GB2324814A

GB2324814A - A cistern-less flushing toilet

Info

Publication number: GB2324814A
Application number: GB9708880A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Walmsley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-05-02
Filing date: 1997-05-02
Publication date: 1998-11-04
Anticipated expiration: 2017-05-02
Also published as: GB9708880D0; GB2324814B

Abstract

A toilet comprises a base 1, pan 2, seat 3 and lid 4 but does not have a conventional WC cistern. Instead it uses water for flushing from a separate storage means 8. Grey water will be the preferred flushing medium. A remote pump or valve 6 will, when activated, direct stored water directly to the pan's inner rim to provide flushing. Conduits 5 or 5A will carry water from the storage facility to the toilet's inner rim. The volume of water supplied will be determined by the duration of the pump runing time or valve opening time. Activation of the pump or valve will be by the lowering of the seat lid 4 via a switch 7 mounted on the toilet. Lifting the lid will not activate the system. The seat and lid are designed to help prevent the passing of water aerosol from the pan.

Description

This invention relates preferably to a domestic toilet whereby water is supplied to the toilet pan's inner dim to effect flushing without the need for a cistern. Stored, 'grey water' will be the preferred flushing medium although the system could operate with other water supplies and commercial applications where flow rates suffice.

The object of my invention is to supply * controlled amount of water to a new design or modified toilet base, pan and seat assembly, instead of a cistern, lbr the purpose of flushing and to activate the flushing process by lowering the toilet seat and/or lid.

Activation by lever or similar, traditional mechanism is not leasible without a astern. The proposed lid activation is preferred over seat activation as water could be wasted by unnecessary lowering of the seat only. Both seat and lid will prelerably be designed to help prevent flushing water aerosol from reaching the outside of the pan. Furthermore, the lid only activated switch ensures that the electrical circuit is incomplete and therefor safe whilst the toilet /s in use.

The invention will eliminate the need for * W C. cistern and accompanying components.

For new toilet installations this will help offset the cost of converting/fitting a grey water store facility (e.g. below bath reservoir) and reduce the pay-back perfod for a full recycling system. This will in tum encourage water conservation. A retrofitted system, although eliminating the need for a cistern, would not save the cost of the cistem nor provide the same pay-back benefits. The recycling of grey water will conserve fresh water and help domestic metered water users save money. Moreover, national and global water demands could be reduced and the etNects of drought dened or eliminated. In addition, the elimination of a cistern will make new toilets quieter, more compact and potentially more attractive.

The supply to the pan will preferably be gravity led, ff the store of grey water is higher than the toilet, or pumped if the toilet is on the same floor or higher than the store. The supply volume and flow for flushing will preferably match that of existing cisterns and the feed (gravity or pumped) will provide ample waiver to that end. if pumped the pump running timoiune. of water delivered may be adjustable so that the optimum operating efficiency is maintained.

The present invention specifically provides a toilet ba-Pan without 8 cistern, normally activated by lever, chain or similar mechanism. The toilet base and pan may be similar in appearance to normal bases and pans with similar characteristics in terms of water dispersing jets and outlets within the pan, although the water feed to the pan will preferably be from a grey water storage facility. Supply means from the storage facility will cany sufficient water at gravity, pumped (or mains) pressure. On new toilets the supply means will preferably be an integral pert of the baselpan moulding. Alternatively or lbr retrofit applications the lees pipe may be rwted to the pan through a wall or under the floor. Either feed may enter the pan from an elevated position to help prevent a back flow of foul water to the supply. The supply entry to the pan may be via a small rim chamber or convenient point where water may be received and dispersed to flush most effectively without excessive spray.

if waters pumped to the pan, an electric pump, preferably situated under the floor, will prelerebly be activated by a switch which will in tum be preferably activated by the complete lowering of the toilet seat and/or lid. (As already sfated the lid is the preferred activating component).

The pump wili be of a capacity to cater ior effective flushing. At each activation the pump wili -irably run ibr a preset period, then stop and reset ready r the next flush.

The teservoir to pump pipe' will preferably have a slight fall so that the pump is gravity primed. Lilting the toilet seat/tid will not activate the system.

For gravity or mains led systems, a device preferably an electrically operated valve may be poitied in the feed pipe circuit so as to allow sufficient flow of flushing water to pass into the pan when the toilet seatnid is completely lowed and the switch and valve are activated. The valve will preferably be adjustable to cater lor different toilet types and flushing capacity requirements. Lifting the toilet seat lid will not activate the valve. A mains fed system may have a diffusing device or baffle, preferably positioned in the feed-to-pan side of the system, to help prevent spraying as high pressure, mains water enters the toilet pan.

An optional, iwnotely mounted, pump or valve switch may be pr*sred in plece of the toilet seat lid activated type. This would preferably be inoperable until the seat lid is lowered and an electrical contact made to complete the circuit. This way the open pan is 'sealed olr by the seat lid whilst flushing takes place. This Is another reason why a lid activated switch is preferred. When both the seat and lid are completely lowered to flush the toilet this 'seal' will preferably sdd to the seat and lid's ability to help prevent water aerosol from reaching the outside of the pan, reducing the risk of bacterial spread and thus removing some serious objections to using grey water as a flushing medium. In the absence of grey water, the reservoir, in this instance below the bath, would have to be recharged from the fresh water tap above the bath. Note: A bath, taken every other day, would provide enough used water tor around 12 toilet flushes. A shower andlor wash basin discharging into the below bath reservoir would obviously add to the grey water availability An average family may therefore generate enough grey water for adequate toilet flushes.

All water pipes and pipe fittings will preferably be manufactured in non conductive, corrosion resistant materials. All electrical components will preferably be manufactured in corrosion resistant, water proof materials with suitable insulation and thing.

Serviceable components should prelerably be easily accessible.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1.

Shows a schematic section of the whole system.

Fig. 2 Shows detail ofthe optional pipe routes and toilet seatnid switch.

Retuning to Fig. 1., a toilet comprises a base 1, pan 2, seat 3 and seat lid 4. This is very similar to the toilets found in most homes except the cistern, which normally stores water from the mains for the purpose of flushing, is missing. In it's place is a feed pipe 5 (or M optional routing) which directs water from a pump 6 to the toilet pan rim, or most appropriate position above the toilet base to effect flushing once the pump is activated by a switch 7 which is in turn is prelerably activated by the complete lowering ofthe seat lid 4. Once activated, grey water from the reservoir 8 (e.g below bath type) is pumped to the pan rim in sufficient volume to flush foul waste down the toilet. The volume and flow of water will preferably be determined by the pumps capacity and duration of pump running time which will preferably be adjustable for different toilet types and capacities.

The pump will preirabiy not run again until the seat and/or lid is raised and lowered.

If water is gravity or mains fed then the pump 6 would preferably be replaced with an electrically operated flow control valve, again activated by the lowering of the seat 3 andlor lid 4. The volume of water in this case will preferably be governed by the duration of valve opening. This would preferably be adjustable.

In each case an isolation switchSse box 9 would preferably be included in the electric circuit to cater for emergency isolation and service.

When no grey water is available lor the preteeed design, fresh mains water will need to be run into the bath to charge the below bath reservoir. This may be a desirable periodic function to sterilise the bath reservoir with a bleaching agent.

Referring now to Fig. 2., an electric pump 6 receives grey water gravity led from a storage means (eg. below bath reservoir). The pump is inactive until the toilet seat 3 andlor lid 4 are prelerably fully lowered. from the raised position. At this point a switch 7 is activated by the seat andlor lid closure, this completes the circuit and causes the pump 6 to operate. The water is now pumped in sufficient volume up irked pipe 5 (or optional routing M) to the pan rim where it nows through the dispersing orifices to effect flushing. After a preset time the pump stops. Lifting the seat and/or lid releases the switch 7 ready for the next cycle. The pump will preferably be fully earthed, insulated and accessible for cleaning and service.

If water is gravity or mains fed then the pump 6 would preferably be replaced with an electrically operated flow control valve, again activated by the lowering of the seat 3 andlor lid 4. The volume of wafer in this case will preferably be governed by the duration of valve opening. This would preferably be adjustable. The valve will preferably be fully earthed, insulated and accessible for cleaning and service.

Claims

1. A flushing toilet which does not use a conventional W.C. cistem, said toilet including a toilet base with a pan into which water can be delivered from a supply means, said means being arranged so as to enable gravity fed or pumped water to directly enter the pan in sufficient volume to effect flushing.

2 A flushing toilet system according to claim 1 wherein the supply means includes a feed means from a storage means and a pump or valve to provide and control the volume of water through the said fieed means from the said storage means through the toilet base to the pan.

3. A flushing toilet system according to claim 2 wherein the activation of the pump or valve is caused by the activation of an electric switch means mountable on said toilet apparatus, said switch means being selectively operable by the lowering of the apparatus seat andlorlid onto the pan's rim.

4. A flushing toilet system according to claim 3 wherein the lifting of the said toilet seat and/or lid will not reactivate the pump or valve means.

5. A Rushing toilet system according to dsim 3 or 4 wherein the lid and seat will be formed specifically to help prevent water aerosol from reaching outside the pan.

6. A flushing toilet system according to claims 4 or 5 wherein the switching means can be remotely mounted from the said toilet apparatus

7. A flushing toilet system according to claim 6 wherein the remote switching means is inoperable until the toilet seat lid is lowered onto pan's rim.

8. A flushing toilet system according to claims 3 to 7 wherein the electric pump or valve means is primed with water from the storage facility

9. A flushing toilet system according to claims 1 to 8 wherein the electricity to the said apparatus can be selectively Isolated by remotely mounted switch means.

10. A flushing toilet system according to claims 1 to 9 wherein the electric circuit is ludher protected by fuse box.

11. A flushing toilet system according to claims t to 10 wherein all electrical components are insulated and lully earthed and the conduits and fittings are cwrsIon resistant.

12 A flushing toilet system according to claims 1 fo 11 wherein all serviceable components are accessible 13. A flushing toilet system substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings