EP1627965B1

EP1627965B1 - Toilet with rinsing device within the toilet pot

Info

Publication number: EP1627965B1
Application number: EP05076815A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Josephus Albertus Antonius Haarhuis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-08-19
Filing date: 2005-08-05
Publication date: 2009-02-18
Anticipated expiration: 2025-08-05
Also published as: ATE423241T1; DE602005012762D1; DK1627965T3; NL1026868C2; EP1627965A1

Abstract

A toilet 1 has a toilet pot 3 provided with a flushing bowl 5, a drainage pipe 7 and a flushing device 9, which is provided with a cistern 11 to which a water pipeline 15 and a flushing pipe 19 are connected. The water pipeline 15 can be closed by a first magnetic valve 21. There are two level switches 23 and 25 in the cistern 11. The top-level switch 25 is connected to the first magnetic valve 21 and closes the water pipeline if the water level in the cistern has reached this level. The flushing pipe 19 is closed by a movable closing device 29, which works together with a pressure chamber 31, which is connected to a chamber 37, consisting of two spaces 39 and 41, which contains a water drainage opening 43 as well as an air opening 47, which is connected to the cistern 11. The first level switch 23 is connected to a second magnetic valve 53, which when powered opens the water drainage opening 43 and closes the air opening 49. An operating switch 55 can open the first magnetic valve 21 and power the second magnetic valve 53.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:

Field of the invention.

The invention relates to a flushing device for a cistern of a toilet, which cistern is provided with a water supply opening for connection to a water pipeline, and a water drainage opening connected to a flushing bowl via a flushing pipe, which flushing device comprises at least one valve, that closes a water drainage opening in a first position and opens the water drainage opening in a second position, and a level switch which is activated if the water level in the cistern reaches a level.

Prior art.

This type of flushing device is known from American patent US 3.905.050 . In the known flushing device the valve is openen manually by a handle and the level switch closes a purge line which extends from inside the cistern to under the liquid removing opening.

Summary of the invention.

An objective of the invention is to improve the known flushing device. For this purpose, the flushing device according to the invention is defined by the features of independent claim 1.
The flushing device according to the invention has the advantage that there are hardly any moving parts, so the chance of a malfunction is therefore minimal. Except for the moving parts in the valves and any in the level switches there are no moving parts in the flushing device. Generally well-known and well-tried valves and level switches have proved themselves sufficiently in practice, so that the chance of a malfunction therefore is minimal.
An embodiment of the flushing device according to the invention is characterized in that the first valve is formed by a first magnetic valve, in which the second level switch is connected to the first magnetic valve and gives a signal for the closure of the water supply opening if the water level in the cistern reaches the second level, and in which the operating switch opens the first magnetic valve on activation.
A further embodiment of the flushing device according to the invention is characterized in that the second valve is formed by a second magnetic valve that closes the water drainage opening and opens the air supply and removal opening when not powered, and that opens the water drainage opening and closes the air supply and removal opening when it is powered, in which the first level switch is connected to the second magnetic valve and opens the second magnetic valve on activation, and in which the operating switch powers the second magnetic valve on activation.
The flushing device can be operated fully electronically with electrically powered magnetic valves. The operating switch in this case for example can be a contact-free approach switch so that the toilet can be operated hygienically.
Still a further embodiment of the flushing device according to the invention is characterized in that the chamber has a first space that is provided with the water drainage opening, the water supply opening and an air supply and removal opening as well as a second space that is at a higher level than the first space and which is connected to the first space, in which the top of the first space is at virtually the same level as the second level switch. Existing magnetic valves can be more easily used by dividing the chamber into two parts.
Still a further embodiment of the flushing device according to the invention is characterized in that the water supply opening in the pressure chamber is formed by an opening in the closing device on the side of the flushing pipe, which, if the closing device is closed, is connected to the cistern. This means that a separate opening in the pressure chamber and the connected pipeline is not needed, so that construction is even simpler.
Furthermore, the invention relates to a toilet comprising a toilet pot provided with a flushing bowl and a drainage pipe connected to the flushing bowl as well as a cistern provided with a water supply opening for connection to a water pipeline, and a water drainage opening connected to the flushing bowl via a flushing pipe, and which toilet comprises a flushing device according to the invention.

Brief description of the drawings.

The invention will be elucidated more fully below on the basis of drawings in which an embodiment of the toilet and of the flushing device according to the invention is shown. In these drawings:

Figure 1 shows a cross-section of the first embodiment of the toilet Figure 1 shows a cross-section of the first embodiment of the toilet according to the invention;
Figure 2 shows a view from above of the toilet;
Figure 3 shows a rear view of the toilet;
Figure 4 shows a detail of the flushing device of the toilet; and
Figure 5 shows an embodiment of the device for keeping a cistern at the desired pressure.

Detailed description of the drawings.

In figures 1, 2 and 3 an embodiment of the toilet according to the invention is shown in a cross-section, a view from above and a rear view. The toilet 1 has a toilet pot 3 provided with a flushing bowl 5 and a drainage pipe 7 connected to the flushing bowl. A flushing device 9 is built into the toilet pot 3.
In figure 4 the flushing device 9 is shown in detail. The flushing device has a cistern 11 provided with a water supply opening 13 to which a water pipeline 15 is connected and a water drainage opening 17, which is connected to the flushing bowl 5 via a flushing pipe 19.
The flushing device 9, furthermore, has a first valve that is a first magnetic valve 21, which can open or close the water pipeline 15.
Cistern 11 has two level switches 23 and 25, which are reed contacts that are powered by a magnetic float 27. The level switch 25 at the highest level is connected to the first magnetic valve 21. If the water level in the cistern rises to this level, by addition of water via the water pipeline 15, the first magnetic valve 21 is switched off so that the water pipeline 15 is closed.
The flushing pipe 19 is closed by a movable closing device 29 that works together with a pressure chamber 31, which keeps the closing device 29 closed with a first pressure and opens the closing device with a second pressure that is lower than the first pressure. The pressure chamber 31 is provided with a water supply opening 33, which is at a level lower than the second level switch, is connected to the cistern 11. This water supply opening 33 is formed by an opening in the closing device 29 on the side of the flushing pipe 19, which, if the closing device is closed, is connected to the cistern 11. The pressure chamber 31 is also provided with a water drainage opening 35.
The flushing device 9, furthermore, is provided with a chamber 37, which has a first space 39 and a second space 41 that is at a higher level than the first space and which is connected to the first space. The top of the first space 39 is at the same level as the second level switch 25. This first space 39 is provided with a water drainage opening 43, which is connected to the sewer as well as a water supply opening 45 that is connected to the water drainage opening 35 of the pressure chamber 31. Furthermore, the first space 39 is provided with an air supply and removal opening 47, which is connected via an air pipeline 49 to an air-filled space 51 in the cistern 11 above the second level switch 25.
Furthermore, the flushing device 9 has a second valve, formed by a second magnetic valve 53 that when not powered closes the water drainage opening 43 and opens the air pipeline 49, and which when powered opens the water drainage opening 43 and closes the air pipeline 49. The first level switch 23 is connected to the second magnetic valve 53 and opens the second magnetic valve on activation.
There is an operating switch 55 for the flushing device 9, which switches on the first magnetic valve 21 on activation, so that the water pipeline 15 is opened and the second magnetic valve 53 is powered.
The action of the toilet is as follows: Cistern 11, as is also the case with washing machines, is filled by means of the magnetic valve 21 until the magnetic float 27 powers the second level switch 25 and switches off the magnetic valve 21. Water has also flowed via the water supply opening 33 in the closing device 29 into the pressure chamber 31 (pressure chamber 31 and cistern 11 form communicating vessels) and has come to the same level as the water in the cistern 11.
The air in the space 41 is thereby compressed. The rest of the air present in the space 39 has flowed to the cistern 11 via the air opening 47. The toilet is now ready for use.
If the user of the toilet now activates the flushing device with the operating switch (e.g. an approach switch that is placed on or near the toilet), the second magnetic valve 53 is powered so that the water drainage opening 43 is opened and the air pipeline 49 is closed. The water in the space 39 is forced through the water drainage opening 43 into the space 41 by the air pressure.
As soon as the water has left the space 39, both spaces 39 and 41 are pressure-free and the water in the pressure chamber 31, which ensures that the closing device 29 closes the flushing pipe 19, can escape via space 39 and water drainage opening 43 with the result that the closing device 29 is forced away by the pressure in the cistern 11 so that the flushing pipe 19 is opened and the toilet is flushed.
The first magnetic valve 21 is also operated when the user of the toilet operates the operating switch 55, so that an extra quantity of water is available for flushing whilst the toilet is being flushed.
The water level in the cistern 11 drops due to the disappearing water when the toilet is flushed until operating switch 23 is powered by the float 27. This means that the second magnetic valve 53 is negated, the air pipeline opens and the water drainage opening 43 is closed. This makes the pressure in the pressure chamber 31 behind the closing device 29 equal to the pressure in the cistern 11.
The first magnetic valve 21 is still powered so that the cistern 11 refills until magnetic float 27 operates the second operating switch 25 and the first magnetic valve 21 closes. The toilet is then again ready for use.
The pressure in the cistern 11 is kept exactly up to the required level in the embodiment of the toilet according to the invention. This is done by the design of the space 39 with air opening 47 and water drainage opening 43 in combination with the space 41. The basic point here is that compressed air occupies a smaller volume than air under no or less pressure.
As an example we take a desired pressure in the cistern 11 of 1 bar. We assume that this pressure is present at this moment and the toilet is ready for use. Space 39 is filled with water and space 41 is filled with compressed air at 1 bar, the air opening 47 is opened and the water drainage opening is closed. The volumes of both spaces 39 and 41 should then be about equal. There is now a quantity of air in the space 41, which when not compressed should have a volume equal to that of the spaces 39 and 41 together.
If the toilet is now flushed, air pipeline 49 is closed and water drainage opening 43 is opened. The compressed air in the space 41 is just sufficient to force the water in the space 39 through the water drainage opening 43. This space 41 is then pressure-free and the uncompressed air fills the spaces 39 and 41. No air therefore has to be supplied or removed to keep both spaces filled with air. The water, which is forced from the pressure chamber 31 to space 39 during flushing, can escape unhindered through water drainage opening 43 because this opening is large enough to allow this water to escape unhindered and still also has sufficient space to allow air in or out of space 39.
If the flushing is now terminated because the water level in the cistern 11 has dropped so much that the magnetic float 27 powers the operating switch 23 and thus negates magnetic valve 53, the air pipeline 49 is again opened and the water drainage opening 43 is closed.
As a result of this, air escapes from the cistern 11 and the spaces 39 and 41 fill up with compressed air until the pressure in these is equal to the pressure in the cistern 11. During the refilling of the cistern 11 with fresh water, as a result of the law of communicating vessels, water also flows into space 39 until it is full. The air that was in the space 39 is expelled into the space 41 and into the cistern 11, so that the same quantity of air that escaped from the cistern 11 into the space 39, on termination of the flushing, is again fed back into the cistern 11.
The following will now happen if the desired pressure in the cistern 11 decreases for any reason. Less air is needed to fill the spaces 39 and 41 from the cistern 11 after flushing because the pressure in the cistern 11 is lower and therefore the air present there is less compressed and has a smaller pressure-free volume. Therefore, less air is used to force space 39 empty, which any way does not succeed completely. The remnant has enough time and space to escape from the space 39, after which this space fills up again with air from water drainage opening 43. This quantity of air is however, depending on the pressure in the cistern 11, several cubic centimetres more than the lost quantity and therefore causes a pressure increase in the cistern 11 with every flush, until the desired pressure of 1 bar is again present and the system is again in equilibrium.
The reverse of the above process occurs if the pressure in the cistern 11 increases.
This concept, maintaining the cistern at the desired pressure, can also be used to maintain the pressure of another type of cistern 63 with a minor change in the device 61, as depicted in figure 5. The action of this is equal to that of the toilet. All parts, which are equal to those in the above-described toilet, are indicated with the same identification numbers.
If the water in the cistern 63, which is partly filled with air and water (the ratio depends on the desired pressure), drops too much, a float magnet 27 will activate a first level switch 23 and power the magnetic valve 53. This admits fresh water to the cistern 63 until a second level switch 25 again switches off the magnetic valve 53 when a certain level (and therefore pressure) is reached.
The only thing that is different from the flushing device 9 of the toilet 1 is the following. The water needed to keep the pipeline 19 closed comes from the cistern 63 via a pipeline 65, which is on an opening 33 in the pressure chamber 31, and does not enter the pressure chamber 31 via an opening in the closing device 29.
Although in the above the invention is explained on the basis of the drawings, it should be noted that the invention is in no way limited to the embodiments shown in the drawings. The invention also extends to all embodiments deviating from the embodiments shown in the drawings within the context defined by the claims.

Claims

Flushing device (9, 61) for a cistern (11) of a toilet (1), which cistern (11, 63) is provided with a water supply opening (13) for connection to a water pipeline (15), and a cistern water drainage opening (17) connected to a flushing bowl (5) via a flushing pipe (19) which flushing device (9, 61) comprises at least a second valve (53), that closes an air/water chamber drainage opening (43) in a first position and opens the air/water chamber drainage opening in a second position and a second level switch (25) which is activated if the water level in the cistern reaches a level, characterized in that the flushing device further contains the following parts:
- a first valve (21) that can open or close the water supply opening (13) to the cistern,

- a first level switch (23) that is activated if the water level in the cistern reaches a first level,

- whereby the second level switch (25) is connected to the first valve (21) and is activated if the water level in the cistern reaches a second level that is higher than the first level, and which moves the first valve (21) into a position on activation in which the water supply (13) opening is closed,

- a closing device (29) that can open and close the flushing pipe (19),

- a pressure chamber (31) that works together with the closing device (29) and which keeps the closing device closed with a first pressure and which opens the closing device with a second pressure that is lower than the first pressure, which pressure chamber (31) is provided with a water supply opening (33) that is connected at a level lower than the second level switch (25) to the cistern, as well as a pressure chamber water drainage opening (35),

- an air/water chamber (37) provided with an air/water drainage opening (43) for connection to a sewer, a water supply opening (45) that is connected to the pressure chamber water drainage opening (35) of the pressure chamber (31), and an air supply and removal opening (47) that is connected to the space (51) in the cistern above the second level switch (25), in which the top of the air/water chamber (37) is at a higher level than the second level switch and the bottom is at a lower level than the second level switch,

- whereby the second valve (53) is arranged in the air/water chamber (37) that in the first position not only closes the air/water chamber drainage opening (43) but also opens the air supply and removal opening (47), and in the second position not only opens the air/water chamber drainage opening (43) but also closes the air supply and removal opening (47), in which the first level switch (23) is connected to the second valve (53) and moves the second valve into the first position on activation,

- an operating switch (55) that opens the first valve (21) and moves the second valve (53) into the second position on activation.
Flushing device (9) according to claim 1, characterized in that the first valve (21) is formed by a first magnetic valve, in which the second level (25) switch is connected to the first magnetic valve and gives a signal to close the water supply opening (13) if the water level in the cistern reaches the second level, and in which the operating switch (55) opens the first magnetic valve on activation.
Flushing device (9) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the second valve (53) is formed by a second magnetic valve that closes the water drainage opening (43) and opens the air supply and removal opening (47) when not powered, and that opens the water drainage opening and closes the air supply and removal opening when powered, in which the first level switch (23) is connected to the second magnetic valve and opens the second magnetic valve on activation, and in which the operating switch (55) powers the second magnetic valve on activation.
Flushing device (9) according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the chamber (37) comprises a first space (39), which is provided with the water drainage opening (43), the water supply opening (45) and an air supply and removal opening (47), and a second space (41) that is on a higher level than the first space and which is connected to the first space, in which the top of the first space is at virtually the same level as the second level switch (25).
Flushing device (9) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the water supply opening (33) in the pressure chamber (37) is formed by an opening in the closing device on the side of the flushing pipe (19), which, if the closing device is closed, is connected to the cistern (11).
Toilet (1) comprising a toilet pot (3) provided with a flushing bowl (5) and a drainage pipe (7) connected to the flushing bowl, as well as a cistern (11) provided with a water supply opening (13) for connection to a water pipeline (15), and a water drainage opening (17) connected to the flushing bowl (5) via a flushing pipe (19), and which toilet comprises a flushing device (9) according to one of the preceding claims