EP2098649B1

EP2098649B1 - Flush valve allowing a selection of a quantity of flush water in a toilet tank

Info

Publication number: EP2098649B1
Application number: EP09468002.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Janko Lenarcic; Matjaz F. Gustincic
Original assignee: Fluidmaster Predelava Plastike d o o
Current assignee: Fluidmaster Predelava Plastike d o o
Priority date: 2008-03-07
Filing date: 2009-03-06
Publication date: 2018-09-26
Anticipated expiration: 2029-03-06
Also published as: SI2098649T1; EP2098649A3; SI22755A; EP2098649A2

Description

Subject of Invention

The subject of the present invention is a flush valve of a toilet tank allowing a selection of a quantity of flush water in a toilet tank.

Technical Problem

The technical problem solved by the present invention is how to construct such flush valve in a toilet tank, preferably a toilet tank with a double flush system, that will allow for a simple and evident manner of optional n-time changing / setting of a quantity of flush water, wherein there will be a possibility of interruption of flushing in a desired moment at a preset quantity of flush water and such flush valve can be built in a toilet tank of any type without use of any tool also by the user himself, wherein the flush valve must allow for complete assembling on an automatic line.

Prior Art

Toilet tanks of nowadays must not only meet strict regulations and tests about the quantity of flush water but also adapt to client's wishes. To keep water consumption at the lowest level possible, toilet tanks having a double flush are often used. Due to different shapes and capacity of toilet tanks and requirements regulating the quantity of flush water in individual countries there is a tendency for such flush valves that allow a selection of flush water quantity. Selection of flush water quantity may either be implemented upon final assembly of the flush valve in the factory or may be set by a person specialised in installation. In case of a double flush one quantity may be selected, whereas the second quantity is fixed.
EP 1598490 (Fominaya Agullo ) discloses a double flush mechanism in a toilet tank comprising two pairs of identical floats which are jointly anchored at a distance on an additional supporting bridge. The lower pair of floats, which determines the large volume of flush water, is anchored in a predeterminated height which determines a fixed large volume of flush water. The upper pair of floats determining the smaller volume of flush water is supported in an additional support part which is anchored by its projections in a groove of a lateral bridge. The groove with its form enables a different height of anchoring and consecutively different smaller volumes of flush water.
In EP1674623 (Moura de Oliviera ), a flush valve assembly is described that has a movable float which selectively engages with the valve body.
A double flush valve of a toilet tank is also disclosed in WO2006/068628 (Er Osman ) and EP 1310603 (Guaita de Lila ).
ES 1037249 (Singla Palacín ) discloses a flush valve allowing flushing of a toilet tank with a large and small quantity of flush water. The flush valve comprises a multipart housing, a closing bar connected via arm mechanism with a triggering button for water flushing, a two-part float for a large quantity of flush water that is fixed in direction of the longitudinal axis of the flush valve/bar and is hingedly connected within the housing, and a single-part float for a small quantity of flush water that is linked in a form-locking manner to the flushing bar via adequate tooth and a notch on the flushing bar. In axial direction the float may be moved in steps by the size of individual pre-set distances between individual notches. The large quantity of flush water is predetermined as a function of a toilet tank by the construction of the two-part float, move of the closing bar in axial direction and fixed height of fastening of the two-part float on the closing bar. Selection of large quantity of flush water cannot be changed subsequently. The same flush valve cannot be built into another toilet tank of a different capacity or shape. The small quantity of flush water may be changed by moving the one-part upper float within tolerances allowed by the distances on the flushing bar, yet the quantity of change, i.e. new selected quantity is not evident from an individual move. The flush valve consists of a large number of constituent elements formed in a way that assembling of the flush valve cannot be performed on automatic lines, at least not completely.
In case of changing volume of flush water the toilet tank needs to be opened and the quantity of flush water re-set, which setting remains unchanged until next new setting. Although re-setting of the quantity of flush water may be performed in a relatively simple way and optionally often, an intervention in the toilet tank / flush valve is needed.
The flush valve renders it possible to interrupt the current flushing, however, such flush valve only has one, factory set quantity of flush water. Unless the user interrupts flushing, the maximum quantity of flush water is flushed upon each flushing. Flush water consumption depends on user's consciousness. The flush valve conceptually comprises a mechanism for triggering flush water that allows lifting, withholding and forced lowering of the closing bar. This is the reason why such mechanisms are normally very complex and consist of numerous constituent parts, which makes them impossible to be assembled on automatic lines. Moreover, such mechanism for triggering flush water needs a certain space for building in and is not suitable for being embedded into an optional type of toilet tank.
A special problem regarding the regulation of the quantity of flush water appears with toilet tanks for high installation, in which a double flush valve cannot be built in, nor can interruption be implemented.

Solution to the Technical Problem

The described technical problem is solved by a flush valve of the invention comprising a tubular housing having two longitudinal slots diametrically opposite with shaped mutually spaced bearings, a coaxially arranged closing bar with two longitudinal ribs in said housing, said ribs comprising mutually spaced notches and/or indentations, wherein said closing bar is arranged in a way that each slot of said housing is aligned with each rib, and between said housing and said bar there is a horseshoe shaped float, each leg of which comprises a notch with an integrally formed plug and a tooth, wherein said float is permanently form locked via plug with the bearing of the slot of said housing and at times form locked via tooth with the belonging notch of the rib of the closing bar. The plugs are coaxial and function as hinges allowing oscillation of said float around hinge axles. The housing, closing bar and float are mutually arranged in a way that the slots, ribs and plugs are mutually aligned and lie on a common axis perpendicular to the longitudinal A-A axis of the flush valve / housing, which axis is simultaneously also the oscillation axis of the float, and preferably co-operates with the transversal central axis of the flush valve/housing.
Upon triggering / lifting of the closing bar, the float engages with its tooth into previously determined notch of the rib due to buoyant force exerted on said float. When the water level in the toilet tank falls below the float due to water flowing through the flush opening of the toilet tank, the buoyant force is absent, the force of gravity of the float causes the latter to oscillate in opposite direction, wherein the tooth of said float unlatches from the notch of the rib and the closing bar returns to the closed position.
By slidingly moving the plug from one bearing into another within the slot of the housing and herewith moving the plug in height within said housing, the adequately shaped tooth in the flushing mode engages with another notch of the rib of the bar corresponding to the shift. A consequence of the changed height of the float is a changed time of presence of the buoyant force on the float and thus on the quantity of flush water. The distances between bearings are formed in a way to correspond to a certain quantity of flush water, the value of which is explicitely indicated on the housing.
Each bearing is designed to allow the plug to oscillate around its axis and simultaneously prevents the plug from moving up and down in the slot without any external force being exerted thereon. Should the plug be shifted from one bearing into another one, the bearing elastically moves apart and the plug slides down or up the slot.
A relatively weak buoyant force is sufficient for the operation of a float constructed in this way and the size of the float is adequate thereto. Due to a very small size of the float more than one float can be installed in the flush valve of the invention, preferably two floats in case of a double-flush toilet tank. In the latter case, two identical floats are arranged mutually vertically spaced, wherein each float has its own bearings in the same two slots of the housing and adequately belonging notches and/or indentations in the same two ribs, which do mutually not overlap. Setting of a desired quantity of flush water is performed by slidingly pushing the plug up or down within the slot of the housing from one bearing into another one, preferably by hand. In case of two floats, each individual quantity of flush water may be set / changed in a simple way, independently on each other. The quantity of flush water may be changed any time without use of any tool and without any special expert knowledge.
In case of too strong buoyant force / too weak gravity force of the float that returns the flush valve to the closed position, the float may have at least one indentation of an adequate size on its upper surface receiving water, which contributes to the total mass of the float and increases the gravity force acting against the buoyant force. A consequence of the small size of the float is also the design of the entire flush valve of the toilet tank, which is reflected in diminished dimensions of the flush valve, lower mass of the entire flush valve and also savings in the production of each individual product.
Further, the technical problem is solved by a flush valve having a tubular housing, wherein said tubular housing has an adapted open chamber on its bottom end towards the sink of the toilet tank, said chamber having space in height, which allows for an additional path/lifting of the closing bar in repeated activation of the manual mechanism for triggering flush water during current flushing. The space in height of the chamber is smaller than the distance between two adjacent notches / indentations on the rib of the closing bar. The tooth of the float is conical, which makes engagement with the notch and especially unlatching from the notch easier.
Upon water triggering, the mechanism for triggering flush water lifts the closing bar for the height of the previously set path and the tooth of the active float engages with the notch / indentation on the rib of the closing bar. Flush water flows through the opening. Upon a repeated triggering of the same mechanism for triggering flush water, the mechanism acts on the closing bar again. The tooth of the active float in this case unlatches from the notch of the rib and the closing bar shifts axially by the height of the path equalling the height of the down opened chamber adapted to the shape of the tubular housing. After the mechanism for triggering flush water is released, the closing bar shifts axially downwards due to its own gravity force. The shifting of the closing bar prevents the tooth of the float to engage with the notch of the rib of the closing bar. The closing bar shifts downwards to its initial position, i.e. to the flush opening of the toilet tank and closes it. Flowing out of flush water is interrupted.
The flush valve of the invention makes it possible to install the mechanism for triggering flush water both on the upper part of the closing bar and in an adequate bearing on the external circumference of the tubular housing of the flush valve. In the first instance, such flush valve may be installed into a toilet tank for low installations in both on-wall and in-wall variants. In case of the mechanism with wire transfer of a known type that is connected to the closing bar in the area within the tubular housing via levers, the flush valveof the invention can be built to any types of toilet tanks, regardless of the fact whether the toilet tank is meant for high or low installations, on-wall or in-wall variants, made of ceramics.
The flush valve of the invention built into a toilet tank allows the user to select a large or small quantity of flush water and to interrupt flushing, especially in case of the large quantity of flush water.
The flush valve has a single construction regardless of the type of toilet tank into which it will be installed. It can be installed into an optional toilet tank without having to perform any changes in the construction of individual component parts. The height of the flush valve of the toilet tank specific for each type of toilet tank is individually adaptable by means of a telescopic upper end of the closing bar. The number of constituent parts is minimum and independent on the type of toilet tank. Tolerance in engagements between individual constituent parts is much more considerable than production tolerance of individual parts. This is the reason why the flush valve can be produced on automatic lines that do not require a very precise positioning of individual parts. The flush valve of the invention is thus not only adequate for large series production but also cost effective.
The invention will now be described in more detail by a description of an embodiment and the enclosed drawings, showing in:

Fig. 1 Flush valve in initial position; longitudinal cross-section
Fig. 2 Housing of the flush valve in perspective view
Fig. 3 Bar of the flush valve in perspective view
Fig. 4 Float of the flush valve in perspective view
Fig. 5 Flush valve during release of a large quantity of flush water; longitudinal cross-section
Fig. 6 Flush valve upon interruption of release of a large quantity of flush water; longitudinal cross-section
Fig. 7 Tooth of a float, partial section from Fig. 1

A flush valve 100 allowing a selection of a quantity of flush water in a toilet tank comprises

a fastening ring 1 for fastening said flush valve 100 into a toilet tank not shown on figures,
a tubular housing 2 having an element 3 on its bottom end for connection with said fastening ring of said toilet tank and having an element 3' on its upper end for the connection with a cover 4 comprising a central opening,
a closing bar 5 coaxially arranged within said housing 2, said bar having a conically shaped bottom end 6, with which it reaches into the release opening of the toilet tank, and a flange 7, and that has on its upper telescopically designed end 8 an element (not shown) with at least one lug for the engagement with the manual mechanism for triggering flush water, and
at least one float 9, preferably two in the double flush valve.

tubular housing

lateral surface area

longitudinal slots

bearings

housing

flush valve

housing

flush valve

individual bearing

bearings

bar

longitudinal ribs

closing bar

bar

housing

slot

housing

rib

bar

housing

closing bar

rib

notch

indentation

indentations

notches

indentations

bearings

slot

housing

In the area between said housing 2 and said closing bar 5 there is a horseshoe shaped float 9. An internal side of each float leg comprises a U-groove 17 extending on the height of said float 9. Said float 9 has an integrally formed plug 20 which is disposed at an upper edge of said float 9, on the external side of its each leg opposite to the bottom of said groove 17. Said plug 20 engages with a selected bearing 13 of said housing 2 and acts as a hinge allowing said float 9 to oscillate, i.e. to be pivotally mounted in the housing 2. Said plug 20 reaches through said notch 12 and said bearing 13, respectively and ends with a member 21 for easier vertical movement of said float 9 within said slot 12. At the bottom side, a distal side 18 of said groove 17 has an integrally formed tooth 19 that is aligned with the bottom edge of said float 9, said tooth 19 reaching into said groove 17, yet not further than the centre of said groove 17. Said groove 17 acts as a guide to said rib 14 in lifting / lowering said closing bar 5 at a selected quantity of flush water and is a guide to said float 9 when setting the quantity of flush water parallel to the longitudinal axis A-A of said housing 2.
At a selected quantity of flush water said float 9 permanently engages with a selected bearing 13 of said slot 12 of said housing 2 via plug 20, and at times engages with a corresponding notch 15 of said rib 14 of said closing bar 5 via integrally formed tooth 19. Upon triggering / lifting of said closing bar 5, said tooth 19 of said float 9 engages into a selected notch 15 of said rib 14 due to the buoyant force. When the water level in the toilet tank falls under said float 9 due to the water flowing through the sink opening, the buoyant force is no longer active and the gravity force of said float 9 causes it to oscillate in opposite direction, wherein said tooth 19 of said float 9 unlatches from said notch 15 of said rib 14 and said closing bar 5 is released and returns to the closed position.
The quantity of flush water changes if the height of said float 9 changes in said flush valve. The height of said float 9 in said flush valve may be changed by pushing said plug 20 vertically up or down by means of said member 21 from one bearing into another bearing, wherein said bearing 13 extends elastically.
Said float 9 may have one or more indentations of a certain shape on its upper side in order to increase the gravity force.
As the height of said float is small relative to the height of said closing bar, more than one float 9 may be arranged in height in the flush valve of the invention. In this way more than one quantity of flush water may be selected independently, preferably two quantities of water in a toilet tank with a double sink. In such example the second float is identical to the first one in shape and size and is arranged at a distance above the first float, preferably in same direction. Said rib 12 of said closing bar 5 comprises indentations 16 in the area of said second float. Said indentations are mutually spaced, the spaces corresponding to the spaces of said bearings 13 within said slot 12 of said housing 2 and correspond to pre-set small quantities of flush water. Said indentations 16 and said notches 15 have a mutual distance allowing for said tooth to latch only at a selected quantity of flush water.
No tool neither special skills are needed to shift said float. It can be shifted any time without having to make an intervention in the construction of a toilet tank.
A flush valve 100 allowing a selection of a quantity of flush water in a toilet tank comprises a fastening ring 1 for fastening said flush valve into a toilet tank (not shown), a tubular housing 2 comprising two longitudinal slots 12, a closing bar 5 with two longitudinal ribs 14 comprising more than one notch 15 and at least one indentation 16, and at least one horseshoe shaped float 9, preferably two in a double sink toilet tank, said float having two integrally formed plugs 20 and teeth 19, wherein said closing bar 5 is arranged within said housing 2 in a way that each rib 14 is aligned with each slot 12 of said housing 2, andeach plug 20 of said float 9 is aligned with said rib 14 of said closing bar 5 and said slot 12 of said housing 2, and each slot 12, each rib 14 and each plug 20 lie on a common axis. On its bottom end said tubular housing 2 has an integrally formed chamber 22, said chamber being open towards the sink of the toilet tank and having the height H which is smaller than the distance between two adjacent notches 15 / indentations 16 on said rib 14 of said closing bar 5. Said height H of said chamber 22 allows for an additional path/lifting of said closing bar 5 in repeated activation of a manual mechanism for triggering flush water during current flushing.
Said tooth 19 of said float is conically shaped, wherein a lateral surface 26 of said tooth facing the interior of said float is formed of two surfaces 26', 26" that embrace an angle α or β with their central line A of said tooth 19. The angle α being the angle between the central line A of said tooth and the belonging plain of said surface 26' is larger than the angle β which is the angle between the central line A of said tooth and the belonging plain of said surface 26". The angle α may assume values between 15° and 60°, preferably between 30° and 45°. The conical shape of said tooth 19, especially a less considerable tilt of said lateral surface 26" at the root of said tooth allows for said tooth to engage with said notch 15 and to maintain said closing bar in the open position. A more considerable tilt of said lateral surface 26' at the top of said tooth 19 increases the possibility of sliding of said lateral surface 26' of said tooth at the flange of said notch 15 and thus decreases the possibility of said tooth to engage with said notch 15 during the interruption of flushing.
The thickness of said tooth 19 at the root is smaller than the width of said notch 15 on said rib 14.
The mechanism for triggering flush water can be installed on the flush valve of the invention via an element on the upper part of said closing bar. As shown in the embodiment, installation is also possible in a mechanism 23 with wire transfer of a known type to a bearing 24 on the external circumference of said tubular housing 2 of said flush valve. Said mechanism 23 with wire transfer is connected with said closing bar 5 / each rib 14 of said closing bar via simple lever 25.
It is understandable that a man skilled in the art may design other embodiments based on the knowledge of the above disclosure without circumventing the essence of the invention defined in the appended claims.

Claims

Flush valve (100) allowing a selection of a quantity of flush water in a toilet tank comprising
a fastening ring (1) for fastening said flush valve into a toilet tank,
a tubular housing (2) having a longitudinal axis (A-A), the housing being provided with two diametrically opposite longitudinal slots (12) including shaped bearings which are disposed in a predetermined distance and define a quantity of flushed water,
a closing bar (5) which is coaxially arranged within said housing and has a bottom end, with which it can close a flush opening of the toilet tank,
and at least one horseshoe shaped float (9) being pivotally mounted by integrally formed plugs (20) in the housing within the longitudinal slots (12),
the slots (12) being parallel to each other and also to the longitudinal axis (A-A) of the housing,
characterised in that
the closing bar (5) has two longitudinal ribs (14) diametrically disposed substantially along the entire length of the closing bar with more than one notch (15) and at least one indentation (16), which indentations (16) are arranged over the notches (15) whereby both notches and indentations arc mutually spaced and the space corresponds to the distance of the bearings (13) in each longitudinal slot (12) of the housing (2), wherein said closing bar (5) is arranged within the tubular housing (2) in a way that each longitudinal rib (14) is aligned with each longitudinal slot (12) of the tubular housing (2) and each plug (20) of said float (9), wherein each rib (14), each longitudinal slot (12) and each plug (20) lie on a common axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (A-A) of said housing (2), and that the horseshoe shaped float (9) comprises an U - shaped groove (17) on each of its legs, which groove extends in the height of said horseshoe shaped float (9) and has a tooth (19) integrally formed at a distal side (18) of the groove (17), aligned with the bottom edge of the horseshoe shaped float (9) and reaching into the groove (17) to engage with the notch (15) or/and the indentation (16) of the rib (14) not further than the centre of the groove (17) when the closing bar (5) is raised until the water level drops beyond a certain level, and disengages from the notch (15) or/and indentation (16) when the water level drops beyond this certain level, the integrally formed plugs (20) being arranged at an upper edge of the horseshoe shaped float (9) on the external side of its legs, opposite to the bottom of the groove (17), whereby the quantity of flushed water is defined by the position of the horseshoe shaped float (9) which can be disposed at different positions in different bearings (13) of the longitudinal slots (12).
Flush valve as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that said horseshoe shaped float (9) is in permanent form locking engagement with said bearing (13) of said longitudinal slot (12) of said housing (2) via the plug (20), and at times in form-locking engagement with a corresponding notch (15) of said rib (14) of said closing bar (5) via said tooth (19).
Flush valve as claimed in any of preceding Claims , characterised in that said tooth (19) is designed conically, wherein a lateral surface (26) of said tooth facing the interior of said horse shaped float (9) is formed of two surfaces (26', 26") that embrace an angle (α, β) with the central line (A) of said tooth (19), with the angle (α) being larger than the angle (β).
Flush valve as claimed in Claim 3, characterised in that said angle (α) between said central line (A) of said tooth (19) and the belonging surface (26') assumes values between 15° and 60°.
Flush valve as claimed in Claim 4, characterised in that said angle (α) between said central line (A) of said tooth (19) and the belonging surface (26') assumes values between 30° and 45°.
Flush valve as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that at the bottom end of the tubular housing (2) a chamber (22) is integrally formed and open towards the flush opening of a toilet tank, wherein the height (H) of the chamber (22) is smaller than the distance between two adjacent notches (15) or indentations (16) on the rib (14) of the closing bar (5).
Flush valve as claimed in any of preceding claims, characterised in that said closing bar (5) has a telescopically designed upper end.