EP3263783B1

EP3263783B1 - Button assembly for activating a drain device of a flushing tank

Info

Publication number: EP3263783B1
Application number: EP17178373.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Rogério ALMEIDA MARTINS ANTUNES
Original assignee: Oli Sistemas Sanitarios SA
Current assignee: Oli Sistemas Sanitarios SA
Priority date: 2016-06-28
Filing date: 2017-06-28
Publication date: 2019-02-27
Anticipated expiration: 2037-06-28
Also published as: ES2716161T3; EP3263783A1; ITUA20164725A1

Description

The invention relates to a button assembly for activating a drain device of a flushing tank, according to the preamble of claim 1.
As it is known, a flushing tank for sanitary fixtures is usually provided with a drain device, which is housed inside the tank and is used to drain water from the tank. Generally speaking, a drain device comprises: a support structure, which is fixed to a bottom wall of the tank; a shutter member, which usually also works as an overflow pipe, can slide in the support structure and is provided with a sealing end portion cooperating with a sealing seat; and an activating mechanism, which is mechanically connected to the shutter member or overflow pipe.
The activating mechanism is commonly controlled by means of a button assembly, which can comprise one button (if the drain device is designed to operate in one single draining mode, namely to drain a fixed amount of water) or two buttons (in case the drain device is designed to operate in two different draining modes, thus draining different amounts of water).
It is known, in particular, that the button assembly can be directly installed on the flushing tank, precisely on an upper lid of the flushing tank.
In this case, the button assembly is usually fixed, for example through a threaded coupling, to an upper end of the support structure of the drain device and also locks the lid on the tank. In order to have access to the inside of the tank, you need to remove the button assembly in order to take off the lid.
Relevant examples of such a kind of button assemblies are disclosed by EP1498553A1 , DE29510495U1 , DE10113115A1 and US2009/089922A1 .
In particular, US2016/153182A1 discloses a button assembly comprising a base casing, a movable slider housed in the casing and provided with fastening teeth axially engaging the casing, and a pair of operating buttons connected to the slider. This document, selected as representing the closest prior art, describes all the technical features mentioned in the preamble of claim 1.
Both the installation and the removal of known button assemblies are not particularly simple and fast operations.
The object of the invention is to overcome the drawbacks described above, which affect prior art devices.
In particular, the object of the invention is to provide a button assembly for activating a drain device of a flushing tank, which allows a simple and quick access to the inside of the drain device, also - for example - in order to recharge a possible water treatment device integrated in the drain device.
Therefore, the invention relates to a button assembly for activating a drain device of a flushing tank as defined, in its essential aspects, in appended claim 1 and, in its additional features, in the dependent claims.
The button assembly according to the invention is simple and economic to be manufactured and installed and offers the chance to access the inside of the tank in a simple and quick manner, without requiring particularly long and complicated operations.
The invention will now be described in detail in the following non-limiting embodiment, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

figure 1 is a perspective view of a button assembly according to the invention, in an assembled condition;
figure 2 is an exploded perspective view, with parts removed for greater clarity, of the button assembly of figure 1;
figure 3 is a further exploded perspective view, with parts removed for greater clarity, of the button assembly of figure 1 in a partially assembled condition;
figure 4 is a perspective view, with parts removed for greater clarity, of the button assembly of figure 1 in a partially assembled condition;
figure 5 is a perspective view in longitudinal section of the button assembly of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, number 1 indicates, as a whole, a button assembly, which can be installed on a flushing tank and can be manually operated by a user.
In particular, the button assembly 1 can be fitted on an upper lid of a flushing tank and can be connected to a drain device of the flushing tank so as to cooperate with an activating mechanism of the drain device.
For the sake of simplicity, neither the drain device nor the flushing tank are shown, as they can be of a known type.
The button assembly 1 substantially extends along an axis A (which, in use, is vertical) and comprises a base casing 2, a pair of movable sliders 3, 4, which are housed so as to slide parallel to the axis A in the casing 2 and are connected to respective operating buttons 5, 6, which can be pressure-operated by a user, and a connection element 7.
The casing 2 consists of an internally hollow tank body, which is shaped so as to be housed in a suitable seat obtained in the flushing tank, for example on the lid of the flushing tank.
The casing 2 has a bottom wall 8 and a lateral wall 9, which extends from a peripheral edge of the bottom wall 8 around the axis A and delimits an inner chamber 10, which is open at the top.
The bottom wall 8 has a central opening 11, which is substantially positioned along the axis A and is connected to a service seat 12, which projects from the bottom wall 8 on the outside of the chamber 10 substantially along the axis A (or parallel to the axis A) ; and a pair of lateral openings 13, which are positioned on opposite sides of the opening 11 and are connected to respective sliding seats 14, which project from the bottom wall 8 on the outside of the chamber 10 substantially parallel to the axis A.
The lateral wall 9 is provided with a top end radially outer flanged edge 15 and has one or more slots 16, which are elongated parallel to the axis A and are angularly spaced apart from one another on the lateral wall 9; each slot 16 has an axial upper shoulder 17.
The casing 2 is provided with fixing members 21, which project - for example - from the lateral wall 9 so as to engage the lid of the flushing tank and connect the casing 2 to the flushing tank, thus reducing or eliminating excessive clearances between the casing 2 and the lid. In the non-limiting example shown herein, the fixing members 21 comprise elastic teeth, which radially project on the outside of the casing 2.
Each one of the sliders 3, 4 comprises a head plate 22, which is housed in the chamber 10, and a stem 23, which projects from the head plate 22 and is inserted in one of the sliding seats 14 through one of the openings 13.
The head plates 22 have respective overlapping contact portions 24, from which respective tubular sleeves 25 project, which are coaxial to each other and inserted one inside the other. The sleeves 25 are housed in the service seat 12 through the opening 11 and are axially open so as to define a through duct 26.
The slider 3, which has the contact portion located above the contact portion 24 of the slider 4, is provided with one or more outer fastening teeth 27.
The fastening teeth 27, for example, project radially outwards from a perimetral edge 28 of the head plate 22 and are located inside respective slots 16 so as to axially engage respective shoulders 17 of the casing 2.
Each fastening tooth 27 is connected to the perimetral edge 28 by a tie 29 and is spaced apart from the perimetral edge 28 by a gap 30. The fastening teeth 27 are radially flexible with respect to the axis A so as to selectively engage and release the shoulders 17.
The sliders 3, 4 have respective upper profiles 31, which project from the head plates 22 and are shaped so as to receive respective buttons 5, 6.
The buttons 5, 6 are housed in the chamber 10 above respective sliders 3, 4 and have respective bottom edges 32, which are shaped so as to engage respective profiles 31 of the sliders 3, 4, thus mechanically cooperating with the sliders 3, 4.
The button 5 has locking elements 33, which project from the bottom edge 32 in the area of respective fastening teeth 27 so as to cooperate with the fastening teeth 27 and radially lock the fastening teeth 27.
In particular, the locking elements 33 are inserted in the gaps 30 and are interposed between the fastening teeth 27 and the perimetral edge 28, so as to prevent the fastening teeth 27 from radially flexing.
The connection element 7 comprises an internally hollow tubular body 35, which extends along the axis A, and a radially outer flange 36, which is placed at an open upper axial end 37 of the tubular body 35.
A lower axial end 38 of the element 7 is also open and is optionally provided with a nozzle 39. The tubular body 35 has an outer thread 40.
The tubular body 35 is placed through the service seat 12 with the flange 36 abutting against the bottom wall 8. On the inside of the tubular body 35 there are the sleeves 25, which can slide inside the tubular body 35.
During the assembly phase, the button assembly 1 is fitted on the flushing tank in the following manner.
The casing 2 is placed in its seat on the flushing tank, for example on the lid of the flushing tank.
The casing is fastened to the flushing tank by means of the fixing members 21 and the flanged edge 15.
Then the connection element 7 is inserted through the opening 11 into the service seat 12 with the flange 36 abutting against the bottom wall 8; the tubular body 35 rotates in the service seat 12 and can be rotated so as to be screwed into a threaded seat formed by a support structure (which is known and, therefore, not shown) of the drain device of the flushing tank.
The sliders 3, 4 are inserted into the chamber 10, with the respective contact portions 24 overlapping one another; the stems 23 are inserted into the sliding seats 14 through the openings 13; the sleeves 25 are inserted into one another and, together, into the service seat 12 and inside the tubular body 35.
The slider 3 is fastened, through the fastening teeth 27, to the casing 2 and also locks the slider 4.
Finally, the buttons 5, 6 are installed.
The button 5 radially locks the fastening teeth 27, thus preventing the fastening teeth 27 from being released from the casing 2.
In fact, the locking elements 33, which are inserted in the gaps 30, are interposed between the fastening teeth 27 and the perimetral edge 28, so as to prevent the fastening teeth 27 from flexing and being removed from the casing.
In order to have access to the inside of the tank, for example to fill a service liquid (sanitizer), you simply have to remove the button 5 so as to have access, through the opening 11, to the tubular body 35.
If, on the other hand, you want to remove the lid of the flushing tank, after having removed the button 5, the fastening teeth 27 can be disengaged from the casing 2 and, hence, the sliders 3, 4 can be removed, followed by the connection element 7.
The button assembly described and explained herein can be subjected to changes and variants, which do not go beyond the scope of protection set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

Button assembly (1) for activating a drain device of a flushing tank, extending substantially along an axis (A) and comprising a base casing (2), at least one movable slider (3) housed in the casing (2) and sliding parallel to the axis (A) with respect to the casing (2), at least one operating button (5) connected to the slider (3); wherein the slider (3) is provided with one or more fastening teeth (27) which are housed inside respective slots (16) of the casing (2) for engaging axially respective shoulders (17) of the casing (2); characterized in that the button (5) has locking elements (33) projecting from a bottom edge (32) of the button (5) and corresponding to respective fastening teeth (27) for cooperating with the fastening teeth (27) and locking radially the fastening teeth (27).
A button assembly according to claim 1, wherein the fastening teeth (27) project from a perimetral edge (28) of the slider (3) and are radially flexible with respect to the axis (A) so as to selectively engage and release the respective shoulders (17).
A button assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each fastening teeth (27) is connected to the perimetral edge (28) by a tie (29) and is spaced apart from the perimetral edge (28) by a gap (30); and the locking elements (33) are housed inside the gaps (30) and interpose themselves between the fastening teeth (27) and the perimetral edge (28) so as to prevent the fastening teeth (27) from flexing radially.
A button assembly according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a pair of movable sliders (3, 4) housed in the casing (2) and sliding parallel to the axis (A) with respect to the casing (2) and connected to respective operating buttons (5, 6).
A button assembly according to claim 4, wherein the casing (2) has a bottom wall (8) and a lateral wall (9) extending from a peripheral edge of the bottom wall (8) about the axis (A) and delimiting an inner chamber (10) which is open at the top; and the bottom wall (8) has at least one central opening (11), positioned substantially along the axis (A) and connected to a service seat (12), and a pair of lateral openings (13) positioned on opposite sides of the central opening (11) and connected to respective sliding seats (14) which receive respective stems (23) of the sliders (3, 4) .
A button assembly according to claim 5, wherein the sliders (3, 4) comprise respective head plates (22) having respective overlapping contact portions (24) from which respective tubular sleeves (25) project, which are coaxial to each other and inserted one inside the other and inside the service seat (12).
A button assembly according to claim 6, wherein the fastening teeth (27) are positioned on a first slider (3), having the contact portion (24) positioned above the contact portion (24) of the other slider (4).
A button assembly according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a connection element (7) having a internally hollow tubular body (35) and extending along the axis (A), and a radially outer flange (36) positioned at an open upper axial end (37) of the tubular body (35); the tubular body (35) being positioned through the service seat (12) with the flange (36) abutting against the bottom wall (8), and the sleeves (25) being housed inside the tubular body (35).