AU693660B2

AU693660B2 - Drain valve for a flush tank

Info

Publication number: AU693660B2
Application number: AU48293/96A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Matthias Marty
Original assignee: Geberit Technik AG
Current assignee: Geberit Technik AG
Priority date: 1995-04-12
Filing date: 1996-03-25
Publication date: 1998-07-02
Anticipated expiration: 2016-03-25
Also published as: ES2120279T3; CZ105196A3; DK0737784T3; SK29296A3; AU4829396A; ATE168433T1; CN1136625A; DE29602227U1; EP0737784A1; EP0737784B1; DE59600331D1; SI0737784T1

Abstract

Outlet valve in which the side wall (3) has a venting opening (10) arranged at a distance from the cover wall (8) determined by the volume of air. An apron (11) is fitted below the venting opening on the side wall. The venting opening is so dimensioned that after a large flushing action the air in the float (7) can escape during the period of filling-up to the venting opening (10). With a short time closure of the outlet valve during a small flushing action no air escapes via the venting opening.

Description

S F Ref: 332523

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

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re t r t f r t I *a 6 tI t I t t 1 t Name and Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: Geberit Technik AG Schachenstrasse 77 CH-8645 Jona

SWITZERLAND

Matthias Marty Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia Drain Valve for a Flush Tank The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- 5845 ii DRAIN VALVE FOR A FLUSH TANK FIELD OF TEE INVTENTION The present invention pertains to a drain valve for a flush tank, :especially a toilet flush tank, with a housing to be fastened to the bottom of *:*the flush tank. In this housing is arranged a float with an air chamber which ois open at the bottom. The float is arranged on a closing member mounted *:in the housing in such a way that it can be raised. The float has an upper *cover wall as well as a side wall.

0 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1Q, Drain valves of this class have been known for a long time. The buoyancy of the float, after a flushing has been triggered, is guaranteed in drain valves of this class by the air or gas present in an air chamber of thle float. Such drain valves may be designed such that a premature interruption of flushing is possible. Drain valves which permit a so-called two-step flushing have been known as well. Upon the actuation of one pushbutton, the flush tank is automatically emptied completely. Upon the actuation of another pushbutton, oniy part of the amount of flushing water present in the flush tank, 6 L, is likewise released automatically. Practice has shown that such a two-step flushing with exactly adjustable amounts of flushing water is tj superior to an interruption of the flushing, which is determined by the user himself. Optimal savings of flushing water is possible in the case of the twostep flushing if the small amount of flushing water is always exactly the same a in the case of small flushings.

After extensive investigations, the inventor has determined that when drain valves of this class are used for small flushigs, air can escape from the bottom of the float and water can enter the float from below as a result. As a aosqune the buoyancy of the float and consequently the amount of flushing water can change u ncon trollaUL.!y. The consequence of this is that eithe too muhor too little water is reesdduring smallBuhns 2 RA b 3 Summary of the Invention It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantages.

There is disclosed herein a drain valve for a tank, a drain valve comprising: a housing positioned in the tank; a closing means for opening and closing an opening in the tank, said closing means being movable away from the opening; a float positioned in said housing and including an end wall and a side wall, said float including an air chamber which is opened at a bottom, said side wall defining a vent opening spaced by a buoyancy distance from said end wall, said buoyancy idistance being of a magnitude to cause said float to float in fluid in the tank, said vent opening being positioned from said bottom of said float to form a buffer layer of fluid preventing gas in said float from escaping from said bottom of said air chamber when said closing means is moved away from the opening; and an apron arranged on said side wall below said vent opening.

I

Brief Description of the Drawings A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by way of I t example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic view of a section through a drain valve according to 20 the present invention.

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Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment Referring to the figure, the drain valve 5 is detachably fastened in the known manmer in a flush tank 1 above a drain opening 3 on the flush tank bottom 2. A closing means for opening and closing the drain opening 3, includes a valve tube 4 with a rigidly arranged float 7. The valve tube 4 is mounted in the valve housing 6 in such a way that it can be raised. The opening 3 is closed by a valve disk 13 of the valve tube 4 in the resting position shown. If the valve tube 4 is raised by means of a prior-art actuating device 14, the drain opening 3 is opened, and flushing water 17 can flow through the window 18 of the housing 6 through the opening 3 and into a toilet bowl, not shown here. The valve tube 4 is kept floating by the buoyancy of an air chamber 16 in the housing 6 until the desired amount of flushing water has been released.

To trigger the release of a small amount of flushing water, a closing *1

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.1 weight 15, is arranged on the valve tube 4 in the known manner. This closing weight 15 loads the valve tube 4 during a small flushing and brings it prematurely into the closed position. The water level A of the completely filled flush tank is lowered to the level B during such a small flushing. A residual amount of water of, 3 L, is left in the flush tank after a small flushing.

To trigger the release of a large amount of flushing water during a large fluslhing, the valve tube 4 is not loaded by the closing weight 15, again in the known manner, and the valve tube therefore remains raised until the i complete emptying of the flush tank 1.

The float 7 has the shape of an inverted beaker and has a cover or end wall 8 as well as an approximately cylindrical side wall 9. One or more vent openings 10 are provided in the lower area of the side wall 9 at a defined j buoyancy distance from the cover wall 8 to cause the float 7 to float. These openings 10 are relatively small and preferably have a diameter of a few mm, 2 mm. The openings 10 may also be narrow slots or have other shapes.

As is shown in the drawing, the float 7 has a likewise cylindrical apron 11 under the vent openings 10. This apron extends to the lower edge 12, which Sdefines the lower opening of the float 7.

2b An amount of water 18 is present in the float 7 in the resting position and it's level C is determined by the vent openings 10. The apron 11 is dimensioned to retain a sufficient amount of water so that no air escapes from the chamber 16 through the bottom of the float 7 during a small flushing. The height of the apron 11 is, 2 cm. Exact values can be readily determined in practical experiments.

The vent openings 10 are dimensioned to be such that no, or substantially little, air can cscape from them during a brief closure during a small flushing. This is guaranteed with a hole having a diameter of, 2 to mm. The vent openings 10 must be at least large enough to pernit the air present in the area of the apron 11 to be able to escape through these openings 10 after a large flushing, so that the water 18 can enter the float 7 from below.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the Cinvention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise 1,1 without departing from such principles.

Claims

1. A drain valve for a tank, the drain valve comprising: a housing positioned in the tank; a closing means for opening and closing an opening in the tank, said closing means being movable away from the opening; a float positioned in said housing and including an end wall and a side wall, said float including an air chamber which is opened at a bottom, said side wall defining a vent opening spaced by a buoyancy distance from said end wall, said buoyancy distance being of a magnitude to cause said float to float in fluid in the tank, said vent 10 opening being positioned from said bottom of said float to form a buffer layer of fluid preventing gas in said float from escaping from said bottom of said air chamber when said closing means is moved away from the opening; and an apron arranged on said side wall below said vent opening.

2. A valve in accordance with claim 1, further comprising: 15 small flushing means being selectively activated and for prematurely causing said float to sink when said small flushing means is activated.

3. A valve in accordance with claim 1 or 2, wherein: said vent opening is of a magnitude to cause gas present below said vent opening to escape from said float during refilling of the tank.

4. A valve in accordance with any preceding claim, wherein: said vent opening is of a magnitude to cause substantially no gas to escape from said vent opening during activation of said small flushing means.

A valve in accordance with any preceding claim, wherein: said float has a beaker-shaped design.

6. A valve in accordance with any preceding claim, wherein: a plurality of said vent openings are provided.

7. A valve in accordance with claim 1, further including: a small flushing means being selectively activated and prematurely causing said float to sink and causing said closing means to close the opening when said small flushing means is activated; and said vent opening being positioned from said bottom of said float to form a buffer layer of fluid preventing gas in said float from escaping from said bottom of said air chamber during activation of said small flushing means.

8. A drain valve substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 8 Dated 14 May, 1998 Geberit Technik AG Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person SPRUSON FERGUSON II', I C C I II CC I C; CII I i n Drain Valve for a Flush Tank Abstract A drain valve with a hous d arranged on a flush tank bottom (2) above a drain opening A closing member with a float is mounted in this housing in such a way that it can be raised. The side wall of the float has at least one vent opening (10) up to which an apron (11) is filled with water. Air can escape from the float during small flushings and the amount of flushing water does not change during small flushings. r SLI tIE U~~ maa5160F