CA2060331A1 - Enhanced vacuum assisted toilet - Google Patents

Abstract

ENHANCED VACUUM ASSISTED TOILET
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A water saver toilet is provided, of the type that applies a vacuum to the toilet bowl outlet to assist flushing, which can apply a considerable vacuum in a toilet of low height. The vacuum source (60, Fig. 1) is coupled to the pressured water inlet (44) that supplies water under a pressure of a plurality of pounds per square inch to fill the tank after each flushing, with the pressure of the water being used to energize the vacuum source. A prior art type of tank inlet valve (16) is used, of the type that has a float (42) that drops and opens the valve when the tank water level drops at the beginning of flushing. The opening valve directs pressured water through a conduit (72) to the vacuum source to energize it to apply a vacuum shortly after the tank water level drops. The vacuum source includes an actuator (76, Fig. 3) with a plunger (84) that is lifted by pressured water flowing into the actuator, the plunger lifting a diaphragm (90). to produce a vacuum in a chamber (92) that is coupled to the toilet bowl outlet.

Description

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BACK(;ROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many cities are attempting to cons~rve water by reducin~ the amount of water used in each toilet flushing.
Such conservation is especially difficult to achieve for low profile toilets, wherein the water tank has a small height such as twenty four inches above the floor. One approach is to supply compressed air to the tank to produce a high pressure j~t directed along the bowl outlet, but the need to provide compressed air greatly increases the cost of the toiletO Another approach, described in U.S. Patent 380,854 to Boyle issued April ~0, 1888, is to create a vacuum in the top of the tank as the water level drops during flushing, and to apply that vacuum to the bowl outlet. It has required a tall tank to create a considerable vacuum when the water level drops, which make it difficult to llse this approach with low profile toilets. A relatively simple system which assisted the flushing of toilets, which was effective evan in low profile toilets, would be of considerable value.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a water conservation toilet is provided which is effective even in low profile toilets. The toilet includes a vacuum source coupled to the outlet of the toilet bowl to apply a vacuum thereto during an early stage of a flushing cycle. The vacuum source is coupled to a pxessured water inlet that can supply water at a pressure of a plurality of pounds per square inch, and that is otherwise used to refill the tank after each flushing~ The pressured water from the inlet is supplied to the vacuum source to energize it during an early stage of each flushing cycle. An ordinary type of 3 3 ~

tank inlet valve, of the type that has a float that drops and opens the valve when water from the tank is flushed into the toilet bowl, can be used to supply pressured water to the vacuum source when the level of water in the tank drops.
The vacuum source can include an actuator with a plunger that is moved in a first direction by the pressure o~
water applied at the beginning of a flushing cycle. The plunger moves a diaphragm extendlng across an enclosed chamber to suddenly increase the volume o~ the chamber and 10 create a vacuum therein, the chamber being coupled to the toilet bowl outlet. A tank refill device can be coupled to a pressured-water conduit leading to the vacuum sourca, the tank refill device opening at a predetermined pressure such as B psi to flow water from the conduit directly into the 1~ tank. This limits the pressure applied to the vacuum source so the vacuum source does not have to withstand high water pressures.
The novel features of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention 20 will be best understood from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawinys.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF_THE DRAWINGS
Fi~. 1 is a partlal, sectional, isometric view of 25 a toilet constructed in accordance with the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a sectional side view of the toilet of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the vacuum source o~
30 the toilet of Fig. 1, ~howing its initial position in solid lines, and showing its energized position in phantom lines, 2 ~ 3 ~

with the actuator water inlet turned 90 from its position in Fig. l.
Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the collector of the toilet of Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 is a sectional view o~ the tank re~ill device of the toilet of Fig. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PR~FERRED EMBODIMENT
Fi~. 1 illustrates a toilet 10 of the l~w profile type, which includes a tank 12 whose top lies a small distance such as twenty four inches above the level of the ~loor 14. The tank holds a conventional tank inlet valve 16 that dispenses waker into the tank until it reaches a predetermined high water level 20. When a flush handle 22 is depressed, a chain coupled thereto lifts a flush valve member 24 off a seat 26 of a flush valve 28, to allow water in the tank to flow rapidly into a toilet bowl 300 The water from the tank raises the water level in the toilet bowl from an initial level 32, to cause water and any debris in the toilet bowl to flow out of a toilet bowl outlet 34 that carries water and waste to a drain 36 that connects to a s0wer system.
As water in the tank Plows rapidly into the toilet bowl, the level of water in the tank rapidly drops to about the level of the flush valve seat 26 or slightly higher. The pressured water valve, or tank inlet valve 16, has an upper portion 40 with a float 42 that senses the initial drop in tank water level by moving down to operate a prior art mechanism 41 that then opens the valve 16. Pressured water from a pressured water inlst 44 (connected to a household water supply) that is connected to the inlet valve 16, can (~

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then flow through the valve to a valve outlet 46 in the lower portion 48 of the valvP. In prior art toilets, water flowing out of the valve outlet 46 flowed directly into the tank to refill it. At the same time, about one quarter of the water *lowing through the tank inlet valve flowed through a short hose 50 into a refill tube 52 to re~ill the toilet bowl. In large cities, the pressure of water supplied to the pressured water inlet 44 is always a plurality of psi (pounds per square inch) and is usually much more than 20 psi.
The toilet 10 is a vacuum assisted type, wherein a vacuum from a vacuum source 60 is applied through a vacuum conduit 62 to the toilet bowl outlet 34 to apply a vacuum therein during flushiny of the toile~. The vacuum draws water and waste from the water pool 64 in the tollet bowl into a trapway 66 of the toilet bowl outlet 34, to efficiently flush out the contents of the bowl even though only a small guantity of water passes through the bowl during a flushing.
In accordance with the present invention, the vacuum source 60 is coupled to the pressured water inlet 44, and is energized by the pressured water to generate a vacuum which it applies to the toilet bowl outlet. As will be described below, water at a pressure of a plurality of psi, which is applied to the vacuum source 60 during the early stages of a flushing cycle, provides the energy to operate the vacuum source to produce the vacuum that is applied to the toilet bowl outlet. The pressured water flows from the outlet 46 of the tank inlet valve 16 through a collector 70 that surrounds the valve outlet, and through a conduit 72 to the vacuum source 60. Control of the flow of water that energizes the vacuum source, is by the tank inlet valve 16, 2 ~
~ 91/156 which opens a short time a~ter the beginning of the ~lushing cycle, to thereby operate the vacuum source near the beginning of the flushing cycle.
Fig. 3 illustrates details of the vacuum source 60 which receives pressured water from the pressured water conduit 72 and which delivers a vacuum through the vacuum conduit 62 to the toilet bowl outlet. The vacuum source includes a housing 74 which contains a pressured-water powered actuator 76. The actuator includes a water container 80 whose lower end is sealed, and a water diaphragm 82 which extends acrvss the water container. A plunger 84 has a lower end attached ~o the middle of the water diaphragm 82. When pressured water passes through the conduit 72 through an actuator water inlet 73 to the vacuum source, it rapidly ~ills a water chamber 86 formed between the water diaphragm 82 and the lower part of the water container 80, thereby driving up the water diaphra~m and the plunger 84 connected thereto. The upper part of the plunger is connected to a vacuum diaphragm 90 which seals the upper portion of a vacuum chamber 92 whose lower portion is sealed by the housing 74.
As the plunger 84 moves up, it moves the vacuum diaphragm 90 up to the position 50A and approxi:mately doubles the volume of th~ vacuum chamber 92. The re~ulting vacuum is coupled through the vacuum conduit 62 to the toilet bowl outlet to apply a forceful vacuum therein which draws water and waste ~rom the toilet bowl.
After a flushing cycle, when the water tank has been refilled and the tank inlet valve closes, pressured water is no longer supplied to the conduit 72 to flow to the 30 vacuum source. Applicant provides a weight 94 which rests on the vacuum diaphragm 90 to pxess it downwardly after a 3 3 ~1 flushing cycle, to return the vacuum diaphragm 90 to its initial position shown in solid lines in Fig. ~. The water diaphragm ~2 is moved from the initial position shown in solid lines, to an upward position 82A when pressured water has entered the water chamber 86. As the water membrane moves downwardly, water in the water chamber 86 drains out through the conduit 72 and through a leak opening (to be described~ into the water tank.
When the vacuum diaphragm moves upwardly from the position 90 to the position 90A, it is preferably that air lie above the vacuum diaphragm and the weight 94 to minimize resistance to upward movement. Applicant provides a chimney 96 that extends up through the water tank to a level above the high water level therein, to surround the vacuum diaphragm with air. It is also noted that gaps are provided at 98 to couple the top of the water container 80 to the area above the vacuum diaphxagm 90, to allow the escape of air therethrough when the water membrane 82 rises to the position 8~. The plunger 84 is guided in vertical movement by the two spaced diaphragms 82, 90, so a sliding bearing can be avoided.
: The vacuum diaphragm 90 has an area that is a plurality of times greater than the area of the water diaphragm 82. This allowe a moderate flow of pressured water into the vacuum source, to create a moderate vacuum of several inches of water in a large volume. I~ would be possible to use pistons moving within cylinders instead of the diaphragms, but this can result in greater cost.
Fig. 4 illustrates details of the collector 70 30 which surrounds the lower part 4~ of the tank inlet valve 16 to divert pressured water from the valve outlet 46 to the 3 ~ ~
8 ~1/156 pressured water conduit 72 that is connected to the vacuum source. As described above, the tank inlet valve 16 was originally designed to release water through a valve outlet 46 directly into the lower portion of the water tank to refill it after each flushing. The collector 70 surrounds the valve outlet 46 to pravent all of the water exiting the outlet 4~ ~rom flowing directly into the tank. Instead, the collector 70 directs the pressured water into the conduit 72 to power the vacuum source during an early stage of the flushing cycle. The collector 70 includes a housing 102 and includes a pair of seals 104, ~06 that seal locations above and below the valve outlet 46 from the rest of the tank. The collector 70 has a leak opening 110 through which a small amount of water can pass directly from the collector into the tank. The purpose of the leak opening is to permit draining of watex out of the vacuum source after each flushing cycle.
Referring to Fig. 3, it can be seen that the weight 94 presses down the plunger 84, which presses down the water diaphragm 82 after a flush cycle. This urges water in the water chamber 86 to flow in the reverse direction R through the conduit 72. Such water can f:Low through the conduit to the collector 70 (Fig. 4) and drain from the collector through the leak opening 110 into the tank.
It requires only a moderate water pressure such as eight ko sixteen psi to provide suf~icient energy to rapidly operate the vacuum source so as to provide a considerable vacuum that enhances flushing of the toilet. Higher pressures of water from the household water supply result in more rapid flow and more rapid activation of the vacuum source, but no advantage is qained over applying the vacuum during a moderate period of a few seconds versus a shorter 2 ~ 3 ~

period. The pressure of water supplied by household pipes varies, and can be well over 100 psi. If the vacuum source had to withstand such high pressures, it would have to ~e made very sturdy. Applicant avoids the need for a very rugged vacuum source, by pxoviding a tank refill device l2n which is coupled to the pressured water conduit 72 that connects the collector 70 to the vacuum source. As shown in Fig. 5, the tank refill device 120 includes a valve 122 with a spring biased valve member 124 that opens when a predetermined pressure such as 8 psi is applied to the refill device through the water conduit 72. The valve 122 prevents a pressure of more than about 8 psi from reaching the vacuum source. Since the valve 122 does not open at a pressure below 8 psi, it assures that a pressure of 8 psi will be applied to the vacuum source during the early stages of a flushing cycle.
A flushing cycle begins when the flush valve member 24 (Fig. 1) is lifted to begin the emptying of water in the tanX 12 into the toilet bowl 30. It requires a few seconds for the entire volume of the tank that will be flushed out to pass into the toilet bowl. However, perhaps one second after flushing begins, the level of watler in the tank will have fallen far enough for the float 42 to drop so as to open the tank inlet valve 16. Pressured water then fIows from the tank inle~ valve 16 through the collector 70 and pressured water conduit 72 to the vacuum source 60 to begin activating it perhaps two or three seconds after the flushing cycle begins. ~uring the next period of perhaps one or two seconds, the vacuum source is fully operated to generate a vacuum that is applied to the toilet bowl outlet. At this time, water and waste in the toilet bowl has begun to flow (~ ( 2 ~

out of the toilet bowl outlet 34, and the application o~ a vacuum at khis time is most effective in drawing out water and waste from the toilet bQwl. During a further period of perhaps thirty seconds, water flows from the tank valve through the tank refill device 120 into the tank to refill it. During this time, water also flows from the tank inlet valve through the short hose 50 to the refill tube 52 to refill the toilet bowl.
When the tank is filled to the high water level 20, the tank inlet valve 16 closes. During the next period of perhaps twelve seconds, the weight 94 (Fig. 3) o~ the vacuum source slowly drops and water is pressed out of the water chamber 86 through the conduit 72, back to the collector 70 (Fig. 4), where the water ~lows out through the leak opening 110 into the tank. The vacuum source and the rest of the toilet is then ready for the next flushing.
The use of the tank inlet valve 16 to supply pressured water to the vacuum source has important advantages. As described above, the tank inlet valve senses the beginning of the drop of water in the tank, to immediately begin energization of the vacuum source and start the generation o~ a vacuum. In this manner, a vacuum i5 created at the proper time during the flush cycle, after considerable water has been ~lushed from the tank into the toilet bowl but before most of the water and waste in th~
toilet bowl has been dumped into the toilet bowl outlet (this being "near the beginning of the flush cycle"). Existing tank inlet valve designs have been refined over many years of use, so that they can be manufactured at low cost and still assure high reliability of operation. By using such low cost and well developed valvesl applicant does not have to develop a valve to flow pressured water to the vacuum source at the proper time during a flush cycle.
~ eferring to Fig. ~, it can be seen that the toilet bowl outlet 34 includes an upper trap device 130 coupled to the toilet bowl 30, the trapway 66 extending from the upper trap device to a lower trap device 132 that leads to the drain 36~ The uppermost location 134 along the lower trap device lies higher than the highest location 136 downstream thereof, to provide a lower trap pool 140 that allows gas to ~low therethrough to avoid siphoning out water from the : toilet bowl between flushings. The top of the pool 140 is close to the upper location 134, so that early during flushing, water fills the lower trap device to above the location 134 to prevent the vacuum applied through the vacuum conduit 62 to the toilet bowl outlet, from being dissipated through the drain.
As mentioned above, applicant prefers to couple the top of the vacuum source 60 to air, aR through the chimney 96. It is also possible to place the entire vacuum source at a location outside of the water t:ank. It should be noted that the vacuum source will function in any orientation with respect to gra~ity, and a spring can be used instead of a weight to return the vacuum and water diaphragms to their initiai positions. In a vacuum source that applicant has designed, the water diaphragm 82 had an area of about 18 square inches while the vacuum diaphragm had an area of about 100 square inches and produced a vacuum of about four inches of water. This allows a low flow rate of water to rapidly generate a vacuum of large volume.
Thus, the invention provides a toilet with a vacuum source that is energized by pressured water supplied by a ~ 3~

pressured water inlet. This may be contrasted with prior art vacuum sources, which relied upon the fall of water ln the tank to create a vacuum at the top of the tank, and wherein the energy for creating the vacuum was potential energy stored in the water filling the tank to a high level. To create a considerable vacuum, such a prior art approach required a considerable tank height between its high and low water levelsO Since applicant does not rely upon the potential energy of water stored to a high level in a tank, but instead relie5 upon the force of pressured water to move a vacuum membrane to create a vacuum, applicant does not reguire a large change in water height in a tanX. Also, where large water pressures are available, which is commonly the case in developed countries, a higher vacuum can be created by using water pressure, than can be obtained by a moderate drop in water level such as one and one hal~ feet as occurs in common prior art regular toilets and perhaps one foot in low profile toilets. Applicant uses a tank inlet valve with a float that senses a drop in tank water level, to control the application of pressured water to the vacuum source. As mentioned above, the use of a float-controlled valve provide proper timing for the application o~ the vacuum, and enable~ reliable low cost tank inlet valves to be used. The addition of a collector around the valve outlet, is a simple approach to directing water from the tank inlet valve to the vacuum ~ource. The pressure that must be withstood by the vacuum source is limited by providing a kank refill device that prevents the application of pressure of more than a predetermined level to the vacuum source. A leak opening is provided anywhere between the tank inlet valve and the vacuum source (or in the vacuum source~ to allow water to 2 ~

drain out o~ the vacuum source at the end of a flush.ing cycle, a biasing means such as a weight or spring being used to return the vacuum source to its initial position.
Although parti ular embodiments of the have been described and illustrated herein, it is recognized that modifications and variations may readily occur to those skilled in the art, and consequently, it is intended that the claims be interpreted to cover such modifications and equivalents.

Claims (14)

1. In a toilet which includes a toilet howl, a tank, a pressured water inlet for receiving water under a pressure of a plurality of pounds per square inch, a tank inlet valve coupled to said water inlet and responsive to the level of water in said tank to open as the tank water level falls, a flush valve through which water in said tank can be flushed into said bowl, a toilet bowl outlet, and a vacuum source coupled to said bowl outlet to apply a vacuum therein during flushing, the improvement wherein:
said vacuum source is coupled to said pressured water inlet and is energized by said water under a pressure of a plurality of pounds per square inch to generate a vacuum that is applied to said bowl outlet.

2. The improvement described in claim 1 wherein:
said vacuum source is coupled to said tank inlet valve to receive said pressured water and therefore apply said vacuum to said bowl outlet when said tank inlet valve opens and flows said pressured water to said vacuum source.

3. The apparatus described in claim 1 wherein:
said tank inlet valve has an upper portion with a float that senses a drop in tank water level, and has a lower portion with a valve outlet through which water can flow to enter said tank; and including a collector which is attached to said valve to receive the flow of water through said valve outlet, said collector being coupled to said vacuum source to supply pressured water thereto when said tank inlet valve opens, whereby to energize said vacuum source substantially at the time when said tank inlet valve senses a drop of water in said tank by a flushing.

4. The apparatus described in claim 3 including:
a tank refill device coupled to said collector, said tank refill device constructed to open at a predetermined water pressure and flow water from said collector into said tank, to limit the water pressure applied to said vacuum source to substantially said predetermined water pressure.

5. The apparatus described in claim 4 wherein:
said vacuum source includes a fluid coupling that receives water, and includes a biasing part that urges received water back toward said collector, said collector having a leak opening that allows water from said vacuum source to leak into said tank after said tank inlet valve closes.

6. The apparatus described in claim 1 wherein:
said vacuum source comprises walls forming a chamber that is coupled to said toilet bowl outlet, a diaphragm with a periphery sealed to said chamber walls and a middle, and a water powered actuator that includes a plunger which is urged in a first direction by pressured water, said plunger being coupled to said middle of said diaphragm to move it in said first direction to increase the volume of said chamber and thereby create a vacuum in said chamber.

7. A toilet for connection to a pressured water supply that supplies water at a pressure of a plurality of pounds per square inch, comprising:

a toilet bowl;
a tank;
a flush valve which couples said tank to said toilet bowl and which is opened at the beginning of a flush cycle;
a toilet bowl outlet extending from said toilet bowl;
a vacuum source which has a water inlet and which has a vacuum outlet coupled to said toilet bowl outlet to apply a vacuum thereto;
a pressured water valve which opens in response to the beginning of a flush cycle, said pressured water valve coupling said pressured water supply to said water inlet of said vacuum source to supply said water at a pressure of a plurality of pounds per square inch to said vacuum source near the beginning of the flush cycle.

8. The toilet described in claim 7 wherein:
said pressured water valve includes a float that floats on water near the top of said tank, and a mechanism responsive to dropping of the float to open said valve.

9. The toilet described in claim 7 wherein:
said vacuum source includes a water powered actuator having a water chamber that fills with pressured water when said pressured water valve opens and having a plunger that is moved in a first direction as said water chamber fills, a vacuum chamber coupled to said toilet outlet, and a member moveable by said plunger to increase the volume of said vacuum chamber and thereby create a vacuum therein.

10. The toilet described in claim 9 wherein:
said vacuum source includes walls forming a water container, and said actuator includes a water diaphragm extending across said water container and having a middle coupled to said plunger to move it as pressured water flows into said water container on one side of said water diaphragm;
said membrane moveable by said plunger includes a vacuum diaphragm extending across said vacuum chamber and having a middle coupled to said plunger.

11. The toilet described in claim 7 including:
a tank refill device which couples said pressured water valve to said vacuum source, said tank refill device including a valve that opens at a predetermined pressure to flow water into said tank, whereby to limit the water that said vacuum source must withstand.

12. A method for generating a vacuum to be applied to a toilet bowl outlet when water in a tank, which has entered the tank from a pressured water inlet through a tank inlet valve, is flushed into the toilet bowl at the beginning of a flush cycle, comprising:
energizing a vacuum source with pressured water from said pressured water inlet, substantially at the time when water from said tank is flushed into said toilet bowl, and immediately applying said vacuum to said toilet bowl outlet.

13. The method described in claim 12 wherein:
said step of energizing includes directing water flowing out of said tank inlet valve into said vacuum source immediately after the beginning of a flush cycle, whereby to use said tank inlet valve to determine when said vacuum source supplies said vacuum to said bowl outlet.

14. The method described in claim 12 wherein:
said step of energizing a vacuum source includes flowing said pressured water into a water chamber to move a water diaphragm extending across said water chamber and a plunger coupled to the middle of said water diaphragm, using said plunger to move the middle of a vacuum diaphragm that extends across a vacuum chamber to increase the volume of said chamber and thereby create a vacuum therein, and applying said vacuum to said toilet bowl outlet.