EP3009573B1

EP3009573B1 - Dosing device of a service liquid for a flushing tank, and flushing tank provided with such a dosing device

Info

Publication number: EP3009573B1
Application number: EP15190310.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Helder Manuel Matos Vieira; Vítor António FERREIRA DA COSTA
Original assignee: Oli Sistemas Sanitarios SA
Current assignee: Oli Sistemas Sanitarios SA
Priority date: 2014-10-16
Filing date: 2015-10-16
Publication date: 2018-09-26
Anticipated expiration: 2035-10-16
Also published as: EP3009573A1

Description

The present invention relates to a dosing device for dosing a service liquid in a water stream discharged from a flushing tank for sanitary fittings, and to a flushing tank provided with such a device.
In general, a flushing tank for sanitary fittings (toilets, urinals, etc.) is provided with a flush valve, which is actuated to flush the water contained in the tank into the sanitary fitting to be flushed, and a feed mechanism, which fills the tank up to a predetermined level after each actuation of the flush valve.
Some flushing tanks are fitted with detergent and/or disinfectant systems, by means of which a disinfectant fluid is added to the water in the tank which is flushed into the sanitary fitting.
For example, US4571752 discloses a dosing device comprising a reservoir for a service liquid; a dosing chamber communicating with the reservoir for receiving a dose of service liquid from the reservoir through an opening; a movable piston housed in the dosing chamber and operated by a water stream supplied through a water supply pipe.
Also WO2012001197 discloses a similar kind of dosing device.
The known systems have room for improvement, especially in terms of effectiveness, reliability and simplicity of realization and use.
One purpose of the present invention is to provide a dosing device for a flushing tank which is simple, effective and reliable.
The present invention thus relates to a dosing device for dosing a service liquid in a water stream discharged from a flushing tank, and a flushing tank fitted with such a dosing device.
The dosing device according to the invention makes it possible, in a simple, effective and reliable manner, to flush service liquid only at the time of flushing the water from the tank, thus not contaminating the inside of the tank.
Due to the use of the bellows in addition to the piston, the dosing device of the invention avoids possible losses of service liquid and malfunctions, avoids wastage of service liquid (because each time the exact and entire dose, accurately measured, of desired service liquid is flushed and there are no unused residues.
The invention is described in detail in the following non-limiting example of embodiment, with reference to the appended drawings wherein:

figure 1 is a partial schematic view, with parts in longitudinal cross-section and parts not to scale, of a flushing tank for sanitary fittings provided with a dosing device of a service liquid according to the invention;
figure 2 is a longitudinal cross-section view, with parts not to scale of some components of the tank in figure 1, in particular of the dosing device;
figure 3 is a perspective and partially cross-sectioned view of a detail of the dosing device of the invention;
figures 4 and 5 are views in longitudinal cross-section and on an enlarged scale of a further detail of the dosing device of the invention, shown in respective operating positions;
figure 6 is a view in longitudinal cross-section of a further detail of the dosing device of the invention.

Figure 1 illustrates, schematically and partially, with parts not to scale, a flushing tank 1 for sanitary fittings.
The tank 1 comprises a container 2 housing a filling valve 3, a flush valve 4 and a service liquid dosing device 5 to dose a service liquid, for example (but not necessarily) a detergent and/or disinfectant liquid or other type of water treatment liquid, in a water stream discharged from the tank 1 by means of the flush valve 4.
The filling valve 3 and the flush valve 4 are of a type essentially known and are illustrated in figure 1 only schematically and partially.
The filling valve 3 comprises an inlet duct 6, connectable to an external water supply, and an outlet duct 7 which flows into the tank 1. The filling valve 3 is controlled by a movable float 8, slidingly fitted along a guide 9 to selectively open/close the filling valve 3 depending on the position of the float 8, i.e. the level of water in the tank 1.
The flush valve 4 comprises: a support structure 11 fixed to a bottom wall 12 of the container 2; a movable shutter 13, supported by a lower end of an overflow pipe 15 and cooperating with a sealing seat 16 to close/open a drain hole 17; an actuator mechanism 18 mechanically connected to the shutter 13 via the overflow pipe 15 to lift the overflow pipe 15 and with it the shutter 13 and open the drain hole 17; a float system 19 acting on the shutter 13 to delay the descent of the shutter 13 and the closure of the drain hole 17.
With reference also to Figures 2 and 3, the dosing device 5 comprises: a reservoir 21 containing service liquid; a dosing chamber 22 communicating with the reservoir 21; a movable piston 23 slidingly housed in the dosing chamber 22 and operated by an expandable bellows 24; a water supply pipe 25 for feeding water to the bellows 24; a service liquid delivery pipe 26 which brings service liquid to the overflow pipe 15.
The reservoir 21 comprises a housing 27 having an inner chamber 28, provided with an upper inlet 29 for replenishing the service liquid in the reservoir 21 and a lower opening 30, located at a lower end 31 of the housing 27.
As shown in more detail in figures 4 and 5, the dosing chamber 22, having for example a substantially cylindrical shape, is positioned below the reservoir 21 and communicates with the reservoir 21 via the opening 30. The opening 30 is formed in an upper wall 32 of the dosing chamber 22 and is provided with a non-return valve 33 permitting the passage of liquid from the chamber 28 of the reservoir 21 towards the dosing chamber 22 but not vice versa.
The piston 23 is housed in the dosing chamber 22 and has a head 34 which is spaced apart from the wall 32 of the dosing chamber 22 and cooperates radially in contact (and thus essentially fluid-tight) with an inner lateral surface 35 of the dosing chamber 22.
Preferably, the head 34 of the piston 23 is a hollow head shaped as an inverted cup and housing the bellows 24. In particular, the head 34 of the piston 23 comprises an upper plate 36, for example substantially flat and circular in shape, facing the wall 32 of the dosing chamber 22 and spaced apart therefrom, and a lateral sleeve portion 37 which projects from the plate 36 and contacts the lateral surface 35. The bellows 24 is positioned under the plate 36 in the hollow head 34 of the piston 23.
The water supply pipe 25 connects the bellows 24 (figure 1) to the filling valve 3, and in particular to an auxiliary outlet 38 of the filling valve 3, to bring a stream of water to the bellows 24 when the filling valve 3 is opened, to fill the tank 1 with water and expand the bellows 24. The bellows 24 extends along a longitudinal axis X, substantially vertical in use, and is expandable along the axis X.
In particular, the bellows 24 extends along the axis X between a root end 39, which is attached to a support ring 40 mounted on a bottom wall 41, opposite the upper wall 32, of the dosing chamber 22; and a contact end 42, which cooperates in abutment with the head 34 of the piston 23 and in particular with the plate 36.
When the bellows 24 is filled with water and expands, the contact end 42 moves axially away from the root end 39.
The dosing chamber 22 has an outlet 43, for example also made in the wall 32 and spaced laterally with respect to the opening 30; the outlet 43 communicates with the delivery pipe 26 and in particular with a first pipe portion 44, ascending (i.e. in which the service liquid, in use, flows from the bottom to the top), of the delivery pipe 26.
The pipe portion 44 is for example substantially straight and positioned adjacent to the reservoir 21 and extends along a substantially vertical axis in use. For example, the pipe portion 44 is made in one piece with the reservoir 21 (for example of an essentially rigid polymeric material).
The delivery pipe 26 comprises also a second pipe portion 45, descending (the service liquid flowing, in use, from top to bottom), for example consisting of a flexible hose, which departs from an upper end 46 of the first pipe portion 44 and ends inside the overflow pipe 15.
For example the pipe portion 45 joins a joint 47 projecting laterally from an upper end 46 of the pipe portion 44, and ends (figures 2 and 6) with an open free end 48, provided with an outlet opening 49 inserted inside the overflow pipe 15 in proximity of or in contact with an inner lateral surface 50 of the overflow pipe 15.
With reference in particular to figure 6, the overflow pipe 15 is preferably provided with a liquid retaining system 51, which collects a preset amount of service liquid and retains it in the overflow pipe 15 up to the next flush of water from the tank 1.
The retaining system 51 includes at least one seat 52 placed in the overflow pipe 15 and shaped so as to receive a preset amount of service liquid from the delivery pipe 26.
For example, the retaining system 51 comprises at least one hollow element 53 radially projecting from the inner lateral surface 50 of the overflow pipe 15 and provided with a concave seat 52 facing upwards for receiving the service liquid.
In particular, the element 53 is an annular element positioned along the inner lateral surface 50 of the overflow pipe 15 and around a longitudinal axis A (vertical in use) of the overflow pipe 15.
In the preferred embodiment shown in figure 6, the retaining system 51 comprises a plurality of annular elements 53 axially spaced apart along the inner lateral surface 50 and provided with respective concave seats 52 positioned at least partially one above the other.
The elements 53 are substantially perpendicular to the axis A and have their respective concave seats 52 facing upwards.
Each element 53 has a top concave face 54, defining a seat 52, and a bottom convex face 55.
The outlet opening 49 of the delivery pipe 26 is positioned on the first element 53, that is on the element 53 positioned higher up in the overflow pipe 15, so as to discharge service liquid in the seat 52 of said first element 53.
In use, after a flush of the water contained in the tank 1 via the flush valve 4, the tank 1 is empty (fully or partially depending on the amount of water flushed).
The bellows 24 is in a minimum dimension retracted position (figure 4) and the dosing chamber 22 contains a dose of service liquid entered into the dosing chamber 22 from the reservoir 21 through the opening 30; the service liquid fills the (ascending) pipe portion 44 up to a initial preset level, located below the joint 47 where the (descending) pipe portion 45 joins, and substantially equal to the level of service liquid in the reservoir 21 (according to the principle of communicating vessels).
When flushing is complete, the tank 1 fills up again through the filling valve 3. The float 8 of the filling valve 3 falls in fact with the gradual lowering of the water level in the tank 1 and opens the filling valve 3, allowing the entrance of water.
A main stream of water fills the tank 1 through the outlet duct 7.
A secondary stream of water passes instead into the water supply pipe 25 and reaches and fills the bellows 24.
The bellows 24 expands along the X axis, due to the water that fills it, and assumes a maximum dimension extended position (figure 5); the bellows 24 consequently pushes the piston 23, and precisely the head 34 of the piston 23, into the dosing chamber 22.
The dose of service liquid initially present in the dosing chamber 22 is pushed into the delivery pipe 26 (the service liquid cannot instead flow back into the reservoir 21 on account of the presence of the non-return valve 33).
Said dose is sufficient to raise the level of service liquid in the pipe portion 44 as far as the joint 47, so that the service liquid first ascends the first pipe portion 44 and then descends the pipe portion 45 up to the overflow pipe 15.
During the filling of the tank 1, the flush valve 4 is closed (the shutter 13 being in contact with the sealing seat 16), so that the overflow pipe 15 does not contain water.
The service liquid fed through the delivery pipe 26 remains in the overflow pipe 15, in the seats 52 of the elements 53.
In particular, the service liquid exits from the outlet opening 49 and fills the seat 52 of the first element 53; the service liquid, having filled the seat 52 of the first element 53, overflows from the first element 53, flowing on the convex lower face 55 of said element 53 and on the inner lateral surface 50 of the overflow pipe 15, thus reaching the next element 53, positioned under the first element 53. The service liquid then fills the seat 52 of the second element 53, overflows and reaches the next element 53 and so on.
The preset dose of service liquid remains in the retaining system 51 until the next flush of the water contained in the tank 1.
When flushing is activated, the flush valve 4 is opened and the shutter 13 and overflow pipe 15 are lifted, allowing the entry of water from below into the overflow pipe 15.
The water that enters the overflow pipe 15, picks up the service liquid from the seats 52 and brings it out of the tank 1 through the drain hole 17.
When the tank 1 empties, the bellows 24 also returns to the retracted position, emptying out the water through an outlet hole 57 (Figure 3); the piston 23 is lowered and allows the entry of a new dose of service liquid from the reservoir 21 into the dosing chamber 22.
Lastly, it is understood that numerous modifications and variations may be made to the dosing device described and illustrated while remaining within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

A dosing device (5) for dosing a service liquid in a water stream discharged from a flushing tank, comprising a reservoir (21) for a service liquid; a dosing chamber (22) communicating with the reservoir (21) for receiving a dose of service liquid from the reservoir (21) through an opening (30); a movable piston (23) housed in the dosing chamber (22); a water supply pipe (25), connectable to a filling valve (3) of the tank (1); the dosing device (5) being characterized in that the movable piston (23) is operated by an expandable bellows (24) and the water supply pipe (25) is connectable to the filling valve (3) of the tank (1) for feeding water to the bellows (24) so as to expand the bellows (24) and consequently move the piston (23) in the dosing chamber (22) and push service liquid from the dosing chamber (22) into a delivery pipe (26) of service liquid connectable to an overflow pipe (15) of the tank (1).
A dosing device according to claim 1, wherein the dosing chamber (22) is positioned below the reservoir (21) and communicates with the reservoir (21) via the opening (30), which is provided with a non-return valve (33) permitting the passage of liquid from the reservoir (21) towards the dosing chamber (22) but not vice versa.
A dosing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the opening (30) is formed in an upper wall (32) of the dosing chamber (22); and the piston (23) has a head (34) which is spaced apart from said upper wall (32) of the dosing chamber (22) and radially contacts an inner lateral surface (35) of the dosing chamber (22).
A dosing device according to claim 3, wherein the head (34) of the piston (23) is a hollow head shaped as an inverted cup and housing the bellows (24).
A dosing device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the bellows (24) extends along an axis (X), substantially vertical in use, and is expandable along the axis (X) when a water stream fills the bellows (24).
A dosing device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the delivery pipe (26) comprises an ascending first pipe portion (44), in which the service liquid flows, in use, upwards and which communicates with the dosing chamber (22) via an outlet (43) of the dosing chamber (22); and a descending second pipe portion (45), in which the service liquid flows, in use, downwards and which departs from an upper end (46) of the first pipe portion (44) and is insertable inside the overflow pipe (15).
A dosing device according to claim 6, wherein the first pipe portion (44) is substantially straight and positioned adjacent to the reservoir (21) and extends along an axis substantially vertical in use; the second pipe portion (45) consisting of a flexible pipe.
A dosing device according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the second pipe portion (45) joins a joint (47) projecting laterally from an upper end (46) of the first pipe portion (44); and ends with an open free end (48), provided with an outlet opening (49) and insertable inside the overflow pipe (15) in proximity of or in contact with an inner lateral surface (50) of the overflow pipe (15).
A dosing device according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a liquid retaining system (51), insertable in an overflow pipe of a flush valve of the tank (1) and shaped so as to collect a preset amount of service liquid supplied through the delivery pipe (26) and retain said amount of service liquid in the overflow pipe (15) up to the flush of water from the tank (1).
A dosing device according to claim 9, wherein the liquid retaining system (51) includes at least one seat (52) shaped so as to receive a preset amount of service liquid from the delivery pipe (26).
A flushing tank (1) for sanitary fittings, comprising a container (2) housing a filling valve (3); a flush valve (4); and a dosing device (5) for dosing a service liquid in a water stream discharged from the tank (1) via the flush valve (4); wherein the dosing device (5) is a dosing device according to one of the preceding claims.
A flushing tank according to claim 11, wherein the dosing device is a dosing device according to claim 9 or 10, and wherein the flush valve (4) comprises an overflow pipe (15) and the retaining system (51) is placed inside the overflow pipe (15) and comprises at least one hollow element (53) radially projecting from an inner lateral surface (50) of the overflow pipe (15) and provided with a concave seat (52) facing upwards for receiving the service liquid.
A flushing tank according to claim 12, wherein the element (53) is an annular element positioned along the inner lateral surface (50) of the overflow pipe (15) and around a longitudinal axis (A) of the overflow pipe (15).
A flushing tank according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the retaining system (51) comprises a plurality of annular elements (53) axially spaced apart along the inner lateral surface (50) of the overflow pipe (15) and provided with respective concave seats (52) positioned at least partially one above the other.
A flushing tank according to claim 14, wherein each element (53) has a top concave face (54), defining a seat (52), and a bottom convex face (55).
A flushing tank according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the outlet opening (49) of the delivery pipe (26) is positioned on the first element (53), that is on the element (53) positioned higher up in the overflow pipe (15), so as to discharge service liquid in the seat (52) of said first element (53).