Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E03—WATER SUPPLY; SEWERAGE
  • E03D—WATER-CLOSETS OR URINALS WITH FLUSHING DEVICES; FLUSHING VALVES THEREFOR
  • E03D5/00—Special constructions of flushing devices, e.g. closed flushing system
  • E03D5/02—Special constructions of flushing devices, e.g. closed flushing system operated mechanically or hydraulically (or pneumatically) also details such as push buttons, levers and pull-card therefor
  • E03D5/04—Special constructions of flushing devices, e.g. closed flushing system operated mechanically or hydraulically (or pneumatically) also details such as push buttons, levers and pull-card therefor directly by the seat or cover combined with devices for opening and closing shutters in the bowl outlet and/or with devices for raising and lowering seat or cover; Raising or lowering seat and/or cover by flushing or by the flushing mechanism
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47K—SANITARY EQUIPMENT NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; TOILET ACCESSORIES
  • A47K13/00—Seats or covers for all kinds of closets
  • A47K13/24—Parts or details not covered in, or of interest apart from, groups A47K13/02 - A47K13/22, e.g. devices imparting a swinging or vibrating motion to the seats
  • A47K13/30—Seats having provisions for heating, deodorising or the like, e.g. ventilating, noise-damping or cleaning devices

Definitions

• This invention relates to a water closet and is more particularly concerned with the flushing arrangement incorporated in the water closet.
• a cistern which delivers water through to a flushing rim integrally formed with the w.c. basin.
• a flushing rim integrally formed with the w.c. basin.
• Such arrangements are very well known but because the basin is formed with a flushing rim which is required to carry water the basin tends to be more difficult to manufacture than would otherwise be the case and such a design, in any case, tends to incur obvious hygiene disadvantages in use. Additionally, it is believed that the delivery of water from the flushing rim of the basin is not necessarily the most effective, efficient or controlled way of flushing.
• a water closet comprising a basin, seat and cistern, the arrangement being such that, in use, water from the cistern can be directed through the seat and into the basin to flush the basin, and in which the seat is hinged to the basin and/or cistern, the water closet being adapted so that, on flushing, water from the cistern is directed into the basin when the seat is in a raised position.
• flushing the basin is intended to mean the delivery of a sufficient flow of water to the basin to substantially dispose of any waste contents therein.
• the water from the cistern is directed into the basin when the seat is in a raised position and any suitable deflector arrangement may be provided to ensure that any flushing water is always directed into the basin.
• the deflector arrangement may comprise a suitably shaped (e.g. downwardly curved) water flow entrance duct at the rear of the basin.
• the seat When the seat is in a lowered position it may be connected in direct flow communication with the cistern and/or basin depending on design, preferably, with a water tight seal being provided between the seat and the cistern/basin (e.g. at said entrance duct where provided).
• the seal may be mounted on the seat. On raising the seat said flow connection between the seat and cistern/basin may be disconnected or blocked until the seat is lowered again.
• the seat will usually comprise or include a seat ring of hollow moulded form and water from the cistern will usually be directed all or most of the way around the interior of the seat ring.
• the seat will usually be provided with appropriate inlet and outlet water apertures to enable a precisely controlled delivery of the water to the w.c. basin.
• the seat ring comprises two separable parts that may or may not be hinged together, such that on separation of said parts access can be gained to the internal walling defining the hollow seat, in order to allow thorough cleaning.
• said two separable parts may snap or force (friction) fit together to define the water outlet means along a junction line of the two separable parts thus allowing thorough cleaning of said outlet means on separation of the parts.
• the seat ring may be integrally moulded without separable parts.
• the supply of flushing water to the seat may be directly from the cistern or flush valve or may be by way 5 of delivery from the basin (usually from the rear of the basin) from the cistern or flush valve.
• the basin itself can be manufactured in a simpler manner than in prior art 0 arrangements since there may no longer be any requirement for the basin itself to include a flushing rim. Even less design constraints are imposed on the basin where water is to be supplied directly from the cistern or flush valve to the seat rather than also passing through 5 the basin to the seat.
• the cistern and basin may be standard components of a generally known type with the seat ring itself being adapted to receive flushing water 0 from the basin instead of or as well as flushing water being supplied to the flushing rim of the basin.
• a seat for hinge mounting on r a w.c. basin and/or cistern said seat having means to receive flushing water in use, when in a lowered position, and means to direct the water into said basin to flush the basin, said seat being provided with one or more of the following:- 0
• a water flow entrance to the seat allowing, in use, water flow from a cistern to the seat, when the seat is in a lowered position, but not allowing such water flow when the seat is in a raised position.
• sealing means mounted on a water flow entrance to the seat which sealing means in use provides a water tight seal between a cistern or basin of the w.c, when the seat is in a lowered position;
• Disabling means may be provided to prevent flushing when the seat is in a raised position or the water closet is at least adapted so that the water from the cistern is directed into the basin when the seat is in the raised position.
• the disabling means may comprise an interrupter device to either lock or disconnect or otherwise disable the flushing mechanism.
• the interrupter device may comprise a link operated to disable the flushing mechanism, by a rear part of the seat contacting the link as the seat is raised.
• the seat may be arranged to receive water from a w.c. basin having a delivery aperture at the rear thereof and, preferably, an inlet seal is arranged between the aperture and seat ring.
• the connection between the delivery aperture and the seat may be of any convenient type and could comprise an arrangement of sliding tubes or flexible, expansible tubing.
• the water flow connection between the seat and the basin may be disconnected or disabled when the seat is raised. In such a case water may flow from the delivery aperture at the rear of the basin directly into the basin (instead of around the seat ring) on flushing. Additionally, or alternatively raising the seat may disable the flushing mechanism.
• the seat may be arranged to receive water directly from a cistern and the connection between the seat and cistern may be by any convenient means such as by sliding tubes or by a flexible, expansible tubing.
• the seat ring itself need not necessarily be a complete closed ring shape and delivery of water to the seat ring need not necessarily be by one delivery aperture.
• the seat comprises or include a generally hollow U-shaped portion with flushing water being delivered directly from the cistern to each free end of the U-shape.
• the seat may be hinged to the cistern by a pivot connection having rotatable seals. Supply piping from the cistern to the seat may double as a hinge mounting for the seat.
• a flushing rim to deliver flushing water to a w.c. basin to flush the basin, said flushing rim being formed separately from the w.c. basin and said flushing rim:
• FIGURE 1 shows component parts of the first embodiment of a water closet in accordance with the present invention, said component parts comprising a seat ring disposed above a w.c. basin;
• FIGURE 2 shows a sectional side view of the arrangement shown in FIGURE 1, with the seat ring in the closed position on the w.c. basin and also showing a seat cover extending over the seat ring;
• FIGURES 3A to 3D show alternative connection arrangements which could be employed to connect the seat ring in sealed manner to the w.c. basin or cistern;
• FIGURE 4 shows the second embodiment of a water closet in accordance with the present invention
• FIGURE 5 shows a detail of the seat shown in FIGURE 4 with a modified water delivery system
• FIGURES 6 and 7, 8 and 9, and 10 show further embodiments of a water closet in accordance with the present invention.
• FIGURES 14 and 15 and 16 and 17 show further embodiments of seats in accordance with the present invention.
• FIGURES 1,2,3A to 3D show various component parts of a water closet (cistern omitted).
• FIGURE 1 shows a water closet basin 1 and a seat 2 (the seat cover 2a of the seat 2 is omitted in FIGURE 1 but shown in FIGURE 2).
• the seat 2 is shown positioned above the basin 1 for ease of illustration.
• a cistern (not shown) is positioned on ledge 3 at the rear of the basin 1.
• the assembly of the seat 2 to the basin 1 should be clear from FIGURE 2.
• the basin 1 itself is not formed with the usual integral flushing rim around the upper surface thereof but rather the water closet has a separate flushing rim component in the form of the seat 2 and more particularly comprises the seat ring 2 itself which is hollow (see FIGURE 2).
• the seat ring 2 itself which is hollow (see FIGURE 2).
• inlet aperture E there is a single inlet aperture E to the seat ring (which is of closed ring form) so that the water entering through aperture E can travel in a complete loop before exiting the seat ring via various outlet apertures (not shown) provided on the underneath surface of the ring in order to flush the basin 1 in a precisely controlled manner.
• An inlet seal I is provided in between the seat (more particularly the seat ring) and the basin 1 at the delivery aperture 5 as shown in FIGURE 2.
• this enables the basin 1 to be manufactured more easily without necessitating the provision of an integral flushing rim on the basin. This allows the basin to be produced more cost effectively.
• FIGURES 3A to 3D show a detail of possible alternative connection arrangements for connecting the seat ring to the basin/cistern and should generally be self-explanatory.
• FIGURE 3A shows a straightforward connection between a pipe from the rear of the basin/cistern to the seat ring 2 being sealed in water tight manner by a seal II.
• FIGURE 3B shows a flexible, expansible tube coupling T extending from the rear of the seat ring 2 to the cistern and
• FIGURE 3C shows a connection coupling comprising an inner tube from the cistern extending within and being slidable within an outer tube extending from the seat ring with a water tight seal 12 being provided on the end of the outer tube.
• FIGURE 3D shows another alternative arrangement in which water is fed from the cistern directly into the seat ring and the seal 13 being provided.
• FIGURES 3A and 3B show diagrammatically how an interrupter link Z could be incorporated between the seat and cistern to operate a valve to either lock or disconnect or otherwise disable the flushing mechanism (not shown).
• an interrupter link Z could be incorporated between the seat and cistern to operate a valve to either lock or disconnect or otherwise disable the flushing mechanism (not shown).
• FIGURE 4 A second embodiment of a water closet W is shown in FIGURE 4 and overall the design of the cistern, basin and seat is of a more integrated appearance and the water closet is of a type known in the art as a close coupled water closet.
• the basin 101 has no internal flushing rim and a separate flushing rim component is provided in the form of the seat ring 102 (top cover of the seat omitted for ease of illustration).
• the seat ring 102 is hollow and is generally of 'U' shape.
• the cistern 104 itself is shaped to bridge the gap at the rear of the seat ring 102 (i.e.
• the connections 103 between the seat ring 102 and the cistern 104 comprise pivots forming a pivot axis 105 for the seat ring and these pivots have rotating seals (not shown).
• FIGURE 5 shows an alternative water delivery system to the seat ring including flexible connection tubes T' and once again it is believed that this illustration is self-explanatory.
• the seats are hollow mouldings having appropriate inlet and outlet apertures to enable precise controlled delivery of flushing water to the w.c. basin.
• Water may be delivered from the cistern via the basin or may be delivered directly to the seat ring.
• FIGURES 6 and 7 show schematically a view of a water closet basin 1' , which is similar to the basin 1 shown in FIGURE 1 except that two spaced water delivery apertures 5' are provided rather than the single delivery aperture 5 as in FIGURE 1.
• the seat ring 2' is not shown in FIGURE 6 but is shown in section in FIGURE 7.
• the seat ring 2' is made up of two parts (as should be evident from FIGURE 7) which are connected together by any suitable means, for example by a force-fit or snap-fit or by being glued or welded together.
• the two parts 2'a and 2'b are brought together to define an annular channel X which, in use, will be in flow communication with the delivery apertures 5' .
• the channel X and aperture XI will be such as to direct the water at a suitable angle from the seat ring 2' against the inner wall of the w.c. basin 1' in a manner which should be evident from FIGURE 7.
• the precise form and configuration of the seat ring channel dimensions and channel apertured XI may be varied to suit; the channel X may not consist of a complete ring and could instead comprise two main channel portions and the aperture from the channels may be intermittent or a series of apertures rather than a single continuous aperture.
• FIGURES 8 and 9 show an arrangement in which a separate flushing component F or F' (see FIGURE 9) is utilised on a w.c. basin with a conventional seat ring and cover 200.
• the separate flushing component F,F* may comprise a moulded rim which can be clipped in position onto the w.c. basin B or B' and which can be removed from same for easy cleaning.
• the flushing component F,F' is shown with a single water inlet aperture 201 but could equally be provided with two spaced water inlets if preferred. In any event, the design allows a conventional seat ring and cover to be utilised and yet the hygiene of the w.c. basin is improved by the inclusion of the removable flushing component F or F' .
• the left-hand view shows the flushing component F clipped onto the basin B whilst the flushing component F' shown in the right-hand view allows the flushing component to seat in a rebate formed in the top of the basin B' .
• the expensive process involved in forming the basin with a flushing rim is avoided and this flushing rim is replaced by the separately formed and more hygienic flushing component which may be clipped onto the basin.
• FIGURE 10 shows a water closet 300, the general form of which should be self explanatory in view of the description of previous embodiments.
• Water from the cistern is introduced directly (see arrow 301) into the hollow seat ring 302, via delivery pipe D from syphon S (or other valve - not illustrated) external to cistern 304, when the seat is in the lowered position as shown and when the water closet 300 is flushed.
• this obviates any need for water to be introduced into the basin 305 itself and then through an orifice from the basin into the seat ring 302.
• water introduced into the seat ring 302 is expelled from the seat ring (arrows 303) to flush the basin 305.
• a decorative cover 306 (preferably ceramic) is introduced over the cistern 304 and pipe D.
• Hinge 307 as shown is a common hinge which could be part of delivery pipe D moulding with possible additional fixing to the w.c. basin 305.
• FIGURES 11 to 13 relate to a further embodiment of the present invention, FIGURE 11 showing a sectional side view of a seat 400 mounted on a basin 401 (only part of the basin is illustrated).
• FIGURE 13 shows an inverted plan view of the seat 400 and
• FIGURE 12 shows a detail of the rear of the basin.
• FIGURES 11 to 13 represent the Applicants' preferred embodiment at present and the embodiment which is most likely to be the production version of the item.
• the seat ring 400 consists of two separately moulded parts 402 and 403, said parts being hinged together about axis X-X.
• the seat moulding 402 includes the radially inner wall 402a and bottom 402b of flushing rim or channel R. Forming the seat ring 400 by the two basic annular parts 402,403 releasably fitting together to form flushing rim R allows the flushing rim itself to be cleaned easily. Part 402 is retained to Part 403 by a suitable clip arrangement.
• the two parts 402,403 are retained in the position as shown in FIGURE 11 by detents or pips 405 (see FIGURE 13) spaced around the lower periphery of the seat part 402, said detents 405 also acting to define the correct spacing for the flushing water outlet means 406 from the seat.
• detents 405 engage the inner boundary wall 403a of said part 403 as shown.
• the rear of the basin 401 has been specially adapted in a manner to deliver water via arrow 407 into the flushing rim R when the seat is lowered and to direct the water flow downwardly into the basin 401 when the seat 400 is raised.
• the flow duct 401A is curved downwardly (and glazed to resist bacteria formulation) rather than merely being a horizontal passageway, thus defining a lower curved ledge 401B.
• the shape of the entrance duct 401A is advantageous since it directs the water entering the basin (with the seat in a raised position) downwardly and on viewing the rear of the basin (see FIGURE 12) it is more aesthetically pleasing since the curved edge 401B is seen rather than an "empty" hole.
• the purpose of the downwardly curved duct 401A is twofold in that it acts to direct the water downward into the basin when required as well as being more aesthetic when the seat is in a raised position.
• Suitable clips/ribs may be provided within the flushing rim R for internal attachment of one or more disinfectant blocks (not shown).
• FIGURES .14 and 15 show an alternative arrangement for a two-part seat including clipped or snapped together parts 501 and 502, for easy cleaning.
• FIGURE 15 shows an inverted half-plan view of the seat with water outlet aperture means in the form of spray holes 503 and front spray slots 504 (only one shown in the FIGURE) .
• parts 501 and 502 come together to form a flushing rim R' in a manner which should be self-explanatory, on separation of part 502 from part 501 for cleaning, some difficultly may possibly be encountered in cleaning the outlet aperture means 503,504 itself since there is no split along the outlet aperture means itself unlike in the arrangement shown in FIGURES 11 to 13.
• FIGURES 16,17 show views of a seat 600 similar in format to that shown in FIGURES 14 and 15 except for the outlet aperture means 601,602 which may avoid an aperture means clogging problem to some extent, which problem could be encountered with the arrangement shown in FIGURES 14 and 15.
• parts 501 and 502 or the parts 603,604 that snap together may be formed integrally rather than separate. However the separate formation allows for easier cleaning.
• a water closet including a hinged seat and a basin, said seat incorporating a flushing rim which can be in flow communication with water from a cistern of the water closet whilst it is in a lowered position to flush the basin, flow of water to the flushing rim being disabled when the seat is in a raised position and the flow of water being directed into the basin when the water closet is flushed with the seat in a raised position.
• Still further according to the present invention there is provided a method of flushing a water closet basin in which water is directed into a hinged seat or flushing component separately formed from the basin with the seat in a lowered position, said water being directed from the seat or flushing component into the basin to flush the basin, said basin being flushable with the seat in a lowered or raised position.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Hydrology & Water Resources (AREA)
• Water Supply & Treatment (AREA)
• Sanitary Device For Flush Toilet (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=10680519

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Families Citing this family (6)

Family Cites Families (5)

• 1990
  • 1990-08-11 GB GB909017643A patent/GB9017643D0/en active Pending
• 1991
  • 1991-08-01 GB GB9116621A patent/GB2247256A/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 1991-08-08 WO PCT/GB1991/001355 patent/WO1992003619A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1991-08-08 EP EP19910914878 patent/EP0495962A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1991-08-10 CN CN 91108652 patent/CN1061255A/zh active Pending

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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