EP2982806A1 - Device for draining a toilet tank, for replacing an old draining device - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an assembly for the replacement of a device for emptying a toilet tank (1) mounted on a bowl (2), including a new emptying device (3) for a toilet tank intended to be mounted inside the tank without disassembly of the tank from the bowl, the new device having a drain base (30) adapted to be inserted into a bottom bore (10) of the tank, the assembly comprising means for suspending an annular body adapted to be engaged in the bottom bore of the tank, the suspending means comprising retaining means (300) integrated into the emptying cap (30), the retaining means comprising at least two elastically deformable tabs (301) intended to come closer to each other under the effect of the engagement of an annular body around them.

Description

The field of the invention is that of the design and manufacture of equipment for toilets. More specifically, the invention relates to toilet tank emptying devices, intended to take place in a tank itself mounted on a bowl.

• une cuvette, généralement en céramique, suspendue ou posée sur le sol ;
• un réservoir lui-même généralement en céramique ou en plastique, voire en composite, le réservoir surplombant la cuvette, et étant destiné à libérer de l'eau dans la cuvette pour renouveler l'eau de celle-ci.

Classically, toilets (or toilets) include:

• a bowl, usually ceramic, suspended or placed on the floor;
• a tank itself generally ceramic or plastic, or composite, the tank overlooking the bowl, and being intended to release water in the bowl to renew the water thereof.

The bowl has a horizontal or vertical vent.

The tank contains a drainage device, allowing a release of water with a flush effect in the bowl, through two orifices communicating with each other, one in the bottom of the tank and the other in upper part of the bowl.

Most often, the tank and the bowl are separate elements, joined together so as to make the orifices coincide to allow the passage of water, the holding in position of the tank on the bowl being provided by a screw-nut system ( with usually a screw and a nut on each side of the holes for the water passage).

To ensure the seal between the tank and the bowl, a conventionally elastomeric circular seal is inserted between the bowl and the reservoir, this seal being alternatively obtained by depositing a bead of adhesive sealant.

Of course, after some time, the drain device may deteriorate and no longer function properly, which may require its replacement.

It is also conceivable to wish to proceed with the replacement of the emptying device for the installation of a more efficient or more modern emptying device, such as water-saving or electrically controlled devices.

However, according to a conventional design of the emptying devices, they have a drain base intended to extend coaxially to the drain port of the tank, inside thereof. The pellet has an external thread. The fixing of the emptying device inside the tank is obtained by means of a nut, interposed between the bowl and the tank, screwed on the base of the drain until tightening, and consequently, securing the device of emptying inside the tank.

Once the device mounted in the tank, the latter is mounted on the bowl and fixed as indicated above. Once this assembly is completed, the nut for fixing the emptying device inside the tank is no longer accessible. As a result, in order to proceed with the replacement of the emptying device, a technique consists in disassembling the tank from the bowl in order to be able to access the nut and, thus, to separate the emptying device from the tank.

However, the installer often laments the fact that the screws and nuts for fixing the tank on the bowl are rusted to the point of disassembly of the tank from the bowl very complicated or at least tedious.

In any case, to save time, the user generally seeks to replace the emptying device without having to disassemble the tank from the bowl.

Thus, in some cases, the nut for fixing the drain device on the bottom of the tank is wedged between the bottom of the tank and the top of the bowl, to the point of locking the nut in rotation. The installer can then simply unscrew the drain device to be replaced, then screw the drain plug of a new drain device on the nut left in place. The replacement thus achieved in such conditions are actually achieved fairly quickly and simply.

However, there are also cases in which not only the nut is not kept rotated between the top of the bowl and the bottom of the tank, but in addition, the diameter of the water flow hole in the bowl is greater than that of the nut and thus allows its passage.

In this type of situation, it follows that the installer can possibly unscrew the emptying device from inside the tank, then remove it, which leads to the moment when the nut is no longer worn by the thread the emptying end of the drain device to release the nut falling through the water drain hole of the bowl.

This usually has the consequence that the nut takes a position in the water flow conduit of the bowl which tends to significantly slow the flow of water and, consequently, to reduce the effect of the water. flush as to its ability to properly clean the bowl and / or to renew its water.

Of course, this is an undesirable effect that can be particularly unpleasant for the user of the WC.

The invention particularly aims to overcome this drawback of the prior art.

More specifically, the invention aims to propose a replacement technique of a drain device installed in a toilet tank mounted on a bowl, without disassembly of the tank from the bowl, which prevents the fixing nut. the emptying device to be replaced does not affect the flow of water from the tank into the bowl.

The invention also aims to provide such a technique that allows the installer to perform a replacement of the emptying device quickly and relatively easy.

These objectives, as well as others that will appear later, are achieved by the invention which has for object an assembly for the replacement of a device for emptying a toilet tank mounted on a bowl, including a new device for emptying a toilet tank intended to be mounted inside the tank without disassembling the tank from the bowl, the new device having a pellet able to be inserted into a bottom bore of the tank, characterized in that the assembly comprises means for suspending an annular body capable of being engaged in the bottom bore of the tank and in that the means for suspending comprise retaining means integrated into the emptying cap , retaining means comprise at least two elastically deformable tabs provided to approach one another under the effect of the engagement of an annular body around them.

Thus, thanks to the invention, when replacing a drain device capable of dropping the attachment nut of the old emptying device, with the effect of eventually dropping the nut in the flow conduit of water of the bowl, it is possible to act on the position of this nut during and / or after the replacement of the emptying device.

Therefore, it is avoided to leave the nut in an untimely position likely to cause a nuisance on the flow of water and thus on the flush effect.

More specifically, thanks to the invention, it is possible to maintain the nut or bring the nut in a position to suspend it on the drain, on which it is held in position thereafter.

In this way, when the resiliently deformable tabs of the pellet will be engaged inside the nut, they will come closer to allow the passage of the nut around them, the branches then tending to, being elastically deformable, to resume their initial position in the absence of constraint.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the suspending means comprise a separate tool of the emptying device, preferably comprising a head and at least two elastically deformable branches extending obliquely from the head away from each other. from each other from the head.

• maintenir l'écrou sensiblement en place pendant l'installation du nouveau dispositif de vidange ;
• récupérer l'écrou ayant chuté dans le conduit d'écoulement d'eau de la cuvette, pour le ramener dans une position choisie pour l'installation du nouveau dispositif de vidange.

With such a tool, the installer can envisage two modes of operation, namely:

• keep the nut in place during the installation of the new draining device;
• recover the nut that has fallen into the water flow conduit of the bowl, to bring it back into a position chosen for the installation of the new drain device.

According to an advantageous solution for the design of the tool, the branches each have a lower end provided with a carrying member, preferably consisting of a tab folded upwards.

Thus, as will be explained later, it is sufficient for the installer to pinch the tool so as to bring the two branches close to each other, enough to engage them inside the nut. . It is then sufficient for the user to release the two branches which, being elastically deformable, resume their respective position in the absence of stress, that is to say spaced apart from each other. The installer can move the tool upwards, with the nut on the carrying elements, and the installer can raise the nut to a suitable position for the rest of the installation.

Advantageously, at least one of the tabs has a lower end provided with a lug widening radially upwardly of the tab forming a ramp, the ramp being preferably surmounted by a hooking portion.

Thus, the nut slides first on the ramps which forces the branches to move closer, the nut coming, after having crossed the ramps, to "land" on the attachment portion or portions.

• la figure 1 est une vue partielle d'un ensemble selon un mode de réalisation de l'invention ;
• les figures 2 à 9 sont des illustrations des étapes successives du remplacement d'un dispositif de vidange avec un ensemble selon l'invention ;
• la figure 10 est une vue de détail du montage du culot de vidange d'un dispositif d'un ensemble selon l'invention ;
• la figure 11 est une vue d'un dispositif de vidange d'un ensemble selon l'invention ;
• la figure 12 est une vue du dispositif de vidange illustré par la figure 11, installé dans un réservoir de WC.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, given by way of a simple illustrative and nonlimiting example, and the appended drawings among which:

• the figure 1 is a partial view of an assembly according to one embodiment of the invention;
• the Figures 2 to 9 are illustrations of the successive steps of replacing a drain device with an assembly according to the invention;
• the figure 10 is a detailed view of the mounting of the drain of a device of an assembly according to the invention;
• the figure 11 is a view of a device for emptying an assembly according to the invention;
• the figure 12 is a view of the emptying device illustrated by the figure 11 , installed in a toilet tank.

With reference to the figure 1 , hereinafter described an assembly designed for the replacement of an old device for emptying a toilet tank 1 mounted on a bowl 2. This assembly, available to an installer for the replacement of the old device of drain, includes a new emptying device 3 (of which only the pellet 30 appears on the figure 1 ), intended to be mounted on the tank 1 without having to disassemble it from the bowl.

The drain cap 30 of the new device is able to be inserted into the bottom bore 10 of the tank 1. This bore 10 at the bottom of the tank being coaxial and communicating with the water outlet 20 of the bowl, the water passing from the tank to the bowl via the base 30.

An assembly according to the invention is intended for the replacement of a device for emptying a toilet tank of the type fastened to the tank by means of a nut 5 (constituting an annular body), screwed onto the drain cap of the old emptying device to be replaced and inserted between the bowl and the tank.

More specifically, an assembly according to the invention is intended to replace such a device with such a nut, installed on a toilet whose bowl has a water flow orifice whose diameter is greater than the outer diameter of the nut, thus allowing the nut to fall into the conduit 21 of water flow of the bowl.

According to the principle of the invention, the assembly comprises means for suspending the annular body constituted by the nut 5, these suspension means being able to be engaged in the bottom bore of the tank.

In addition, the suspending means comprise retaining means integrated into the drain base 30, these retaining means 300 comprise at least two lugs 301 (in this case six lugs regularly distributed circumferentially on the base as shown on FIG. the figure 11 ) elastically deformable and provided to come closer to each other under the effect of the engagement of the nut 5 around them.

More specifically, the tabs 301 each have a free end 302 provided with a lug 303 widening radially upwardly of the lug, each forming a ramp 304. The top of the ramp coincides with a radial reduction constituting a surface forming a hooking portion 305, on which the nut is intended to come to rest.

Thus, by pushing the elastically deformable lugs 301 of the base 30 through the inner diameter of the nut 5, the internal rim of the nut 5 slides on the ramps and forces the branches to move towards the axis of the base, until the nut 5 reaches the level of the radial reduction of the lugs, the lugs 301 then being able to resume their initial position in the absence of stress, this by bringing the attachment portions under the nut 5, the latter being then held in position and suspended on the base.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the suspension means furthermore comprise a separate tool 4 independent of the draining device, and provided to allow the handling of the nut 5 through the bottom bore of the tank;

An example of a tool 4 for suspending the nut 5 is illustrated by the figure 4 . As shown in this figure, the tool comprises a head 40 from which extend two limbs 41 elastically deformable. The two branches extend from the head obliquely, apart from the other from the head.

The branches each have a lower end 410 provided with a carrying member 411, consisting of a tab folded upwards.

• la distance séparant les extrémités libres 412 des pattes repliées est supérieure au diamètre intérieur de l'écrou 5 à maintenir en suspension ;
• la distance entre les extrémités libres des pattes quand les deux branches des outils sont ramenées l'une contre l'autre est inférieure au diamètre de l'écrou 5 à maintenir en suspension.

The tool 4 is designed such that, in the absence of stress acting on the branches of the tool, it has the following dimensions:

• the distance separating the free ends 412 of the folded tabs is greater than the inside diameter of the nut 5 to be kept in suspension;
• the distance between the free ends of the tabs when the two branches of the tools are brought against each other is less than the diameter of the nut 5 to maintain in suspension.

Note also that each branch of the tool is constituted by two strips 413 parallel, facilitating the bending of the branches during the handling of the tool which will be described in more detail later.

The replacement of an old device for emptying a toilet tank with an assembly according to the invention is described hereinafter, step by step, with reference to the Figures 2 to 9 .

As it appears on the figure 2 , the installer starts from a configuration in which the old drain device A is mounted inside a tank 1, itself mounted on a bowl 2. The old drain device A is fixed on the bottom of the tank with a nut 5 inserted between the tank and the bowl.

First, the installer removes the body from the old emptying device, only the base of the old emptying device remaining fixed on the bottom of the tank via the nut 5 as it appears on the figure 3 .

At this stage, the installer can use a tool 4 of an assembly according to the invention to engage it inside the base of the old emptying device, in the direction of the nut 5, such as 'illustrated by the figure 4 .

The installer engages the tool inside the base by bringing the two branches of the tool closer to each other, so as to reduce the spacing of the legs folded at the base of the branches, thus allowing the passage of the tool in the inner diameter of the nut 5. Once past the level of the nut 5, the installer can release the branches of the tool 4 which then move away from each other to return to their original position in the absence of stress, thus placing the folded legs of the branches under the nut 5 as illustrated by the figure 5 .

Of course, the installer continues to hold the tool 4, this by exerting on the nut an upward force sufficient to keep it fixed in rotation, which allows the installer to unscrew the base of the old device drain and remove it from the tank.

At this stage, the installer continues to hold the tool 4 so as to keep the nut 5 in suspension, or the tool 4 is dimensioned such that, in the absence of stress exerted on the branches, the ends free folded legs of the branches of the tool abut against the upper edge of the water flow orifice of the bowl 2, as illustrated by the figure 6 .

The installer can then proceed to the introduction of the base 30 of the new device for emptying the assembly according to the invention, this by engaging the base 30 around the tool 4 until it is engaged in the bottom bore of the tank as illustrated by the figure 7 .

The engagement of the pellet around the tool 4 and inside the bottom bore of the reservoir is continued until it engenders the cooperation of the ramps at the base of the tabs of the base with the internal diameter of the nut 5. As previously described, the cooperation between the ramps and the nut is exerted to bring the nut 5 in position on the portions of the hooking of the legs of the base, to take a position such as that illustrated by the figure 8 .

At this stage, the nut 5 is kept in suspension by resting on the tabs of the base. The installer can then remove the tool 4, this by first bringing the branches of the tool to one another to clear the tool through the nut and the base. Only the base, with the nut resting on its attachment portions, then remains installed at the bottom of the tank as illustrated by the figure 9 .

It is noted that the fixing of the cap on the bottom of the tank is obtained by gluing. Indeed, as it appears on the figure 10 , the installer will have deposited a bead of glue 6 under the base 30.

Once the adhesive bead hardened, or at least able to maintain the base on the bottom of the tank, the installer can proceed to mount the rest of the emptying device.

Indeed, as illustrated by the figure 11 , the emptying device comprises two parts to be assembled, namely the base 30 and the body 1 of the device. The two parts are to be assembled by a bayonet system known to those skilled in the art, according to which the body has at its base lugs 310 intended to take place in bent grooves 306 of the base.

Thus, once the base is glued to the bottom of the tank, the installer axially engages the lugs 310 at the base of the body in the bent grooves 306 of the base and rotates by a few degrees the body relative to the base, which brings the lugs in a holding position by the bent grooves, which results in a maintenance of the body on the base ( figure 12 ).

Claims (6)

Assembly for the replacement of a draining device of a toilet tank (1) mounted on a bowl (2), including a new draining device (3) of a toilet tank to be mounted inside the tank without disassembly of the tank from the bowl, the new device having a drain base (30) adapted to be inserted into a bottom bore (10) of the tank,
characterized in that the assembly comprises means for suspending (4), (300) an annular body (5) capable of being engaged in the bottom bore (10) of the reservoir,
and in that means for suspending comprise retaining means (300) integrated into the emptying cap (30), the retaining means comprising at least two elastically deformable tabs (301) provided for approaching one of the other under the effect of the engagement of an annular body around them. Assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the suspending means comprise a tool (4) separate from the emptying device and comprising a head (40) and at least two branches (41) elastically deformable extending obliquely from head away from the head. Assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that the branches each have a lower end (410) provided with a carrying member (411). Assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that the carrying element (411) is constituted by a tab folded upwards. Assembly according to Claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the lugs (301) has a lower end (302) provided a lug (303) widening radially upwardly of the tab forming a ramp (304). An assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that the ramp (304) is surmounted by a hooking portion (305).

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