This invention claims the benefit of Provisional application Ser. No. 60/536,139, Filed 12 Jan. 2004.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the sewage systems of various types of recreational mobile vehicles, such as RV's, 5th wheels, camper trailers and marine craft, and more particularly to a system by which to transfer raw sewage from vehicle holding tanks to sewage disposal stations.

It presently is the practice for owners of RV and other mobile craft to connect the outlet of the sewage waste system to the inlet of a macerator, the outlet of the macerator being connected to one end of a hose, the opposite end of which is adaptable for coupling to a disposal pipe of a remote sewage dump station. Typical of the above conventional systems are those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,352,088; 5,323,813; and 4,643,229.

In prior sewage dump systems typified by U.S. Pat. No. 6,352,088 above, there is the accepted requirement of having to coil, fold, collapse, or otherwise shorten a small diameter hose in order to store it in a compartment in the vehicle. Storage space in the vehicle must accommodate the dimensions of the shortened tube. The shorter the tube, the smaller the storage space, but the closer the vehicle must be maneuvered to the discharge pipe of the dump station.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In its basic concept, the system of this invention comprises an elongated hose of selected length and small diameter for communicating the large diameter waste line of the sewage system in an RV or other vehicle with a remote sewage disposal station located a distance from the vehicle, and a storage unit in the RV or other vehicle for containing the small diameter hose in a retracted condition of minimum volume for ready extraction and extension to a remote sewage disposal site.

It is the principal objective of this invention to provide a sewage dump system of the class described to overcome the limitations and disadvantages of prior sewage dump systems.

Another objective of this invention is the provision of a sewage dump system of the class described in which the storage unit facilitates both retracting and out-feeding of a small diameter hose into and from a confined storage space and which insures against kinking and other constriction of the hose.

Still another objective of this invention is to provide a sewage dump system of the class described in which the storage unit includes guide means for controlling the retraction and out feeding of a small diameter hose.

A further objective of this invention is the provision of a sewage dump system of the class described in which the storage unit guide means includes resiliently retractable and extendable hose guide mechanism which facilitates rapid and easy manipulation of the hose.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of an RV showing a hose storage compartment embodying features of this invention, with the end door open to expose the interior.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a storage compartment of FIG. 1 in cooperative arrangement with a typical sewage storage and discharge assembly in the vehicle.

FIG. 3 is a top sectional view of a first embodiment of hose storage compartment embodying the features of this invention, with the top wall of the storage compartment removed to expose the interior, the elongated end portion of a small diameter hose being shown contained within the storage compartment.

FIG. 4 is a top sectional view, similar to FIG. 3, of a second embodiment of the hose storage component of this invention showing a spring-loaded hose retraction system incorporated into the hose compartment to accommodate coiling and uncoiling a length of hose, the retraction system being shown in the position of full retraction of hose within the compartment.

FIG. 5 is a top sectional view, similar to FIG. 4, showing the hose retraction system of FIG. 4 in the position of full extension of hose outwardly from the compartment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the elongated hose storage unit 10 is shown in FIG. 1 mounted within and secured to the underside of the framework of a vehicle V, such as an RV, as by bolts extended through openings 14 in side flanges 16 secured to the side walls 18 of the storage unit 10. The bottom wall 12 of the unit 10 defines with the top wall 14 a storage space 22 for an elongated, flexible hose 24 as described hereinafter. The front end portion 26 of the unit 10 is enlarged to accommodate housing the fitting 28 on an end of the small diameter hose 24 for coupling the hose to a sewage pipe (not shown) located at a sewage disposal station. A control valve 30 with hand knob 32 are installed in the hose adjacent the fitting 28 for controlling the outfeed of sewage to the disposal pipe. The rear end of the storage unit is closed by continued extension of side walls 18

FIG. 1 also shows a front door 34 secured to the open front end of the unit 10 by hinges 36 to enable opening and closing the front end portion 26 of the unit 10. A hand operated lock 38 on the door releasably secures the latter in closed position.

FIG. 3 illustrates a first embodiment of the invention, wherein the hose 24 is in fully retracted position within the storage space 22. This position is achieved by doubling the hose intermediate its ends and feeding the doubled portion through the front opening in the enlarged front portion 26 and working it rearwardly into the vertically restricted storage space 22. The height of the space 22 is slightly greater than the outside diameter of the hose 24, to insure that it moves freely in the space as a single layer, to prevent jamming. Guide rollers 40 spaced along one side of the space 22 assists movement of the hose in both retraction and extension directions.

The end portion of the hose 24 opposite the fitting 28 is extended outwardly of the space 22 through a side opening 42, for connection to the outlet of a macerator M, the input I of which leads through a large diameter waste discharge tube T to a sewage storage tank S or tanks of the RV or other vehicle, in manner well known in the art.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate a second embodiment of the invention which includes resilient retraction means for facilitating the extension and retraction of the hose 24 relative to the storage space 22. To this end there is provided a hose guide system which includes a pair of hose guiding rollers 44 mounted on the spaced ends of a supporting yolk member 46. The rollers are concave in cross section to capture and guide movement of the hose.

The rearward end of the yolk member 46 anchors one end of an elongated flexible cord 48 which extends from the yolk member over a guide pulley 50 and thence forwardly under the bottom wall 12 to a rotary pulley 52 of a source of rotary power. For purposes of illustration herein, the power source is a spring-loaded pull cord unit 54 similar to those typically employed for starting small gasoline engines used for lawn mowers, outboard engines and many other applications.

The operation of the sewage disposal system of this invention is the same for all embodiments. The front door 34 is opened, the fitting 28 is grasped in the hand and the small diameter hose 24 is pulled outwardly of the compartment storage space 22. It moves freely outward because of the confined vertical dimension of the space 22.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, extension of the hose 24 is accomplished with little effort since the hose slides freely through the space 22. In FIGS. 4 and 5 the extension of the hose meets only a slight resistance by the tensioning of the spring loading of pulley 52.

Sewage is removed from the storage tanks S in the vehicle, when the fitting 28 is secured to the disposal pipe at the sewage disposal station, by opening the valve 30 and operating the macerator. The sewage is discharged from the storage tank in the vehicle and subjected to maceration and thereafter forcibly discharged to the disposal pipe. As is well known, gray water in a gray water storage tank (not shown) may be delivered to a black water storage tank S for cleaning the latter, after which the gray water is delivered through the macerator and outlet hose 24 to effect thorough cleaning. The control valve 30 then is closed and the hose 24 returned to the storage space 22, without anyone having been in contact with any sewage.

In the operation of the embodiment of FIG. 3, the front door 34 is opened and the operator simply grasps the fitting 28 and carries it to the dump site, a distance from the vehicle V that is predetermined to be within reach of the hose 24. Because of the horizontal disposition of the hose compartment 22, the hose is pulled easily from it. Moreover, return of the hose to the compartment 22 is accomplished with minimum effort simply by doubling the hose 24 and feeding the doubled end into the front opening of the compartment and pushing it rearwardly until it is contained in the manner illustrated in FIG. 3. The rollers 40 assist in minimizing the manual effort required and the shallow height of the compartment ensures against tangling, twisting and otherwise pinching the hose.

In the operation of the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5, the front door 34 is opened and the operator grasps the fitting 28 and, as in the embodiment of FIG. 3, carries it to the disposal site. As the hose is withdrawn from the compartment 22, it pulls with it the yoke 46 which is moved to the open front end of the compartment with the minimum resistance offered by the spring-loaded pull cord unit 54. After discharging the sewage to the disposal site, the operator walks back to the mobile vehicle with the fitting 28 in hand. The spring-loaded pull cord unit 54 operates automatically to retract the yoke 46 rearwardly into the compartment 22, to the position shown in FIG. 4. The hose 24 thus is returned to the retracted, flat lying position of FIG. 4 by virtue of the yoke 46 guiding it precisely to the configuration illustrated.

It is to be noted that in both embodiments of FIGS. 3 and 4, 5 the hose 24 is caused to be manipulated in a manner that ensures against kinking, jamming, or otherwise fouling during the extension and retraction movements relative to the compartment 22. This contributes to precise operation with minimum effort and maximum service life.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes may be made in the size, shape, type, and number of components described hereinbefore without departing from the spirit of this invention and the scope of the appended claims.