DK2700760T3 - Washlet with removable shower arm - Google Patents

Description

Shower WC with a shower arm that can be dismounted

The present invention relates to a shower WC, namely a water closet (WC) having a bidet-like shower function.

Shower WCs are known for a while and are increasingly used also in Europe. Basically, a shower WC comprises a movable shower arm which can be moved into the WC bowl out of a position pulled in with respect to the WC bowl and being hidden. For this purpose often a linear drive comprising an electromotor is applied.

When being pulled out, the shower arm projects into the WC bowl to such an extent that its shower water jet hits the user comfortably. When being pulled in, the shower arm is fully or at least partly protected against a dirtying resulting from the use of the WC and/or the flushing process in the WC bowl.

As regards the prior art, reference is made namely to EP 1 491 693 A2 disclosing in particular the preamble of claim 1. Further, reference is made to JP 2007 239245A disclosing an abdomen shower arm, a front part of which is dismounta-ble. A comparable prior art is disclosed on WO 2012/001980. Further, US 2011/0202044A1 shows a Figure 2b wherein a front part of a WC shower arm is illustrated separately from the rest of the shower arm.

In this context, it is known to dismount a front part of the shower arm for cleaning it. For instance, a front part of a shower arm known from the prior art can be simply pulled off in the longitudinal direction of the shower arm to prevent a calcification of the shower nozzle comprised in this front part.

In view of this prior art, the problem the invention is to solve is to provide a shower WC having a shower arm which can be dismounted, the shower WC having improved use properties.

Thereto, the intention relates to a shower WC having a closet body which comprises a WC bowl and a shower arm projecting into the WC bowl or being movea- ble into the WC bowl, which shower arm can be dismounted at least partly and is dismountable by an action performed in the bowl, characterized in that at least that part of the shower arm can be dismounted, which projects into the bowl when being in the operating position, as well as to a cleaning method therefore according to claim 11.

Hereto, the invention is directed to a shower WC having a closet body which comprises a WC bowl and a shower arm projecting into the WC bowl or being moveable into the WC bowl, which shower arm can be dismounted at least partly and is dismountable by an action performed in the bowl, which part of said shower arm is visible in said WC bowl when said shower arm projects farthest into said WC bowl while fulfilling its shower function, characterized in that said dismountable part of said shower arm comprises a coupling which comprises a plurality of conduit passages which are oriented basically transversely to the longitudinal direction of the dismountable part of said shower arm, wherein said conduit passages are provided with an offset with respect to said longitudinal direction of said dismountable part of said shower arm and, therein, are separated and sealed by seal rings which can be pressed on by a mounting movement during the mounting of said dismountable part of said shower arm as well as to a related cleaning method according to claim 9.

Preferred embodiments are subject of the dependent claims and are, like the invention in its most general sense, described below. Therein, the individual features shall be disclosed in view of all claims categories.

The inventor found out that there is a risk of dirtying regarding the whole longitudinal of the shower arm, by which it projects into the WC bowl, not only for a front part thereof. Apart from that, particularly in case of a WC, a user can have a particular need for hygiene and cleanliness, and the limited accessibility of a shower arm part which cannot be dismounted is perceived as disadvantageous, because that part should also be cleaned periodically. This can even apply in case of drying marks resulting from the flushing water. Apart from that, the typical surfaces of a shower arm (for instance chromed surfaces, stainless steel surfaces or synthetic material surfaces) can become shabby in the course of time, even if they are perfectly clean or cleaned often and lavishly. For instance, metal surfaces can become shabby due to drying marks or an oxidation in the humid environment or due to a chemical action of for instance substances comprised in the urine. Synthetic material surfaces can turn yellow or become brittle.

The inventor sees an be advantage in having direct access to the whole part of the shower arm being visible in the WC bowl insofar as it can be dismounted and then, in the state of being dismounted, be cleaned or replaced. Thus, at least the whole part projecting into the bowl in case of the shower function being active shall be dismountable, wherein this shall not necessarily imply that the shower arm is movable; this shall also apply in case of a shower arm being not movable and projecting into the WC bowl. According to the invention, after a replacement or cleaning, only new or cleaned outer surfaces of the shower arm are visible. Of course, the dismountability can also refer to the shower arm as a whole or to a shower arm part being larger than the section projecting into the WC bowl.

The term „operating position11 relates to that position of the shower arm, in which it projects into the WC bowl farthest while providing a shower function, so that those parts of the shower arm, being visible in this operating position, are the regions possibly effected by a dirtying. As far as the shower arm can be pulled out farther for other reasons, for instance for service purposes, this has no influence on the risk of dirtying and is not referred to by “operating position”.

Therein, the actuation action in the bowl for the dismounting can, like in the prior art, for instance be a simple pull off movement of that part of the shower arm, which can be dismounted. Anyhow, the dismounting action shall relate to a process in the bowl including the bowl rim or flushing rim, which is preferably performed directly at the shower arm or in its immediate surrounding (in a mounting surrounding). For the sake of clarity, likewise, dismounting processes shall be excluded, which are performed after dismounting a shower unit from the WC or after dismounting a covering in the rear part of the WC or after removing the WC (and are performed from the rear side, then).

Thus, the dismounting action can be easily performed in the course of common cleaning measures by a simple process in the WC bowl itself. For this purpose, also a tool can be applied, for instance a corresponding special spanner; however, a dismounting action without tools (tool-free) is preferred, namely a dismounting action a user can perform by using only his hands. Particularly preferred, the dismounting can be performed by only moving the shower arm or the part thereof, which shall be dismounted, for instance by pulling it off. Therein, a bayonet mount is particularly preferred, namely a dismounting by a rotational movement and a subsequent linear pull off movement, wherein, on the other hand, the mounting can be performed by linearly plugging the respective part onto and subsequently tightening it by a rotational movement.

In general, in case of a bayonet mount, such a rotational movement is indeed performed circularly. However, in the present case, a rotational movement with a slight gradient is preferred, namely for instance a helical instead of a circular movement. Therein, the gradient is not necessarily correlated constantly (linearly) with the angle of the rotational movement; there can also be a deviation from the helical shape, thus. In this embodiment, however, a slight gradient with respect to the longitudinal direction of the shower arm is important. Therewith, a tightening movement for sealing surfaces can be achieved advantageously.

Although, basically, a single water conduit is sufficient for the shower arm, the present invention is directed to embodiments having a plurality of conduit passages. For instance, different nozzles or nozzle parts can be supplied by water conduits, and water conduits can be provided for self-cleaning and flushing functions; also an air conduit can be provided for an integrated dryer.

Herein, radial conduit passages according to the invention are provided. This relates to openings for the passage of a respective fluid (for instance water or air), through which openings the respective fluid flows basically obliquely to the longitudinal direction of the shower arm. For illustration, reference is made to the exemplary embodiment.

Therein, the plurality of radial conduit passages is arranged with an offset with respect to the longitudinal direction; then, the distance between two conduit passages has a component oriented in longitudinal direction. In this way, seal rings can be provided between the conduit passages. Thereby, the conduit passages can be separated and sealed, preferably in combination with seal rings respectively provided subsequent to the respective conduit passage located respectively outermost with respect to the longitudinal direction. According to the invention, the seal rings are pressed on by a mounting movement during the mounting of the shower arm part, for instance by the aforementioned rotational movement with a gradient in case of a bayonet mount.

Further, the radial conduit passages can be provided with an angular offset to each other with respect to the circumference of the shower arm (which is not necessarily circular). In particular, this can facilitate the separation of the individual conduits within the part of the shower arm, which can be dismounted, and/or within a shower arm part which can be connected thereto or within the respective base in case of a shower arm which can be dismounted on the whole.

In a further embodiment, a further section of the shower arm can be further dismounted in addition to that part projecting maximally into the WC bowl, which section projects to some extent into the duct through which the shower arm extends into the WC bowl. Likewise, after dismounting the shower arm part, an inner wall of this duct is accessible for cleaning. Therein, in the longitudinal direction of the shower arm, preferably 5 mm of the duct shall be accessible, further preferred 10, 20 or even 30 mm. In case of a duct composed of a bowl related duct part through the actual wall of the bowl (WC body wall) and a duct of a part structurally belonging not to this wall but to the shower means (which part can for instance be made of synthetic material or metal), this shall apply for both of them together, wherein, preferably, the total length of the bowl wall duct section and at least the first 5 mm, particularly preferred 10 mm or even 15 mm, of the remaining duct section are accessible. Therein (in particular in case of a channel extending obliquely to the wall of the bowl), this length specification relates to the lower inner wall region of the duct, because it is well visible.

Above, it has been mentioned that shower arms are known the front parts of which can be dismounted for removing drying marks or cleaning the shower nozzle. This is not excluded by the present invention, and a front part comprising the shower nozzle can, in addition to the dismountability of the shower arm part, be dismount-able. For instance, a frequent cleaning and in particular a frequent replacement of the nozzle can be of interest. It can also be of interest that different shower nozzles can be exchanged by each other. Finally, the front part being dismountable including the shower nozzle can be provided particularly resistant against a decalcifying agent.

Further, the invention relates to cleaning methods relating to a respective shower WC. The shower WC according to the invention allows a cleaning of the part of the shower arm outside of the WC bowl and possibly even outside of the respective washing room or even a replacement by another clean shower arm part. This allows a simplification and an improvement of the overall cleaning process of the WC, and certain standards can be defined and met by a separate cleaning of the shower arm part or by its replacement.

In particular, a cleaning of the shower arm part being dismountable can be separated from a cleaning of the remaining WC and can also be performed from another cleaning person with a different cleaning agent (chemically and/or automatically) and also at another location. For instance, a cleaning person being in charge of the cleaning of the washing room could dismount the shower arm part only and replace it by a shower arm part which has been cleaned before or which is new, or the cleaning person could clean the shower arm part dismounted at another loca tion or let it clean to remount it thereupon. The cleaning of the shower arm does not suspend the cleaning of the shower WC.

Further, for instance in a hotel, where a particular hygiene requirement applies due to the changing occupancy of the rooms, a new shower arm part or a shower arm part cleaned according to a hygiene standard can be provided each time the room is assigned to a new guest, for instance by giving the shower arm part to the guest or by providing it at the shower WC for a do-it-yourself installation or by mounting it by the hotel staff and informing the guest about.

Finally, in a hotel, in case of public shower WCs or in other situations with changing users, a mounted new or freshly cleaned shower arm part can be marked by a protective cover around the shower arm part so that the user can rely on a respective hygiene standard.

In the following, the invention is explained in further detail by means of an exemplary embodiment, wherein the individual features can relate to all claims categories and can also be relevant for the invention in a different combination.

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a shower WC according to the in vention.

Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a shower arm with a respective travel mechanism.

Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of the shower arm according to Fig. 2, wherein the shower nozzle is taken off.

Fig. 4 shows the shower arm according to Fig. 3, wherein the nozzle part is taken off and a counterpart of the travel mechanism of Fig. 2 is shown in a side view.

Fig. 5 shows a section A-A according to a sectional line indicated in

Fig. 4, extending through the shower arm and the counterpart.

Figs. 6A and 6B show a further section B-B in the representation A, which is indicated as a sectional line through the shower arm and the counterpart in the representation B.

Figs. 7A and 7B show a sectional view corresponding to Fig. 6A in an overview, wherein the shower arm part being dismountable is missing in Fig. 7B.

Fig. 8 shows a perspective view of Fig. 5.

Fig. 1 shows a shower WC 1 having a WC body 2. In a rear part of the shower WC 1, the WC body is elevated and forms a housing 4 for a shower means, a small part of which projects into the WC bowl, namely in particular a dryer arm 5 and a shower arm 6 led through a duct 3, wherein both arms can be moved out of the WC bowl. For this purpose, a passage opening is provided in the WC bowl made of ceramic material, in which passage opening the duct 3 is held. The housing 4 comprises a control panel 7 at its side for the shower means.

Fig. 2 shows the shower arm 6 shown in Fig. 1 symbolically in a perspective view in detail. Further, a travelling mechanism 8 of the shower means is illustrated, which is, at its front end, terminated by the duct 3 shown also in Fig. 1. Behind the duct 3, a guide way 9 extends parallelly to the longitudinal direction of the shower arm 6, on which guide way 9 a shower arm piece 11 is movable slight-like at two rails 10. This shower arm piece 11 is driven by a shaft 12 provided gear rack-like threaded (for manufacturing purposes) and an electric drive 23 so that the shower arm part 11 can be moved along the travelling mechanism 8 forth and back. Further, it provides a counterpart for the mounting of the part 6 of the shower arm, which can be dismounted and which has been referred to as “shower arm” up to now, for which mounting the shower arm part 6 comprises a coupling region 13. The latter will be explained in further detail below.

Fig. 2 clearly illustrates that the shower arm can be dismounted, apart from the piece 11 remaining in the travelling mechanism 8. This piece 11 can, in its outermost travelling position, be brought close to the duct 3, but not into the latter.

Likewise, when the shower arm part 6 is dismounted, the whole inner surface area of the duct is accessible and can for instance be cleaned by wiping. This relates to an axial length of about 5 cm from the lower bowl-oriented front edge of the passage through the ceramic material wall up to the opposite end of the inner wall of the duct 3.

At the opposite end of the shower arm part 6 being dismountable, a front part 14 with a shower nozzle 15 is provided. The shower nozzle 15 is composed of a larger centrical nozzle opening and three smaller nozzle openings arranged around the latter. As explained below, the centrical nozzle opening and the smaller nozzle openings can be subjected to a water flow independently of each other which leads to a variation of the shower jet in terms of volume through-put and jet direction. Of course, they can also be operated together. Further, the front part 14 can comprise openings for sucking in air for a mixture of the air to the shower jet, a so-called lady nozzle with a jet direction pointing more to the front and other features known as such, which are not shown and explained in further detail here. Below, by means of Fig. 3, it is further explained that the front part 14 can be dismounted from the shower arm part 6 being dismountable, namely by a simple plug connection.

Further, Fig. 4 illustrates that the shower arm part being dismountable fits with its connecting region 13 to the shower arm piece 11 which is shown in Fig. 2 in its mounting situation movable along the rails 10 of the travelling mechanism 8. This is also explained in further detail below, namely in particular by means of Fig. 5. A bayonet mount is provided here.

Finally, as can be seen in Figs. 2, 4 and 5, the duct 3 comprises a washing means for the shower arm part, which is not explained in detail. For this washing means, water connections are provided, namely an upper water connection 16 (Fig. 2) and two lower water connections 17 (Fig. 5). The washing means is provided for cleaning the shower arm, particularly when pulling it in out of the bowl.

Further, Fig. 2 shows four water conduit connections 17 of the movable shower arm part 11, pointing towards the front and rightwards. In Fig. 4, they can also be seen in the side view. Thereto, the different supply lines for the different shower and flushing functions of the front part 14 of the shower arm are connected by flexible tubes.

As can be seen in Fig. 5 (and Fig. 6A), the conduit connections 17 lead into an internal space of the shower arm part 11 in a manner offset with respect to the axial direction (which corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the shower arm); the internal space comprises cylindrical and conical sections adjacent with respect to the axial direction, the fillet of which is decreasing in a direction away from the WC bowl. As can be seen further in Figs. 2-5 (and 6A), the connecting region 13 complementary thereto comprises also regions stepped in the axial direction, having different outer radii, wherein respectively at the front (in a direction away from the WC bowl) of such a section a groove is provided. The respective grooves are provided for corresponding seal-O-rings. The seal-O-ring is then pressed onto the inner wall of the connecting region 13 when pushing the latter in. For the foremost and smallest O-ring, this relates to a conical section of the internal space, having the smallest fillet, and for the following two O-rings, this respectively relates to the subsequent conical sections. A last O-ring is provided following the last conical section. Due to conicity, an axial movement or force is, while tightening, transferred into an increasing radial contact pressure which is maintained in the final contact position of the O-rings at the cylindrical inner wall sections.

Further, in particular Figs. 4, 5 (and 6A) show that in those regions of the connecting region 13 between the grooves for the O-rings (radial) openings 18 respectively facing outward are provided for conduit passages, which are in a fluidic connection with channels in the shower arm part 6 being dismountable. By an offset of these passages, not only with respect to the axial direction, but also with respect to the angles around the axis, the different channels can respectively be connected separately from each other with the respective corresponding opening 18. In

Fig. 4 for instance, the opening located farthest left is pointing out of the drawing plane, the opening at the right thereof is pointing obliquely to the top and rearwards and the opening located farthest at the right is pointing obliquely to the bottom and frontwards, wherein the angle between these positions is respectively about 120°. The conical inner walls of the shower arm part 11, lying opposite, have a corresponding distance so that the fluid can flow into these openings 18 at the connections 17 and therein is sealed to the side by the O-rings.

In this example, four water conduits are provided, wherein the fourth conduit is led axially into the connecting region 13 at the front face. One of the water conduits is led to the centrical main nozzle opening of the nozzle 15, and a further one is led to the three smaller openings outside the latter. A further conduit supplies a lady nozzle which is not shown, and the fourth water conduit supplies a cleaning water channel for an internal flushing process in the nozzle region.

As explained by means of Fig. 1, the dryer 5 is provided separately, but it could be also integrated into the shower arm.

Figs. 2-4 (and 6A as well as 8) further show two bayonet pins 19 arranged diametrically opposed. In Fig. 2 and particularly in Figs. 5, 6A, 6B and 8, corresponding bayonet pin guides 20 are visible, into which the bayonet pins 19 are, when the dismountable shower arm part 6 is pushed in, pushed in axially over a short distance; then, the bayonet pins 19 are brought into an end position along the helical path being well visible in Figs. 5 and 6B. During the helical tightening movement which ends in a snap-in position, the aforementioned O-rings are pressed on seal-ingly.

In contrast to the aforementioned coupling between the shower arm parts 6 and 11, the coupling between the front part 14 of the shower arm and the remaining dismountable shower arm part 6, which coupling can be seen in Figs. 3 and 4, is conventional and composed of axial guide pins 21 arranged side by side, having a conventional sealing as well as a snap-in elevation 22. In this case, the conduits are connected by a simple axial plug movement with which the mechanical connection between the two shower arm parts is set up.

Fig. 6A shows a longitudinal section comparable to Fig. 5, wherein, however, the sectional plane is rotated by 90° around the longitudinal direction of the shower arm; the sectional plane is shown in Fig. 6B in a top view on the shower arm and indicated as B-B line. Further, in Figs. 6A and 6B, the dismountable shower arm part 6 is, in contrast to Figs. 2-5, mounted into the shower arm piece 11.

In the same sectional plane, Figs. 7A and 7B show an overview including the wall of the ceramic material bowl of the WC body 2. Fig. 8 shows a perspective view of Fig. 5.

In Fig. 8, the bayonet pins 19 and the corresponding guides 20 are visible well, wherein Figs. 6A and 6B show the interlocking in the mounted state. Further, Fig. 8 illustrates snap-in elevations 24 (see Figs. 2-4 for comparison) and corresponding snap-in recesses 25 at the inner wall of the shower arm part 11. When tightening the bayonet mechanism 19, 20 by a rotational movement into the end position, the elevations 24 snap into these recesses 25 and lock this end position additionally.

Further, a comparison of Figs. 7A and 7B shows that, when dismounting the dismountable shower arm part 6, an internal wall of the corresponding channel-like duct becomes accessible for cleaning. In this case, this applies for a distance of about 50 mm indicated in Fig. 7B on the bottom side of the duct 3; therein, about 30 mm thereof are located on the corresponding passage through the actual ceramic material wall or on its internal face and further 20 mm thereof are located at the first synthetic material part of the shower means, namely on the inner face of the duct 3 referenced in Fig. 2. Subsequent thereto, the movable shower arm part 11 is provided, see Fig. 2 again.

Claims (14)

Washing WC (1) having a toilet body (2) having a WC basin and a wash arm (6, 11, 14) projecting into or movable into the WC basin, wherein at least one such wash arm portion (6, 14) can be removed by a workflow in the basin, which wash arm portion is visible in the respective position of the wash arm (6, 11, 14) in the toilet bowl, where the wash arm (6, 11, 14) protrudes furthest in its washing function. in the WC basin, characterized in that the detachable wash arm portion (6, 14) has a coupling (13) which comprises a plurality of conduit transitions (18) substantially oriented transversely of the detachable wash arm portion (6, 14). ) longitudinal direction, in which the conduit transitions (18) are displaced in the longitudinal direction of the detachable wash arm (6, 14) and are thereby separated and sealed by means of sealing rings, which sealing rings can be pressed by a mounting movement by mounting the detachable wash arm part (6, 14). Washing toilet (1) according to claim 1, wherein the removable washing arm part (6, 14) can be removed without tools. Washing toilet (1) according to claim 2, wherein the detachable wash arm part (6, 14) can be removed only by a mounting movement of the wash arm part. Washbasin WC (1) according to claim 3, wherein the detachable wash arm portion (6,14) is mounted by means of a bayonet mechanism (19, 20). Washing WC (1) according to claim 4, wherein the bayonet mechanism (19, 20) requires a rotating movement with rise to clamping. Washing WC (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the conduit transitions (18) are angularly displaced relative to each other with respect to the longitudinal direction of the detachable wash arm (6,14). Washing toilet (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the detachable washing arm part (6, 14) in a state where it protrudes maximally into the toilet bowl extends so far into a passage (3) through a wall of the WC basin that the passage (3) in the dismounted condition of the wash arm portion (6, 14) is available for cleaning over a length of at least 5 mm in the direction of the longitudinal direction of the wash arm. Washing WC (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a front part (14) of the detachable wash arm part (6, 14) with a washing nozzle (15) can furthermore be taken by the detachable wash arm part (6,14). A method of cleaning a wash-toilet (1) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the removable wash-arm part (6,14) is removed and replaced with a clean removable wash-arm part (6, 14), especially in the dismounted clean removable wash-arm part. (6, 14). The method of claim 9, wherein the wash WC (1) is cleaned by a cleaning force and the detachable wash arm portion (6,14) is thereby replaced by a removable wash arm portion (6, 14) which is cleaned elsewhere but recycled. . A method according to claim 9 or 10, wherein, after cleaning the wash toilet (1) in a hotel, a cleaned or newly removable wash arm part (6, 14) is made available to the new user of the room at the moment a new guest. A method according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein after cleaning the wash WC (1), a cleaned and recycled or newly removable wash arm part (6,14) is provided with a protective coating for the user. 13th Use of a detachable wash arm portion (6,14) or a wash WC (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8 for a method according to one of claims 11 to 14.