Composting toilet assembly

Abstract

A composting toilet assembly and installation are disclosed. The composting toilet assembly includes a separating means housed in a pedestal toilet seat. Liquid and solid waste entering the toilet assembly are separated by the separating means which includes a sloping conveyor belt, actuated by control means, which serves to separate the liquid waste from the solid waste by means of gravity. The liquid waste is diverted to a bottom end of the sloping conveyor belt and the solid waste is diverted to an opposing top end of the sloping conveyor belt. A receptacle is attachable at the bottom end of the sloping conveyor belt for collecting the diverted liquid waste for disposal. The solid waste is diverted to the top end of the sloping conveyor belt and through a rear opening of the housing where the solid waste is disposed away from the toilet assembly. The solid waste can be disposed into a composting space located adjacent to the toilet assembly and/or below the toilet assembly.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
         1 . A composting toilet assembly comprising:
 a separating means for separating liquid and solid waste entering the toilet assembly, the separating means comprising a sloping conveyor belt actuated by control means and serving to separate the liquid waste from the solid waste by means of gravity, wherein the liquid waste is diverted to a bottom end of the sloping conveyor belt and the solid waste is diverted to a top end of the sloping conveyor belt;   a receptacle attachable at the bottom end of the sloping conveyor belt for collecting the diverted liquid waste for disposal; and   a housing shaped as a pedestal toilet seat and sized to house the separating means, wherein the toilet seat comprises an opening aligned with the sloping conveyor belt through which the liquid and solid waste enters the toilet assembly, and wherein the housing further comprises a rear opening through which the top end of the sloping conveyor belt diverts the solid waste for disposal away from the toilet assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The composting toilet assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle is connectable to a wastewater disposal system for disposing the diverted liquid waste. 
     
     
         3 . The composting toilet assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle comprises an overflow conduit for diverting overflow liquid waste through the rear opening of the housing. 
     
     
         4 . The composting toilet assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the sloping conveyor belt is disposed on top of a support for positioning the sloping conveyor belt at an incline sufficient for diverting the liquid waste from the solid waste. 
     
     
         5 . The composting toilet assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the sloping conveyor belt comprises anti-splash edges. 
     
     
         6 . The composting toilet assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the sloping conveyor belt comprises an upper cover with an opening aligned with the toilet seat for receiving the liquid and solid waste. 
     
     
         7 . The composting toilet assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein the opening of the upper cover comprises a bowl for directing the liquid and solid waste to the separating means. 
     
     
         8 . The composting toilet assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the sloping conveyor belt comprises one or more scrapers fixedly positioned at the top end to dislodge solid waste that has stuck to the sloping conveyor belt. 
     
     
         9 . The composting toilet assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein the one or more scrapers are hingedly fixed to resiliently press against the surface of the sloping conveyor belt during return movement. 
     
     
         10 . The composting toilet assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the sloping conveyor belt is actuated by a mechanical foot pedal. 
     
     
         11 . The composting toilet assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the top end of the sloping conveyor belt extends through the rear opening of the housing and into a composting space into which the diverted solid waste is disposed. 
     
     
         12 . The composting toilet assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein the composting space is an airtight room accessed by the top end of the conveyor belt through a wall opening, the wall opening being in sealing engagement with the rear opening of the housing. 
     
     
         13 . The composting toilet assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein the composting space is adjacent to the toilet assembly. 
     
     
         14 . The composting toilet assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein the composting space is below the toilet assembly. 
     
     
         15 . A composting toilet installation comprising:
 an airtight composting space having at least one wall opening; and   one or more toilet assemblies, each toilet assembly comprising:
 a separating means for separating liquid and solid waste entering the toilet assembly, the separating means comprising a sloping conveyor belt actuated by control means and serving to separate the liquid waste from the solid waste by means of gravity, wherein the liquid waste is diverted to a bottom end of the sloping conveyor belt and the solid waste is diverted to a top end of the sloping conveyor belt; 
 a receptacle attachable at the bottom end of the sloping conveyor belt for collecting the diverted liquid waste for disposal; and 
 a housing shaped as a pedestal toilet seat and sized to house the separating means, wherein the toilet seat comprises an opening aligned with the sloping conveyor belt through which the liquid and solid waste enters the toilet assembly, and wherein the housing further comprises a rear opening through which the top end of the sloping conveyor belt diverts the solid waste for disposal; 
   wherein the rear opening of each toilet assembly is in sealing engagement with the wall opening of the airtight composting space and the top end of the conveyor belt extends therethrough to divert the solid waste for disposal into the composting space.   
     
     
         16 . The composting toilet installation according to  claim 15 , wherein the composting space comprises conditions suitable for vermi-composting of solid waste disposed into the composting space. 
     
     
         17 . The composting toilet installation according to  claim 15 , wherein the composting toilet installation comprises one toilet assembly, the toilet assembly installed adjacent to the composting space. 
     
     
         18 . The composting toilet installation according to  claim 15 , wherein the composting toilet installation comprises one toilet assembly, the toilet assembly installed above the composting space. 
     
     
         19 . The composting toilet installation according to  claim 15 , wherein the composting toilet installation comprises one toilet assembly installed above the composting space and another toilet assembly installed adjacent to the composting space. 
     
     
         20 . The composting toilet installation according to  claim 15 , wherein the composting space comprises a door opposite from the wall opening to provide access to the composting space. 
     
     
         21 . The composting toilet installation according to  claim 15 , wherein the composting space comprises an air circulation means for evacuating air to the exterior of the composting space.