EP4079980B1 - Water supply system with flushing cistern - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a drinking water pipe system with a cistern,

Drinking water installations are subject to high hygiene-relevant requirements in order to rule out direct or indirect health impairments and disturbances to the well-being of the individual user. The aim is to ensure perfect drinking water quality in the respective drinking water installation. Microorganisms and, under certain circumstances, pathogens such as legionella can multiply in drinking water installations. If legionella get into installations with heated drinking water where the water temperature is between 25 °C and 50 °C, they can multiply to hygienically relevant concentrations. The quality of the drinking water in the pipes and devices of a drinking water installation can be adversely affected, particularly as a result of stagnation and unsuitable operation, due to the proliferation of microorganisms or an increased concentration of dissolving parts of the materials of the devices or pipes, so that the requirements placed on drinking water are no longer met .

A well-known measure for maintaining a hygienic drinking water quality is to provide a drinking water circulation line, the heated drinking water a drinking water heater, z. B. a storage drinking water heater, in which the drinking water to a minimum temperature of z. B. about 60 ° C is heated.

A further known measure for maintaining hygienically perfect drinking water quality consists in arranging a flushing station at the end of a water pipe run, for example at one end of a drinking water floor pipe of a residential building or hospital. The rinsing station enables cold and/or hot water to be drained off in a targeted manner into a drain in order to enable the water in the respective water line harness to be exchanged.

From the EP 2 166 159 B1 a drinking water pipe system is known in which a cold water pipe is designed as a series pipe. The cold water pipe shows at least one tap valve serving as an extraction point and an outlet, a toilet cistern being connected to the outlet, and the cistern being arranged at the end of the cold water line. In order to maintain drinking water hygiene and to avoid unnecessarily high water consumption, the drinking water pipe system is equipped with an electronic controller that is equipped with a time measuring device and uses a sensor to record drinking water withdrawal from the cold water pipe, with the sensor activating the time measuring device and the electronic controller when drinking water is withdrawn controls an actuating device of the cistern to trigger a toilet flush when a predetermined time interval since the last drinking water withdrawal is exceeded. In this system, the same quantity of cold water is always taken from the cold water pipe for flushing at the same maximum time intervals.

Furthermore, it is off WO 2018/145878 A1 a cistern of the type mentioned is known. The cistern comprises a flushing device with a cold water supply line, a hot water supply line, a valve arrangement for letting in the water flowing in through the cold water supply line and the hot water supply line, and a water discharge line for draining the water let in by the valve arrangement. In addition, the flushing device has at least one temperature sensor for measuring the water temperature in the cold water supply line and/or the hot water supply line and for generating at least one temperature signal. Furthermore, a controller for actuating the valve arrangement is provided. The controller generates a control signal as a function of the temperature signal, with the valve arrangement draining water through the water drain into the cistern as a function of the control signal. As is customary in the prior art, the cistern is provided with a cistern valve arrangement, by means of which at least part of the amount of water contained in the cistern can be drained for flushing a toilet. The cistern is also, as is customary in the prior art, provided with an overflow which does not require the draining of water from the cistern which rises above a predetermined water level in the cistern Actuation of the cistern valve assembly is used. The overflow is defined by a valve closure body of the cistern valve arrangement designed as an overflow pipe. Although this cistern allows not only a hygiene flushing of a cold water line but also a hygiene flushing of a hot water line, the respective hygiene flushing does not take place independently of the flushing water level. With hygiene flushing, the safety distance of the overflow water level prescribed in DIN EN 14055 is not reached by the mark for the highest nominal water level to be applied by the cistern manufacturer.

Other relevant flushing systems are e.g DE10222193A , DE202017100660U , DE202011105696U and DE102016118770A .

The present invention is based on the object of creating a drinking water pipe system of the type mentioned at the outset that makes it easier to maintain drinking water hygiene, avoids unnecessarily high water consumption and enables hygiene flushing regardless of the flushing water level.

The object is achieved according to the invention in a drinking water line system in that the water discharge line is designed in such a way that it discharges the drinking water let in by the valve arrangement directly into the overflow pipe.

A drinking water pipe system is thus created which simplifies compliance with drinking water hygiene, which offers the possibility of carrying out necessary hygiene flushing with relatively little water consumption, and which enables hygiene flushing to be carried out independently of the flushing water level. By direct dissipation of the purpose of a Hygienic flushing of the valve assembly admitted drinking water in the overflow pipe overfilling of the cistern is reliably prevented. The direct discharge of the drinking water let in for a hygiene flush into the overflow pipe also offers the advantage that the hygiene flush is quiet. A conventional hygienic flushing, in which the closure body of the cistern drain valve is raised from the closed position into a flushing position, is noisy and relatively loud due to the accompanying torrent flushing.

In the dependent claims referring back to claim 1, expedient and advantageous refinements of the subject of the invention are shown.

The at least one water supply line of the cistern according to the invention is preferably designed in duplicate or more, with one of the water supply lines being provided as a cold water supply line and another of the water supply lines being provided as a hot water supply line. The cistern is thus prepared both for a needs-based hygiene flushing of a cold water line and for a needs-based hygiene flushing of a hot water line. The hot water supply line can also be referred to as a hot water supply line.

A further advantageous embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the valve arrangement is designed as a mixing unit for mixing, preferably variable mixing, of drinking water let in from the cold water supply line and from the hot water supply line. The design of the valve arrangement as a mixing unit enables a compact design of the water discharge line connected to the valve arrangement. The water discharge line then takes up little space, which is favorable with regard to the arrangement of the water discharge line in the usually limited installation space above the overflow pipe.

The control or mixing unit of the cistern is preferably designed such that the cold water supply line and the The hot water supply line cannot always be flushed at the same time during a hygiene flush. Rather, the controller or the mixing unit of the cistern according to the invention is preferably designed in such a way that each of these two inflow lines is flushed as required.

It is also advantageous if, according to a further embodiment of the invention, the valve arrangement is provided with an electromechanical drive which is coupled to at least one movable valve body, preferably in the form of a movable perforated disk. This allows a compact, space-saving valve arrangement, in particular a mixing unit, to be implemented. The valve arrangement is preferably designed in the manner of a valve cartridge of a single-lever mixing fitting. The movable valve body can preferably be controlled by the control signal generated by the controller and/or by an associated control signal generated by the controller. The movable valve body is designed, for example, as a rotatable valve body, preferably as a rotatable perforated disk. This allows the valve body to be adjusted very finely, preferably steplessly, relative to a fixed part of the valve body.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, an outlet of the valve arrangement or the water discharge line is provided with a sensor for measuring the water temperature and for generating a temperature signal, the controller controlling the valve arrangement as a function of the temperature signal. This embodiment of the invention includes in particular an embodiment in which the cistern is provided with a cold water supply line and a hot water supply line and the valve arrangement is designed as a mixing unit for automatically variable mixing of drinking water let in from the cold water supply line and from the hot water supply line . This embodiment offers the advantage that a thermal load on the cistern is avoided during a hygienic flushing of the hot water supply line, by mixing cold water from the cold water supply line with hot water from the hot water supply line.

In order to ensure reliable alignment of the water discharge line with respect to the overflow pipe of the drain valve during operation of the cistern, the water discharge line preferably has an outlet piece which is connected, preferably detachably connected, to the drain valve. For example, the outlet piece of the water discharge line is detachably connected to a fixed or fixable housing part or positioning part of the drain valve.

An embodiment of the invention that is advantageous with regard to the assembly of the outlet piece is characterized in that the outlet piece is provided with a fastening means which is positively connected, preferably releasably, locked to a positioning frame connected to the drain valve. This configuration enables the outlet piece to be connected to the drain valve quickly, easily and stably. This configuration also allows the outlet piece or the drain valve to be easily dismantled, for example for maintenance purposes.

The valve arrangement and the control are preferably arranged in a common housing. The control is essentially designed as an electronic control. Therefore, the combination of controller, valve arrangement and common housing can also be referred to as an electronic mixing unit. This configuration enables cost-effective prefabrication of various components of the cistern and quick assembly of the valve arrangement and control on the body of the cistern.

A further advantageous embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the valve arrangement and the controller are mounted on a common support frame. This enables cost-effective prefabrication and quick assembly of the valve assembly and control on the box body of the Further optimize the cistern. The support frame is preferably designed for mounting on an inspection opening of the cistern.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the valve arrangement and the control are arranged below or behind a hood-shaped cover. As a result, the controller and the valve arrangement can be protected not only against mechanical effects. With the appropriate dimensioning, the cover also offers the possibility of attaching another connection for a water supply line to it. Thus, for the production of a cistern according to the invention, if this should preferably also have a hot water inflow line in addition to a cold water inflow line, a conventional cistern body can advantageously be used, which has an inspection opening on its front and its top and with only a single connection for a water supply line is provided. In particular, the invention includes an embodiment in which the cover is provided with a connection for a water supply line, preferably a cold water supply line, a water line pointing into the cistern and having a branch being connected to this connection. On the one hand, a float-operated filling valve and, on the other hand, a cold water supply line leading to the valve arrangement of the mixing unit can then be connected to this water line and to its branch.

A further advantageous embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the control is provided with a mains connection for networking with a further or higher-level control. The controller or mixing unit can thus be networked and can (also) be controlled by a higher-level controller. In this case, peripheral devices and / or sensors such. B. provide peripheral temperature sensors signals to trigger a hygiene flush to the controller of the cistern. In addition to the mixing unit or control of the cistern, the higher-level control can also include a rinsing station, for example Control a circulation valve, a wall outlet fitting, a bathtub inlet fitting and/or a shower inlet fitting.

However, the controller or mixing unit of the cistern according to the invention can also be designed as an independent or so-called stand-alone controller, so that it can fulfill its function without an additional device, in particular without a higher-level controller.

A drinking water pipe system according to the invention comprises at least one cold water pipe and/or at least one hot water pipe, as well as at least one sensor for measuring the water temperature in the cold water or hot water pipe and/or for detecting drinking water withdrawal from the cold water or hot water pipe, the sensor measuring the measured water temperature and /or generates a sensor signal proportional to a detected drinking water withdrawal, and wherein the sensor activates a time measuring device when a drinking water withdrawal is detected.

One advantage of the invention is that by measuring the water temperature in the cold water or hot water line or the water supply line connected to it by means of the at least one sensor and by a temperature-dependent hygiene flush, a needs-based flush volume can be achieved during the hygiene flush, so that an unnecessary high water consumption is avoided.

It is also advantageous that the at least one sensor is designed to detect drinking water withdrawal from a cold water or hot water line connected to the water supply line or from the water supply line, with the sensor activating a time measuring device and the controller when drinking water withdrawal is detected when exceeding a predetermined time interval since the last detected Drinking water withdrawal generates a control signal for actuating the valve assembly to trigger a hygiene flush. This also largely avoids unnecessarily high water consumption to maintain perfect drinking water quality.

Fig. 1A

einen Spülkasten, der teilweise aufgeschnitten ist, in einer perspektivischen Rückansicht;

Fig. 1B

den in Fig. 1A durch einen Kreis IB begrenzten Abschnitt des Spülkastens in vergrößerter Detaildarstellung;

Fig. 2A

der Spülkasten aus Fig. 1A in Rückansicht; und

Fig. 2B

eine Vertikalschnittansicht des Spülkastens entlang der Schnittlinie IIB-IIB in Fig. 2A.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing showing an exemplary embodiment. Show it:

Figure 1A

a cistern partially cut open in a rear perspective view;

Figure 1B

the in Figure 1A Section of the cistern delimited by a circle IB in an enlarged detailed representation;

Figure 2A

the cistern off Figure 1A in rear view; and

Figure 2B

a vertical sectional view of the cistern along the section line IIB-IIB in Figure 2A .

The drawing shows a cistern 1 for a toilet or urinal designed, for example, as a concealed cistern. The cistern 1 is equipped with a drain valve 2 which has a closure body 3 which can be lifted from a closed position into a flushing position. The closure body 3 is designed as an overflow pipe and has a seal 4 at its lower end, which rests sealingly on a valve seat 5 in the closed position.

The box body of the cistern 1 has an inspection opening 7 on its front side 6, preferably in the upper third of the front side. The inspection opening is elongate and essentially rectangular in shape, with its longitudinal extent running horizontally. At the inspection opening 7 is or will be a mounting frame (mounting frame) 8 attached to the later one Actuating plate (not shown) is mounted, the at least one actuator, z. B. has a pivoted button or a push button. The respective actuating element (not shown) is operatively connected via a connecting element (not shown), which is designed, for example, in the form of an actuating pin, with a pivoted lever 9, which is connected to the closure body (overflow pipe) 3 of the discharge valve 2 in order to close the closure body 3 to be raised when flushing is triggered. For this purpose, the overflow pipe 3 is provided with at least one pull tab 10 into which the associated lever 9 engages.

Furthermore, the box body of the cistern 1 also has an inspection opening 11 on its upper side. The cistern 1 thus offers the possibility of actuating the drain valve 2 either from the front or from above, depending on the arrangement of the associated actuating device. For actuation from above, an actuation plate would be arranged on the inspection opening 11 on the upper side. In the exemplary embodiment shown, however, a mixing unit 12, preferably an electronic mixing unit 12, is arranged on the inspection opening 11 on the upper side, which is used for the needs-based hygiene flushing of a cold water line and a hot water line. It is conceivable to arrange the mixing unit 12 on the front inspection opening 7 and an actuating plate for actuating the drain valve 2 on the top inspection opening 11 .

The mixing unit 12 has a valve arrangement (not shown in more detail) for mixing, preferably variable mixing, of drinking water admitted from a cold water supply line 13 and a hot water supply line 14 . The hot water supply line 14 can also be referred to as a hot water supply line. The mixing unit 12 is provided with a water discharge line 15 for discharging the drinking water let in from the valve assembly. The water discharge line 15 is designed in such a way that it takes in the drinking water let in by the valve arrangement discharges directly into the closure body of the drain valve 2 designed as an overflow pipe 3 .

The water discharge line 15 has an outlet piece 16 that is connected to the drain valve 2, preferably detachably connected. The outlet piece 16 is provided with a fastening means 17 which is positively connected, preferably detachably latched, to a positioning frame 18 connected to the drain valve 2 . The positioning frame 18 is, for example, articulated to the upper end of the drain valve housing. The fastening means 17 of the outlet piece 16 is essentially U-shaped and has stops 19 and latching projections 20 on its outside, with the latching projections 20 reaching under the positioning frame 18 when the outlet piece 16 is in the installed state.

The outlet piece 16 of the water discharge line 15 preferably has a connecting piece 21 for connecting a flexible pipe or hose line. The connecting piece 21 is preferably provided with an external thread for screwing on a union nut 22 connected to the flexible pipe or hose line. The outlet piece 16 preferably has an inclined pipe-like section 16.1, which begins at the connecting piece 21 and merges into a substantially vertical section 16.2, the vertical longitudinal axis of which is directed into the overflow pipe 3 of the drain valve 2 and preferably with the longitudinal axis of the overflow pipe 3 roughly aligned. The overflow pipe 3 can have a grid-like basket 23 at its upper end, which prevents coarse building material or small parts from entering the overflow pipe 3 . The basket 23 shown in the drawing has a ring on its upper side, so that drinking water let in by the valve arrangement is discharged through the ring directly into the overflow pipe 3 without hindrance. However, the grid-like basket 23 can also be omitted.

A controller (not shown) integrated in the mixing unit 12 is preferably set up in such a way that it can effect a needs-based hygiene flushing of the cold water line independently of the needs-based hygiene flushing of the hot water line. One or more sensors (not shown) for measuring the water temperature in the cold water supply line 13 or cold water line and/or in the hot water supply line 14 or hot water line are assigned to the controller. The respective sensor generates a sensor signal proportional to the measured water temperature. Depending on the sensor signal, the controller integrated in the mixing unit 12 generates a control signal for actuating the valve arrangement, so that a hygiene flush is triggered.

In addition, the controller of the mixing unit 12 can also be assigned one or more sensors for detecting drinking water extraction from the cold water pipe and/or hot water pipe. In this case, the sensor in question generates a sensor signal that is proportional to a detected drinking water withdrawal. B. a timer activated. If a predetermined, in particular specifiable, time interval since the last drinking water withdrawal from the cold water line and/or hot water line is exceeded, the controller then generates a control signal for actuating the valve arrangement, so that a hygiene flush is triggered.

The valve arrangement is provided with an electromechanical drive (not shown) which is coupled to at least one movable, preferably rotatable, valve body (not shown). The electromechanical drive comprises, for example, an electric motor whose motor shaft is coupled to the movable valve body of the valve arrangement via a toothed gear. The valve arrangement is designed, for example, in the manner of a mixing cartridge of a single-lever mixing fitting.

The output of the valve arrangement or the water discharge line 15 is preferably provided with a sensor (not shown) for measuring the water temperature and for generating a temperature signal, with the controller integrated in the mixing unit 12 depending on the temperature signal controlling the electric motor and thus the valve arrangement.

The valve arrangement and the control are preferably arranged in a common housing 24 . The housing 24 or the valve arrangement and the controller are mounted on a common supporting frame 25 which is mounted on the inspection opening 11 of the cistern 1 on the upper side. Furthermore, the support frame 25 is provided with a hood-shaped cover 26, below which the valve arrangement and the controller or the mixing unit 12 formed therefrom are/is arranged.

The cistern 1 is provided with connections 27, 28 for connecting a cold water supply line and for connecting a hot water supply line. The connections 27, 28 are preferably designed as corner valves. One (27) of the connections, for example the one for the hot water supply line, is preferably fixed to one of the narrow side walls of the box body at the level of the front inspection opening 7 . The other connection 28, for example the one for the cold water supply line, is preferably arranged on the top of the cistern 1. Preferably, the cover 26 is provided with one of the connectors 27,28. In the drawing it can be seen that the cover 26 is provided with the connection (corner valve) 28 for a cold water supply line, a water line 30 which is directed into the cistern 1 and has a branch 29 being connected to the connection 28 . A float-operated filling valve 31 and, on the other hand, the cold water supply line 13 leading to the valve arrangement of the mixing unit 12 are connected to the water line 30 and its branch 29 .

The valve arrangement of the mixing unit 12 is provided with connecting pieces 32, 33, 34 for the cold water supply line 13, the hot water supply line 14 and the Water discharge line 15 provided. The connecting pieces 32, 33, 34 are preferably designed in the form of pipe elbows onto which a flexible piece of pipe of the cold water inlet pipe 13, the hot water inlet pipe 14 or the water discharge pipe 15 is pressed or shrunk liquid-tight. The other end of the flexible line piece is also provided with a connecting piece 35, 36, 37, which is preferably designed in the form of a pipe angle piece and a union nut for connecting the connecting piece (pipe angle piece) 35, 36, 37 to the associated branch 29 of the water pipe 30, at the associated water supply connection 27 or at the connecting piece 22 of the outlet piece 16 of the water discharge line 15 .

The implementation of the invention is not limited to the embodiment shown in the drawing. Rather, numerous variants are conceivable, which also make use of the invention specified in the appended claims in the case of a design that deviates from the exemplary embodiment shown.

Claims (13)

1. Drinking water pipe system,

   - with at least one cold water line and/or at least one hot water line,

   - with a sensor for measuring the water temperature in the cold water or hot water line and/or for detecting a drinking water withdrawal from the cold water or hot water line,

   wherein the sensor generates a sensor signal proportional to the measured water temperature and/or a detected drinking water withdrawal, wherein, when the sensor is designed to detect a drinking water withdrawal from the cold water or hot water line, the drinking water pipe system comprises a time measuring device and the sensor activates the time measuring device when a drinking water withdrawal is detected, and

   with a flushing cistern (1), in particular a concealed cistern, for a WC or urinal, the cistern (1) being provided with the following accessories

   - with a drain valve (2) which has a closure body (3) which can be raised from a closing position into a flushing position,
   the closure body (3) being designed as an overflow pipe and having a seal (4) which, in the closing position, rests in a sealing manner on a valve seat (5),

   - with at least one water intake line (13, 14) which is connected to the cold water or hot water line,

   - with a valve arrangement for admitting drinking water present in the water intake line (13, 14),

   - with a water discharge line (15) for discharging the drinking water admitted by the valve arrangement, and

   - with a control which generates a control signal for actuating the valve arrangement as a function of the sensor signal and/or when a predetermined time interval since a last detected drinking water withdrawal from the cold water or hot water line connected to the water intake line (13, 14) is exceeded,

   wherein the valve arrangement admits drinking water from the water intake line (13, 14) in dependence on the control signal,
   characterized in that the water discharge line (15) is designed in such a way that . it discharges the drinking water admitted by the valve arrangement directly into the overflow pipe (3).
2. Drinking water pipe system according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one water intake line (13, 14) is realized two or more times, one of the water intake lines (13,14) being provided as a cold water intake line (13) and another of the water intake lines (13, 14) being provided as a hot water intake line (14).
3. Drinking water pipe system according to claim 2, characterized in that the valve arrangement is designed as a mixing unit (12) for mixing, preferably variable mixing, of drinking water admitted from the cold water intake line (13) and from the hot water intake line (14).
4. Drinking water pipe system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the valve arrangement is provided with an electromechanical drive which is coupled to at least one movable valve body, preferably in the form of a movable perforated disc.
5. Drinking water pipe system according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that an outlet of the valve arrangement or the water discharge line is provided with a sensor for measuring the water temperature and for generating a temperature signal, wherein the control system controls the valve arrangement in dependence on the temperature signal.
6. Drinking water pipe system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the water discharge line (15) has an outlet piece (16) which is connected, preferably detachably connected, to the drain valve (2).
7. Drinking water pipe system according to claim 6, characterized in that the outlet piece (16) is provided with a fastening means (17) which is positively connected, preferably detachably latched, to a positioning frame (18) connected to the drain valve (2).
8. Drinking water pipe system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the valve arrangement and the control are arranged in a common housing (24).
9. Drinking water pipe system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the valve arrangement and the control are mounted on a common support frame (25).
10. Drinking water pipe system according to claim 9, characterized in that the support frame (25) is mounted on an inspection opening (11) of the flushing cistern (1).
11. Drinking water pipe system according to any one of the claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the valve arrangement and the control are arranged below or behind a hood-shaped cover (26).
12. Drinking water pipe system according to claim 11, characterized in that the cover (26) is provided with a connection (27) for the water intake line (13), preferably the cold water intake line (13), wherein a water line (30) having a branch (29) and directed into the flushing cistern (1) is connected to the connection (27).
13. Drinking water pipe system according to one of the claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the control is provided with a network connection for networking with a further or higher-level control.

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