EP0894904B1 - Device for the re-use of grey water - Google Patents

Abstract

At least one further dirty water tank (4, 5) is provided, which has an inlet connected to the outlet of the first tank and an outlet connected with a flushing system of a toilet. A retainer is provided, to which the dirty water tanks (3, 4, 5), connecting conduits between them and the connections for the cistern (6) and/or toilet basin (9) and/or a drinking water conduit are fixed. A connecting device is provided for mechanical application and for inlet and outlet connection of a toilet basin (9). The retainer has a common outlet (10), which is connectable with a building-side outlet installation and in which all outlets of the device issue. The retainer is formed as a front wall installation.

Description

The invention is based on a device for reusing gray water. Gray water is water that is only slightly contaminated and can still be used for certain purposes. For example, the drain from bathtubs or shower trays can still be used to flush the toilet.

Such a device is already known (DE 195 09 531), which has the features of the preamble of claim 1. In this known device there are several containers for gray water, which are connected to one another by lines, valves and possibly pumps. Suspended substances may be present in the individual containers, which may be populated with bacterial cultures. The content of this patent application is made by reference to the content of the present application.

The known device is primarily concerned with how the process water can be treated so that it can be reused.

A flushing device for toilet bowls using waste water is also known (DE 2336744). Here, a container is attached to a wall above a toilet bowl, the upper part of which serves as a storage container for gray water, while a cistern for flushing the toilet is housed in the lower part.

The invention has for its object to provide a device for reusing industrial water, which is better adapted for use in conventional households.

With the previously usual systems, an adaptation to the local conditions had to be carried out in individual cases. However, it has been found that such a subsequent adjustment only leads to unfavorable results.

To achieve the stated object, the invention proposes a device with the features mentioned in claim 1. Developments of the invention are the subject of dependent claims.

According to the invention, all parts belonging to the device for reuse are attached to a holder, and this holder is then attached in a bathroom or a toilet. It is therefore possible for the connections between the stores, the size of the stores, the type of withdrawal, etc. to be coordinated with one another. A compact structural unit is thus created which can be installed as such a structural unit.

In particular, the invention proposes that the device may have a connecting device with the aid of which a toilet bowl is mechanically attached, with the attachment at the same time the line connections of the inlet line for the rinse water and the outlet line are made.

In a further development it can be provided that the holder has a common drain, which can be connected to an existing drain installation and in which all the drains of the device open. This makes installation particularly easy, since only a connection to the drain and the inlet for the gray water has to be made.

According to the invention, the holder is designed as a pre-wall installation. Such pre-wall installations make it possible to accommodate the device in a space-saving manner in front of an already existing wall, for example right-justified, left-justified or free-standing. Accommodation in a niche is also possible.

It can be provided that the gray water storage tanks are arranged at a height above a toilet bowl or an associated cistern. In this case, it is possible that the water can be transported from the last hot water tank to the toilet bowl or the cistern without a pump. On the other hand, it is also possible to pump the water from the gray water tank into the cistern. In this case, the gray water storage tanks can also be arranged lower than the toilet bowl.

It is known that the connection between the individual containers is made by pumps, valves and controls. Here, the invention proposes to arrange the pumps and / or controls and / or valves that may be required for operation in the area below the greywater storage tanks, if necessary laterally the cistern. This measure also helps to construct the device in a space-saving manner.

The gray water storage tanks can be designed as a single container which is divided by partitions. Possibly. the cistern can also be part of such a container.

It can be provided that the flushing water for flushing the toilet is taken directly from the last gray water tank. In this case, the function of the cistern is integrated in the gray water tank. Appropriate measures can be used to trigger the rinsing process and limit the quantity.

The domestic hot water tanks can be arranged one above the other, which is useful, for example, if the connection is not made with the help of pumps.

It is also possible to place the domestic hot water tanks side by side, i.e. H. from left to right.

It is also possible to arrange the gray water storage tanks in front of each other.

Of course, combinations of these features are also possible.

It can be provided that at least one of the gray water reservoirs can have an overflow. This overflow can be connected to a drain via an odor trap, in particular to the common drain of the device.

It can be provided that the overflow, in particular the overflow of the last gray water reservoir, leads into the toilet bowl, this possibly being done by an overflow of the cistern. This is particularly advantageous if the pools are at different levels.

It can also be provided that the overflow leads from the third memory to the second memory and from there to the first memory, from where it then flows into the process.

Since the suspended matter in the individual gray water reservoirs is to be used to deposit contaminants, at least one of the gray water reservoirs can have a drain for such sludge. Such a sludge drain can be connected to a drain via an odor trap, in particular to the common drain of the device. It can be provided that the sludge is returned from container 2 to container 1.

It can also be provided to connect the sludge drain to the toilet bowl. The toilet bowl has an odor trap, so that it can be used at the same time.

In particular, the device can be designed in such a way that with each triggered flushing process, the sludge drain is also opened, which then leads into the toilet bowl.

In order to allow access to the gray water storage in the holder, the holder can have an at least partially removable front wall or a removable side wall.

According to the invention, the holder has removable and / or hinged parts which allow access to the pumps, valves, control elements or the like.

According to the invention, the holder, including all of its individual parts, is preinstalled at the factory. Then the unit only needs to be set up and connected on the spot.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Vorderansicht der Bauteile einer Vorrichtung nach der Erfindung;

Fig. 2

eine schematische teilweise geschnittene Seitenansicht der Vorrichtung der Fig. 1;

Fig. 3

eine teilweise geschnittene Vorderansicht einer Vorrichtung nach der Erfindung;

Fig. 4

eine teilweise geschnittene Seitenansicht der Vorrichtung nach Fig. 3;

Fig. 5

eine der Fig. 3 entsprechende Darstellung bei einer weiteren Ausführungsform;

Fig. 6

eine der Fig. 5 entsprechende Darstellung bei einer weiteren Ausführungsform;

Fig. 7

eine teilweise geschnittene Seitenansicht der Ausführungsform nach Fig. 6.

Further features, details and advantages of the invention result from the patent claims, the wording of which is made by reference to the content of the description, the following description of a preferred embodiment and with reference to the drawing. Here show:

Fig. 1

is a schematic front view of the components of a device according to the invention;

Fig. 2

is a schematic partially sectioned side view of the device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3

a partially sectioned front view of a device according to the invention;

Fig. 4

a partially sectioned side view of the device of FIG. 3;

Fig. 5

a representation corresponding to FIG 3 in a further embodiment.

Fig. 6

a representation corresponding to FIG 5 in a further embodiment.

Fig. 7

6 shows a partially sectioned side view of the embodiment according to FIG. 6.

In Fig. 1 only the essential components of a device according to the invention are shown. In the upper area, a container 1 is shown, which is divided into three compartments by partitions 2. These compartments form a first gray water reservoir 3, a second gray water reservoir 4 and a third gray water reservoir 5. These gray water reservoirs 3, 4 and 5 are connected to one another, as described in detail in the aforementioned German Offenlegungsschrift 195 09 531. These details are therefore not repeated here.

A cistern 6 for flushing the toilet is partially arranged in front of and below the container 1. A line 7 leads from the gray water reservoir 5 on the right in FIG. 1 into the cistern 6.

A pipe 8 leads from the cistern 6 into a toilet bowl 9 which is attached to the front of the device.

1 leads into an outlet 10 from the toilet bowl. This outlet is connected to an on-site outlet line when the device is installed.

All of these parts are combined in the described embodiment to form a structural unit which is designed as a pre-wall installation. This unit is shown schematically in Fig. 2 from the side.

The assembly contains a front wall 11, which has a recess for the front 12 of the cistern 6. The The front of the cistern 6 is therefore accessible from the outside.

The container 1, which holds the individual gray water storage tanks, is arranged in the upper area within the structural unit directly behind the front wall 11 thereof. In the area of the cistern 6, the front wall 13 of the container 11 runs obliquely back and down so that there is space for the cistern 6 at this point.

An overflow line 14 shown in FIG. 2 leads to the common drain 10 behind the cistern 6.

The structural unit shown in FIG. 2 can have a connection for the power network in order to enable the supply of the required pumps, valves and the control. It can also have a line connection for drinking water so that the toilet flush can be operated in the event of an insufficient supply of gray water. In addition, the unit contains an input connection for the gray water, which comes from a shower tray, a bathtub or a sink.

The structural unit shown schematically in FIG. 2 can be assembled in the factory, possibly even with the toilet bowl 9. The structural unit is then transported to the place where it is to be installed. There it is set up so that the connecting devices fit together, and then attached to the wall.

When retrofitting the system into a bathroom or toilet, the existing toilet bowl can be unscrewed from the wall, the system can be set up and connected, and then the toilet bowl can be attached to the system.

Figures 3 and 4 show a further device according to the invention in greater detail. The device contains four vertically extending stands 21 which extend from the floor 22 to the ceiling 23. The stands 21 are reinforced by lateral crosspieces 24 and front crosspieces 25. A cover plate 26 is attached to the front, which forms an optical cover.

In the lower area, the cistern 27 hangs on the frame formed by the stand 21.

A container 28 is arranged in the device within the space formed by the stands 21 and is divided into three compartments by two vertical partition walls 29, namely a first store 28a, a second store 28b and a third store 28c.

A pump 30 is provided which supplies the dirty water from the outlet of a bath tub or shower tray into the container 28a via a hose 31. The hose 31 opens into an outlet 32 in the store 28a.

This reservoir 28a is the reservoir in which the dirty water is initially located so that the sludge can be deposited there. An overflow 33 leads from the memory 28 via a siphon 34 to the outlet from the device.

The somewhat cleaned water in the reservoir 28a is conveyed with the aid of a submersible pump 35 and a line 36 connected to it into the second reservoir 28b, from where a second submersible pump 37 conveys the more purified water into the last reservoir 28c. From this memory 28c the water enters the cistern 38, which is arranged below the container 28. The front of the cistern contains two push buttons 39 with which either a large or a small amount of water can be dispensed into the sink 27.

In the example shown, the electronics are accommodated laterally in a control box 40.

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment modified from the embodiment according to FIGS. 3 and 4, in which the container 28 extends over the entire width of the device, for better use of space. The overflow leading to the siphon 34 leads through the interior of the reservoir 28a. The same also applies to the hose 31, which engages from below in a tube guided through the container.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show representations corresponding to FIGS. 3 and 4 in a further embodiment, in which the containers 28a and 28b are arranged next to one another, while the reservoir 28c for the water to be removed is arranged below the two first-mentioned reservoirs 28a and 28b. The cistern function for the toilet bowl is integrated in the container 28c. The controller and possibly the pumps can advantageously be arranged above the first two stores 28a, 28b, as can the feed-in option for drinking water. This type of construction shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is distinguished by the fact that it is built very compactly. It can therefore be made flatter or narrower with the same storage volume.

Claims (15)

1. A device for reusing turbid water having

   a first turbid-water storage vessel (3, 28) that has

   an inlet for turbid water coming from the drain of a bathtub, shower stall, or similar and

   an outlet for turbid water,

   at least one other turbid-water storage vessel (4, 5, 28a, b) that has an inlet connected to the outlet of the respective preceding turbid-water storage vessel (4), and

   an outlet that may be connected to a toilet cistern (6, 38)

   wherein

   a holder

   in the form of a rack and

   on which the turbid-water vessel (3, 4, 5, 28a, b, c), lines connecting the latter to the fittings for the cistern (6, 38), and/or a toilet bowl (9, 27), and/or a drinking-water line are fastened,

   where

   the device is in the form of a factory-preassembled unit for installation on-wall installation and

   may be mounted as a modular unit, and where

   the holder has detachable and/or hinged parts that

   allow accessing pumps, valves, a controller, or similar.
2. A device according to claim 1 having a connecting device for mechanically attaching it to a toilet bowl (9, 27) and connecting it to the latter's inlet and drain.
3. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the holder has a common drain (10) that may be connected to the existing drain installation of a building, and into which all drains of the device lead.
4. A device according to any of the foregoing claims, wherein the turbid-water storage vessel (3, 4, 5, 28a, b, c) is arranged above a toilet bowl (9, 27) and/or an associated cistern (6, 38).
5. A device according to any of the foregoing claims, wherein the pumps, and/or valves, and/or controller needed for its operation are arranged beneath the turbid-water storage vessel (3, 4, 5, 28a, b, c), and alongside the cistern (6, 38), if desired.
6. A device according to any of the foregoing claims, wherein the turbid-water storage vessel (3, 4, 5, 28a, b, c), along with cistern (6, 38), if desired, are configured in the form of a vessel (1) subdivided by partitions (2).
7. A device according to any of the foregoing claims, wherein the water employed for flushing the toilet is taken directly from the final service-water storage vessel (5).
8. A device according to any of the foregoing claims, wherein the turbid-water storage vessel (3, 4, 5, 28a, b, c) are arranged one in front of the other, next to one another, and/or one above the other.
9. A device according to any of the foregoing claims, wherein the at least one turbid-water storage vessel (3, 4, 5, 28a, b, c) has an overflow that may be connected to a drain (10) via an odor trap or to the common drain (10).
10. A device according to claim 9, wherein the drain, in particular, the drain of the final service-water storage vessel (5), leads to the toilet bowl (9, 27), via an overflow on the cistern (6, 38), if desired.
11. A device according to any of the foregoing claims, wherein the at least one turbid-water storage vessel (3, 4, 5, 28a, b, c) has a sludge drain that may be connected to a drain or to the common drain (10) via an odor trap.
12. A device according to claim 11, wherein the sludge drain is connected to the toilet bowl (9, 27).
13. A device according to any of the foregoing claims, wherein the at least one turbid-water storage vessel (3, 4, 5, 28a, b, c) is at least partly transparent.
14. A device according to any of the foregoing claims, wherein the front wall and/or side wall of the holder that may be at least partly removed.
15. A device according to any of the foregoing claims, wherein the holder, together with the cistern (6, 38), are in the form of a factory preassembled unit.