GB2386384A

GB2386384A - Combination bidet/toilet

Info

Publication number: GB2386384A
Application number: GB0220890A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ralph Simon Davies
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-09-10
Filing date: 2002-09-10
Publication date: 2003-09-17
Anticipated expiration: 2022-09-10
Also published as: EP1398421A3; EP1398421A2; GB2386384B; GB0220890D0

Abstract

A combination bidet/toilet includes an operating unit comprising a back plate 1, an outer cover (not shown) a flexible delivery hose 7 and a toilet-bidet seat 9. The operating unit contains a thermostatic mixing valve 2, a control valve 3, copper or other suitable tubing 4, and a tun dish 5 with a push-fit or screw fitting 6, for connecting one end of the hose. The other end of the hose is moulded into a pre-drilled hole in the seat, or alternatively, connected to a push-fit or screw adaptor 8, (Figure 3 not shown) at the centre of the rear the seat. Hot and cold water supplies (not shown) are connected to the mixing valve's inlet. The mixed water flow from the mixing valve is controlled by means of the control valve, and is delivered to the seat via the tun dish, and the hose.

Description

1 2386384

BIDET-LOO

This invention relates to a bidet-loo, which includes a wall mounted operating unit, a flexible delivery hose and a combination toilet-bidet seat.

Bidets are well known sanitary fittings which comprise a porcelain pan and either separate hot and cold taps, or a single outlet mixing tap.

Bidets are, however, relatively expensive. Moreover they are a separate sanitary fitting to the toilet, which means that they require extra space in the bathroom. It is also necessary to move across from the toilet to the bidet.

An object of this invention is to enable an existing toilet to also function as a bidet. According to the present invention a bidet-loo having a wall mounted operating unit, comprising of a back plate and an outer cover, and containing a fail-safe thermostatic mixing valve, a control valve, copper or other suitable tubing configured in such a way so as to deliver mixed water to a tun dish arrangement, in order to prevent backflow, a flexible delivery hose and a combination toilet-

bidet seat, comprising a pre-drilled hole passing substantially horizontally through the centre of the rear of the said seat, with one end of the said delivery hose connected to a push-fit or a screw fitting at the outlet of the tun dish arrangement, with the other end of the delivery hose moulded into and through the said hole in the seat, or alternatively, the delivery hose is connected to a push-fit or a screw adaptor at the centre of the rear of the seat wherein, when said seat is fitted to a toilet, water can be supplied through the seat to emerge from an outlet such that the toilet is useable as a bidet, the bidet-loo comprising a means for controlling and delivering a flow of mixed water through the delivery hose to the seat by using the fail-safe thermostatic mixing valve, the control valve, the configured tubing and the tun dish arrangement.

Preferably the operating unit's back plate and outer cover, and the toilet-bidet seat are made of plastics material, but they may also be made from resin or another suitable waterproof material.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows the wall mounted operating unit, with the internal components and controls, and the delivery hose.

Figure 2 shows the wall mounted operating unit, and the toilet-bidet seat, complete with the delivery hose moulded into the said seat, the seat shown fitted to an existing toilet.

Figure 3 shows the toilet-bidet seat, complete with the delivery hose connected to a push-fit or a screw adaptor at the centre of the rear of the said seat, the seat shown fitted to an existing toilet.

Figure 4 shows a flow diagram of the warmed water flush through the operating unit. Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 4, the wall mounted operating unit's back plate 1 comprises a fail-safe thermostatic mixing valve 2, a control valve 3, copper or other suitable tubing 4, a tun-dish arrangement S with a push-fit or a screw fitting 6 at its outlet for connecting one end of the flexible delivery hose 7. The above mentioned components and controls (2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7) may be secured to the back plate 1 by for example, clips or similar means (not shown) The toiletbidet seat 9 comprises a length of the delivery hose 7 either moulded into and through a hole in the centre of the rear face of the said seat, as in Figure 2, or connected to a push-fit or a screw adaptor 8 at the centre of the rear of the seat, as in Figure 3.

Preferably, a nozzle or some form of insert (not shown) which may be made of plastics material, but may also be made from resin, metal or another suitable waterproof material, may be placed inside the hole at the outlet of the toilet-bidet seat 9.

Advantageously, the said nozzle or insert may extend the full length of the hole, to emerge also from the inlet of the toilet-bidet seat 9, so as to permit connection of the push-fit or screw adaptor 8, or alternatively, direct connection of the rleliverv hose 7.

Referring to Figure 4, the hot and cold water supply connections to the inlet side of the fail-safe thermostatic mixing valve 2 are made using suitable plumbing fittings and copper, chromed or other suitable tubing (not shown) Advantageously, the back plate 1 may also be provided with several entry and exit positions (not shown) to permit the ease of plumbing in the system as above, and to allow for the preferred positioning of the above tubing and the delivery hose 7. The said entry and exit positions may be such so that they can be simply knocked-out, or alternatively, cut out with a sharp blade.

Preferably, the back plate 1 is also provided with fixing positions to allow for it to be mounted on to a wall' using for example, screws and wall plugs or similar means (not shown) Advantageously, the outer cover (not shown) may also be provided with entry and exit positions around some of its edges, to coincide with some of the previously mentioned entry and exit positions in the back plate 1.

Preferably, the outer cover (not shown) is secured to the back plate 1 for example, at the top and bottom, by screws or similar means.

Advantageously, the outer cover may also be provided with a suitably formed opening in its face to allow the control valve 3 to protrude through, so as to permit the operation of the bidet-loo.

In order to operate the bidet-loo the control valve 3 is opened and a warm water mix from the thermostatic mixing valve 2 is delivered to the toilet-bidet seat 9 via the copper or other suitable tubing 4, the tun dish arrangement 5 and a length of the delivery hose 7.

In order to automatically stop the flow of water to the toilet-bidet seat 9 after a pre-determined time, the control valve 3 may be of the push button type.

Claims

1. A bidet-loo having a wall mounted operating unit, comprising of a back plate and an outer cover, and containing a fail-safe thermostatic mixing valve, a control valve, copper or other suitable tubing configured in such a way so as to deliver mixed water to a tun dish arrangement, in order to prevent backflow, a flexible delivery hose and a combination toilet-bidet seat, comprising a pre-drilled hole passing substantially horizontally through the centre of the rear of the said seat, with one end of the said delivery hose connected to a push-fit or a screw fitting at the outlet of the tun dish arrangement, with the other end of the delivery hose moulded into and through the said hole in the seat, or alternatively, the delivery hose is connected to a push-fit or a screw adaptor at the centre of the rear of the seat wherein, when said seat is fitted to a toilet, water can be supplied through the seat to emerge from an outlet such that the toilet is useable as a bidet, the bidet-loo comprising a means for controlling and delivering a flow of mixed water through the delivery hose to the seat by using the fail-safe thermostatic mixing valve, the control valve, the configured tubing and the tun dish arrangement.

2. A bidet-loo as claimed in Claim 1 wherein hot and cold water supplies are connected to the

inlet side of the fail-safe thermostatic mixing valve, using suitable plumbing fittings and copper, chromed or other suitable tubing.

3. A bidet-loo as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the control valve is connected to the outlet side of the fail-safe thermostatic mixing valve, using copper or other suitable tubing.

4. A bidet-loo as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 3 wherein copper or other suitable tubing is connected to the outlet side of the control valve.

5. A bidet-loo as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 4 wherein the said tubing is configured in such a way so as to deliver the mixed water to the tun- dish arrangement.

6. A bidet-loo as claimed in Claim 4 or Claim 5 wherein the said tubing and the said tun-dish are arranged in such a way in order to prevent backflow.

7. A bidet-loo as claimed in Claiml, Claim 5 or Claim 6 wherein one end of the delivery hose is connected to the outlet side of the tun-dish arrangement, with the push-ft or screw fitting.

8. A bidet-loo as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 7 wherein the other end of the delivery hose is moulded into and through a pre-drilled hole in the toilet-bidet seat.

9. A bidet-loo as claimed in Claim 1, Claim 7 or Claim 8 wherein the other end of the delivery hose is connected to a push-fit or a screw adaptor at the rear of the toilet-bidet seat.

10. A bidet-loo as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 8 wherein a nozzle or insert is placed inside the said hole at the outlet of the toilet-bidet seat.

1 1. A bidet-loo as claimed in Claim 1, Claim 8, Claim 9 or Claim 10 wherein the nozzle or insert extends the full length of the said hole, to emerge also from the inlet at the centre of the rear of the seat, so as to permit connection of the push-fit or screw adaptor.

12. A bidet-loo as claimed in Claim 1, Claim 8, Claim 9, Claim 10 or Claim 11 wherein the delivery hose is connected directly to the nozzle or insert.

13. A bidet-loo as claimed in any preceding claim which is made from plastics material or resin or any other suitable waterproof material.

14. A bidet-loo substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1-4 of the .. accompanying arawmgs.

15. A kit of parts useable to adapt a toilet to function also as a bidet according to at least Claim 1 of the preceding claims.

16. A kit of parts including a combination toilet/bidet seat useable to adapt a toilet to function also as a bidet according to at least Claim l of the preceding Claims 1 to 14.

16. A kit of parts including a combination toilet-bidet seat useable to adapt a toilet to function also as a bidet according to at least Claim 1 of the preceding Claims 1 to 14.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. Apparatus for enabling a toilet to act as a bidet, said apparatus comprising a wallmounted operating unit consisting of a back plate and an outer cover and containing a fail-safe thermostatic mixing valve, a control valve, copper or other suitable tubing, and a tun-dish arrangement, wherein mixed hot and cold water is delivered via the operating unit and then via a flexible delivery hose and push-fit or screw fitting to a toilet/bidet seat having a pre-

drilled hole passing substantially horizontally through the centre of the rear of the seat.

2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 wherein hot and cold water supplies are connected to the inlet side of the fail-safe thermostatic mixing valve, using suitable plumbing fittings and copper, chromed or other suitable tubing.

3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim l or Claim 2 wherein the inlet side of the control valve is connected to the outlet side of the fail-safe thermostatic mixing valve, using copper or other suitable tubing.

4. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 3 wherein copper or other suitable tubing is connected to the outlet side of the control valve.

5. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the said tubing is configured in a suitable boron from the control valve to the tun-dish arrangement.

6. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 5 wherein the said tubing and the said tun-dish are arranged apart to prevent water in the tun-dish from reaching the outlet end of the tubing.

7. Apparatus as claimed in Claim, Clairol 5 or Claim 6 wherein one end of the delivery hose is connected to the outlet side of the tun-dish arrangement, with the push-fit or screw fitting. 8. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 7 wherein the other end of the delivery hose is moulded into and through the pre-drilled hole in the toilet/bidet seat.

9. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 8 wherein the other end of the delivery hose is connected to a push-fit or a screw adaptor at the rear of the toilet/bidet seat.

10. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 8 wherein a nozzle or insert is placed inside the said hole at the outlet of the toilet/bidet seat.

11. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 9 or Claim 10 wherein the nozzle or insert extends the full length of the said hole, to emerge also from the inlet at the centre of the rear of the seat, so as to permit connection of the pushiest or screw adaptor.

12. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 10 wherein the other end of the delivery hose is connected directly to the nozzle or insert.

13. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the back plate, outer cover and seat are made from plastics material or resin or other suitable waterproof material.

14. Apparatus as claimed in Claim I arid substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.