EP3732334B1

EP3732334B1 - Height-adjustable upright tube-cage unit

Info

Publication number: EP3732334B1
Application number: EP18840078.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Christian Gilde; Achim HEINZLE; Oliver Seidel
Original assignee: Lixil International Pte Ltd
Current assignee: Lixil International Pte Ltd
Priority date: 2017-12-28
Filing date: 2018-12-28
Publication date: 2022-02-02
Anticipated expiration: 2038-12-28
Also published as: CN111542666B; CN111542666A; DE102017131401A1; WO2019130260A1; EP3732334A1; US20210062486A1

Description

The present invention relates to a height-adjustable upright tube-cage unit comprising a telescopic cage which consists of an inner cage and an outer cage, and a telescopic upright tube accommodated in the cage, which consists of an inner upright tube and an outer upright tube.
A device of this type is already known from EP 1 795 660 A2 . This document describes a flush valve and the associated structure for the actuation thereof, the structure also including an upright tube and an upright tube-cage surrounding the upright tube. In order to adjust the height of the upright tube and the cage, the upright tube and the cage can be telescopically adjusted and fixed in a desired position with respect to each other with the aid of latching means. In this case, it is necessary, however, to adjust the two parts separately, and therefore care must be taken to adjust the two parts in the correct ratio with respect to each other. EP 2 146 012 B1 also operates according to such a principle.
In general, in the prior art, the height adjustment is carried out outside of the cistern, because the latching means are difficult to access in the installed state. As a result, it is even more difficult to find the correct adjustment, because an adaptation requires a removal and a reinstallation every time.
Yet another solution is already known from DE 602 12 070 T2 , which provides a simple cage, in the case of which a frame extends upward and can be locked in position via a toothed rack. In order to carry out a suitable adaptation of the upright tube in this case, it is necessary, however, to sever the upright tube which already includes predetermined breaking points for this purpose.
A solution which is similar with respect to the height adjustment is found in the document EP 1 672 130 B1 , which is likewise based on a severing of upright tube elements, for the case in which it is considered to be too long.
EP 2 692 956 B1 does not require an upright tube, but it likewise requires a separate adjustment of the overflow and the cage, in that a rotary bolt is brought out of engagement, is vertically displaced, and is rotated back into engagement.
As a rule, the cage, including a basin element, is screwed into the base of the cistern and is secured there at least by way of being screwed together with the cistern. In the prior art, this already largely establishes the position of the entire structure, wherein the structures are frequently at least largely rotationally symmetrical, in order to have the required freedom with respect to the screwing into the final position.
It is an elaborate and tedious process, however, when making adaptations, to initially remove the entire structure from the cistern, make changes thereto, and then reinstall the structure, or to suitably measure the structure in advance, and therefore the problem addressed by the present invention is that of providing a height-adjustable upright tube-cage unit which is easily height-adjustable even in the installed state and in the case of which a separate adaptation of the cage with respect to the upright tube can be dispensed with.
This problem is solved by a height-adjustable upright tube-cage unit as claimed in claim 1. Meaningful embodiments and refinements can be found in the subsequent dependent claims.
A height-adjustable upright tube-cage unit is proposed comprising

a telescopic cage which comprises an inner cage and an outer cage, and
a telescopic upright tube which comprises an inner upright tube and an outer upright tube and which is accommodated in the cage,

According to the invention, it is provided that a height-adjustable upright tube-cage unit comprises a telescopic cage which consists of two concentrically situated parts which are slidingly displaceable with respect to each other. An inner cage and an outer cage can be displaced with respect to each other, in this case, in such a way that the base of one part is secured on the bottom of the cistern, while the upper edge of the other part forms the upper end of the structure. An upright tube is situated in the interior of the cage. The upright tube can be simultaneously utilized as an overflow, if necessary, and can be connected to the plunger of a flushing device, in order to trigger the flushing process. In this case, the upright tube is also height-adjustable, since a taller upright tube is also required in a taller cage, in order to optimally make use of the taller design of the cistern.
In order to be able to adapt the upright tube and the cage simultaneously and to the same extent in the case of a height adjustment, the upright tube-cage unit comprises a shared, telescopic scaffolding which can connect the individual elements of the inner cage, the outer cage, the inner upright tube, and the outer upright tube to each other in a suitable manner, depending on the detent position, with the aid of detent means.
Two operating modes can be defined for this purpose, namely a first detent position which represents the normal operation, and the second detent position, in which the height of the upright tube-cage unit can be adapted. In the first detent position, the inner cage is connected to the outer cage and therefore forms a rigid outer structure. Simultaneously, the inner upright tube is connected to the outer upright tube and therefore forms an upright tube which has the desired length and is height-displaceably mounted within the cage for the opening and closing of the flush valve.
In the second detent position, however, the connections (according to the first detent position) between the inner cage and the outer cage, and between the inner upright tube and the outer upright tube are separated; simultaneously, however, new connections are established by way of latching, namely of the lower cage part with the lower upright tube part, and of the upper cage part with the upper upright tube part. In this second detent position, the upper parts are now mounted so as to be longitudinally displaceable relative to the lower parts, but they are fixed with respect to each other. Therefore, in the installed state of the upright tube-cage unit, the upper parts can now be jointly pulled upward, while the lower parts can jointly remain on the base of the cistern. An end stop preferably prevents a complete detachment of the upper parts from the lower parts in this case. If the desired height of the upright tube-cage unit has been achieved, in this case, by pulling the interconnected upper parts, the second detent position is exited again and is switched back into the first detent position, in that the detent connections between the upper parts on one hand and the lower parts on the other hands are released and can be re-established between the upright tube parts on one hand and the cage parts on the other hands.
As a result, an adaptation of the height of the upright tube-cage unit can be reversibly carried out at any time, in particular even in the installed state. It is only necessary to switch the scaffolding into the second detent position in order to carry out an adaptation; a switch back into the first detent position transfers the upright tube-cage unit into the operating state.
In order to actuate the scaffolding and carry out a switch of the detent position, the scaffolding can comprise a telescopic rotary shaft which operates multiple detent sliders which can establish and release the different connections, namely the connections between the upper and lower parts of the upright tube-cage unit. The detent sliders are distributed along the rotary shaft in such a way that one de- tent slider can be provided in one plane in each case. The detent sliders can be moved along the rotary shaft. In order to operate the detent sliders, the rotary shaft comprises actuator levers at the level of each detent slider, which engage into slotted links of the detent sliders, in order to move the detent sliders. The actuator levers and the slotted links are designed in such a way that the above-described latchings into the particular associated detent positions of the rotary shaft can be adjusted.
Specifically, this can be achieved in that a first detent slider is secured on the outer upright tube and secures it to the inner upright tube in the first detent position. If the rotary shaft is rotated into the second detent position, the first detent slider is displaced so far backwards that it remains connected to the outer upright tube, but releases the inner upright tube and releases the fastening of the two upright tube parts. In other words, the first slider may ensure a permanent fixation of the outer upright tube but depending on the rotation of the rotary shaft fix or release the relative position of the inner upright tube. The first slider may establish either an interconnection between the inner upright tube and the outer upright tube (first detent position) or alternatively is only connected to the outer upright tube (second detent position).
Furthermore, a second detent slider can be secured on the inner cage and, during the adjustment of the rotary shaft in the first detent position, can connect the inner cage to the outer cage. During a switch into the second detent position, the second detent slider is displaced to such an extent, however, that the outer cage is released from the inner cage, but, in turn, the second detent slider is brought into connection with the lower upright tube part. In other words, the second slider may establish either an interconnection between the inner cage and the outer cage (first detent position) or alternatively an interconnection between the inner cage and the lower upright tube part (second detent position).
Finally, a third detent slider can be secured on the outer cage and, in the first detent position, can remain completely disengaged from further elements. When the rotary shaft is rotated into the second detent position, the third detent slider engages into counter-detent elements of the upper upright tube part and connects it to the outer cage. In other words, the third slider is either only connected to the outer cage (first detent position) or alternatively establishes an interconnection between the outer cage and the upper upright tube part (second detent position).
In particular, the outer cage is the upper cage part and the inner cage is the lower cage part. Conversely, in the specific embodiment, the upright tube inner part is the upper part of the upright (inner) tube and the upright tube outer part is the lower part of the (outer) upright tube. This is also described in this way in the following, but all other combinations in which inner or outer parts are exchanged from top to bottom are similarly expressly covered by the invention, however.
To some advantage, in addition to the two above-described detent positions, there can also be a third detent position, in which the above-described first, second, and third detent sliders are not moved further. Such a third detent position is used for operating a fourth detent slider and bringing it into a release position; in the first and second detent positions, the fourth detent slider is always in a closed position. The fourth detent slider is used for establishing a connection between a base of the lower cage part, preferably, i.e., of the inner cage, and a basin element. The basin element is intended to be screwed together with the base of the cistern, which can therefore be initially separately fastened. If the upright tube-cage unit is now placed onto the basin element, which has already been screwed together with the base of the cistern, and the rotary shaft is rotated into the third detent position, the basin element can be connected to the base of the first cage part and can be secured by way of a switch out of the third detent position into the first detent position. Preferably, the structure is alternatively designed in such a way that pressing the lower cage part onto the basin causes the connection to snap into place and the third detent position must be adjusted only for the opening thereof. This also allows for a fastening independently of the specific rotational position, since the detent means of the basin element are designed to be rotationally symmetrical.
Specifically, this connection, as is also the case with the connection of the first detent element, can be a clamping connection, in which preloaded detent clamps are assigned to the detent sliders. These detent clamps surround an outer element in each case and engage into a continuous detent groove, i.e., a detent opening. Sliding elements can be provided in the region of the ends of the detent clamps, which can slide over a slotted link provided on the outer element, on both sides of the detent groove. In the first detent position, the detent clamps additionally engage into the underlying, congruent detent grooves of the inner elements, while they are moved, in the first or third position, along the slotted link into a position, in which the detent clamps are spread apart so far that they disengage from the detent grooves of the inner elements and, therefore, the connection of the particular inner element to the particular outer element is released.
Alternatively, detent sliders can also be provided which comprise hook elements which engage into corresponding counter-detent means in the form of abutments. As a result thereof as well, a connection can be established which can released again in the opposite direction.
Both types of detent sliders can preferably be implemented jointly in the invention. This is described in greater detail in the following with reference to one exemplary embodiment.
Wherein

figure 1: shows a perspective representation obliquely from the front of an upright tube-cage unit as part of a complete flushing device,
figure 2: shows a perspective partial cross-sectional view obliquely from the above of the upright tube-cage unit according to figure 1,
figure 3: shows a perspective representation obliquely from above of the scaffolding of the upright tube-cage unit according to figure 2,
figure 4: shows a perspective representation obliquely from below of a detail of figure 2 in a third detent position,
figure 5: shows a perspective representation obliquely from below of the detail according to figure 4 in a first de-tent position, and
figure 6: shows a flushing device of a toilet including an upright tube-cage unit.

Figure 1 shows a flushing device 24 which includes an upright tube-cage unit 20 according to the invention. The inner upright tube 3 and outer upright tube 4 is accommodated in the inner cage 1 and outer cage 2 and can be lifted in the inner cage 1 and outer cage 2 with the aid of a triggering mechanism, in order to trigger a flushing process. A basin element 16, which can be sealingly connected to a cistern, is situated on the base 15 of an inner cage 1. When the inner/ outer upright tube 3, 4 is lifted, the water contained in the cistern can flow into the basin element 16 and can run, through a central opening which is otherwise closed by the upright tube 3, 4, into a toilet bowl connected at the bottom.
Since highly diverse cisterns are available on the market, the upright tube-cage unit is height-adjustable, in that the upright tube is formed from an inner upright tube 3 and an outer upright tube 4, and the cage is formed from an inner cage 1 and an outer cage 2. Figure 1 shows a position, in which the aforementioned elements 1, 2, 3, 4 have been brought into the greatest possible extension, i.e., they have minimal overlap.
Furthermore, figure 1 shows that the inner upright tube 3 located at the top comprises numerous circumferential detent grooves lying one above the other, the inner cage 1 comprises two detent grooves, on the front and the back, and the outer cage 2 comprises two rows of detent recesses, on the front and the back.
A single detent groove of the outer upright tube 4 is first apparent in figure 2. The position of the upright tube parts 3, 4 (telescopic upright tube 22) with respect to the cage parts 1, 2 (telescopic cage 21) can be made apparent by way of a partial cross-section, in which a portion of the inner cage 1 and a portion of the outer cage 2 are removed in this case. Figure 2 now shows the upright tube parts 3, 4 and the cage parts 1, 2 pushed completely together. A scaffolding 5 is inserted between the upright tube parts 3, 4 and the cage parts 1, 2, which can connect the elements 1, 2, 3, 4 to each other in different ways. For this purpose, the scaffolding 5 comprises different detent sliders 11, 12, 13, 14 which perform different functions. Inter alia, individual detent sliders 12 and 13 comprise hook elements 10 which engage into abutments 19 of the upright tube parts 3, 4. The scaffolding 5 has been exposed in figure 3 in order to better describe which detent sliders perform which functions. The scaffolding essentially comprises a telescopic rotary shaft 6, to which a total of four detent sliders 11, 12, 13, 14 are assigned. By way of a rotation of the rotary shaft 6, which can take place via a handle on the upper end of the rotary shaft 6, the rotary shaft 6 is rotated between a first detent position, which represents the normal operating state, a second detent position, which represents the state of the height-adjustability by means of the detent sliders 11, 12 and 13, and a third detent position, in which the upright tube-cage unit is released from the basin element 16 with the aid of the detent slider 14.
The first detent position is shown in figure 3. A first detent slider 11 is initially utilized for connecting the inner upright tube 3 to the outer upright tube 4. For this purpose, the outer upright tube 4 comprises a detent groove, into which the clamp arms of the detent clamp 9 of the first detent slider 11 consistently engage. In the first detent position shown here, the clamp arms of the detent clamp 9 of the first detent slider 11 even engage into a detent groove of the inner upright tube 3, which is situated congruently with the detent groove of the outer upright tube 4, and thereby prevent the inner upright tube 3 from moving relative to the outer upright tube 4.
During a switch into the second detent position, the rotary shaft 6 would be rotated and the actuator levers 7 of the first detent slider 11 would be rotated in the slotted link 8 of the first detent slider 11 to such an extent that the first detent slider 11 is moved by the actuator levers 7 away from the outer upright tube, i.e., toward the front right in the image. In this case, sliding elements mounted on the ends of the clamp arms of the detent clamp 9 would slide over a slotted link extending along the detent groove of the outer upright tube and thereby move away from the outer upright tube 4, whereby the clamp arms dis-engage from the detent groove of the inner upright tube 3 and would release the inner upright tube.
Simultaneously, during this switch, the second detent slider 12 and the third detent slider 13 are moved in the same way in the opposite direction, and therefore the particular hook elements 10 assigned to these detent sliders 12, 13 engage into abutments 19. In this case, the hook elements 10 of the second detent element 12 will hook into abutments 19 of the outer upright tube 4, and the hook elements 10 of the third detent element 13 will hook into abutments of the inner upright tube 3. Simultaneously, abutments of the second detent element 12 release a connection between the inner cage 1 and the outer cage 2, and therefore the upper parts 2, 3 and the lower parts 1, 4 are each now coupled, and a suitable height adjustment can be carried out. In this case, the telescopic rotary shaft 6 can likewise be extended, wherein only the third detent slider 13 is moved upward with the tip of the rotary shaft 6.
The lower end of the scaffolding 5 relates to the fastening of the basin element 16 to the base 15 of the inner cage 1. In the first detent position shown, the sliding elements on the ends of the clamp arms of the detent clamp 9 on the fourth detent slider 14 are in a state disengaged toward the left, in which the basin element 16 and the base 15 are engaged with each other. By way of a rotation of the rotary shaft 6, in the direction opposite to the previous direction, into the second detent position, the rotary shaft 6 is brought into the third detent position, in which the fourth detent slider is retracted and releases the basin element 16 from the base 15. A snapping-in of the base 15 into the basin element 16 can take place in any detent position.
This released position is represented in figure 4, once again with the base 15 and the basin element 16 shown. The base 15 comprises a further detent groove 18, into which the detent clamp 9 engages. The sliding element on the end slides on a further slotted link 17 and, thereon, is located at the highest point above the jacket portion of the base 15. The detent clamp 9 therefore engages into the detent groove 18 of the base 15, but not into the underlying, congruent detent groove of the basin element 16.
This is the case again only when, as shown in figure 5, the rotary shaft 6 has been rotated back into the first or the second detent position and, as a result, the fourth detent slider 14 including the detent clamp 9 is further disengaged. As a result, the sliding element on the end is displaced beyond the sliding link to a lower point than the slotted link 17, and therefore the detent clamp 9 now engages not only into the detent groove 18 of the base 15, but also into an underlying, corresponding and congruent, circumferential groove of the base element 16. A connection to the basin element 15 has therefore been established.
Described above, therefore, is an upright tube-cage unit, in the case of which the various elements of the upright tube and of the cage can be connected to each other by way of the use of a scaffolding not only in the operating state, but also in a further state, in which the upright tube parts and the cage parts are separated from each other and, instead, upper elements and lower elements are connected to each other. In such a state, the upright tube-cage unit can be brought into the desired extension, by being pulled apart or pushed together, and, there, can be returned to the operating state.
Figure 6 a flushing device 24 which includes an upright tube-cage unit 20 according to the invention. A basin element 16 is provided which can be sealingly connected to a cistern 25. When the inner/outer upright tube is lifted, the water contained in the cistern 25 can flow into the basin element 16 and can run, through a central opening which is otherwise closed into a toilet bowl 23 connected at the bottom. Since highly diverse cisterns 25 are available on the market, the upright tube-cage unit 20 is height-adjustable.
Upon installation of a flushing device into a toilet cistern, it is important to adjust the flushing device, in particular the upright tube and the cage surrounding the upright tube, to the height of the cistern, since there are no uniform shapes and sizes of cisterns. For this purpose, known devices provide for severing parts in order to reduce the size or for utilizing clamping devices; in any case, however, known devices provide for producing the upright tube and the cage separately. This is an elaborate and tedious process, and therefore the invention shall offer a simpler solution which, simultaneously, consistently complies with the standards with respect to the overflow height. This is achieved by way of the use of a scaffolding which can connect the different elements of the upright tube and the cage not only in the operating state, but also in a further state, in which the upright tube parts and the cage parts are separated from each other and, instead, upper elements and lower elements are connected to each other. In such a state, the upright tube-cage unit can be brought into the desired extension, by being pulled apart or pushed together, and, there, can be returned to the operating state. The required size ratio remains directly attained in this case.

List of reference signs

1: inner cage
2: outer cage
3: inner upright tube
4: outer upright tube
5: scaffolding
6: rotary shaft
7: actuator lever
8: slotted link
9: detent clamp
10: hook element
11: first detent slider
12: second detent slider
13: third detent slider
14: fourth detent slider
15: base
16: basin element
17: slotted link
18: detent groove
19: abutment
20: upright tube-cage unit
21: telescopic cage
22: telescopic upright tube
23: toilet bowl
24: flushing device
25: cistern

Claims

A height-adjustable upright tube-cage unit (20) comprising a telescopic cage (21) which comprises an inner cage (1) and an outer cage (2), and a telescopic upright tube (22) which comprises an inner upright tube (3) and an outer upright tube (4) and is accommodated in the cage (21), wherein the elements inner cage (1), outer cage (2), inner upright tube (3), and outer upright tube (4) can be connected to each other via a shared, telescopic scaffolding (5), wherein the scaffolding (5) is adjustable between a first detent position, in which the inner cage (1) is latched with the outer cage (2) and the inner upright tube (3) is latched with the outer upright tube (4), wherein the upright tube (22) is longitudinally displaceable within the cage (21), and a second detent position, in which an upper cage part is latched with an upper upright tube part, and a lower cage part is latched with a lower upright tube part.
The upright tube-cage unit (20) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the scaffolding (5) comprises a telescopic rotary shaft (6) which operates detent sliders (11, 12, 13) provided for latching the elements, wherein the rotary shaft (6) comprises actuator levers (7) which engage into slotted links (8) assigned to the detent sliders (11, 12, 13) in order to actuate the detent sliders (11, 12, 13).
The upright tube-cage unit (20) as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that a first detent slider (11) is secured on the outer upright tube (4) and, in the first detent position, fastens the outer upright tube (4) to the inner upright tube (3) and, in the second detent position, releases this fastening.
The upright tube-cage unit (20) as claimed in one of the claims 2 or 3, characterized in that a second detent slider (12) is secured on the inner cage (1) and, in the first detent position, fastens it to the outer cage (2), although, in the second detent position, fastens the inner cage (1) to the lower upright tube part while releasing the connection to the outer cage (2).
The upright tube-cage unit (20) as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the lower upright tube part is the outer upright tube (4).
The upright tube-cage unit as claimed in one of the claims 2 to 5, characterized in that a third detent slider (13) is secured on the outer cage (2) and, in the second detent position, fastens it to the upper upright tube part and, in the first detent position, releases this fastening.
The upright tube-cage unit (20) as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the upper upright tube part is the inner upright tube (3).
The upright tube-cage unit (20) as claimed in one of the claims 2 to 7, characterized in that the scaffolding (5) provides a third detent position which is preferably reachable only from the first detent position and which actuates a fourth detent slider (14) without influencing other detent sliders (11, 12, 13), in order to release a connection of a basin element (16) to a base (15) of the lower cage part.
The upright tube-cage unit (20) as claimed in one of the claims 2 to 8, characterized in that at least individual detent sliders (11, 14) are preloaded detent clamps (9) which engage around an outer element while engaging into a further slotted link (17) and, in an open position, engage into a further detent groove (18) of the outer element and, during the transition into a closed position, advance into a detent groove of an inner element which is congruent with the detent groove (18) of the outer element.
The upright tube-cage unit (20) as claimed in one of the claims 2 to 9, characterized in that at least individual detent sliders (12, 13) comprise hook elements (10) which engage into abutments (19), provided therefor, of an element to be fastened.