EP2385177A1

EP2385177A1 - Flush device for a flush tank

Info

Publication number: EP2385177A1
Application number: EP11163615A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Rogerio Antunes
Original assignee: Oliveira and Irmao SA
Current assignee: Oliveira and Irmao SA
Priority date: 2010-04-23
Filing date: 2011-04-23
Publication date: 2011-11-09
Also published as: ITMI20100700A1; IT1399516B1

Abstract

A flush device (1), in particular a dual-flush device, for a flush tank, comprises a valve body (3) that extends and is slidable along the axis (A); a pair of movable floats (4, 5); a connection system (6) that mechanically connects the floats (4, 5) to each other and to the valve body (3); the connection system (6) comprises two catch levers (34, 35) that are rotatably hinged to respective floats (4, 5) and to the base body (10) and are provided with respective releasable locking members (41), selectively cooperating with at least one connection member (42) carried by the valve body (3) for axially supporting and locking the valve body (3), and with respective catching elements (48) that selectively engage each other when the levers (34, 35) rotate with respect to one another.

Description

The present invention relates to a flush device for a flush tank, in particular of the dual-flush type (i.e. of the type which alternatively enables to either completely or only partially flush the water contained in the tank).
In general terms, a dual-flush device comprises a support structure, fixable to a bottom wall of the tank and provided with a draining hole delimited by a sealing seat, and a valve body (usually a tubular element, which also serves the function of an overflow tube), slidingly accommodated in the support structure and provided at the bottom with a shutter cooperating with the sealing seat to close the draining hole; the valve body is raised by means of appropriate actuator members operated by the user to alternatively activate either the complete or the partial flushing of the water from the tank. In order to obtain the two flushing modes (either complete or partial), varying the closing speed of the shutter by engaging the valve body with one or more floats and/or with supplementary weights is known.
The known flush devices appear susceptible to improvements, in particular in terms of operation reliability, construction simplicity and cost-effectiveness, efficiency, practicality of use, and flushed water flow rate accuracy in the various operating modes.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a flush device for a flush tank enhanced as compared to the solutions of the prior art; in particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a particularly simple, fully effective and reliable flush device.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a flush device which allows to simply and accurately regulate the amount of water flushed in the various operation modes.
The present invention thus relates to a flush device for a flush tank as essentially defined in appended claim 1 and in the dependent claims for the preferred aspects thereof.
The flush device according to the invention is particularly simple and cost-effective to be implemented, and simple, safe, reliable to be operated; furthermore, the valve assembly of the invention allows the simple, fast, accurate adjustment of the flushed water amount and is suited to provide a complete or partial flushing.
The invention is described in detail in the following non-limitative embodiment, with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

figure 1 is a perspective view of a flush device according to the invention;
figures 2, 3 and 4 are side views of the device in figure 1, shown in respective operative configurations.

With reference to figures 1 and 2, a flush device 1, in particular a dual-flush device for a flush tank (known and not shown) comprises: a support structure 2, that extends along an axis A (vertical in use); a valve body 3, that extends and is slidable along axis A; a pair of movable floats 4, 5, which define a complete flush float and a partial flush float, respectively; a connection system 6, that mechanically connects the floats 4, 5 to each other and to the valve body 3; and an operating mechanism 7 connected to the valve body 3.
The structure 2 comprises a substantially tubular base body 10 which extends along and about axis A between a lower end 11 and an upper end 12 axially opposite to each other and delimited by a side wall 13, and a lower connection portion 14 arranged at the lower end of the base body 10 and fixable, e.g. by means of a threaded sleeve, to a bottom wall W of the tank. Base body 10 is provided with a draining hole 15 delimited by a sealing seat 16. The side wall 13 is externally provided with a pair of longitudinal guides 17, which extend parallel to axis A and are arranged, for example, diametrically opposite to each other; the guides 17 have respective upper limit stops, arranged at the respective upper ends of guides 17, in particular at the upper end 12 of base body 10.
The valve body 3 comprises a tubular element 20 (which also serves the function of overflow tube), which is slidingly accommodated along axis A in the base body 10 and is provided at the bottom with a shutter 21 cooperating with the sealing seat 16 for closing hole 15. The valve body 3 is provided with radially external, side shoes 22 which slide on respective rails 23 formed on the side wall 13 inside base body 10.
The floats 4, 5 are arranged outside base body 10 on opposite sides of base body 10, e.g. diametrically opposite to each other.
Each float 4, 5 comprises a hollow floating body 24 and a bar 25, which extends along a longitudinal axis B; the floating body 24 is hooked onto the bar 25 in a releasable and/or adjustable manner by means of an adjustment system 26, which allows the flowing body 24 to be fixed at a predetermined height along bar 25 (i.e. at a predetermined position along axis B). For example, the regulation system 26 comprises a series of seats 27 formed on bar 25 and spaced apart along axis B, and an elastic clamp 28 shaped so as to selectively couple a seat 27, preferably by snap-coupling; each seat 27 is defined by a pair of notches formed on the opposite sides of a bar 25; clamp 28 consists of two flexible arms 29, which overhangingly project from the float body 24, facing each other, and are provided with respective opposing teeth shaped so as to engage a selected pair of respective notches defining any seat 27, so as to restrain the floating body 24 to bar 25 in a selected position; clamp 28 is releasable to change the position of the floating body 24 along bar 25; arms 29 may be manually spread.
Each bar 25 is axially and slidingly mounted to a guide 17, with axis B being arranged along such a guide; bars 25 thus slide along their axes B parallel to axis A.
The position of each floating body 24 on the respective bar 25 is selected so as to regulate the amount of water flushed in each of the operating modes of device 1, i.e. in partial flushing mode and in complete flushing mode of the water contained in the tank. Float 5 which serves to operate a partial flushing of the water, generally has the floating body 24 arranged at a higher position (closer to the upper end 12 of base body 10) than the floating body 24 of float 4, which is used for a complete flushing (and is instead closer to the lower end 11 of base body 10).
The connection system 6 (which mechanically connects the floats 4, 5 to each other and to the valve body 3) comprises two catch levers 34, 35 which are rotationally hinged to respective floats 4, 5 and to the base body 10, precisely at the lower end 11 of base body 10.
Each lever 34, 35 is hinged to base body 10 by means of a rotational joint 36 and comprises a first lever arm 37 and a second lever arm 38, which extend from joint 36; the first arm 37 is connected, by means of an articulated joint 39, to a lower end 40 of a float 4, 5 (precisely of a bar 25); the second arm 38 is provided with at least one locking member 41 cooperating with a corresponding connection member 42 carried by valve body 3.
In the preferred embodiment shown, the levers 34, 35 are arranged on opposite sides of base body 10; the levers 34, 35 comprise respective curved arch-shaped portions 44, defining the arms 37 and arranged about base body 10, and respective pairs of coupling portions 45, which form the arms 38; the arms 37 are connected to base body 10 by means of a pair of pins of joint 36 arranged at the opposite ends 47 of portion 44; the portions 45 of each lever 34, 35 substantially orthogonally project towards portion 44 from the opposite ends 47 thereof; at least one portion 45 is provided with the locking member 41, for example defined by an L-shaped step, and having an upper abutting surface intended to cooperate with the connection member 42, which consists of a radially external shelf, for example, which extends from the tubular element 20. Each lever 34, 35 may comprise a pair of locking member 41, which project from respective portions 45; in such a case, tubular element 20 has a pair of connection members 42 defined by respective diametrically opposite shelves.
The levers 34, 35 further comprise respective catching elements 48 integrally pivoting with the levers 34, 35 and selectively cooperating with one another when the levers 34, 35 move with respect to each other; in particular, the levers 34, 35 comprise at least one respective element 48a, 48b which obliquely and overhangingly projects from one end 47 and is inclined with respect to arm 37 (i.e. to portion 44) and to arm 38 (i.e. to portions 45). Each lever 34, 35 may comprise a pair of catching elements 48 which project from respective ends 47.
The elements 48 of lever 34, 35 extend toward each other and are preferably arch-shaped and/or have at least respectively free curved ends 49.
Elements 48 are shaped and arranged so that the rotation of levers 34, 35 makes the elements 48 selectively engage with and release from each other; in particular, elements 48 are shaped and arranged so that the rotation of one of the levers 34, 35 makes the respective element 48 engage the element 48 of the other lever from the bottom and vice versa, specifically by passing the end 49 of its own element 48 under the element 48 of the other lever. When the levers 34, 35 rotate about the respective joints 36, the facing elements 48 of the two levers 34, 35 (specifically their ends 49) describe intersecting trajectories.
The portions 45 are preferably inserted into the side wall 13 of base body 10, e.g. within one pair of opposite side chambers 50, while the catching elements 48 are arranged outside the side wall 13.
With reference to figures 3 and 4 as well, which show device 1 in a partial flush configuration (or half flush) and in a complete flush configuration, respectively, the operating mechanism 7 comprises at least one, and preferably as shown in the drawings, a pair of operating levers 54, and an auxiliary lever 55, all arranged so as to be substantially transversal to axis A and hinged to the upper end 12 of base body 10 by means of pins defining respective rotation fulcrums of levers 54, 55.
The levers 54 are connected to valve body 3 by means of tie rods 56, and have pushing portions 57 cooperating with at least one slider 58 movable parallel to axis A and actuated in a known manner by means of operating buttons (known and not shown), in particular a partial flush button and a complete flush button; according to the actuated button, the slider 58 is movable with two predetermined travels of different length, a short travel (figure 3) and a long travel (figure 4): the travel of slider 58 determines a different lowering of the pushing members 57 and thus the lifting of valve body 3 to two different heights, and i.e. at a partial flushing position (when slider 58 performs the short travel, figure 3) and a complete flushing position (when slider 58 performs the long travel, figure 4).
The auxiliary lever 55 has one end 61 hinged to base body 10 and a free end 62, opposite to the hinged end 61 and having a foot 63 cooperating with float 5, in particular with a side appendix 64 arranged at an upper end 65 of float 5 (precisely of bar 25).
When slider 58 performs the long travel, slider 58 also reaches, either directly or by means of the operating levers 54 (in particular, as in the example shown in figure 3, by means of pushing portion 57), the auxiliary lever 55 at an intermediate point arranged between the hinged edge 61 and the free end 62 of lever 55.
Device 1 takes the following configurations according to the water level in the tank and due to the consequent different biases exerted by the water on the floats 4, 5.

1) Neutral configuration (empty tank): the valve body 3 is in a closed position in which shutter 21 closes hole 15; the floats 4, 5 are in respective lower positions (not supported by the water), with the upper ends 65 spaced apart by the stops 18; the levers 34, 35 are not engaged with each other (the ends 49 of the catching elements 48 are separated and do not touch each other); the locking members 41 of levers 34, 35 are arranged above the connection member 42 of valve body 3.
2) Initial configuration (full tank, water at the initial level H): when the tank is full (figure 2), the water in the tank is at an initial level H over the floats 4, 5 or at least over the floating bodies 24 which are immersed in the water; the valve body 3 is in a closing position in which shutter 21 closes hole 15, and the connection member 42 of valve body 3 is arranged under the locking members 41 of levers 34, 35; the valve body 3 is free to slide upwards along axis A; the complete flush float 4 is pushed towards the other one by the water and is in an upper position in which end 65 abuts against stop 18; the lever 34 connected to the float 4 engages the lever 35 connected to the partial flush float 5, i.e. the element 48a of lever 34 axially engages and locks the member 48b of lever 35 from the bottom; lever 35 is thus angularly caught (not being able to rotate); float 5 is in a lower position in which end 65 is axially spaced apart from stop 18.
3) Partial flush configuration: when the user presses the partial flush button to actuate an only partial flushing of the water contained in the tank (figure 3), slider 58 performs the short travel and, by pushing the pushing portions 57 downwards, raises the valve body 3 to the partial flushing position, thus opening hole 15. Slider 58 neither reaches nor moves the auxiliary lever 55. While moving up, the valve body 3 also raises the connection member 42 (or the catching elements, if more than one is provided) integral therewith, which pushes the catching member or elements 41 of lever 34 from below, thus making the lever 34 rotate anticlockwise and thus lowering the float 4; the rotation of lever 34 releases the element 48b from the other lever 35 and thus frees the float 5, which rises as being pushed by the water to an upper position, in which end 65 stops against the stop 18; when raising, the float 5 rotates the lever 35 anticlockwise, which engages lever 34, thus causing the element 48b to engage the element 48a from the bottom, thus catching float 4; float 5 pushes the appendix 64 against the auxiliary lever 55, which is free to rotate and therefore does not prevent the upward movement of float 5; in the upper position, float 5 locks float 4 (by means of the element 48a of the lever 34 which engages the element 48b of the lever 35 from underneath) and, by means of the locking member 41 which axially supports the connection member 42, engages the valve body 3, thus preventing its descent.
The water exits from the tank through hole 15, and device 1 keeps the partial flush configuration until the water reaches a level H1 to actuate the partial flush float 5: at this point, the floating push no longer supports the float 5, which returns due to the effect of gravity to the lower position, thus rotating lever 34 clockwise, and causing the release both of the valve body 3, which descends and closes hole 15, and of the float 4, which moves up to the upper position.
4) Complete flush configuration: when the user presses the complete flush button to actuate a complete flush (figure 4), slider 58 performs the long travel and raises the valve body 3 to the complete flush position, thus opening hole 15; moreover, slider 58 lowers the auxiliary lever 55 (by means of the pushing portions 57 of levers 54). Also in this case, the valve body 3 raises and moves the connection member 42 above the locking member 41 of levers 34, 35; again, the connection member 42 rotates the lever 34 anticlockwise and lowers the float 4 thus freeing lever 35; float 5 is however now caught by the auxiliary lever 55 which prevents float 5 from rising (the appendix 64 abutting against the foot 63); the float 5 thus remains in the lower position. Once the locking member 41 has passed beyond the lever 34, the float 4 goes back to the upper position, rotating the lever 34 which engages both the lever 35 (by means of the element 48a which engages element 48b) and the valve body 3 (by means of the connection member 42 which engages the locking member 41).

Device 1 keeps the complete flush configuration while the water is flushed from the tank: float 4 catches both the valve body 3 and the float 5. The valve body 3 remains axially restrained to float 4 (and hole 15 thus remains all open), until the water drops under a level H2 to actuate the float 4 (lower than level H1); at this point, float 4 descends to the lower position and by rotating lever 34 anticlockwise, frees the valve body 3 and allows the valve body 3 to close hole 15.
In brief, as the level of the water varies, each of the floats 4, 5 is shaped and arranged so as to selectively take:

an upper engagement position, in which the float 4, 5 stops against the upper stop 18 and axially engages and locks the other float 4, 5 and the valve body 3 by means of the connection system 6; and
a lower releasing position, in which the float 4, 5 is axially spaced apart from the upper stop 18 and releases the other float 4, 5 and the valve body 3.

The regulation system 26 further allows to adjust the amount of water which is flushed in complete flush mode and in partial flush mode, usually during the step of installing device 1 in the tank. In order to regulate, simply varying the position of the floating bodies 24 along the respective bars 25 by means of clamps 28 is sufficient; by spreading the arms 29 of each clamp 28, a floating body 24 may slide along the bar 25 and the teeth of arms 29 may engage a selected seat 27; by releasing the arms 29, the floating body 24 remains restrained in the desired position along the bar 25.
It is thus understood that further changes and variations may be made to the flush device disclosed herein, without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

A flush device (1), in particular a dual-flush device, for a flush tank, comprising: a support structure (2) that extends along an axis (A); a valve body (3) that extends and is slidable along the axis (A); a pair of movable floats (4, 5); a connection system (6) that mechanically connects the floats (4, 5) to each other and to the valve body (3); and an operating mechanism (7) connected to the valve body (3); the device being characterized in that the connection system (6) comprises two catch levers (34, 35) that are rotatably hinged to respective floats (4, 5) and to the base body (10) and are provided with respective releasable locking members (41), selectively cooperating with at least one connection member (42) carried by the valve body (3) for supporting and locking axially the valve body (3), and with respective catching elements (48) that selectively engage each other when the levers (34, 35) rotate with respect to one another.
A device according to claim 1, wherein the catching elements (48) of the levers (34, 35) project towards one another and have respective, preferably curved, free ends (49) that describe, when the levers (34, 35) rotate, curved paths that intersect.
A device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each lever (34, 35) is connected to the base body by means of at least one rotating joint (36) and has two lever arms (37, 38), that obliquely project from the joint (36), and at least one catching element (48) that projects from the lever (34, 35) and is slanted with respect to both the lever arms (37, 38).
A device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the levers (34, 35) are rotatable, operated by respective floats (4, 5), between a first coupling position, in which a first lever (34) is free to rotate and angularly locks a second lever (35); and a second coupling position, in which the first lever (34) is locked angularly by the second lever (35) that is free to rotate.
A device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the floats (4, 5) are slidable along respective sliding directions substantially parallel to the axis (A).
A device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein each float (4, 5) comprises a float body (24) and a bar (25) that extends along a longitudinal axis (B) and is mounted axially slidable on a guide (17) of the support structure (2).
A device according to claim 6, wherein a first float (4), that serves to operate a water partial flush, has the float body (24) set in a higher position than the float body (24) of a second float (5), that serves to operate a water total flush.
A device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein each float (4, 5) is so shaped as to selectively assume, depending on the water level, an upper engagement position, in which the float (4, 5) stops against an upper stop (18) and engages and locks axially, by the connection system (6), the other float (4, 5) and the valve body (3); and a lower release position, in which the float (4, 5) is axially spaced apart from the upper stop (18) and releases both the other float (4, 5) and the valve body (3).
A device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the floats (4, 5) define a total flush float (4) and a partial flush float (5) respectively, and the device is configured in such a way to selectively assume, according to the water level:
- a partial flush configuration, in which the valve body (3) is raised for opening a draining hole (15), and the partial flush float (5) is in an engagement upper position and locks axially from below the total flush float (4) and the valve body (3);

- a total flush configuration, in which: the valve body (3) is raised for opening the hole (15); and an auxiliary lever (55) pushes and locks from above the partial flush float (5) keeping the partial flush float (5) in a lower release position; and the total flush float (4) is in an upper position and axially locks from below the partial flush float (5) and the valve body (3).
A device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the floats (4, 5) comprises a bar (25) that extends along a longitudinal axis (B) and a hollow float body (24) that is hooked to the bar (25) in a releasable and/or adjustable manner by an adjustment system (26) that allows the float body (24) to be fixed at a selected height along the bar (25).