EP0681631B1 - Siphon trap and toilet bowl fitted with the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PCT No. PCT/FR94/00102 Sec. 371 Date Nov. 6, 1995 Sec. 102(e) Date Nov. 6, 1995 PCT Filed Jan. 27, 1994 PCT Pub. No. WO94/17256 PCT Pub. Date Aug. 4, 1994A trap-forming device that includes a hollow body having an upstream orifice situated in a bottom portion of the body for communicating with an upstream length of fluid evacuation pipework, and a downstream orifice situated in the bottom portion of the body for communicating with a downstream length of the evacuation pipework. The device also includes a retainer defining an overflow edge and cooperating with a portion of the upstream length of pipework to retain a barrier-forming quantity of fluid, and a control displacement mechanism for displacing the retainer between an active position and retracted position. The trap-forming device may be connected to a toilet bowl.

Description

The present invention relates to a device forming a siphon intended in particular to be inserted between two sections of a water drainage pipe worn out.

We know such siphons having a body having an inlet or upstream port communicating with the upstream section of the pipeline and an outlet or downstream orifice communicating with the downstream section of the pipeline.

Between the inlet and the outlet, such a known siphon consists of a hollow body delimiting an ascending tubular part then a downward tubular part joining the orifice of exit. At the junction of the two parts tubular, the body defines an overflow edge located above the inlet.

When a fluid flows through the body, the latter must pass over the edge of overflow to reach the outlet.

Consequently, when the upstream section extends up to a level above the edge of overflow, as is the case with a pipeline sewage disposal system, a certain amount of fluid is retained at the end of flow in the part upward tubular of the siphon and in the part of the upstream section located below the level of the edge of overflow.

In other words, the tubular part upward of the siphon constitutes means of retention a fluid cap preventing bad smells appearing in the downstream section cannot be transmitted to the upstream section.

Obviously if the fluid plug itself contains smelly elements, bad odors can spread in the stretch upstream.

To avoid such a disadvantage it is therefore this plug must be made of fluid clean.

For this purpose, the wastewater is discharged to using a relatively large stream of clean water from so that at the end of evacuation the fluid is practically consisting entirely of clean water.

Ecological, climatic and economic reasons that we are currently trying to reduce consumption of clean water and therefore untimely consumption of clean water to evacuate sewage becomes an important problem.

This is why in recent years we have sought reduce the amount of water used during cleaning a toilet bowl fitted with a siphon.

Some devices allow time current to use only five liters of water then that before we used seven liters, and even eight liters of water.

However, this necessary amount of water must be sufficient to allow proper cleaning of the bowl and the siphon.

The cleaning is considered to be correct if it meets standard NF-D-126201 which defines the methods test and specifications to assess the suitability for use of toilet bowls.

• l'efficacité de l'évacuation,
• le renouvellement de l'eau du siphon,
• la qualité du rinçage des parois,
• la projection hors de la cuvette.

This standard takes into account four criteria which are:

• the efficiency of the evacuation,
• the renewal of the siphon water,
• the quality of the rinsing of the walls,
• projection out of the bowl.

It turns out that when tests are done with a reduced amount of cleaning water, the bowls tested do not meet the standard, the criteria for renewal of the siphon water not being satisfied.

In other words, the usual siphon used with such bowls is a critical point for the less water needed for cleaning a toilet bowl.

Consequently, there is a need for a siphon which the renewal of the fluid forming the plug either sufficient and making it possible to reduce the amount of water from cleaning a toilet bowl while respecting NF-D-12-201 standard.

GB-A-1 063 711 provides a siphon consisting of a flexible pipe, U-shaped seen from above, the upper part formed by the curve of the U can be lowered to allow evacuation by gravity.

DE-U-92 02 878 also shows a walled siphon deformable whose downstream end can slide vertically in the drain pipe.

The present invention therefore aims to provide a device forming a new type of siphon, the water renewal during drainage worn by a load of clean water is satisfactory and allow its use with a toilet bowl.

To this end, the present invention relates to a siphon device having a hollow body having an upstream orifice located in the part lower body and communicating with a stretch upstream of a fluid evacuation pipe, retaining means defining an overflow edge and cooperating with part of the upstream section to retain a quantity of fluid forming a fluid plug at the end outlet, and a downstream orifice located in the part lower body and communicating with a downstream section of the drainage pipe, characterized in that the retaining means can be moved between a active position and a retracted position, the device comprising means of displacement controlled means between the two positions.

• dans la position escamotée des moyens de retenue, l'écoulement du fluide est à peu près rectiligne entre l'orifice amont et l'orifice aval,
• les moyens de retenue sont constitués d'une membrane déformable élastiquement et les moyens de déplacement sont des moyens de déformation de la membrane,
• dans la position escamotée, la membrane n'est pas déformée, et s'étend longitudinalement dans la direction de l'écoulement, sa dimension longitudinale telle que mesurée à proximité du fond du corps étant plus grande que le diamètre de l'orifice amont,
• dans un plan perpendiculaire à la direction de l'écoulement, la membrane a une forme en U dont les extrémités des branches sont fixées sur le corps, la membrane comportant un bord amont en U qui est fixé contre une paroi du corps comportant l'orifice amont, ce dernier étant situé à l'intérieur du U, le bord aval de la membrane étant libre,
• dans la position escamotée non déformée la membrane comporte un bord aval en U situé dans un plan perpendiculaire à la direction de l'écoulement et situé à proximité de l'orifice aval, l'orifice aval étant situé en vis-à-vis de l'intérieur du U,
• les moyens de déformation comportent une tige montée rotative sur le corps autour d'un axe perpendiculaire à la direction de l'écoulement et situé au-dessous de la membrane à proximité de l'orifice amont, la tige étant située, lorsqu'elle est dans sa position de repos en-dessous de la membrane et ne déformant pas la membrane, en s'étendant dans un plan à peut près médian de la membrane vers l'orifice aval, les moyens de déformation comportant des moyens d'actionnement de la tige situés à l'extérieur du corps,
• les moyens d'actionnement sont fixés sur l'axe de rotation de la tige et comportent une manette et des moyens de rappel rappelant cette dernière vers la position active de la membrane.

According to other characteristics:

• in the retracted position of the retaining means, the flow of the fluid is approximately rectilinear between the upstream orifice and the downstream orifice,
• the retaining means consist of an elastically deformable membrane and the displacement means are means of deformation of the membrane,
• in the retracted position, the membrane is not deformed, and extends longitudinally in the direction of flow, its longitudinal dimension as measured near the bottom of the body being greater than the diameter of the upstream orifice,
• in a plane perpendicular to the direction of flow, the membrane has a U-shape, the ends of the branches of which are fixed to the body, the membrane having an upstream U-shaped edge which is fixed against a wall of the body comprising the orifice upstream, the latter being located inside the U, the downstream edge of the membrane being free,
• in the retracted, undistorted position, the membrane has a U-shaped downstream edge located in a plane perpendicular to the direction of flow and located near the downstream orifice, the downstream orifice being located opposite the inside the U,
• the deformation means comprise a rod rotatably mounted on the body about an axis perpendicular to the direction of flow and located below the membrane near the upstream orifice, the rod being located, when it is in its rest position below the diaphragm and not deforming the diaphragm, extending in a near-median plane from the diaphragm towards the downstream orifice, the deformation means comprising means for actuating the rod located outside the body,
• the actuating means are fixed on the axis of rotation of the rod and comprise a lever and return means recalling the latter towards the active position of the membrane.

The present invention also relates to a toilet bowl connected to a forming device siphon according to the present invention.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective éclatée d'un dispositif formant siphon selon la présente invention, les moyens de retenue étant en position active,
• la figure 2 est une vue en perspective analogue à la figure 1, certains éléments ayant été supprimés pour une raison de clarté, les moyens de retenue étant dans la position escamotée,
• la figure 3 est une vue en coupe longitudinale du dispositif formant siphon de la figure 1,
• la figure 4 est une vue de dessus du dispositif formant siphon de la figure 1, la partie supérieure de celui-ci ayant été supprimée,
• la figure 5 est une vue en coupe longitudinale analogue à la figure 3, les moyens de retenue étant dans la position escamotée,
• la figure 6 est une vue latérale du dispositif formant siphon selon la présente invention, représentant les moyens d'actionnement des moyens de déplacement des moyens de retenue,
• la figure 7 est une vue schématique en coupe d'une cuvette de toilettes équipée d'une dispositif formant siphon selon la présente invention,
• la figure 8 est une vue en perspective partiellement éclatée de la cuvette représentée sur la figure 7.

The present invention will be better understood on reading the detailed description which follows, given solely by way of example, and with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a device forming a siphon according to the present invention, the retaining means being in the active position,
• FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1, certain elements having been deleted for reasons of clarity, the retaining means being in the retracted position,
• FIG. 3 is a view in longitudinal section of the device forming a siphon in FIG. 1,
• FIG. 4 is a top view of the siphon device of FIG. 1, the upper part of it having been removed,
• FIG. 5 is a view in longitudinal section similar to FIG. 3, the retaining means being in the retracted position,
• FIG. 6 is a side view of the device forming a siphon according to the present invention, showing the means for actuating the means for moving the retaining means,
• FIG. 7 is a schematic sectional view of a toilet bowl equipped with a siphon device according to the present invention,
• FIG. 8 is a partially exploded perspective view of the bowl shown in FIG. 7.

In Figure 1 there is shown a device 2 forming a siphon according to the present invention.

The device 2 comprises a delimited hollow body by a front wall 4, a longitudinal wall 6 having in cross section the shape of a U delimiting two longitudinal walls 6a, 6b and a shaped wall 6c rounded delimiting the bottom of the U. The body has also a rear wall 8 and a cover 10.

The front wall 4 has an inlet or upstream orifice 12 provided with coupling means 14 communicating with an upstream section of pipeline (not represented).

The upstream orifice 12 is arranged in the part bottom of the front wall 4.

The rear wall 8 has an outlet orifice or downstream port 16 located in its lower part (see figures 2 and 5). The downstream orifice 16 is provided with a connecting element 18 communicating with a section downstream of the evacuation pipe (not shown).

According to the present invention, the body 4 comprises between upstream port 12 and downstream port 16 of retaining means consisting of a membrane 20 elastically deformable.

In the undeformed state, the membrane 20 has a shape U-shaped cross section extending along the longitudinal wall 6 of the body of the device 2.

The membrane 20 has at the free ends of the U two edges 20a and 20b fixed, for example by gluing, respectively in the upper part of the wall 6, near the edges 6a and 6b thereof.

The membrane 20 has an upstream edge 21 which is folded over the outside of the wall 6 of the body and fixed on the latter via the wall before 4.

The membrane 20 also has a downstream edge 22 (see Figures 2 and 5) having the shape of a U located in a plane perpendicular to the direction of flow and near the outlet 16.

The distance from the upstream edge to the downstream edge measured along the bottom of the U-shaped wall 6, when the membrane is not deformed is shorter than the vertical dimension of the front wall 4 of the body of the device 2, but larger than the diameter of the inlet 12.

Note that the distance from the edge upstream of the downstream edge at the edges 20a and 20b can be different from that measured at the bottom of the U, the downstream edge 22 then not being in a plane vertical.

The downstream orifice 16 is located opposite inside the U formed by the membrane 20 when the membrane is in the non-deformed state (see Figure 2).

Similarly, it should be noted that the inlet orifice upstream port 12 is always located inside the U formed by the upstream edge of the membrane 20.

Consequently, when the membrane is in its retracted position, as can be seen in the figure 5, the flow through the device 2 according to the invention is carried out directly and so practically straight from inlet 12 to outlet 16.

The body of the device 2 according to the present invention also comprises means of displacement retaining means which consist of means of deformation of the membrane 20.

The deformation means comprise a rod or pallet 24 located inside the body between the membrane 20 and wall 6c forming the bottom of the body. The rod 24 is fixed on a shaft 26 extending perpendicular to the direction of flow of the fluid.

The shaft 26 is rotatably mounted around its axis by means of a bearing (not shown) arranged in a hole (not shown) in the wall 6c and has one end protruding outside the body.

Alternatively, the shaft 26 may have its other end mounted in another bearing arranged in the hollow body of the device 2.

A handle is attached to the end of the shaft 26 projecting outside the body of the device 2, and constitutes means for actuating the rod 24 by manual rotation of the shaft 26.

A spring 30 is arranged between the lever 28 and an external point of the body of the device 2 so to recall the lever 28 to the position in which the rod 24 deforms the membrane 20, position shown in broken lines in Figure 6.

In this position of the lever 28, the rod 24 extends perpendicular to the axis of the upstream orifice 12, roughly parallel to the front wall 4 as shown in FIG. 3, and deforms the membrane 20.

When the rod 24 is in the latter position, the diaphragm 20 is deformed so that it has a fold 20c (see Figures 3 and 4) extending roughly in a vertical plane passing through the axis of the upstream orifice 12, the fold being slightly inclined to the vertical.

The edge 22 of the membrane extends approximately in a horizontal plane which is located above the orifice from the fact that the length of the edges 20a and 20b of the membrane is greater than the diameter of the orifice edge 12 the edge 22 then constituting an edge of overflow.

When the lever 28 is in the position shown in solid lines in Figure 6, the rod 24 extends along the bottom of the longitudinal wall 6 U-shaped towards downstream port 16 as shown in Figure 5. The length of the rod 24 is longer small than the vertical dimension of the front wall 4 the body of the device 2.

In such a position, the membrane 20 is not deformed and the flow of fluid takes place close directly along a straight path between the upstream port 12 and the downstream port 16.

When a wastewater flow is triggered by pouring clean water, it is operated manually the lever 28 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 6, against the action of the spring 30, and the membrane is no longer distorted. Actuation of the joystick 28 can be roughly simultaneous to the water spill clean in the pipeline.

Consequently the retained fluid plug until then through the membrane 20 flows directly by gravity in the downstream section of the pipeline, at through the outlet 16.

This eliminates the clogging problems that one sometimes encounter with siphons of technique anterior.

Immediately after this flow of the plug, the water clean spilled entrained waste water contained in a domestic appliance connected to the upstream section up to the latter then through device 2 directly in the downstream section 18 of the pipeline evacuation.

Just before the clean water spill ends, release the lever 28 which is recalled by the spring 30 towards its position in which the rod 24 deforms the membrane 20 (see FIG. 3) so that the fluid must pass over the edge 22 of the membrane 20 to reach the downstream orifice 16.

This obligation means that at the end of the spill, the membrane 20 retains an amount of fluid forming plug.

It should be noted that it is possible to activate automatically lever 28 when the spill clean water is triggered.

This possibility is particularly interesting when the device 2 forming a siphon according to the invention is arranged at the outlet of a bowl toilets suitable for this purpose, as shown in Figures 7 and 8.

Such a toilet bowl 40 equipped with a device 2 according to the invention, is shown in the Figure 7. It has a water inlet 42 under pressure opening into the bowl 44 itself and comprising a timed valve 46 fitted with a button pusher 48. Preferably, the inlet 42 of water under pressure opens into an O-ring 50 arranged in the upper part of bowl 44 (see also Figure 8), the O-ring 50 being pierced with holes 52 regularly spaced at its periphery.

An annular cover 54 protects and hides the part top of the O-ring 50.

A control button 56 is arranged at the rear of the bowl to activate the timed valve 46.

For this purpose, the control button 56 is integral with a rod 58 slidably mounted in a vertical tubular part 60. A horizontal part 62 perpendicular to the rod 58 and integral with this last protrudes outside the party tubular 60 through a slot (not shown) provided longitudinally in the wall of the part tubular.

Part 62 extends above the push button 48 of the timed valve 46.

A spring 64 is arranged between the bottom of the tubular part 60 and part 62 so as to recall the latter to a position distant from the push button 48 as shown in FIG. 7.

Rod 58 has one end projecting downward from the bottom of the tubular part 60, this end being mechanically connected to handle 28 of so that a downward translation of the rod 58 is transformed into rotation of the lever 28 around of the axis of the shaft 26.

This mechanical connection can be of any type currently known in the processing technique of movements.

As shown in Figure 8, this link mechanical can be hidden at the level of its part mechanical can be hidden at the level of its part lower by the bowl and its upper part by a chest comprising a compartment intended for receive for example paper or products from cleaning.

When the control button 56 is pressed, the protruding part 62 moves the push button 48 towards the bottom, thus opening the timed valve 46 and thus triggering the discharge of clean water under pressure.

Simultaneously and automatically, the controller 28 is actuated in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 7, the means for retaining a fluid plug 70 of the device 2 according to the invention then being retracted (see Figure 5) if the plug 70 flowing directly in the downstream section.

The spring 30, associated with the spring 64, recalls practically immediately the lever 28 towards its position in which the membrane 20 is deformed and constitutes means for retaining a plug such as the plug 70, the protruding part 62 then moving away from the button pusher 48 and releasing it. This then returns to its closed position of valve 46. This return takes place over a predetermined time interval of so that a predetermined amount of clean water has been supplied through valve 46.

This predetermined amount of water cleans the walls of the bowl as well as the membrane but is only used practically not to evacuate the cap 70, this one being already evacuated, which allows to have a quantity reduced predetermined water.

With a reduced amount of clean water, therefore obtains a fluid plug 70 which is clean.

Tests have shown that the results were. excellent with quantities of clean water discharged less than 3 liters.

Different modifications can be considered by a person skilled in the art without leaving the field of the invention.

This is how the toilet bowl can be a usual toilet bowl whose order is adequately connected to the handle 28, or that the shape of the hollow body may be different from that described.

Claims (11)

1. A trap-forming device having a hollow body including an upstream orifice (12) situated in the bottom portion of the body and communicating with an upstream length of fluid evacuation pipework, retaining means (20) defining an overflow edge and co-operating with a portion of the upstream length to retain a quantity of fluid that forms a fluid barrier (70) at the end of evacuation, and a downstream (16) situated in a bottom portion of the body and communicating with a downstream length of evacuation pipework, the device being characterised in that the retaining means (20) are displaceable between an active position and a retracted position, the device including controlled displacement means (24, 26, 28, 30) for controlling displacement of the retaining means between the two positions.
2. A trap-forming device according to claim 1, characterised in that in the retracted position of the retaining means, the flow of fluid is more or less rectilinear between the upstream orifice (12) and the downstream orifice (16).
3. A trap-forming device according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the retaining means are constituted by an elastically deformable membrane (20) and the displacement means are means for deforming the membrane.
4. A trap-forming device according to claim 3, characterised in that in the retracted position, the membrane (20) is not deformed, and it extends longitudinally in the flow direction, its longitudinal direction as measured in the vicinity of the bottom of the body being greater than the diameter of the upstream orifice (12).
5. A trap-forming device according to claim 4, characterised in that in a plane perpendicular to the flow direction, the membrane (20) is U-shaped, with the ends of the branches of the U-shape being fixed to the body, the membrane (20) including a U-shaped upstream edge (21) which is fixed against a wall (4) of the body that includes the upstream orifice, which orifice is situated inside the U-shape, the downstream edge (22) of the membrane being free.
6. A trap-forming device according to claim 5, characterised in that in the non-deformed, retracted position, the membrane (20) includes a U-shaped downstream edge (22) situated in a plane perpendicular to the flow direction and situated in the vicinity of the downstream orifice (16), the downstream orifice being situated facing the inside of the U-shape.
7. A trap-forming device according to claims 3 to 6, characterised in that the deformation means comprise a rod (24) rotatably mounted on the body about an axis (26) perpendicular to the flow direction and situated beneath the membrane (20) in the vicinity of the upstream orifice (12), the rod (24) being situated, when in its rest position beneath the membrane and when not deforming the membrane, so as to extend substantially in a midplane of the membrane towards the downstream orifice (16), the deformation means including actuator means (28, 30) for actuating the rod and situated outside the body.
8. A trap-forming device according to claim 7, characterised in that the actuator means (28, 30) are fixed on the shaft (26) for rotating the rod (24) and include a lever (28) and return means (30) urging the lever towards the active position of the membrane.
9. A toilet bowl connected to a trap-forming device according to any one of the preceding claims, including manual control means for controlling the discharge of a predetermined quantity of clean evacuation and cleaning water, characterised in that the manual control means are connected to the means for actuating the displacement means for displacing the retaining means of the trap-forming device into their retracted position, actuation of the manual control means and of the trap actuating means being more or less simultaneously.
10. A toilet bowl connected to a trap-forming device according to claim 9, characterised in that the actuation means are urged towards the active position of the retaining means before all of said predetermined quantity of clean water has been discharged.
11. A toilet bowl connected to a trap-forming device according to claim 9 or 10, characterised in that said predetermined quantity of water is controlled via a timed valve inserted in inlet pipework for clean water under pressure and that opens out into the bowl.

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