ES2849801T3 - Button mounting of a flushing device for a discharge tank - Google Patents

Abstract

A set of buttons (20) for a discharge device (1) of a discharge tank, comprising a support plate (27) and at least one first push element (31A) that slides relative to the plate ( 27) along an axis (A) in a seat (30) carried by the plate (27) and connectable to a control button operated by a user; said at least first push element (31A) is coupled to the seat (30) by means of a joint (34) configured to allow the at least first push element (31A) to tilt with respect to the plate (27); The set of buttons is characterized in that it comprises a second push element (31B), the first and second push element (31A, 31B) are coaxial and are arranged one inside the other on the seat (30) and slide axially with respect to the plate (27) along their respective axial displacements of different lengths; and it is also characterized in that the first push element (31A) is the radially outermost element of said first and second push elements (31A, 31B) and is hollow inside and houses the second push element (31B), which it is the radially innermost element of said first and second pusher elements (31A, 31B) and is integrally angularly connected to the first pusher element (31A) to be integrally inclined therewith.

Description

Button mounting of a flushing device for a discharge tank

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

[0001] This patent application claims priority over Italian patent application No. 102017000039502 registered on April 10, 2017.

[0002] The present invention refers to a set of buttons of a discharge device of a discharge tank, in particular of a tank with dual discharge (that is, a type of tank that allows a total or partial emptying of the accumulated water in the discharge tank).

[0003] A known type of discharge device with dual discharge comprises a support structure, fixable to a lower wall of the discharge tank and includes a discharge orifice delimited by a sealing seat, and a valve body (normally a tubular element that also functions as a drain tube), slidably housed in the support structure and provided, in its lower part, with a shutter that cooperates with the sealing seat to close the drain hole; the body of the valve is raised by suitable actuators controlled by the user to alternately activate the total or partial discharge of water from the discharge tank. To obtain the two discharge modes (total or partial), it is known to modify the shutter closing time by hooking the valve body to one or more floats and / or supplementary weights.

[0004] In a known configuration, the discharge device is provided with a set of buttons by means of which the user controls the discharge by pressing a button or both buttons, located at an upper end of the device and through an opening conveniently made in a discharge tank top cap.

[0005] Some discharge devices are provided with height adjustment systems that allow users to adjust the height of the device and thus adjust the device to discharge tanks of different sizes.

[0006] However, in some cases, a problem may occur regarding the proper alignment and / or centering of the device with respect to the discharge tank. In particular, once the support structure has been fixed to the lower wall of the discharge tank, the upper end of the device in which the set of buttons is arranged may not be perfectly centered with respect to the opening in the tank lid. download. Or the bottom wall and top of the discharge tank may not be perfectly flat and parallel.

[0007] The patent US2506140A discloses a sealing unit for the members of the actuator of the discharge valve that consists of a resistant body crossed by a hole in which the stem of an actuator member is inserted, connected to an actuating handle ; thus, the operating handle can be tilted relative to the actuator member and the actuator support. The inclination of the thrust elements in discharge actuators is also disclosed in, for example, US943630A and US1076925A.

[0008] An object of the invention is to provide a set of buttons of a discharge device for a discharge tank, which includes improvements with respect to the solutions of the prior art; in particular, an object of the invention is to provide a set of buttons that allows a position adjustment in a simple, effective and reliable way.

Thus, the invention relates to a set of buttons of a discharge device for a discharge tank, as defined in the appended claim 1 and, in its preferred aspects, in the dependent claims.

[0010] The invention also refers to a discharge device for a discharge tank consisting of said set of buttons.

The set of buttons according to the invention makes it possible to change the position of the control buttons, which are connected to their respective push elements, with respect to the axis of the unloading device, to compensate for any possible misalignment and / or or centering of the discharge device with respect to the discharge tank.

Furthermore, the button assembly is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and works simply, safely and reliably.

The invention will be described in detail in the following non-limiting embodiment, with reference to the attached drawings, where

figure 1 is a side view of a discharge device according to the invention;

figure 2 is an exploded view of the device of figure 1;

respective planes, orthogonal one with respect to the other;

Figures 5 and 6 are two longitudinal sectional views of the detail highlighted in Figure 4, shown in their respective operating configurations;

figure 7 is a plan view from the top of the device of figure 1;

figure 8 is a perspective view of a component of the device of figure 1;

figure 9 is a plan view from the top of a further component of the device of figure 1;

Figure 10 is a side view, parts of which have been removed for clarity, of a detail of the device of Figure 1.

Figure 11 is a side view, parts of which have been removed for clarity, of a further detail of the device of Figure 1.

Figure 12 is a perspective view, the parts of which have been removed for clarity, of a detail of the device of Figure 1.

[0014] Referring to Figures 1-4, a delivery device 1, in particular a dual - flush device for a flush tank (known and not shown here) comprising: a support structure 2 which extends along an axis A (vertical when in use); a valve body 3, extending and sliding along axis A of frame 2; an activation mechanism 4, which is connected to the valve body 3; a pair of movable floats 5A, 5B, which define a full discharge float and a partial discharge float, respectively, and are selectively connectable to the valve body 3 to operate the respective discharge modes (full discharge and discharge partial).

[0015] The structure 2 comprises, at respective axially opposite ends: a body of the lower base 7, consisting, in this case, different pieces joined together, which can be fixed to a bottom wall of the discharge tank ( for example, by means of a threaded portion) and is provided with a discharge hole 8, delimited by a sealing seat 9; and an upper head 10, which supports the drive mechanism 4.

[0016] In the preferred embodiment shown, the structure 2 comprises a height adjustment device 11, which connects the body of the base 7 and the head 10 to modify the distance between the body of the base 7 and the head 10 to along axis A, thus modifying the height (measured along axis A) of structure 2 and device 1, as a whole, along axis A.

[0017] The valve body 3 comprises a valve 13, possibly made up of different pieces joined together, which housed in the structure 2 to slide along the axis A and has a lower axial end 14, provided with a plug 15 cooperating with the sealing seat 9 to close the drain hole 8, and an upper axial end 16, provided with one or more coupling seats 17 that engage with the actuating mechanism 4 to raise the valve body 3.

[0018] In the preferred embodiment shown, the valve body 3 does not function as a drain tube, since it is not provided with an internal conduit inserted through the shutter 15. Device 1 comprises a drain tube 18, located in the side relative to the structure 2 and fitted into the body of the base 7 downstream of (that is, when in use, under) the sealing seat 9 with the drain hole 8. Obviously, on the other hand, the body valve 3 can also be shaped like a tube and thus act as a drain tube.

[0019] The drive mechanism 4 comprises: a knob assembly 20 which is supported on the head 10; a slider 21 extending along axis A; and at least one and, preferably, as can be seen in the drawings, a pair of levers 22A, 22B, which are hingedly attached to the structure 2 and hook, respectively, the coupling seats 17 of the body of the valve 3.

Also referring to Figures 5-7, button assembly 20 comprises: a support plate 27, fixed to frame 2 and provided with a transverse guide 28 extending transversely to axis A; a slider 29, housed in guide 28, which slides along guide 28 and is provided with a perforated seat 30, substantially parallel to axis A; and a pair of thrust elements 31A, 31B, housed in the seat 30 and sliding axially with respect to the structure 2 with their respective different axial displacements.

[0021] The plate 27, for example, rests on the head 10 and extends substantially perpendicularly to the axis A.

axis A.

[0023] The slider 29 is accommodated in the guide 28, and is coupled axially (parallel to the axis A) to the plate 27, for example by lateral teeth, and slides along the guide 28 (ie, crosswise to axis A). Seat 30 extends through slider 29 parallel to axis A and houses thrust elements 31A, 31B.

[0024] The thrust elements 31A, 31B extend substantially parallel to the axis A and slide axially parallel to the axis A with respect to the structure 2 with their respective different displacements.

[0025] In accordance with the present invention, the thrust elements 31A, 31B are coaxial, and are located one inside the other and extend along a common longitudinal axis B, parallel to axis A.

[0026] The radially outer thrust element 31A is housed in the seat 30 and slides axially along the axis B of the seat 30 relative to the structure 2.

[0027] The thrust element 31A is coupled to the seat 30 by means of a joint 34, for example, a ball joint, which allows the thrust element 31A to oscillate about the B-axis. In particular, the joint 34 is configured to allow the inclination of the thrust element 31A with respect to the plate 27 and, therefore, with respect to the axis A (for example, an inclination of approximately 10 °, but also different, for example, of 5-20 °) and the rotation of the thrust element 31A about axis A (preferably a full 360 ° rotation).

[0028] For example, the push element 31A has a rounded outer side surface 35, in particular in the form of a spherical cap portion, which cooperates with an inner side surface 36 of the seat 30, which, for example, is cap-shaped. also spherical or cylindrical in shape.

[0029] Advantageously, the side surface 35 of the push element 31A and the inner side surface corresponding 36 of the seat 30 has a central symmetry around the axis B (which means they are surfaces of rotation about the axis B).

[0030] The push element 31A is hollow on the inside and houses the radially inner push element 31B, which is connected to the push element 31A via a connecting ring 37.

[0031] The thrust element 31B is angularly integrally connected to the thrust element 31A by the ring 37, so that the thrust element 31B moves together with the thrust element 31A when the latter tilts and / or rotates .

[0032] The thrust element 31B, on the other hand, slides axially along the axis B both with respect to the frame 2 and with respect to the thrust element 31A.

[0033] In particular, the ring 37 has two, substantially annual, opposite 38, adjacent to the respective opposite edges 39, axial shoulders 40 of the push elements 31A, 31B and more precisely with an edge 39 facing the part below the pusher element 31A and with an edge 40 facing the top of the pusher element 31B.

[0034] The pushers 31A, 31B are connected to respective control buttons (known and not shown), which can implement a user, more precisely, a button full flush button and a partial discharge.

[0035] The slider 21, which is driven by the thrust members 31A, 31B, is movable parallel to the axis A and, in turn, is driven by the control buttons; depending on the button that is pressed and, therefore, on the pusher element 31A, 31B consequently actuated, the slider 21 is mobile, with two predetermined movements of different length corresponding to the different axial movements of the pusher elements 31A, 31B: a long and a short scroll. The displacement of the slider 21 determines the rise of the valve body 3 to two different heights, that is, to a full discharge position (when the slider 21 covers the long displacement) and to a partial discharge position (when the slider 21 covers short shift).

[0036] The slider 21 has a flange at the upper end 41 oriented button set 20 and, in particular, the push elements 31A, 31B and cooperating with the push elements 31A, 31B; and a stem 42 that extends along axis A from flange 41 and is coupled to a push member 44 that acts on levers 22A, 22B.

[0037] Preferably, the stem 42 is coupled to the push member 44 by means of a releasable and adjustable coupling 43, to adjust the position of the push member 44 along the stem 42.

inclined 45, projecting radially from stem 42 and axially spaced along said stem 42 in order to define the thread interrupted by a pair of diametrically opposed longitudinal grooves; and a seat 46, made through thrust member 44 and provided with engagement teeth 47 shaped to selectively engage notches 45. Stem 42 is inserted into seat 46 and rotates about axis A to reach a position released, in which stem 42 slides axially in seat 46, and a locked position in which engagement teeth 47 engage notches 45 within seat 46, axially locking stem 42 in seat 46.

[0039] Advantageously, the stem 42, sliding freely with respect to the valve body 3, is partially inserted into the valve body 3 (in particular the rod 13 of the valve body 3), which, To this end, it is hollow on the inside and / or has a longitudinal housing (parallel to axis A) to house the stem 42.

[0040] The pusher member 44, forming part of the slider 21, actuates 22A, 22B levers.

[0041] The levers 22A, 22B are arranged such that they are substantially transverse to the axis A.

[0042] As seen in Figure 10, each lever 22A, 22B is attached pivotably to the frame 2 at a fulcrum 50 and extending between two opposite ends 51, 52 disposed on opposite sides of the fulcrum 50: end 51 engages the upper axial end 16 of the valve body 3, thereby engaging a mating seat 17, while the end 52 cooperates with the slider 21 via the push member 44.

[0043] In the preferred embodiment shown, but not necessarily, the ends 52 of the levers 22A, 22B are arranged at their respective heights (measured parallel to axis A) that differ from each other (because they are axially spaced from each other), and the push member 44 comes into contact with the ends 52 of the levers 22A, 22B with the respective contact portions 53, which are also axially spaced from each other and located at different heights respectively (again, measured parallel to axis A ).

[0044] Also the coupling seats 17, where 22A levers, 22B contact the valve body 3 are axially spaced apart in the valve body 3, that is, are at different heights respectively ( again, measured parallel to axis A) along valve body 3.

[0045] Floats 5A, 5B are arranged, for example, in the body of the base 7 of the structure 2 on opposite sides of the valve body 3, diametrically opposite each other.

[0046] Referring also to Figure 11, each float 5A, 5B comprises a rod 54, which extends along a longitudinal axis C parallel to axis A; and a hollow float body 55A, 55B, which is coupled to the rod 54 by means of a slider 56.

[0047] Preferably, each float body 55A, 55B is attached to the rod 54 releasably and / or adjustable by means of an adjustment system 57 that allows the float body 55A, 55B to be fixed at a certain height along of rod 54 (that is, at a predetermined position along axis C).

[0048] For example, the adjustment system 57 comprises a series of seats 58, which are obtained on the rod 54 and are spaced along the axis C, and a pair of flexible teeth 59 that are arranged on each body of the float 55A, 55b and whose shape allows its selective coupling to a seat 58.

[0049] The floats 5A, 5B slide parallel to the respective axes C and, therefore, also to the axis A, and are guided by their respective guides 61, formed in the structure 2. For example, the guides 61 are defined by respective longitudinal slits made in a side wall of the body of the base 7 and hooked to the respective lateral projections 62 projecting from the float 5A, 5B.

[0050] The position of each float body 55A, 55B on its respective rod 54 is selected to adjust the amount of water discharged in each of the two operating modes of device 1, that is, in the partial discharge mode and in full download mode. In general, the bodies of the floats 55A, 55B are arranged at different heights, measured parallel to the axis A: in particular, the float 5A, which is used to operate a full discharge 55A is at a lower height (measured along along axis A) to that of the float body 55B from the float 5B, which is used for partial discharge (that is, the float body 55A is positioned closer to the drain hole 8 than the float body 55B).

[0051] The floats 5A, 5B are provided with their respective activation mechanisms 63A, 63B, which selectively connect each float 5A, 5B to the valve body 3.

[0052] As can be seen in detail in Figures 11-12, the drive mechanisms 63A, 63B are attached rotatably to their respective tubes 5A, 5B in particular, the respective upper ends of the rods 54, respective fulcrums of rotation of the activation mechanisms 63A, 63B.

[0053] Each drive mechanism 63A, 63B, for example, has substantially L - shaped and comprises a first lever arm 66 and a second lever arm 67, projecting from the board 65; the first arm 66 is hingedly connected to an upper end of a float 5A, 5B (precisely, of a bar 54); the second arm 67 is provided with a member of the seal 68 that cooperates with a corresponding stirrup 69 of the body of the valve 3.

[0054] The seal member 68 has an upper contact surface 70, for example, in the shape of a burr, designed to cooperate with the corresponding stirrup 69 of the valve body 3.

[0055] The valve body 3 has a pair of brackets 69, defined by respective projections radially protruding from an outer side surface of the valve body 3.

[0056] The stirrups 69 are axially separated from each other, which means that they are arranged at different heights respectively (measured parallel to axis A) in the valve body 3; and they are angularly spaced from each other in the valve body 3, which means that they are laterally interspersed with respect to each other. Optionally, but not necessarily, the stirrups 69 are joined by a rib parallel to axis A.

[0057] Each of the brackets 69 has a corner 71 whose shape is designed to engage the contact surface 70 of the member 68 corresponding gasket.

[0058] Device 1 works as described below.

[0059] When the discharge tank is filled with water, the water in the discharge tank is at an initial level H above the floats 5A, 5B or at least above the float bodies 55A, 55B, which they are immersed in water; the valve body 3 is in a closed position in which the plug 15 closes the drain hole 8 and the stirrups 69 of the valve body 3 are below the joint members 68 of the actuating mechanisms 63A, 63B; the floats 5A, 5B are blocked (and cannot move upwards) by the actuating mechanisms 63A, 63B that cooperate with each other and / or with one of their respective retainers (not shown) arranged in the valve body 3.

[0060] When the user operates the full flush by pressing the corresponding full flush button, the pusher element 31A is pushed down and consequently moves the slider 21 along the long displacement.

[0061] The slider 21 covers the long and moves movement, through the thrust member 44, 22A lever, thus raising the valve body 3 to a predetermined first height and opening the drain port 8. The body valve 3 is raised to a full discharge position in which both stirrups 69 are above the joint members 68 of the activation mechanisms 63A, 63b and in which, in particular, the stirrup 69 of the activation mechanism 63A of the complete discharge float 5A engages the corresponding stirrup 69 arranged at a lower height (with respect to the other stirrup 69), keeping the float 5A axially locked.

[0062] The partial discharge 5B float can move freely, rotating, therefore their activation mechanism 63B, which, however, engages the corresponding stirrup 69.

[0063] When the water, leaving the discharge tank through the drain hole 8, reaches the body of the float 55B of the float 5B (which, as already said above, is placed at a higher level with respect to ( that is, higher than) the float 5A, the float 5B descends freely, always without hooking the valve body 3.

[0064] The valve body 3 remains raised, being axially constrained towards the float 5A, and therefore the drain hole 8 remains open until the water reaches the float body 55A of the float 5A; at this point, float 5A descends and, turning activation mechanism 63A, causes seal member 68 to release stirrup 69 and thus releases valve body 3, which returns to close the drain hole 8.

[0065] When the user operates the partial discharge by pressing the corresponding partial discharge button, the pusher element 31B is pushed down and consequently moves the slider 21 along the short stroke.

[0066] The slider 21 covers the short and moves scroll through the thrust member 44, the lever 22B, thereby raising the valve body 3 to a predetermined second height which is less than the full discharge, and opening the drain hole 8. The valve body 3 is raised to a partial discharge position in which only one stirrup 69 is above the joint members 68 of the actuation mechanisms 63A, 63B and in which , in particular, the joint member 68 of the activation mechanism 63B of the partial discharge float 5B engages the corresponding bracket 69 arranged higher (with respect to the other bracket 69), keeping the float 5B axially locked.

68 of its activation mechanism 63A is arranged above the corresponding stirrup 69.

[0068] The valve body 3 remains raised, being axially constrained towards the float 5B, and, therefore, the drain hole 8 remains open until the water, flowing out of the discharge tank through the orifice of drain 8, reaches the body of the float 55B, of the float 5B (which, as already mentioned above, is placed at a higher height, that is, higher than the other float 5 A); at this point the float 5B descends and, turning the activation mechanism 63B, causes the seal member 68 to release the stirrup 69 and thus releases the valve body 3, which closes the drain hole again 8.

[0069] The discharge device described and explained here may be subject to changes and variants that will not go beyond the scope of protection of the invention described herein in the appended claims.

Claims (10)

1. A set of buttons (20) for a discharge device (1) of a discharge tank, comprising a support plate (27) and at least one first push element (31A) that slides with respect to the plate (27) along an axis (A) in a seat (30) carried by the plate (27) and connectable to a control button operated by a user; said at least first push element (31a) is coupled to the seat (30) by means of a joint (34) configured to allow the at least first push element (31A) to tilt with respect to the plate (27); The set of buttons is characterized in that it comprises a second push element (31B), the first and second push element (31A, 31B) are coaxial and are arranged one inside the other on the seat (30) and slide axially with respect to the plate (27) along their respective axial displacements of different lengths; and it is also characterized in that the first push element (31A) is the radially outermost element of said first and second push elements (31A, 31 B) and is hollow inside and houses the second push element (31B), which is the radially innermost element of said first and second pusher elements (31A, 31B) and is integrally angularly connected to the first pusher element (31A) to be integrally inclined therewith. 2. A button assembly according to claim 1, wherein the joint (34) is configured to allow the first push element (31A) to be tilted relative to the axis (A). A set of buttons according to claims 1 or 2, wherein the joint (34) is configured to allow the rotation of the first pusher element (31A) around a longitudinal axis (B) of the pusher elements (31A , 31B). A set of buttons according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first push element (31A) has a rounded external lateral surface (35), in particular in the shape of a rounded lid, cooperating with an internal lateral surface (36) from the seat (30). A set of buttons according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the joint (34) is a spherical joint. A set of buttons according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first push element (31A) is connected to the second push element (31B) via a connecting ring (37) with a pair of axial shoulders, substantially annular (38), adjacent to the respective opposite edges (39, 40) of the push elements (31A, 31B) and more precisely with the edge (39) oriented, with respect to a vertical mounting position of the assembly of buttons, downward from the first pusher element (31A) and the edge (40) oriented, with respect to a vertical mounting position of the button assembly, upward from the second pusher element (31B). A set of buttons according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the plate (27) is provided with a transverse guide (28) extending transversely to the axis (A); and the seat (30) is made on a slider (29) housed in the guide (28) and which slides along the guide (28). A set of buttons according to claim 7, wherein the guide (28) is defined by a slot formed through the plate (27) and extending transversely to the axis (A). 9. A discharge device (1) for a discharge tank, comprising a support structure (2) extending along an axis (A) and having a drainage hole (8) delimited by a seat sealing (9); a valve body (3) that extends and slides along the axis (A) in the structure (2) and that has a plug (15) that cooperates with the sealing seat (9) to open / close the drain hole (8); a drive mechanism (4) connected to the valve body (3) to lift the valve body (3); wherein the actuation mechanism (4) comprises a set of buttons (20) according to one of the preceding claims. A device according to claim 9, wherein the actuation mechanism (4) is configured to selectively raise the valve body (3) to two different heights, that is, to a full discharge position and to a position partial discharge.