Valve-Controllable Urinal Drain Line and Plumbing Component Rinse Management System for Very Low Water and/or Non-Water Use Urinals

Abstract

A water-conserving system equipped to periodically rinse ultra high-efficiency urinal drainage plumbing of corrosive waste liquid and reduce associated gaseous odor is provided. A valve-controllable rinse-cycle supply of water is provided which can selectively be directed into a single drainage conduit which receives waste water from one or more ultra high-efficiency urinals. The system provides embodiments having mechanical valves, or electro-mechanical valves configured responsive to control-signals provided from one or more electronic components, or one or more types of microprocessor-enabled devices, networked devices or computer apparatus.

1 . A water-conserving system equipped to periodically rinse ultra high-efficiency urinal drainage plumbing of corrosive waste liquid, the system comprising:
 one or more ultra high-efficiency urinals installed for typical use;   a single drainage line, mounted below the one or more ultra high-efficiency urinals at a sloped angle conducive to draining urinal liquids, and adapted between an upstream portion and a downstream portion to receive one or more urinal liquids conveyed via a urinal drain conduit of each of the one or more urinals;   each of the one or more ultra high-efficiency urinals of a type equipped to operate in a waterless mode and drain, via a urinal drain conduit, an undiluted waste liquid volume having no water into said single drainage line; or, of a type equipped to provide an ultra high-efficiency urinal-flush mode of no more than two ounces of misted-water, and drain, via a urinal drain conduit, a diluted waste liquid volume into said single drainage line;   a downstream portion of the single urinal drainage line configured to convey waste liquid into a conduit communicating with a sewer, or septic system, or suitable waste liquid managing means;   a water-receiving portion of the single urinal drainage line, upstream from each urinal drain conduit of the one or more urinals, configured to receive a valve-controllable, periodically-conveyed rinse-cycle supply of water sufficient in frequency and volume to substantially and cumulatively rinse said corrosive waste liquid from the single drainage line; and,   rinse-water periodic control means, configured to periodically convey said rinse-cycle supply of water into an upstream portion of the single drainage line and to prevent an upward flow of said supply of water into a generally upward-facing receptacle portion of any of the one or more urinals during a periodic rinse-water cycle.   
     
     
         2 . The water-conserving system of  claim 1  wherein said one or more ultra high-efficiency urinals comprise at least one ultra high-efficiency urinal configured to receive and drain a waste liquid volume per use-cycle accompanied by no water. 
     
     
         3 . The water-conserving system of  claim 2  wherein said one or more ultra high-efficiency urinals comprise at least one of the ultra high-efficiency urinals configured to operate during use-cycles as a waterless urinal, and further equipped with at least one very low water usage mister nozzle mounted adjacent to an upper portion of the urinal and configured valve controllable to periodically provide between one or more urinal use-cycles, single digit ounces of a misted-spray of water directed generally downward onto a surface of the urinal which receives waste liquid during a use-cycle, to at least substantially and cumulatively rinse the surface of waste liquid and/or waste liquid residue and convey the surface-rinsed contents into said single urinal drainage line. 
     
     
         4 . The water-conserving system of  claim 1  wherein said one or more ultra high-efficiency urinals comprise at least one ultra high-efficiency urinal equipped with at least one very low water usage mister nozzle mounted adjacent to an upper portion of the urinal and configured valve controllable to emit a misted-spray of no more than two ounces of water during a typical urinal use-cycle, the misted-spray directed generally downward onto, and sized to cover, a surface of the urinal which receives waste liquid during a use-cycle, to at least substantially and cumulatively rinse the surface of waste liquid and/or waste liquid residue and convey the waste liquid into said single urinal drainage line. 
     
     
         5 . The water-conserving system of  claim 1  further comprising said rinse-water periodic control means mounted at a height, relative to the height of a receptacle drain of each of the one or more urinals, sufficient to prevent an upward flow of said rinse-cycle supply of water into a generally upward-facing receptacle portion of any of the one or more ultra high-efficiency urinals during a periodic rinse-water cycle. 
     
     
         6 . The water-conserving system of  claim 1  wherein said rinse-water periodic control means further comprises,
 a valve configured to periodically release a rinse-cycle supply of water into said upstream portion of said single drainage line, 
 the rinse-cycle supply of water provided from a pressurized, pressurizable or storable supply of water via a valve-controllable conduit in fluid communication with said single drainage line; and 
 said water comprising one or more of the following water types: fresh, rain, grey, saline. 
 
     
     
         7 . The water-conserving system of  claim 1  further comprising,
 a liquid-free check valve mounted in the urinal drain conduit of each of the one or more ultra high-efficiency urinals equipped to prevent said upward flow of any of the rinse-cycle supply of water into a generally upward-facing receptacle portion of any of the one or more urinals. 
 
     
     
         8 . The water-conserving system of  claim 7  further comprising,
 the liquid-free check valve mounted in the urinal drain conduit of each of the one or more ultra high-efficiency urinals further equipped to prevent an upward flow of odor-causing gas from entering into a receptacle of an ultra high-efficiency urinal. 
 
     
     
         9 . The water-conserving system of  claim 1  further comprising,
 a liquid-free check valve mounted in a lower end portion of a urinal drain conduit of each of the one or more ultra high-efficiency urinals equipped to prevent said upward flow of any of the rinse-cycle supply of water into a generally upward-facing receptacle portion of any of the one or more urinals. 
 
     
     
         10 . The water-conserving system of  claim 6  wherein said rinse-water periodic control means further comprises, a sink drainage grey water receptacle mounted at a height relative to one or more sinks and one or more ultra high-efficiency urinals, such that, (a.) a maximum water level retainable within the receptacle does not exceed the height of the receptacle drain of each of said one or more ultra high-efficiency urinals, (b.) a grey water inlet of the receptacle fluidly communicates with a downstream end of a sink drainage line configured to receive grey water from a sink-specific drain conduit of each of the one or more sinks, and, (c.) a lower portion of the receptacle is selectively in fluid communication with a upstream end of said single drainage line, wherein,
 a periodic opening of said water valve causes a release of said rinse-cycle supply of water from the sink drainage grey water receptacle into said upstream portion of the single drainage line to substantially and cumulatively rinse said corrosive waste liquid from at least the single drainage line. 
 
     
     
         11 . The water-conserving system of  claim 10  wherein, said water valve is a mechanical float valve arrangement operable within said sink drainage grey water receptacle, configured, when grey water within the receptacle reaches a predetermined volume level, to cause an opening of a rinse-water valve sufficient in duration, to release said rinse-cycle supply of water into said single drainage line. 
     
     
         12 . The water-conserving system of  claim 6  wherein, said water valve is an electro-mechanical valve configured operable within an upstream end of said single drainage line configured selectively in fluid communication with a lower portion of said sink drainage grey water receptacle;
 the electro-mechanical valve configured responsive to control signal causing a temporary opening of the electro-mechanical valve sufficient in duration, to release said rinse-cycle supply of water into said single drainage line. 
 
     
     
         13 . The water-conserving system of  claim 6  further comprising, an upper portion of said sink drainage grey water receptacle equipped with a water overflow outlet in fluid communication with a water receiving end of a water overflow conduit which is configured at an opposite end to direct overflow water into said upstream portion of said single drainage line. 
     
     
         14 . The water-conserving system of  claim 1  wherein each of the one or more ultra high-efficiency urinals are of the type equipped to dispense a urinal surface-rinsing misted-spray and further comprise: (a.) a liquid-free mechanical or electro-mechanical valve-trap mounted in a urinal drain conduit of each of said one or more ultra high-efficiency urinals, (b.) a sensor equipped to detect the presence of a nearby user and provide control signal pertaining thereto, and (c.) a mist-spray controlling electro-mechanical valve mounted in a urinal water supply conduit of each of said one or more ultra high-efficiency urinals. 
     
     
         15 . The water-conserving system of  claim 14  wherein, said electro-mechanical valve-trap mounted in a urinal drain conduit of each of said one or more ultra high-efficiency urinals, and said mist-spray controlling electro-mechanical valve mounted in a distinct urinal water supply conduit of each of said one or more ultra high-efficiency urinals, are each configured responsive to control signal communicated from a respective said sensor, such that a sensor, while detecting the presence of a nearby user, communicates a first valve-open control signal to a respective mist-spray controlling electro-mechanical valve, and a second valve-open control signal to a respective electro-mechanical valve-trap, and,
 following a predetermined delay period after no longer detecting the presence of the user communicates a first valve-close control signal to the mist-spray controlling electro-mechanical valve, and a second valve-close control signal to the electro-mechanical valve-trap. 
 
     
     
         16 . The water-conserving system of  claim 1  wherein said rinse-water periodic control means further comprise ultra high-efficiency plumbing fixture monitoring and reporting means equipped to (a.) monitor control-signals communicated from one or more control-signal communicating components of the system pertaining to one or more controllable valve components, (b.) determine one or more usage related parameters and/or conditions based on one or more communicated control-signals, and, (c.) record control-signal related information in a storable data-file format readable and displayable by a microprocessor-equipped device or computer apparatus having a display screen and configurable to execute one or more executable software routines pertaining to the control-signal information. 
     
     
         17 . The water-conserving system of  claim 16  wherein, said microprocessor-equipped device is mounted in the vicinity of said one or more ultra high-efficiency plumbing fixtures, is equipped to communicate with one or more of said controllable valve components, and is configurable, following authentication of an authorized user, to provide the authorized user, in view of at least some recorded control-signal related information, control of one or more system settings, parameters or control-signals. 
     
     
         18 . The water-conserving system of  claim 16  wherein, said microprocessor-equipped device further comprises Near Field Communication ‘NFC’ apparatus equipped to provide authorized access to a user having, and to communicate Radio Frequency Identification ‘RFID’ data via, a Near Field Communication card or object. 
     
     
         19 . The water-conserving system of  claim 16  wherein, said rinse-water periodic control means further comprises a transceiver accessible to the Internet, and said computer apparatus comprises a browser-equipped device configured to communicate over the Internet, and equipped via a browser accessible web site or a downloadable software application, following authentication of an authorized user, to provide the authorized user, in view of at least some recorded control-signal related information, control of one or more system settings, adjustments, parameters or control-signals. 
     
     
         20 . The water-conserving system of  claim 19 , wherein said browser-equipped device is one of the following: a desktop computer, a wireless browser-equipped apparatus, a wireless handheld device, a cell phone, a smartphone, a tablet, a portable computing device. 
     
     
         21 . The water-conserving system of  claim 10 , wherein said one or more ultra high-efficiency urinals and said one or more sinks, are installed in a same room, or on a same wall, or on adjacent walls. 
     
     
         22 . The water-conserving system of  claim 1  wherein said one or more ultra high-efficiency urinals comprise at least one ultra high-efficiency urinal equipped with at least one very low water usage mister nozzle mounted adjacent to an upper portion of the urinal and configured valve controllable to emit a misted-spray comprising a disinfectant in between one or more typical urinal use-cycles, the misted-spray comprising the disinfectant directed generally downward onto, and sized to cover, a surface of the urinal which receives waste liquid during a use-cycle, to at least substantially and cumulatively rinse the surface of waste liquid and/or waste liquid residue and convey the waste liquid into said single urinal drainage line.