waste outlet. 
   
     
     
         2 . The toilet of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first flowpath is at a back area of the upper portion;   the second flowpath is at a front area of the lower portion; and   the waste outlet is at a back area of the lower portion.   
     
     
         3 . The toilet of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a wash-down jet connected to the first flowpath and disposed within the bowl; and   a flush jet connected to the second flowpath and disposed within the bowl.   
     
     
         4 . The toilet of  claim 3 , wherein the wash-down jet comprises one or more openings for discharging water into the upper portion. 
     
     
         5 . The toilet of  claim 1 , wherein the upper and lower portions are separately constructed and then joined together to form the bowl. 
     
     
         6 . The toilet of  claim 1 , wherein the upper portion upper opening length is approximately 3 times the upper portion lower opening length. 
     
     
         7 . The toilet of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the upper portion upper opening is separated from the upper portion lower opening by a height; and   wherein the upper portion upper opening length is approximately 3.5 times the height between the upper opening and lower opening.   
     
     
         8 . The toilet of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the upper portion upper opening length is between approximately 17 inches and approximately 19 inches;   the upper portion upper opening width is between approximately 13 inches and approximately 15 inches;   the upper portion lower opening length is between approximately 5 and approximately 7 inches; and   the upper portion lower opening width is between approximately 3.5 inches and approximately 5.5 inches.   
     
     
         9 . The toilet of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the lower portion upper opening length is between approximately 6 inches and approximately 8 inches; and   the lower portion upper opening width is between approximately 4.5 inches and approximately 6.5 inches.   
     
     
         10 . The toilet of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the lower portion further includes a height; and   wherein the lower portion height is between about 2.5 inches to about 4.5 inches.   
     
     
         11 . The toilet of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the upper portion upper opening length is between approximately 17.5 inches and approximately 18.5 inches;   the upper portion upper opening width is between approximately 13.5 inches and approximately 14.5 inches;   the upper portion lower opening length is between approximately 5.5 and approximately 6.5 inches; and   the upper portion lower opening width is between approximately 4 inches and approximately 5 inches.   
     
     
         12 . The toilet of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the lower portion upper opening length is between approximately 6.5 inches and approximately 7.5 inches; and   the lower portion upper opening width is between approximately 5 inches and approximately 6 inches.   
     
     
         13 . The toilet of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the lower portion further includes a height; and   wherein the lower portion height is between about 3 inches to about 4 inches.   
     
     
         14 . The toilet of  claim 1 , wherein the sidewall extends upward from the base at an angle between about approximately 45 degrees and approximately 90 degrees. 
     
     
         15 . A toilet, comprising:
 an upper portion, comprising:
 an upper opening including a front area and a back area; 
 a lower opening including a front area and a back area; 
 a first flow path adjacent the upper portion; 
 wherein the transition between the upper opening front area and the lower opening front area is a smooth, shallow, sweeping shape; and 
 wherein the transition between the upper opening back area and the lower opening back area is smooth and steep; 
   a lower portion, comprising:
 an upper opening having a length and a width; 
 a base; 
 a sidewall extending between the upper opening and the base, wherein the angle between the sidewall and the base is between about approximately 45 degrees and approximately 90 degrees; 
 a second flowpath adjacent the base; 
 a waste outlet adjacent the base; and 
   wherein the upper opening of the lower portion and the lower opening of the upper portion are joined to form a bowl.   
     
     
         16 . The toilet of  claim 15 , wherein the angle between the sidewall and the base is between about approximately 55 degrees and approximately 90 degrees. 
     
     
         17 . The toilet of  claim 15 , wherein the angle between the sidewall and the base is between about approximately 65 degrees and approximately 90 degrees. 
     
     
         18 . The toilet of  claim 15 , wherein the upper opening of the upper portion further includes a rimless wash-down toilet seat. 
     
     
         19 . A method of manufacturing a toilet, which comprises:
 forming an upper portion, including:
 an upper opening including a length between a front area and a back area, and a width; 
 a lower opening including a length between a front area and a back area, and a width; and 
 wherein the transition between the upper opening front area and the lower opening front area is a smooth, shallow, sweeping shape; 
   forming a first flowpath adjacent the upper portion upper opening;   forming a lower portion, including:
 an upper opening including a length between a front area and a back area, and a width; 
 a base; 
 a sidewall extending between the upper opening and the base; and 
 wherein the lower portion defines a concave, steeply-sided cavity; 
   forming a second flowpath adjacent the lower portion upper opening;   forming a waste outlet adjacent the base; and   joining the upper opening of the lower portion with the lower opening of the upper portion.   
     
     
         20 . The method as recited in  claim 19 , wherein:
 the first flowpath is at the back area of the upper portion;   the second flowpath is at the front area of the lower portion; and   the waste outlet is at the back area of the lower portion.   
     
     
         21 . The method as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the upper portion upper opening length is approximately 3 times the upper portion lower opening length. 
     
     
         22 . The method as recited in  claim 19 , wherein:
 the upper portion upper opening is separated from the upper portion lower opening by a height; and   wherein the upper portion upper opening length is approximately 3.5 times the height between the upper opening and lower opening.   
     
     
         23 . The method as recited in  claim 19 , wherein:
 the upper portion upper opening length is between approximately 17 inches and approximately 19 inches;   the upper portion upper opening width is between approximately 13 inches and approximately 15 inches;   the upper portion lower opening length is between approximately 5 and approximately 7 inches; and   the upper portion lower opening width is between approximately 3.5 inches and approximately 5.5 inches.   
     
     
         24 . The method as recited in  claim 23 , wherein:
 the lower portion upper opening length is between approximately 6 inches and approximately 8 inches; and   the lower portion upper opening width is between approximately 4.5 inches and approximately 6.5 inches.   
     
     
         25 . The method as recited in  claim 24 , wherein:
 the lower portion further includes a height; and   wherein the lower portion height is between about 2.5 inches to about 4.5 inches.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the sidewall extends upward from the base at an angle between about approximately 45 degrees and approximately 90 degrees. 
     
     
         27 . The method as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the transition between the upper portion upper opening back area and the upper portion lower opening back area is smooth and steep. 
     
     
         28 . The method as recited in  claim 19 , further forming a seat at the upper opening of the upper portion.