EP2628865A2

EP2628865A2 - A spring loaded container for achieving a flush of a toilet bowl

Info

Publication number: EP2628865A2
Application number: EP13155424.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Christian Magnusson; Erik Albertsen; Thomas Holma; Stefan Danielsson Spogardh
Original assignee: Sanitec Oy
Current assignee: Sanitec Corp
Priority date: 2012-02-17
Filing date: 2013-02-15
Publication date: 2013-08-21
Also published as: EP2628865A3

Abstract

A spring loaded container (100) for achieving a flush of a toilet bowl comprises a main body (110). A piston (120) is reciprocally situated in said main body and loaded by a spring (140) such that the piston will exert a force on water housed within the main body. The spring loaded container further comprises an inlet (210) and an outlet (150), the outlet (150) being connected to the toilet bowl. Holding means (200) are designed to hold the piston in a position corresponding to a maximum volume of water being housed within the main body.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a spring loaded container for achieving a flush of a toilet bowl. The container comprises a main body, a piston reciprocally arranged in said main body and being loaded by a spring such that the piston will exert a force on liquid housed within the main body. The spring loaded container further comprises an inlet and an outlet connected to the toilet bowl.

PRIOR ART

In the art of water closets, it has been a long felt need to make smaller and smaller flush tanks, and to provide these flush tanks lower and lower. In the early part of the nineteen hundreds, it was not unusual to provide the flush tank, or cistern, close to the ceiling of the bathroom. Usually, a flush was effected by pulling a chain or the like, the chain being connected to a flush outlet in the ceiling mounted flush tank. Also, the flush volume of the ceiling mounted flush tanks tended to be comparatively large.
Since the 1960s, most flush tanks have been mounted in a wall to which the toilet bowl is fastened, or simply as an integral part of a bowl/flush tank assembly, wherein the flush tank has served as a back rest for a user sitting on the toilet bowl.
Now, there is a trend that toilet designers strive to omit the flush tank being mounted above the toilet bowl and serving as a back rest. Instead, the designers want to use the space available under the bowl for housing the flush tank. However, this space is situated below the flush level (which usually corresponds to the height of a rim of the toilet bowl), which means the flush water must be propelled up to the flush level.
One way of achieving this propulsion of water up to the flush level is to use a pressurized vessel, e.g. a vessel resembling an expansion tank, i.e. a vessel being provided with a pre-pressurized bladder containing a gaseous medium.
However, one drawback with this type of pressurized vessel is that they pose a danger for a user of the toilet. A significant amount of energy is stored in the bladder, and this energy can be released in an explosion like manner should the expansion tank break.
In another embodiment of the prior art, the flush water is loaded into a spring loaded container, wherein a piston moves along a central axis and compresses a spring when the container is filled with pressurized flush water. During emptying of the container, the energy stored in the spring is released and transferred to the flush water.
In all prior art systems comprising an energy storing spring, the outlet from the container is closed until it is time to empty the container. This means that the flush water in the container is pressurized by the spring at all times, which in turn stresses all gaskets necessary to seal between e.g. the piston and the container walls. Also, should there be any leakage of pressurized flush water from the pressurized container, this might seriously compromise the function of the spring loaded container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention solves this and other problems by a spring loaded container including a holding means designed to hold a piston in a position corresponding to a maximum volume of liquid being housed within the main body.
In order to achieve a flush containing more water than may be housed within the spring loaded container, the outlet may be connected to an ejector designed to move liquid from a cistern to the toilet bowl to be flushed.
In order to avoid squeezing of the piston in the main body, the holding means may be arranged in a central position of the piston.
The invention also relates to a toilet having a flush tank including a spring loaded container according to the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following, the invention will be described with reference to the appended drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a sectioned side view of a first embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a sectioned side view of the embodiment of fig. 1, seen from another side;
Fig. 3 is a view similar to the view of Fig. 2 showing the same embodiment in another mode;
Fig. 4 is a side view showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

In Figs. 1-3, a spring loaded container 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention is shown. The spring loaded container comprises a cylindrical body 110 having a smooth inner surface such that a piston-like member 120 may perform a reciprocating motion therein. Gaskets 130 are arranged to reduce leakage in the piston/cylindrical body interface. A spring 140 urges the piston in a downward direction, i.e. such that a volume delimited by the piston 120, the cylindrical body 110 and an outlet 150 from the cylindrical body will become as small as possible.
The spring 140 is trapped between the piston 120 and a cup-shaped lid 160 which comprises a cup shaped portion 170 and a bottom portion 180. The cup-shaped lid 160 is provided such that its cup-shaped portion 170 and the cylindrical body 110 delimit a space for the spring 140. The bottom portion 180 is provided with an opening 190, through which a holding means 200 attached to the piston 120 projects when the piston is in an upper position.
Moreover, an inlet 210 for tap water and an outlet 220 for surplus tap water are arranged to allow for filling and evacuating of surplus water into and from the container. In order to seal the container, a one-way lid 230 covers the opening 150. The one-way lid 230 allows a fluid flow into the container, but blocks fluid flow in the other direction. Curiously, however, there will never be a flow in the "allowed" direction, only in the disallowed directions, such as will be described later.
With reference to fig. 2, the same embodiment as in Fig. 1 is shown, however in another view. Except for the components disclosed above, Fig. 2 shows that the arm 240 is hinged on a hinge 250, such that a hook 260 locks the holding means 200 when the arm 240 is in an upright position. By moving an upper portion of the arm 240 towards the left in fig. 2, the hook will release from the engagement to the holding means 200.
Also, in fig. 2, the one way valve 230 is shown in an open position, and the outlet 150 is open to a nozzle of an ejector 270. However, the outlet 150 may also be directly connected to an inlet of a WC bowl, i.e. without an intermediate ejector, e.g. via a flushing pipe or similar. In such embodiment, flushing will be fully accomplished by the water within the container.
In Fig. 4, another embodiment of the invention is shown. In this embodiment, the piston is hold in its upper position by a lever 300, one end of which extending through a wall of the cylindrical body, hence blocking the piston from travelling to a lower position.
Below, an intended function of the previously described spring loaded container will be disclosed. In the example below, the spring loaded container is situated in a flush water tank and intended to power an ejector pump to effect a flush, but other uses may also be considered, and lies within the scope of the present invention.
In a starting position, the piston 120 will be in a position wherein the spring 140 is unloaded, i.e. the piston 120 will be very close to the outlet 150. Also, the piston will urge the one-way lid 230 into a closed position.
In order to charge the container with a load of pressurized water, pressurized tap water is let in from the tap water grid. The pressure of the tap water will move the piston 120 upwards, and the pressure exerted by the spring on the water will secure that the one-way lid will remain closed, hence blocking flow of water out from the container.
The piston will continue upwards until the holding means 200 engages the hook 260. A chamfered surface of the holding means 200 will press the hook away from the holding means, such that the hook 260 will be pressed to the right in fig. 2, and thereafter engage the holding means.
The piston will continue slightly past the position wherein the hook 260 has engaged the holding means 200. There, the piston will pass the outlet 220, and hence open this outlet for communication between a space external of the container. As a result, tap water flowing in through the inlet 210 after the piston has reached a position wherein the outlet 220 is open will not move the piston; rather it will reject water out from the outlet.
As mentioned above, the spring loaded container is suitably situated within a cistern; this means that the water level in this cistern will rise due to water being expelled out from the outlet 220 once the spring loaded container is full. When the water in the cistern has reached a specific, predetermined level, the tap water is shut off. The shutting off of the tap water supply will cause the piston to move downwards to a position where the entire spring load is carried by the holding means 200 and the hook 260. This means that the spring no longer will exert any pressure on the water situated in the container.
Due to the fact that there is water present in the cistern in which the container is placed, there will be pressure acting on the one-way lid 230, a pressure counteracting the pressure in the container 100. This pressure will open the one-way lid 230. This intended opening of the one-way lid 230 may be facilitated by spring loading the membrane of the valve, or by providing it with a floatation aid.
As implied earlier, the invention has got its greatest benefits in the cases where a flush water cistern is located on a lower level than a rim of a toilet bowl to be flushed, and below, it will be explained how the spring loaded tank according to the invention may be used for lifting water from a cistern located under the toilet rim.
In order to initiate a flush of the toilet, the arm 240 is brought towards the left in Fig. 2. This movement will release the hook 260 from its engagement with the holding means 260. Immediately after the engagement between the hook 260 and the holding means 200 has been terminated, the piston will start moving downwards, hence increasing the pressure in the water in the container 100. In Fig. 3, the position of the piston shortly after the hook has been released from the holding means and the piston has commenced its journey downwards is shown. In this context, it should be noted that water is an incompressible fluid, meaning that the piston's movement may be very limited, while the pressure increase may be very significant.
The pressurized water will start flowing out through the open outlet valve 230 and continue to the ejector pump 270, hence energizing this pump to start pumping the water in the cistern towards the rim of the toilet bowl. It should be noted that the combination of the opening angle of the one-way lid, the flow of water and the spring/floatation device of the membrane of the one-way lid is such that the one-way lid will not close due to the reverse flow through the one-way lid. Instead, the piston, powered by the spring 140, will expel the water in the container through the one-way lid 230 and power the ejector pump 270.
Once the piston has emptied the cylindrical body from liquid, it will engage the one-way lid such that it will close, hence allowing the spring loaded container to be refilled with water.
The function of ejector pumps is well known by persons skilled in the art of fluid engineering, but some basic design criteria and description of their function will nevertheless be given below:

An ejector pump uses a small flow of high pressure, high velocity liquid to cause a large flow of low velocity, low pressure liquid. In the present case, the spring loaded container provides for the small flow of high pressure, high velocity fluid, whereas the contents of the cistern mixed with the high pressure, high velocity liquid from the spring loaded container will constitute the low velocity, low pressure liquid.

The low pressure, low velocity liquid will raise to the level of a rim of the toilet bowl, and effect a flush in the normal manner.
In one embodiment of the invention, two cisterns, two spring loaded containers and two ejector pumps are used to enable dual flush, a feature mandatory in several countries. A dual flush function is basically the ability for the user to choose between a "large flush" and a "small flush". Usually, a "small flush" corresponds to a flush volume between 2 and 4 litres, which is sufficient to flush down liquid leavings, whereas a "large" flush corresponds to a flush volume of 4 to 8 litres, which is sufficient to flush down both excrement and paper tissues used to wipe the user of the toilet.
The dual flush could be effected in several ways: In a first embodiment of a dual flush toilet utilizing the spring loaded container according to the invention, two cisterns and corresponding spring loaded containers of various volume are arranged in the toilet, wherein the volume of one of the cisterns and its corresponding spring loaded container corresponds to a large flush and the volume of the other cistern and its corresponding spring loaded container corresponds to a small flush.
Hence, if a large volume flush is desired, the arm 240 of the spring loaded container of the cistern having a volume corresponding to a large flush is maneuvered such that the hook 260 releases the holding means 200. As a result of this, the piston 120 will expel the water housed in the container to the ejector pump, which then will be powered to raise the water of the cistern to a level wherein a flush is executed.
A small flush is done in the same way, but for a small flush, the arm 240 of the spring loaded container of the cistern having a volume corresponding to a small flush is maneuvered.
In another embodiment of dual flush according to the invention, there is provided two cistern/spring loaded container assemblies, wherein a first of the assemblies has a volume corresponding to a small flush, and the second of the assemblies has a volume such that the combined volume of the first and second assemblies corresponds to a large flush.
Hence, in order to achieve a large flush in a dual flush arrangement according to this embodiment, both arms of the spring loaded containers are actuated simultaneously, such that the pistons of both spring loaded assemblies will energize their corresponding ejector pumps to empty their corresponding cisterns, hence achieving a large flush.
For all of the above embodiments, it is necessary to refill the spring loaded container and the cistern with flush water. As mentioned above, the refill is performed by letting in tap water through the inlet 210. When the spring loaded container is filled, the tap water will escape through the outlet 220. In the dual flush solutions, the outlet of a first spring loaded container is connected to the inlet of a second spring loaded container, the outlet of which being connected to fill the cisterns corresponding to the spring loaded containers. In this context, it could be worth mentioning that the cisterns might be in fluid communication with one another in an upper region or a lower region, or both. If the cisterns are in communication with one another in an upper region, there is no risk that more water than necessary is ejected to flush the toilet by the ejector pump.
The tap water supply is shut off in the "normal manner", i.e. when the water level in the cistern has reached a certain level.
In still another embodiment of the invention, the outlet 150 is connected directly to toilet bowl, such that the toilet bowl is flushed directly and solely by water ejected from the spring loaded container.
It is also possible to achieve a dual flush function by arresting the piston before it has reached its end position. In the embodiment of Figs. 1-3, this may be achieved e.g. by increasing the length of the holding means 200, such that it may be possible to engage the hook and the holding means as the piston has travelled about half the way towards its end position. In this way, it is possible to achieve a large flush by allowing the piston to travel all the way down to the one-way lid 270, and a small flush by halting the piston by engaging the holding means and the hook prior to the piston having reached the one-way lid.
This embodiment requires, however, that the one-way lid is closed prior to the tap water supply being turned on to reload the spring; if the one-way lid is not closed, the tap water intended to load the spring loaded container 100 will simply be lost. It may prove difficult to provide an extra means for closing the one-way lid, but it is also possible to provide a further valve downstream the one-way valve, the further valve providing a seal during loading of the spring loaded container.
Therefore, in still another embodiment providing for a dual flush, there is no extra arresting means between the hook and the piston. Instead, the one-way lid may be controlled to shut off the flow of liquid out through the one-way lid once a desired amount of liquid has been ejected out through the one-way lid.

Claims

A spring loaded container (100) for achieving a flush of a toilet bowl, said container (100) comprising a main body (110), a piston (120) reciprocally situated in said main body and being loaded by a spring (140) such that the piston will exert a force on water housed within the main body, the spring loaded container further comprising an inlet (210) and an outlet (150), the outlet (150) being connected to the toilet bowl, characterized by holding means (200) designed to hold the piston in a position corresponding to a maximum volume of water being housed within the main body.
The spring loaded container (100) according to claim 1, wherein said piston (120) does not exert a force on the water housed within the main body (110) when the piston (120) is in a position corresponding to a maximum volume of water being housed within the main body.
The spring loaded container (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the outlet (150) is connected to an ejector (270) designed to move liquid from a cistern to the toilet bowl to be flushed.
The spring loaded container according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the holding means (200) is arranged in a central position of the piston (120).
The spring loaded container according to any of the preceding claims,
wherein the outlet (150) is provided with a one-way lid (230), the lid being arranged such that it will close as it is engaged by the piston (120).
The spring loaded container according to any of the claims 1-4, wherein the outlet (150) is provided with a controllable valve, such that a flow of liquid from the spring loaded container may be interrupted at any time.
A toilet having a flush tank including at least one spring loaded container according to any of the preceding claims.
The toilet according to claim 7, wherein the flush tank comprises two spring loaded containers.
The toilet according to claim 8, wherein a first of the spring loaded containers is connected and sized to provide a large flush and a second of the containers is arranged and sized to provide a small flush.
The toilet according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the spring loaded containers have roughly the same volume, and wherein a small flush is effected by emptying one of the spring loaded containers, whereas a large flush is effected by emptying both of the spring loaded containers.