EP2955288A1

EP2955288A1 - Envelope for a cistern

Info

Publication number: EP2955288A1
Application number: EP14172453.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Robertus Cornelis Wilhelmus Maria Bente
Original assignee: Wisa BV
Current assignee: Wisa BV
Priority date: 2014-06-13
Filing date: 2014-06-13
Publication date: 2015-12-16

Abstract

The invention relates to a envelope (7) for a cistern (3), the envelope (7) having a bag-like shape with a closable opening (8) and at least a first opening surrounded by an elastic zone (10) for passage of a downcome (5) and a second opening surrounded by an elastic zone (11) for passage of control means.

The invention further relates to a combination of a cistern (3) having a reservoir, a downcome (5) and an access opening (4) for cistern control means, of a frame (2) arranged around the cistern (3) for supporting said cistern and of a envelope (7) according to the invention arranged around the cistern, wherein the first opening (10) is stretched around the downcome (5) and wherein the second opening (11) of the envelope (7) is stretched around the access opening (4).

Description

The invention relates to a envelope for a cistern, especially for a concealed cistern.
When providing a toilet in a space, such as a sanitary space, a cistern is installed mounted to a wall of the space and a toilet bowl is placed in front of the cistern. The cistern is coupled via a downcome to the toilet bowl, such that flushing water can stream from the cistern into the toilet bowl.
The cistern is often concealed by providing a pre-wall arranged in front of the cister. Only the downcome and access opening will protrude out of the prewall, while the cistern is hidden behind the pre-wall. Typically, control means are mounted over the access opening for controlling the flush action of the cistern.
Because the cistern is isolated from the space by the pre-wall, other conditions could be available in the intermediate space between the pre-wall and the wall of the space. For example, a lower temperature and a higher humidity could be present. Because the cistern is typically filled with cold water, condensation could easily occur on the outside of the cistern. If a substantial amount of condensation is present on the wall of the cistern, it could lead to condensation water leaking down on the ground of the intermediate space.
Also, when the cistern breaks down or malfunctions, there is a chance that water will leak into the intermediate space.
Building codes of some countries already require that a sanitary space, such as a bathroom or washroom, is completely sealed by a membrane to avoid any water spill to leak into adjacent rooms. Especially, for wooden houses this could be essential, as prolonged exposure to water can lead to rotting of structural beams. Furthermore, such building codes require that a user can visually detect any water spill, which is especially relevant for concealed parts. Finally, some building codes also require that any parts, which caused the water spill need to be replaceable.
Typically one would arrange the required membrane on the visible walls of the sanitary space and then provide a finishing layer, such as a tile layer. However, this will position the cistern outside of the sealed space. Now, new building codes require, that also the cistern is within the sealed area. Also, when the sealing membrane was to be arranged over the cistern, it would be impossible to replace any parts or even the whole cistern.
EP 2397613 discloses a concealed cistern, which is provided with a flexible bag arranged around the cistern. The flexible bag has two trunks arranged thereto, one for the access opening of the cistern and one for the downcome of the cistern.
According to this prior art, it is required to feed both trunks into the sanitary space and to seal the trunks relative to the sealing membrane. So, if any leakage would occur, the leak water will be collected in the flexible bag and can flow out of the bag via the trunk arranged around the downcome and can debouch into the sanitary space.
This solution requires that the finishing layer does not extend fully against the downcome, but leaves an opening, which requires special attention during building the sanitary space.
Another known prior art, is to arrange a secondary housing around the cistern, which secondary housing is provided with a drain connecting either to the sanitary space or directly to a drain pipe. The sealing membrane of the space is connected to the secondary housing and brings the cistern in fact inside of the sanitary space. This is a relative expensive solution both in costs as well in labour.
It is an object of the invention to provide an alternative envelope in which at least some of the above mentioned disadvantages are reduced or even removed.
This object is achieved according to the invention with a envelope for a cistern, the envelope having a bag-like shape with a closable opening and at least a first opening surrounded by an elastic zone for passage of a downcome and a second opening surrounded by an elastic zone for passage of control means.
The envelope of the invention can easily be arranged over an existing cistern, by sliding the cistern into the bag-like shape via the closable opening. Then the first opening is pulled over the downcome, while the elastic zone ensures for a watertight sealing of the envelope onto the downcome. The cross-sectional shape of the downcome is irrelevant as the elastic zone will easily adapt thereto.
Also the second opening is arranged with the elastic zone sealingly around the control means. Typically, the control means are arranged in an access opening of the cistern, which is bordered by a flange. The elastic zone around the second opening can easily adapt to the shape of this access opening and provide a watertight sealing relative to the flange of the access opening.
Finally the closable opening is resealed and the cistern enveloped in the envelope of the invention is mounted in a frame to a wall, after which the cistern can be concealed with a pre-wall.
The closable opening also provides the possibility to exchange the cistern, when a malfunction of the cistern has led to leakage.
In a preferred embodiment of the envelope according to claim 1, wherein the envelope is provided with a drain opening opposite of the closable opening. In use this drain opening will be positioned near the bottom, such that any collected leak water can be drained.
Preferably, a drain pipe is connected to the drain opening. The leak water can be discharged into the sanitary space such that an indication can be given if any malfunction of the cistern is present. The leak water could also be discharged directly into a sewer build at least some building codes would require an additional registration system for registering the drainage of the leakage water.
In another preferred embodiment of the envelope according to the invention the envelope comprises a first ventilation opening arranged near the closable opening and a second ventilation opening arranged at the opposite end of the envelope.
By arranging two ventilation openings at opposite sides of the envelope, in particular in use one near the bottom and one at the top, a chimney effect can be obtained in the envelope to evaporate any condensation on the outer wall of the cistern.
In an embodiment of the invention, the first ventilation opening is arranged in the closable opening. Preferably the closable opening comprises two overlapping flaps. The two overlapping flaps provide a closure similar to the closure of a pillow envelope, while still providing a passage for ventilation air.
In yet another preferred embodiment of the envelope according to the invention the elastic zone comprises a rubber layer, for example an ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber layer or a silicone rubber layer.
EPDM rubber has a very high elasticity and a good flexibility, such that it can easily be stretched around differently shaped openings and downcomes, as well other parts of the cistern, which need to project through the envelope.
Preferably, the envelope according to the invention comprises a zip lock closure for the closable opening.
It is furthermore preferred if the envelope is substantially of polyethylene material or of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) material. Both polyethylene material and polyvinyl cholride material are cost effective and durable materials. Also, the elastic zones of for example EPDM can easily be incorporated in a bag of such a material.
The invention also relates to a combination of a cistern having a reservoir, a downcome and an access opening for cistern control means, of a frame arranged around the cistern for supporting said cistern and of a envelope according to the invention arranged around the cistern, wherein the first opening is stretched around the downcome and wherein the second opening of the envelope is stretched around the access opening.
A preferred embodiment of the combination according to the invention comprises attachment means for attachment to the frame, wherein the attachment means extend through an opening in an elastic zone in the envelope.
By providing additional elastic zones in the envelope, the cistern can be mounted with its common attachment means to the frame.
Yet another embodiment of the combination according to the invention comprises a truncated cone-shaped tube arranged around the downcome, wherein the truncated cone-shaped tube is sealed with the smaller opening to the downcome and wherein the larger opening is directed downstream.
Preferably, the first opening is stretched around the smaller part of the truncated cone-shaped tube.
When the building code requires, that the downcome is fully sealed into the sanitary space, then providing only an elastic zone around the downcome, will still leave a small length of unsealed downcome behind the prewall.
By providing the truncated cone-shaped tube a secondary wall around the downcome is provided. A downcome will typically extend horizontal through a pre-wall and the cone-shaped tube will ensure that any leak water will flow into the sanitary space.
These and other features of the invention will be elucidated in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the combination according to the invention.
Figure 2 shows another perspective of the embodiment of figure 1.
Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of figure 1.
Figure 4 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of part of figure 3.
Figure 5 shows another enlarged cross-sectional view of part of figure 3.
Figure 6 shows a second embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment 1 of the combination according to the invention.
The embodiment 1 has a metal frame 2, in which a cistern 3 is mounted. The cistern 3 has an access opening 4 closed of with a lid and a downcome 5 arranged at the bottom to conduct flushing water to a toilet bowl. A truncated cone-shaped tube 6 is arranged around the outlet opening of the downcome 5.
The cistern 3 is enveloped in a envelope 7 with a closable opening 8 at the top. The opening 8 is closable via a zip lock closure 9.
The envelope 7 is provided with a first elastic zone 10 in which a passage opening for the downcome 5 and truncated cone-shaped tube 6 is arranged. The envelope 7 also has a second elastic zone 11 with a passage opening for the access opening 4.
Figure 2 shows another perspective of the embodiment 1 of figure 1 viewed from below. A collecting tray 12 with a drain pipe 13 is arranged in an elastic zone 14. Any leak water collected by the envelope 7 will flow to the bottom and is collected by the collecting tray 12 and drained via the drain pipe 13 either into the sewer or the sanitary space.
Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the embodiment 1 of figure 1. It is clear that the envelope 7 fully encloses the cistern 3 and if any leak water occurs in the envelope 7, it can be drained via the collecting tray 12 and drain pipe 13.
Figure 4 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of the access opening 4 of the cistern 3. The elastic zone 11 is stretched around the horizontal flange of the opening 4, such that a watertight connection of the envelope 7 is achieved on the access opening 4. This opening 4 typically provides access to the cistern and to the flushing valve (not shown), such that control means can be attached thereto.
Figure 5 shows another enlarged cross-sectional view the downcome 5. The downcome 5 has a outlet opening 19 provided with an O-ring seal 15 such that a connection pipe 16 of a toilet bowl can be inserted. Although such an O-ring connection is already reliable, a truncated cone-shaped pipe 6 is arranged around the outlet opening 19 with O-ring seal 15. The pipe 6 has fingers 17, such that the truncated cone-shaped pipe 6 can be snapped onto the outlet opening 19. An additional O-ring 18 is provided between the truncated cone-shaped pipe 6 and the outlet opening 19.
The elastic zone 10 is stretched around downcome 5 to provide a watertight connection of the envelope 7 to the outlet opening 19 of the downcome 5.
The discharge pipe 21 of a toilet is arranged in a similar way into the sewer pipe 22 with a truncated cone-shaped pipe 23.
A prewall 20 is arranged in front of the cistern 3 and downcome 5. The truncated cone-shaped pipe 6, 21 extend through the prewall 20 and ensure, that if any leakage would occur between the connection pipe 16 and the outlet 19 or between the discharge pipe 21 and the sewer pipe 22, the leakage water will flow into the sanitary space and a visible indication for a user will be present.
Both truncated cone-shaped pipes 6, 21 are sealed by a sealing layer 24 relative to the prewall 20.
Figure 6 shows a second embodiment 30 of the invention. This embodiment corresponds largely with the embodiment 1 according to the previous figures. Similar parts have been referenced with similar reference signs.
Instead of the zip lock closure 9 of the first embodiment 1, the second embodiment 30 has two overlapping flaps 31, 32, which provide a closable opening for the cistern, yet provide a ventilation opening for air A.
This ventilation air A can enter the envelope 30 near the bottom via a second ventilation opening 33. A downwardly extending flange 34 is arranged around the second ventilation opening 33, to prevent that any leakage water from above the ventilation opening 33 will exit the envelope 30 therethrough.

Claims

Envelope for a cistern, the envelope having a bag-like shape with a closable opening and at least a first opening surrounded by an elastic zone for passage of a downcome and a second opening surrounded by an elastic zone for passage of control means.
Envelope according to claim 1, wherein the envelope is provided with a drain opening opposite of the closable opening.
Envelope according to claim 2, wherein a drain pipe is connected to the drain opening.
Envelope according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the envelope comprises a first ventilation opening arranged near the closable opening and a second ventilation opening arranged at the opposite end of the envelope.
Envelope according to claim 4, wherein the first ventilation opening is arranged in the closable opening.
Envelope according to claim 5, wherein the closable opening comprises two overlapping flaps.
Envelope according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the elastic zone comprises a rubber layer, for example an ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber layer.
Envelope according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the closable opening comprises a zip lock closure.
Envelope according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the envelope is substantially of polyethylene material.
Combination of a cistern having a reservoir, a downcome and an access opening for cistern control means, of a frame arranged around the cistern for supporting said cistern and of a envelope according to any of the preceding claims arranged around the cistern, wherein the first opening is stretched around the downcome and wherein the second opening of the envelope is stretched around the access opening.
Combination according to claim 10, wherein the cistern comprises attachment means for attachment to the frame, wherein the attachment means extend through an opening in an elastic zone in the envelope.
Combination according to claim 10 or 11, further comprising a truncated cone-shaped tube arranged around the downcome, wherein the truncated cone-shaped tube is sealed with the smaller opening to the downcome and wherein the larger opening is directed downstream.
Combination according to claim 12, wherein the first opening is stretched around the smaller part of the truncated cone-shaped tube.