EP1270831B1 - Discharge valve for a cistern - Google Patents

Abstract

The discharge valve (1), for a cistern (2), has an auxiliary valve (4) with a closure body. After its operation, the static pressure of the flushing water automatically opens the main valve. The auxiliary valve is controlled by at least one float (15,16), linked to the closure body. The discharge valve gives a selection of a total or partial flushing, and requires a low force for operation, and with a low closing noise on partial flushing.

Description

The invention relates to a drain valve for a cistern according to the preamble of claim 1.

US 4 557 000 A discloses a drain valve for a cistern comprising a main valve, an auxiliary valve and another auxiliary valve. By opening the other auxiliary valve flushing can be interrupted.

A drain valve of this type has become known in the art from DE 2609138. In this, the closure body of the main valve is an up and down movable guided piston. On the piston, a sealing flange is mounted, which rests on a filled cistern due to the static pressure on the valve seat of the main valve. An upper side of the sealing flange provides a cylinder chamber, which is relieved after actuation of the auxiliary valve from the water pressure. This drain valve has the advantage that it can be operated with a comparatively small force. To initiate a flushing operation, a pressure is exerted on the closure body of the auxiliary valve, whereby the auxiliary valve is opened. As a result, the pressure in said cylinder space and due to the incoming pressure gradient and due to a buoyant force of the air in cavities of the piston, the piston is raised, thereby opening the main valve. In the cistern existing water can thus flow freely from the cistern.

For a long time now cisterns are common, which also allow flushing with a subset of the rinse water, for example, with 6 liters. This can save a lot of water. The invention is based on the object, the said drain valve so educate that with this a partial flush is possible. The valve should still have a simple structure and be functionally reliable and easy to maintain.

The problem is solved according to claim 1. The control of the auxiliary valve with two floats makes it possible to close this auxiliary valve depending on the water level in the cistern and thus a partial flush. Preferably, the two floats are arranged at different heights. The lower float controls a full flush and the upper float a partial flush. The height of the upper float determines the amount of rinse water in the partial rinse. If this upper float is adjustable in height, so the desired subset can be easily and simultaneously set exactly.

A significant advantage of the inventive drain valve is seen in that the closing noise is significantly smaller in a partial flush than in the previous cisterns that allow partial flushing. In the inventive drain valve the hitherto very disturbing shock when closing the main valve is substantially attenuated, since the closure body of the main valve is moved by a differential pressure of the water and thus is completely in the water. The valve body can thus not abruptly hit the valve seat.

A further reduction of the flushing noise can be achieved if the outlet of the cistern is horizontal. The output is thus direct and a rinse, in which usually noise is generated, can be avoided.

According to a development of the invention, at least one pull rod is provided, which is connected to the valve body of the auxiliary valve connected is. At this pull rod, a float is arranged and by means of a bolt or other locking device, this pull rod is fixed. By unlocking the drawbar can now be released and a flushing triggered. The displacement can be done with little force and allows a mechanical, electromagnetic or pneumatic triggering. Due to the low power required, a battery-powered trip is possible.

Further advantageous features emerge from the dependent claims, the following description and the drawings.

Fig. 1

ein Schnitt durch einen Spülkasten mit einem erfindungsgemässen Ablaufventil entlang der Linie I-I der Fig. 2.,

Fig. 2

ein Schnitt durch den Spülkasten gemäss Fig. 1 entlang der Linie II-II der Fig. 1,

Fig. 3

ein Schnitt gemäss Fig. 2, jedoch bei geöffnetem Ablaufventil,

Fig. 4-6

Teilschnitte durch den Spülkasten zur Erläuterung der Arbeitsweise des Ablaufventils,

Fig. 7

ein Schnitt durch einen Spülkasten mit einer Variante des erfindungsgemässen Ablaufventils,

Fig. 8

ein Schnitt durch den Spülkasten entlang der Linie VIII-VIII der Fig. 7,

Fig. 9

ein Schnitt entsprechend Fig. 8, jedoch bei geöffnetem Hilfsventil und

Fig. 10-12

Teilschnitte durch den Spülkasten gemäss Fig. 7 zur Erläuterung der Arbeitsweise des Ablaufventils.

Two embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing. Show it:

Fig. 1

a section through a cistern with an inventive drain valve along the line II of Fig. 2.,

Fig. 2

a section through the cistern according to FIG. 1 along the line II-II of FIG. 1,

Fig. 3

a section according to FIG. 2, but with the drain valve open,

Fig. 4-6

Partial sections through the cistern to explain the operation of the drain valve,

Fig. 7

a section through a cistern with a variant of the inventive drain valve,

Fig. 8

a section through the cistern along the line VIII-VIII of Fig. 7,

Fig. 9

a section corresponding to FIG. 8, but with the auxiliary valve and

Fig. 10-12

Partial sections through the cistern according to FIG. 7 for explaining the operation of the drain valve.

Figs. 1 to 6 show a cistern 2, in which a drain valve 1 is attached. The operation of the drain valve 1 is carried out with an in Fig. 2 only indicated actuating device 3, which is arranged behind an inspection opening 36 and which may be a mechanical, electromagnetic, hydraulic or pneumatic actuation. For rinsing the bolt 31 shown in Fig. 2 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 3. This shift takes place against the retroactive force of a spring 38.

The drain valve 1 has a main valve 5 and an auxiliary valve 4, which are arranged in the vicinity of a comparatively narrow bottom wall 37 of the box body. As particularly shown in FIG. 4, the main valve 5 has a piston 8, on which a sealing flange 21 is arranged, which cooperates with a valve seat 32. The piston 8 is horizontally displaceable in a valve housing 11 and sealed with respect to this with an outer circumferential sealing ring 24. A rear side 39 of the piston 8 faces a chamber 23, which is connected in FIG. 4 via an opening 33 of the housing 11 to an interior 40 of the cistern 2. When the cistern is filled in the room 40 and in the room 23 rinse water. The interior 40 is also connected via a passage 22 of the housing 11 with a space 41. A front side 42 of the piston 8 faces this space 41. In the position of the piston according to FIG. 4 prevails in the two chambers 23 and 41 of the same water pressure. By means of a compression spring 28 which is supported on a rear wall 43 of the housing 11, the piston 8 is held in the position shown in Fig. 4. In this, the main valve 5 is closed as shown.

The auxiliary valve 4 has a rod-shaped closure body 26, which has a lower sealing flange 27 and an upper sealing flange 34 has. A compression spring 29 is supported on a web 44 as shown in FIG. 4 and holds the closure body 26 in the position shown in FIG. 4, in which the lower sealing flange 27 rests on a valve seat 20 of a channel 19. The channel 19 leads according to FIG. 4 along the bottom wall 37 and to a vertically rising overflow pipe 6, which has an upper overflow opening 7 according to FIG. The channel 19 is connected to a horizontal outlet opening 45 of a discharge nozzle 9.

At the upper end of the valve body 26 is connected to two tie rods 13 and 14, which are passed according to FIGS. 1 to 3 by a lower float 16 and an upper float 15. The upper float 15 is connected to the drawbar 14 in the region of an external thread 17. By turning the drawbar 14, the float 15 can be adjusted in height. Here, the float 15 is slidably mounted on two guide rails 12. These rails 12 are attached to a rear wall 10 of the cistern body. The lower float 16 is freely displaceable with respect to the pull rod 14 in height. The lower float 16 is connected to the drawbar 13 in the region of an external thread 18. By rotating the drawbar 13, the lower float 16 can be adjusted in height, whereby this is guided on the rails 12 slidably. With respect to the drawbar 13, the float 15 is freely displaceable. If the cistern is filled with rinse water, then the upper float 15 exerts an upward force on the pull rod 14 and the lower float 16 on the pull rod 13. Since in the rest position both tie rods 14 and 13 are each fixed with a bolt 31, the tie rods 13 and 14 are not moved in the rest position by these forces. In Fig. 2, only the bolt 31 is visible, which is in engagement with the pull rod. As can be seen, the latch 31 engages in a constriction 35 of the pull rod 13. Another not shown here bar is engaged with the drawbar 14. Both bars are independently operable.

Hereinafter, the operation of the drain valve 1 will be explained.

In the initial position of the cistern 2 is filled with rinse water. The filling takes place in a conventional manner with a filling valve, not shown here. The piston 8 and the closure body 26 are in the positions shown in Fig. 4. The main valve 5 and the auxiliary valve 4 are thus closed. To trigger a full flush the pull rod 13 is unlocked. For this purpose, the corresponding latch 31 is moved in Fig. 2 to the right. This can be done mechanically, electromagnetically, hydraulically or pneumatically. By the buoyancy force of the lower float 16, the pull rod 13 now moves upward and thereby the closure body 26 is moved to the upper position shown in Fig. 5. The sealing flange 34 is here, as shown on the housing 11 and closes the passage 33. The sealing flange 27 is now lifted from the valve seat 20 and the space 23 is connected to the valve seat 20 with the channel 19. In the direction of the arrow 46, water now flows from the space 23 into the channel 19. As a result, the static pressure in the chamber 23 decreases. Since the pressure in the chamber 41 is maintained at the same time, the piston 8 in FIG moved from right to left, wherein the spring 28 is tensioned. The sealing flange 21 is thus lifted from the valve seat 32 and the main valve 5 is opened. The water of the cistern flows through the passage 22 in the outlet opening 45 and leaves it in the direction of arrow 47. The water flows directly into the flushing passage of a toilet bowl, not shown here.

If the water level has dropped so far that the float 16 moves downwards, the closure body 26 is moved back into the starting position shown in FIG. 4 with the aid of the spring 29. Through the now open again opening 33, the water flows back into the space 23 and causes a pressure equalization with the space 41. The tensioned compression spring 28 can bring the piston 8 back to the starting position. The main valve 5 and the auxiliary valve 4 are thus closed and with the filling valve, not shown here, the cistern is refilled. The pull rod 13 is locked automatically with the bolt 31, so that the cistern is now ready for another flush.

For a partial flush in which, for example, rinsed with only three liters of water, the pull rod 14 is unlocked. The auxiliary valve 4 and the main valve 5 open as already explained above. If the level of the rinsing water is now approximately at the level of the line 48 shown by dashed lines in FIG. 1, the buoyancy of the upper float 15 is eliminated and the drawbar 14 moves downwards and is automatically locked by the corresponding latch 31. The closure body 26 thereby moves into the position shown in FIG. Thus, the passage 33 is open and through this, the chamber 23 is filled from the interior 40 with water. The pressure difference is thus canceled and the piston 8 is moved by the compression springs 28 in the closed position shown in Fig. 4. That is during this movement both in the chamber 41 and in the chamber 23 water, this closing movement is not abrupt and thus noise damped. The closure position is held by the water pressure, since the applied surface of the side 39 is greater than that of the front side 42. Even after this partial flushing, of course, the cistern is refilled through the filling valve.

Hereinafter, the drain valve 50 will be explained according to FIGS. 7 to 12.

The drain valve 50 is attached to the bottom 66 of a cistern 51 and has, according to FIG. 10, a downwardly extending outlet spout 86, which opens into a rinsing sheet 65, which is only partially visible here, and is sealed with a circumferential lip seal 67. About the nozzle 86, a valve seat 68 is arranged, which forms a main valve 54 with a piston 70. The piston 70 is limited vertically displaceable in a valve housing 61, wherein a circumferential sealing lip 71 slides inside on a cylindrical wall 61 a of the valve housing 61 along. At the lower end of the piston 70, a sealing flange 69 is arranged, which cooperates with the valve seat 68. In the lower part of the wall 61 a windows 84 are recessed, which connect an upper space 85 of the cistern 51 with an inner space 83 of the valve housing 61.

At the upper end of the piston 70, a further sealing flange 73 is arranged, which forms an auxiliary valve 53 with a closure body 63. The sealing flange 73 has, according to FIG. 11, an inside circular opening 74, which is connected to an annular chamber 82. This chamber 82 is open towards the nozzle 86 down. On the closure body 63, a circumferential collar 75 is formed, which rests on the sealing flange 73 when the auxiliary valve 53 according to FIG. 10 is closed. On the collar 75, a guide member 79 is mounted on the upper side, which projects into an opening 78 of a lid 77 in FIG. 11 and which has openings 79a on the circumference. In FIG. 10, the chamber 85 is thus connected to an upper chamber 72 of the valve housing 61. In FIG. 10, therefore, the same water pressure prevails in chambers 72 and 84 as in space 85. Two closure-shaped cups are concentric on the closure body 63 and at different heights Below open floats 59 and 60 arranged. The lower float 60 is connected to a rod 56, for example with the indicated in Fig. 11 thread 87. With the upper float 59, the rod 56 is not connected. The upper float 59, however, is connected to a second rod 57, for example, also screwed. Both rods 56 and 57 are thus connected to a float 59 and 60, respectively. At the upper end, the rods 56 and 57 each have a constriction 58, in each of which a bolt engages. In Fig. 8, only the latch 55 is shown, which locks the rod 56. The corresponding rod locking latch 57 is not shown here. The two bars are each displaceable against the retroactive force of a spring 88 by means of an actuating device 52 in an unlocked position. The actuator 52 may be a mechanical, an electromagnetic, hydraulic or a pneumatic or other device. In FIG. 8, the latch 55 shown here is displaceable to the right. This also applies to the other bar, not shown here, which is in Eigriff with the pull rod 57.

Both floats 59 and 60 are independently displaceable vertically and concentrically guided on the closure body 63. The lower float 60 is connected to the rod 56 and the upper float 59 is connected to the rod 57. Both floats 59 and 60 are each adjustable, for example, screw connected to the respective rod 56 and 57, respectively. At the upper end of the closure body 63, a web 62 is arranged, which according to FIGS. 8 and 9, the rods 56 and 57 respectively engages over a shoulder 89.

The operation of the valve 50 will be explained in more detail.

Fig. 10 shows the drain valve 50 in the starting position. The cistern 51 is filled according to FIG. 7 up to a level 91 with rinse water. The main valve 54 and the auxiliary valve 53 are closed. To trigger a full flush, the latch 55 is now moved from the position shown in Fig. 8 in the position shown in Fig. 9. The rod 56 is unlocked with it. The lower float 60, which is connected to the rod 56, this moves upward due to its buoyancy, said shoulder 89 engages the web 62 and thus raises the Verschußkörper 63 of the auxiliary valve 53. The collar 75 is thereby raised by the sealing flange 73 in the position shown in Fig. 11. As a result, the passage 74 is free and out of the chamber 72 water flows down through the chamber 82 into the socket 86 away. The pressure in the chamber 72 is thereby lowered. In the lower chamber 83 but still there is the static pressure of the rinse water 90, since this space 83 is connected via the window 84 with this space 85. Since the pressure in the lower chamber 83 is greater than in the upper chamber 72, this pressure differential raises the piston 70 to the position shown in FIG. The main valve 54 is thus opened and the rinse water 90 can flow according to the arrows 92 through the windows 84 into the nozzle 86 and finally into the rinsing arc 65. The opening 78 in the lid 77 is now open again and rinse water flows into the space 72 and causes a pressure equalization with the space 83. The closure body 63 is now brought by gravity into the starting position and held by the water pressure in this. By the spring 88, the rod 56 is automatically locked again. The main valve 54 and the auxiliary valve 53 are thus closed and the inlet valve, not shown here fills the cistern again up to the level 91. The cistern 51 is thus ready for another flush.

To trigger a partial flush, for example with three liters of rinse water, the rod 57 is unlocked. The upper float 59 is now active and moves the rod 57 and with this the closure body 63 upwards. Thus, as explained above, the flushing triggered. If now the level 91 of the rinse water 90 as shown in FIG. 7 falls approximately to the level of the level 91a, the buoyancy of the upper float 59 drops and this becomes a weight. This rests on the closure body 63 on the piston 70, which is moved downwards. At the same time, the opening 78 is released and in the chamber 72, a static pressure builds up, which moves the piston 70 on the valve seat 68. Finally, the main valve 54 and the auxiliary valve 53 are closed. The closing movement of the main valve 54 is triggered prematurely in this case, the partial flush. Accordingly, only a subset of the rinse water 90 leaves the cistern 51. This subset can be adjusted by moving the upper float 59. For this purpose, the rod 57 is rotated, for example, and the upper float 59 is screwed upwards or downwards. Here, he is, as mentioned above, guided on the closure body 63. Also in this case, as explained above, the closing operation of the main valve 54 is damped because the piston 70 is moved downwardly on the valve seat 68 due to a pressure difference.

Claims (13)

1. Drainage valve for a cistern with a main valve (5, 54) and an auxiliary valve (4, 53), which auxiliary valve has a closure body (26, 63) whereby, when operated, the static pressure of the flush water (90) causes the main valve (5, 54) to open automatically, characterised in that the auxiliary valve (4, 53) is controlled by two floats (15, 16, 59, 60), and a first float (16, 60) controls a full flush and a second float (15, 59) controls a partial flush.
2. Valve as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the float (15, 16, 59, 60) is connected to the closure body (26, 63) of the auxiliary valve (4, 53).
3. Valve as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the two floats (15, 16, 59, 60) are disposed at different heights.
4. Valve as claimed in one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the closure body (26, 63) of the auxiliary valve (4, 53) is locked against the upward driving force of the floats (15, 16, 59, 60) in its non-operating position and unlocking triggers flushing.
5. Valve as claimed in one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the height of at least one of the two floats (15, 16, 59, 60) can be adjusted.
6. Valve as claimed in one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that at least one of the two floats (15, 16, 59, 60) is disposed on a draw bar (13, 14, 56, 57) which is actively connected to the closure body (26, 63).
7. Valve as claimed in claim 6, characterised in that the draw bar (13, 14, 56, 57) is retained in a non-operating position by means of a retaining mechanism (55, 58).
8. Valve as claimed in claim 7, characterised in that the retaining mechanism (55, 58) is a locking mechanism.
9. Valve as claimed in claim 8, characterised in that the locking mechanism has a bolt (55) which can be displaced in order to trigger flushing.
10. Valve as claimed in one of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that it can be operated by a mechanical, electromagnetic, hydraulic or pneumatic operating mechanism (3, 52).
11. Valve as claimed in one of claims 1 to 10, characterised in that two draw bars (13, 14, 56, 57) engage on the closure body (26, 63) of the auxiliary valve (4, 53) and each of these draw bars is respectively attached to one of the two floats (15, 16, 59, 60).
12. Valve as claimed in one of claims 1 to 11, characterised in that the closure body (63) of the auxiliary valve (53) forms an overflow pipe and at least one of the two floats (59, 60) is concentrically guided on it.
13. Valve as claimed in one of claims 1 to 12, characterised in that the main valve (5, 54) has a vertical (86) or horizontal (9) outlet.

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