GB2268942A

GB2268942A - Electrical control apparatus for flushing system

Info

Publication number: GB2268942A
Application number: GB9215779A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan North
Original assignee: Cistermiser Ltd
Current assignee: Cistermiser Ltd
Priority date: 1992-07-24
Filing date: 1992-07-24
Publication date: 1994-01-26
Anticipated expiration: 2012-07-24
Also published as: GB2268942B; GB9215779D0

Abstract

An apparatus (10) for controlling a flushing system, comprises a control unit (14) comprising a detector means for providing a detection signal in response to the presence of an individual, the control unit being adapted to cause actuation of an electrically actuable valve means (12) for selectively communicating a water supply to the system in response to such signals and mountable to said valve means via cooperably engageable first and second electrical connector means (26, 78) provided integrally with the valve means and control unit respectively. <IMAGE>

Description

Control Apparatus for Flushing Systems The invention relates to flushing systems particularly for use in a urinal.

Typically, automatic flushing systems used with urinals have comprised a water cistern which is provided with an inverted U-shaped pipe having one end in the cistern and the other end connected to water outlets in the urinal basins. The cistern is arranged to fill with water from a mains supply via a valve or stop-cock and, when the water level reaches the top of the U, the cistern automatically empties by syphon action into the urinal basins to flush them.

In some such flushing systems, the valve or stopcock is set to provide a continuous supply of water to the cistern at a controlled rate which results in periodic flushing about two or three times each hour.

Unless turned off manually, such a system operates continually with consequent waste of a great deal of water. At a rough estimate, a two gallon flushing cistern may waste as much as 100 gallons each day.

To reduce this wastage in automatic flushing systems, many systems are now provided with a hydraulically actuated valve which allows water to be supplied to the cistern in response to pressure fluctuations in the water supply caused by usage of other water using facilities, typically a wash basin tap or a manually flushed lavatory. In practice, such facilities are often located close to urinal basins having an automatic flushing system and their usage will be roughly in proportion to the usage of the urinals. Consequently, the urinals will be flushed more frequently when they are being used often and less frequently when they are not being much used.

Hydraulically actuated values for use in automatic flushing systems are described in patent specification GB 1542834 and the applicant's own patent specification GB 212519.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for controlling a flushing system which is responsive to the presence of an individual in an area adjacent a urinal rather than usage of an adjacent water facility.

Accordingly the invention provides an apparatus for controlling a flushing system, comprising an electrically actuable valve means for selectively communicating a water supply to the system and a control unit comprising a detector means for providing a detection signal in response to the presence of an individual, said control unit being adapted to cause actuation of said valve means in response to such signals and being mountable to said valve means via cooperably engageable first and second electrical connector means provided integrally with the valve means and control unit respectively.

Preferably one of said electrical connector means comprises a plug and the other of said electric connector means comprises a socket adapted to receive said plug.

Advantageously, the control unit is securable to said valve means by at least one fastener means when mounted thereto via said electrical connector means.

The apparatus may further comprise mounting means adapted to be fixed at a location remote from said valve means for mounting said control unit.

The mounting means may comprise a surface or flush mounting single gang box.

Preferably, the control unit comprises means for housing battery means and respective electrical connecting means for providing an electrical connection to (i) such a battery means and (ii) an a.c. voltage source.

In a preferred embodiment, the detector means comprises a passive infra red detector and the valve means comprises an electro-magnetic valve.

Advantageously, the valve means comprises an integral trickle cock.

Preferably, the valve means is adapted to receive one of a plurality of different sized insertable orifices, which orifices provide a means for controlling the force exerted by the water pressure upstream of a control element of said valve means.

The invention also includes an automatic flushing system comprising a pressurised water supply, an electrically controllable valve comprising an electrical connector, a cistern, and a control unit comprising a detector for providing a detection signal in response to the presence of an individual and an electrical connector adapted to cooperably engage with said electric connector of the valve; the control unit being adapted to control the valve so as to regulate the flow of water from said water supply to the cistern according to signals provided by the detector and being mountable to the valve means by means of cooperable engagement between their respective electrical connectors.

In order that the invention may be well understood, an embodiment thereof, which is given by way of example only, will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus for controlling a flushing system comprising a control unit and a valve means showing the control unit demounted from the valve means; Figure 2 is a rear view of the apparatus showing the control unit mounted to the valve means; Figure 3 is a section of the valve taken along the line III-III in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the apparatus of Figure 1 prior to mounting of the control unit to a mounting means remote from the valve means; and Figure 5 is a diagram of an automatic flushing system including the apparatus shown in Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, an apparatus 10 for controlling a flushing system, hereinafter referred to as 'a control apparatus' comprises a valve means 12 and a control unit 14.

As illustrated in the Figures the valve means 12 comprises an electro-magnetic valve 20 which may be fitted into a pipe 22 (as best seen in Figure 2) by means of compression fittings 23 in a manner well known to those skilled in the art. The valve 20 is a latching type valve wherein an electrical actuation signal is supplied to the valve to cause a control element thereof in the form of a control plunger 24 to move from a closed to an open position where it remains until a further electrical actuation signal is supplied to the valve to cause the plunger to move back to a closed position.

The valve 20 is provided with an integral electrical connector means in the form of a plug having three pins 26 extending outwardly of the valve for providing an electrical connection whereby signals for actuation of the valve may be received from the control unit 14.

As shown in Figure 3 which is a sectional view of the valve, passages 28 and 30 are provided therein through which water may pass respectively into and out of the valve when the control plunger 24 is in the open position. Interposed between the passage 28 and the control plunger are a trickle cock 40 and an orifice insert 50. Trickle cocks are devices which allow the rate of flow of fluid therethrough to be controlled and are well known to those skilled in the art. The trickle cock may be rotated with respect to the valve by insertion of a suitably shaped key into an aperture 42 thereof. Such rotation allows the size of an opening 44 of the trickle cock which communicates with passage 28 to be progressively varied so that the rate of flow can be set as required.

The orifice insert 50 is one of a plurality of different sized insertable orifices which the valve 20 is adapted to receive. Typically the pressure of a pressurised water supply which enters the valve through passage 28 may be between 0.5 metre head and 10 Bar (147 to 1000 KN/m2). By inserting a suitably sized orifice into the valve it is possible to ensure that the force exerted on the valve seat by the water pressure upstream of the control plunger 24 is limited in order to reduce the electrical energy required to move the control plunger from the closed to the open position.

The control unit 14 which will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 4 comprises a detector means for detecting the presence of an individual and is housed in a box-like housing 72. The detector means is a passive infra red detector (PIR) 76 which is provided on one side of the control unit housing 72.

Additionally, the control unit 14 comprises a control circuit (not shown) for performing certain timing functions which will be described below. The control circuit includes an amplifier means for converting a detection signal of the detector means into an actuation signal for the valve 20. Such a circuit need not be described in any detail, since the features thereof will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art.

The control unit is provided with an integral electrical connector means in the form of a socket 78 which is provided on a side of the housing other than that on which the detector 76 is provided. The socket 78 is adapted to cooperably engage with the pins 26 of the plug of the valve 20 for mounting the control unit thereto and providing an electrical connection therebetween.

The control unit 14 is also provided with a suitably sized aperture 82 through which a screw of a fastener means may pass for threadingly engaging a threaded aperture 84 of the fastener means which is provided in the valve 20. By screwing the screw into the aperture 84 the control unit may be secured to the valve when mounted thereto.

The control unit 14 is provided with further electrical connecting means in the form of terminal blocks 79, 80 which are provided on the same side of the housing as the socket 78. Terminal block 79 provides an electrical connecting means whereby the control unit may be connected to an electrical energy source such as an a.c. voltage source, to be powered thereby. Terminal block 80 provides an electrical connecting means by which control signals for actuating the valve may be transmitted from the control unit to the valve via a flexible cable means 84 rather than by engagement of the pins 26 of the plug of the valve with the socket 78 when the control unit is mounted remote from the valve as will be described below in connection with Figure 4.

The side of the control unit housing provided with the socket 78 is further provided with an opening to a battery housing which is coverable by a cover 80.

The battery housing is provided with electrical connecting means for electrically connecting the control unit to a battery means. It will be appreciated that the control unit is therefore adapted to be powered either by an a.c. voltage source or a battery means.

The control apparatus 10 may also comprise mounting means for the control unit 14 adapted to be fixed to a structure such as a wall at a location remote from the valve 20. The mounting means shown in Figure 4 is a surface mounting single gang box 90. A single gang box is a standard size box for fitting into or onto walls and the like and is well known to those skilled in the art of electrical wiring. Such boxes have a plurality of threaded apertures 102 provided on a standard pitch so that socket outlets, light switches and the like having screw holes on the same standard pitch may be secured thereto. Although the mounting means shown in Figure 4 is a surface mounting single gang box 90, it will be appreciated that a flush mounting single gang box may alternatively be used. Equally the control unit may be adapted to be mountable to any suitable mounting means.

The box 90 is provided with a slot 92 through which flexible electrical cable means 84, 96 may pass so that they may be connected to respective terminal blocks 79, 80.

The control unit is provided with through-bores 100 which are on the same standard pitch as threaded apertures 102 of the box 90. The through-bores are suitably sized to receive screws adapted to threadingly engage the apertures 102, which screws provide a means for securing the control unit to the box.

It will therefore be apparent that the control unit 14 may be mounted in one of two modes. In one mode it is mounted to the valve 20 (as shown in Figures 2 and 5) by means of cooperable engagement between their respective electrical connectors 78, 26.

The valve 20 may be provided with a cover means 104 which is arranged to cover the terminal blocks 79, 80 of the control unit 14 when mounted in this mode. In the other mode the control unit is mounted to a mounting means such as a surface mounting single gang box 90 at a location remote from the valve and is electrically connected to the valve by a cable 84 which is connected at one end thereof to terminal block 80 and at its opposite end to the pins 26 of the plug of the valve by-means of a floating socket 106.

It is preferred that the control unit 14 be mounted to the valve 20. However, toilet areas, particularly in large modern buildings, may incorporate a service room in which the cisterns for both manually flushed lavatories and the urinals are housed. In this case, the control unit 14 must be mounted in an area adjacent a urinal and remote from the valve which will be fitted to piping supplying water to the cistern within the service room. It is envisaged that the apparatus would be marketed in a kit form whereby the control unit may be mounted either to the valve (as in Figure 2) or to mounting means remote from the valve as required (as in Figure 4).

An automatic flushing system comprising the control apparatus 10 will now be described with reference to Figure 5, in which the control unit 14 is mounted to the valve 20 in the manner illustrated in Figure 2. The flushing system comprises a cistern 114 and a pressurised water supply supplied to the cistern via a pipe 122. It can be seen that the control apparatus 10 is fitted into the pipe 122 so as to be upstream of the cistern. The supply of water to the cistern may therefore be regulated by the valve 20 which is controlled by signals provided by the control unit according to detection signals provided by the detector 76. A pipe 115 extends from the cistern having at an end thereof, which is disposed within the cistern, a U-shaped portion and at its other end, which is disposed within a urinal 18, branch pipes 116, 117.The branch pipes 116, 117 are provided with a plurality of apertures spaced along the length thereof, so that water from the cistern may be distributed across the width of the urinal for flushing same.

The operation of the control apparatus 10 will now be described in connection with the automatic flushing system shown in Figure 5. The control unit 14 mounted to the valve 20, is so mounted that the detector 76 is directed to an area adjacent the urinal through which an individual wishing to use the urinal must pass. On detecting the presence of an individual, the detector 76 provides a detection signal in response to which the control unit causes the valve 20 to be actuated such that the control plunger 24 is moved to the open position. The valve is latched open for a predetermined time period, a socalled fill time, during which time no further actuating signal from the control unit is provided and after which a further actuation signal may be provided for moving the control plunger to the closed position.

The fill time is selected to be greater than a period required for the cistern to fill, which period is determined by the flow rate set with the trickle cock.

When the cistern is filled to a point where the water level reaches the top of the U of pipe 115, the cistern empties by a syphon action into pipe 115 and thereafter into the branch pipes 116, 117 for flushing the urinal.

During the fill time, the amplifier means is deactivated so as to reduce the power requirement of the control unit. This is particularly important where the control unit is powered by battery means in order to extend the battery life. When the fill time has expired and the urinal has been flushed, the amplifier means is reactivated. If the presence of an individual is detected, the valve remains open for a further fill time and the flushing cycle is repeated (typical fill times may be thirty minutes to fifty nine minutes, although these times should not be taken as limiting since the timing operation may be readily modified by modifying the control circuit). If after a sample time of say one minute, no individual presence is detected, an actuation signal is provided by the control unit to move the control plunger of the valve to the closed position.

At the end of a fill time where the valve is closed, the amplifier means may- then be deactivated and subsequently reactivated at predetermined intervals governed by the control circuit, or maintained in the active mode on a continual basis.

Where the control unit is battery powered it is preferred that the amplifier means be activated on a periodic basis to prolong the life of the battery.

At the end of a fill time where the valve is closed, the control unit activates an automatic fill timer which will cause the valve to be actuated at the end of a pre-set period, say twelve hours, if np detection signal is provided in that period, so that the urinal is periodically flushed when not in regular use.

It is to be understood that the automatic fill timer may comprise an electronic time switch.

Further, the control unit may be arranged such that the valve is actuated in response to signals from such an electronic time switch and independent of signals provided by the detector when so required. For example, where it is known that a urinal will be in substantially constant use during a particular period, the control unit may be arranged to deactivate the detector for that period and to control the valve according to signals provided by the electronic time switch.

It is to be understood that the above-described embodiment of the control apparatus and the accompanying description of the operation of a flushing system provided with such an apparatus are by no means limiting being by way of example only.

For instance it will be understood that in the apparatus as shown in Figure 4 where the control unit is to be mounted to mounting means remote from the valve, that the control unit may be powered by an a.c.

voltage source as illustrated or by battery means.

Equally, when the control unit is mounted to the valve as shown in Figures 2 and 5 it may be powered by battery means or an a.c. voltage source. Further it is to be understood that the control unit may be adapted to be powered by direct current (d.c.) and the alternating current of the a.c. voltage source converted to direct current either before it is supplied to the control unit or by conversion means provided within the control unit.

It will also be appreciated that the control apparatus may be used in a system without a cistern such that on opening of the valve, water is supplied directly to the urinal via piping at a rate determined by the trickle cock. Further, the trickle cock may be omitted from the valve so that a cistern is rapidly filled with a short valve opening time.

It will also be appreciated that the valve means is not required to be an electro-magnetic valve, but may be any electrically controllable valve such as a motorised valve.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. An apparatus for controlling a flushing system, comprising an electrically actuable valve means for selectively communicating a water supply to the system and a control unit comprising a detector means for providing a detection signal in response to the presence of an individual, said control unit being adapted to cause actuation of said valve means in response to such signals and being mountable to said valve means via cooperably engageable first and second electrical connector means provided integrally with the valve means and control unit respectively.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of said electrical connector means comprises a plug and the other of said electric connector means comprises a socket adapted to receive said plug.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said control unit is securable to said valve means by at least one fastener means when mounted thereto via said electrical connector means.

4. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims further comprising mounting means adapted to be fixed at a location remote from said valve means for mounting said control unit.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said mounting means comprises a surface or flush mounting single gang box.

6. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the control unit comprises means for housing battery means and respective electrical connecting means for providing an electrical connection to (i) such a battery means and (ii) an a.c. voltage source.

7. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said detector means comprises a passive infra red detector.

8. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said valve means comprises an electro-magnetic valve.

9. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said valve means comprises an integral trickle cock.

10. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said valve means is adapted to receive one of a plurality of different sized insertable orifices, which orifices provide a means for controlling the force exerted by the water pressure upstream of a control element of said valve means.

11. An automatic flushing system comprising a pressurised water supply, an electrically controllable valve comprising an electrical connector, a cistern, and a control unit comprising a detector for providing a detection signal in response to the presence of an individual and an electrical connector adapted to cooperably engage with said electric connector of the valve; the control unit being adapted to control the valve so as to regulate the flow of water from said water supply to the cistern according to signals provided by the detector and being mountable to the valve means by means of cooperable engagement between their respective electrical connectors.

12. An apparatus for a flushing system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying Figures 1 to 4.

13. An automatic flushing system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying Figure 5.