DE9200161U1 - Urinal with flushing device - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a urinal such as a urinal bowl, urinal trough or the like with an automatic temperature-controlled flushing device.

There are various mechanical systems known that serve to automatically flush urinals. However, these are all too complex and complicated.

It is also known that the natural heat potential of urine can be used to flush the urinal. However, this assumes that the temperature of the water in the odor trap will rise and that this temperature rise will be recorded in the odor trap at the outlet of the urinal, which results in a detection and evaluation of the signals recorded by a measuring device that is not satisfactory in electrical terms and is not practical.

The object of the invention is therefore to arrange the measuring devices in the urinal bowl, the urinal troughs, etc. in a urinal of the aforementioned type in such a way that analyzable signals can be generated for an electrical control device in order to achieve a trouble-free urinal flush in a simple way. Furthermore, the measuring device should remain largely clean.

Office Bielefeld: Telephone (0521) 171072 · Telex 932449 · Fax (0521) 171081 Office Munich: Telephone (089) 6417071 ■ Telex 5214115 SSWD · Fax (089) 6411468 Bank details: Sparkasse Bielefeld, account number 72 001563 (bank code 480 50161)

Commerzbank AG Bie'efeid, account number 6 851471 (bank code 48040035)

PostgiroamL Hannover, Kor.torur-mer 68928-304 (bank code 25010030)

According to the invention, in a urinal of the aforementioned type, at least one temperature sensor is arranged outside the water line, i.e. outside the odor trap in the bowl. Designed as fast-responding temperature sensors, these are located in an area of a urinal bowl or a urinal trough made of metal or the like, which on the one hand is heavily exposed to urine for heat conduction and on the other hand is thereby cleaned or largely kept free of contamination.

Preferably, one or more temperature sensors can be arranged, e.g. at a distance from one another, forming a row or the like.

By arranging temperature sensors outside the water line (water level) - i.e. outside (above) the odor trap - a direct temperature measurement of the urine flowing into the urinal is guaranteed. This means that when the urinal is used, the natural warmth of the urine is used - or when the urinal is no longer used, a natural drop in temperature is detected by the temperature sensors and in both cases the sensitive sensors generate signals that can be evaluated and passed on to a control unit, so that the urinal can be flushed as simply and easily as possible using water outlet nozzles or the like.

The temperature sensors used according to the invention for the effective control of the cleaning liquid such as water are designed to be fast-responding in order to ensure immediate signaling to the control of the rinsing device.

Further features emerge from the subclaims.

Embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawing and are described in more detail below. They show:

Fig. 1 a cross-section through a urinal bowl;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a urinal trough.

A urinal basin (10) shown in Figure 1 has a collecting space (11) for water or urine which is open at the top, i.e. opposite the floor (not shown). This collecting space (11) which is open at the top is delimited by a floor surface (12) running parallel to the floor (not shown) _, a rear wall surface (13), a front wall surface (14), a left-hand side wall surface (not shown) and a right-hand side wall surface (15). A so-called odor trap (16) is incorporated from the floor surface (12) - arranged approximately at right angles to it - into the urinal basin (1). The odor trap (16) has a circular or cuboid-shaped cross-section. The odor trap (16) has two areas with different cross-sections, with the recess with the smaller cross-section penetrating the floor surface (12) and being connected to the recess with the larger cross-section.

A connecting line (19) leads into the larger cross-sectional recess (18) of the odor trap (16). This connecting line (19) is used both for flushing during and after use of the urinal bowl (10) and for draining or removing the used water after use of the aforementioned urinal bowl (10). If the bowl (10) is not in use, a water level (20) in the odor trap (16) assumes approximately the position shown in Figure 1.[Above the water level (20) and above the base surface (12), a measuring device, e.g. in the form of a temperature sensor (21), is embedded in the front wall surface (14) - e.g. by screwing, gluing or the like (not shown).

In Figure 2, a urinal trough (22) is shown in perspective view as a further embodiment of the invention. The urinal trough (22) preferably has an approximately V-shaped cross-section. Above the urinal trough (22) there is arranged - running in its longitudinal direction - an approximately cuboid-shaped housing cistern (23). On the surface side of the housing cistern (23) facing the urinal trough (22) and positioned perpendicular to the floor (not shown), several so-called water outlet nozzles (24) are arranged at a distance from one another in a row running parallel to the floor (not shown), e.g. screwed to the top.

A number of temperature sensors (25) arranged in a row parallel to the floor (not shown) protrude into the interior of the urinal trough (22) at a distance from one another, whereby these are pushed through the leg surface (26) of the urinal trough (22) attached to the housing cistern (23) and are attached to it, e.g. screwed.

A drain pipe (27) is arranged in one of the two front end areas of the urinal trough (22) so that urine or water entering the urinal trough (22) can flow away through this drain pipe (27).

When the urinal channel (22) is not in use, the drain pipe (27) has a water level (28) approximately as shown in Figure 2 in the drain pipe just below the outside of the channel (22).

If urine flows into the urinal bowl (10) (Fig.1) or into the urinal channel (22) Fig.2), the temperature sensor (21) of the urinal bowl (10) or at least one of the temperature sensors (25) of the urinal channel (22) is activated, i.e. the corresponding

the sensors experience a temperature increase with a slight delay. This temperature increase triggers a signal in the electronic control system (not shown) that is electrically connected to it. If no more urine flows into the urinal bowl (10) or into the urinal trough (22), the heat supply to the corresponding temperature sensors (21, 25) is interrupted. The temperature at the corresponding temperature sensors (21, 25) begins to drop. If it has fallen below a certain value, a second signal is triggered in the electronic control device and the flushing process to flush away the impurities that have accumulated in the urinal bowl (10) or in the urinal trough (22) is triggered by the electronic control device. The inflowing flushing water causes the corresponding sensors (21, 25) to cool down. If a certain temperature value is reached, a signal is triggered in the electronic control device and the flushing process is interrupted.

If the urinal bowl (10) or the urinal trough (22) is used again, the corresponding control sequence is carried out as previously described.

As shown in Fig. 1 or 2, in these urinal bowls the temperature sensor(s) are positioned deep directly above the floor (12) with a drain inlet on the front wall surface (14) of the leg surface (26) and are thus effective in the urine collection area.

The arrangement of the '-temperature sensors and their signaling according to the invention is particularly optimal for metal urinals, since the good thermal conductivity of the metal in the area of a sensor is also very advantageous.

It may therefore be preferable to attach the temperature sensor(s) to the outside of the urinal, e.g. by screwing it on.

Claims (7)

1. Urinal with temperature-controlled flushing device, thereby Ur;ins characterized in that the temperature sensors (21, 25) detecting the natural heat of the urinal (10, 22) are arranged outside the odor seal within the bowl, the trough or the like. 2. Urinal according to claim 1, characterized in that the temperature sensor (21) is arranged in the region of the collecting space (11) above the water level (20) in a front wall surface (14). 3. Urinal according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that temperature sensors (25) are arranged on a urinal channel (22) outside an odor trap (not shown) but above the water level (28). 4. Urinal according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that several temperature sensors (25) are arranged at a distance from one another, forming a horizontal row in a urinal channel (22). 5. Urinal according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the temperature sensor or sensors (21, 25) are inserted above the drain at an angle of the front wall surface (14) or the rear surface (26). 6. Urinal according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the urinal is made of metal. 7. Urinal according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the temperature sensor(s) (25) are attached to the outside of the urinal.