EP0796954A1

EP0796954A1 - Compressed air device for starting and stopping the discharging of water in sanitary installations

Info

Publication number: EP0796954A1
Application number: EP96830142A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Enzo Cecchi
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-03-22
Filing date: 1996-03-22
Publication date: 1997-09-24

Abstract

Device for operating discharge valves (2) for water storage cisterns (1) of sanitary installations comprising an element (3) movable axially inside guide means (6) under the thrusting action of a bellows (7) attached to said guide means (6) and made to expand by a predetermined quantity of compressed air introduced therein via control means (8, 8a) of the operating device, wherein said bellows comprises rigid means (7b, 7c; 7b,107c) movable therewith and designed to cooperate with a first seat (11c,111c) and a second seat (11d,111d) of a lever (11;111) rotating about a fixed fulcrum (9d) designed to cooperate with elements (10b) of said rod (3) so as to cause respectively starting or controlled stoppage of discharging.

Description

The present invention relates to a compressed-air device with an interruption control means, for controlled operation of discharge valves, in particular for water storage cisterns in sanitary installations.
In the water storage cisterns used for flushing bathroom and sanitary equipment a certain volume of water is introduced and then discharged following operation, by the user, of a control means which may be of the lever, pushbutton or similar type.
Emptying of these cisterns can be performed by raising a tubular body, a so-called overflow tube, which is open at its opposite ends and its bottom end has the obturator for the discharge valve located at the bottom of the cistern.
The device operated by this pushbutton must be able to perform rapid raising of the overflow tube, which gradually and slowly returns into the closed valve position, so as to allow the predetermined quantity of water to flow out of the cistern; a float-type supply mechanism then ensures that the cistern is subsequently refilled.
In the art it is known of an operating device comprising a rubber membrane which is deformed by the compressed air produced as a result of the pressure exerted by the user on the operating pushbutton located outside the cistern. Deformation of this membrane causes raising of the overflow tube and delivery of the water; in said known device, however, it is necessary to exert a relatively high pressure on the pushbutton in order to deform the membrane, owing to the overall weight of the water column acting on the seal located at the bottom.
The document IT-000834/93U also discloses a compressed-air operating device based on the use of an elastically deformable element which comprises a double lung made of elastomeric material and inserted inside a retaining seat supported by a rod which can be joined to the body of the discharge valve via associated adjusting devices.
This device, however, has the drawback that it requires means for adjusting the height of the device itself with respect to the bottom of the cistern, thereby giving rise to further play.
All the known devices, moreover, do not have the possibility of controlled interruption of discharging of the water so that it is possible to economize on the amount of water used when all of the contents of the cistern are not required in order to achieve washing of the pan.
The techical problem which is posed, therefore, is that of providing an operating device of the compressed-air type for the discharge valves of hydro-sanitary cisterns and the like, which allows discharging to be interrupted by the user and has a simple and compact design, as well as being low-cost.
Within the scope of this problem it is also required that the device should perform adjustment of the level of the overflow tube and opening of the valve, avoiding the use of additional lever mechanisms and without requiring excessive force on the part of the user.
A further aim of the invention is to provide a compact device which consists of a small number of parts and is not dependent upon adjustment of the overflow level required in each specific case and which can be adapted to cisterns which are commercially available without the need for additional parts such as adapters, spacers and the like.
These results are obtained by the present invention which provides a device for operating the discharge valves of water storage cisterns in sanitary installations comprising an element movable axially inside a guide means under the thrusting action of a bellows attached to said guide means and made to expand by a predetermined quantity of compressed air introduced into it via control means of the operating device, wherein said bellows comprises rigid means movable therewith and designed to cooperate with a first seat and a second seat of a lever rotating about a fixed fulcrum arranged inside a bell member integral with the element, in order to cause respectively starting or controlled stoppage of the discharging operation.
Further characteristic features and advantages of the invention will emerge from the following detailed description of an example of embodiment of the device according to the invention, with reference to the accompanying illustrative plates, provided solely by way of example, in which:

Figure 1 shows a partially sectioned view, along a vertical plane, of the operating device according to the invention in the rest condition;
Figure 2 shows a view similar to that of Figure 1 during the operation for starting discharging;
Figure 3 shows the device according to Figure 1 during discharging;
Figure 4 shows the device according to Figure 1 during the operation for controlled stoppage of discharging.
Figures 5 to 8 are views, corresponding to Figures 1 to 4, of a second embodiment of the device according to the invention.

With reference to the figures, the cistern substantially consists of a tank 1, represented schematically by wall portions and by the bottom, a discharge valve 2 mounted or formed on the bottom of the cistern, an overflow tube 3, a device 4 for operating the valve and a float 5 which controls the return downward movement, into the closed position, of the overflow tube 3. Said float is generally made of plastic material and is slidable inside a fixed guiding and retaining structure 6 mechanically connected to the cistern 1 via a small frame 1a.
The said tube 3 has at its bottom end a sealing gasket 3a designed to obstruct the discharge opening 1b of the valve of the cistern 1.
The device 4 for operating the valve 2 comprises an elastically deformable body formed by a bellows 7 made of rubber, or more generally elastomeric material, an external control pushbutton 8 which can be operated axially against the thrusting action of a spring 8b, and a pipe or small tube 8a, the ends of which are respectively connected to the pushbutton 8 and the bellows 7.
The bottom part of the bellows 7 is formed in a manner of a tang 7a which is internally hollow and has an external frustoconical shape and which is supported by a flange 9a extending from a collar 9 attached to the small container 6 and fixed thereto; on the other hand the top part of the bellows 7, which is free, has connected to it a rigid disc 7b with a pair of substantially rod-shaped extensions 7c, each of which has its top end shaped in the manner of a tooth 7d designed to engage with the bottom surface 11c of the opposite ends of a lever 11 in order to cause rotation of the lever itself in either direction, as will emerge more clearly below. The frustoconical tang 7a of the bellows 7 is inserted into a corresponding hole 9b of the flange 9a inside which it can be sealingly force-fitted, thus stably fixing the bellows 7 to the flange 9a and ensuring a sealed connection between the two parts.
Above the flange 9a forming a support for the bellows 7 and on the outside thereof there is located a bell member 10 which is joined to the overflow tube 3 via a sleeve 10a and is axially movable therewith and which is totally immersed in the water of the cistern 1 when the discharge device is in the rest condition.
The flange 9a has rigidly fixed to it a support 9c for a pin 9b which is substantially horizontal and designed to form the fulcrum of a lever 11 which has its end 11a directed towards the overflow tube 3 and formed with two teeth 11b designed to engage with two corresponding radial projections 10b on the said sleeve 10a fixing the bell member 10 to the overflow tube 3.
Said lever 11 is moreover internally hollow so as to allow the extensions 7c to pass through.
The operating device functions as follows:
As shown in Figure 2, when the pushbutton 8 is pressed, the compressed air is introduced into the bellows 7 via the pipe 8a, causing vertical expansion of the bellows itself with consequent raising of the rigid disc 7b which brings the tooth 7d of the left-hand extension 7c into engagement with the corresponding bottom surface 11c of the lever 11 which is therefore forced to rotate in a clockwise direction by the thrust of the bellows which, owing to the special shape of the tang 7a and its inherent elasticity characteristics, becomes inclined during raising.
This elastic deformation of the bellows during the raising movement enables the tooth 7c to be kept engaged with the lever 11 without the need for further fixing means, causing, via interaction of the projections 11b on the end 11a of the lever 11 with the teeth 10b of the sleeve 10, raising of the bell member 10 and the overflow tube 3 connected thereto.
Once the pressure on the pushbutton 8 has ceased (Figure 3), the latter returns into its pulled-out position owing to the thrust of the spring 8b and at the same time the compressed air flows out of the bellows 7 in a controlled manner through one or more breather holes (not shown).
During discharging of the water (Figure 3) the lever 11 is therefore arranged such that it is rotated in a clockwise direction and tends to reassume its initial position during the discharge time interval which is substantially determined by the dimensions of the cup member 5 which, floating on the water inside the fixed structure 6, moves downwards with a predetermined delay compared to the water flowing out of the cistern 1.
By suitably dimensioning the aforementioned components during the manufacture thereof it is therefore possible to vary the closing delay of the valve 3 following operation so as to allow all the water contained in the cistern 1 to be delivered.
The position assumed by the lever 11 when the overflow tube 3 is raised and the pushbutton 8 returns into the pulled-out position nevertheless enables controlled interruption of the water flowing out of the cistern 1 (Figure 4): in fact, if the pushbutton 8 is pressed again, the bellows 7 expands again and hence the rigid disc 7b is raised, this time bringing the tooth 7d of the other extension 7c into contact with the bottom surface 11c of the other end of the lever 11, resulting in the rotation thereof in an anti-clockwise direction and thus producing a downwards thrusting force on the tube 3 which is made to move towards the hole 1b, causing closure thereof and hence interruption of the discharging operation.
Figures 5 to 8 illustrate a further embodiment of the discharge operating device according to the invention.
In this configuration the rigid disc 7b has a single substantially rod-shaped extension 107c.
The lower surface of the lever 11 has two cavities 111c and 111d which have a substantially curved shape and are arranged on opposite sides of the pin 9d.
The profile of said cavities intersects at a central line forming a vertex 112 which can assume different positions with respect to the rod-shaped extension 107c of the bellows 7 following rotation of the lever 111.
In particular, when the discharge device is in the rest position, the vertex 112 is located slightly to the right of the rod 107c connected to the bellows.
As shown in Figure 2, when the pushbutton 8 is pressed, the compressed air is introduced into the bellows 7 via the pipe 8a, causing vertical expansion of the bellows itself with consequent raising of the rigid rod 107c which comes into contact with the cavity 111c of the lever 111 which is therefore forced to rotate in a clockwise direction by the thrust of the bellows which in this case also becomes inclined during raising.
This elastic deformation of the bellows during the raising movement enables the thrusting action on the cavity 111c to be optimized, causing, via interaction of the projections 10b with the teeth 11b, raising of the bell member 10 and the overflow tube 3 connected thereto.
Once the pressure on the pushbutton 8 has ceased (Figure 3), the latter returns into its pulled-out position owing to the thrust of the spring 8b.
During discharging of the water (Figure 3) the lever 111 is therefore arranged such that it is rotated in a clockwise direction and with the vertex 112 situated to the left of the rod 107c, owing to the effect of said rotation, and tends to reassume the rest position during the discharge time interval.
The position assumed by the lever 111 when the overflow tube 3 is raised and the pushbutton 8 returns into the pulled-out position nevertheless enables controlled interruption of the water flowing out of the cistern 1 (Figure 4): in fact, if the pushbutton 8 is pressed again, the bellows 7 expands again and hence the rod 107c is raised, this time acting on the cavity 111d of the lever 111, resulting in the rotation thereof in an anti-clockwise direction and thus producing a downwards thrusting force on the tube 3 which is made to move towards the hole 1b, causing closure thereof and hence interruption of the discharging operation.

Claims

Device for operating discharge valves (2) for water storage cisterns (1) of sanitary installations comprising an element (3) movable axially inside guide means (6) under the thrusting action of a bellows (7) attached to said guide means (6) and made to expand by a predetermined quantity of compressed air introduced therein via control means (8, 8a) of the operating device, characterized in that said bellows comprises rigid means (7b, 7c; 7b, 107c) movable therewith and designed to cooperate with a first seat (11c, 111c) and a second seat (11d, 111d) of a lever (11; 111) rotating about a fixed fulcrum (9d) and designed to cooperate with elements (10b) of said rod (3) so as to cause respectively starting and controlled stoppage of discharging.
Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that said fixed fulcrum is arranged inside a bell member (10) which is integral with the element (3) and movable therewith axially in both directions.
Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that said means operating the lever (11) comprise a rigid disc (7b) integral with the bellows (7) from which rod-shaped elements (17c; 107c) extend.
Device according to Claims 1 and 3, characterized in that said rod-shaped elements (7c) are two in number and are symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of the pin for rotation of the lever (11).
Device according to Claims 1 and 4, characterized in that said rod-shaped extensions (7c) have a top end shaped in the manner of a tooth (7d) designed to engage with corresponding seats (11c, 11d) present on the bottom surface of the opposite ends of the lever (11).
Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that said lever (11) is internally hollow.
Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that said bellows (7) has a bottom part in the form of a tang (7a) with a substantially frustoconical external shape.
Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that said tang (7a) of the bellows (7) is internally hollow for direct connection to a tube (8a) supplying the compressed air to the bellows itself.
Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that said bellows (7) is supported by a flange (9a) integral with said fixed means (6) guiding the float (5).
Device according to Claims 1 and 7, characterized in that said flange has a hole (9b) with a frustoconical cross-section for forming a sealed connection with said tang (7a) of the bellows (7).
Device according to Claim 1 and 3, characterized in that said rod-shaped elements (107c) are single and arranged in a central position with respect to said disc (7b).
Device according to Claims 1 and 11, characterized in that said seats (111c, 111d) of the lever (111) have a substantially curvilinear profile.
Device according to Claims 1 and 11, characterized in that the profiles of said seats (111c, 111d) of the lever (111) intersect with one another to form a vertex (112).
Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that one end of said lever (11;111) has teeth (11b) designed to cooperate with corresponding radial projections (10b) extending from the sleeve (10a) for connecting the bell member (10) to the element (3), which is movable axially so as to cause the axial displacement in both directions of the latter.
Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that said control means for starting and stopping discharging consist of a pushbutton (8) which is located outside the cistern (1) and can be compressed against the action of resilient means (8b).
Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that said bell member (10) is immersed in the water when the discharge operating device is in the rest condition.
Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that said axially movable element (3) forms the overflow tube of the cistern (1).