IE913467A1 - Toilet/bidet combination - Google Patents

Abstract

A toilet-bidet combination consists of a toilet bowl with a toilet seat which is pivotally mounted on it and with a bidet bowl which is similarly pivotally mounted on the toilet bowl. The bidet bowl covers the toilet seat when in a lowered position, a water nozzle being provided which directs a jet of water into the bidet bowl. The rear part of the toilet bowl carries an upper part in which the cistern for flushing the toilet is located. A flow heater is also disposed in the toilet bowl, which supplies the water nozzle with hot, cold and mixed water as required.

Description

The invention relates to a toilet-bidet combination consisting of a toilet bowl with a toilet seat which is pivotally mounted on it and a bidet bowl which is similarly pivotally mounted on the toilet bowl, which bidet bowl covers the toilet seat when in a lowered position, a water nozzle being provided which conducts a water jet into the bidet bowl.

A toilet-bidet combination of this kind is known in which the water supply is taken directly from the hot water mains, this having the disadvantage that supplies of hot and cold water must be available at the place of assembly of this known toilet-bidet combination. A further disadvantage of the known toilet-bidet combination is that it has hitherto been difficult to fit these known toilet bowls provided with bidet bowls in replacement of conventional toilet bowls. The cistern attached to the wall is generally in the way and obstructs installation. Additionally, difficulties have hitherto arisen in connecting the discharge pipe provided in the building to the toilet-bidet combination.

An object of the present invention is therefore to further develop a toilet-bidet combination of the kind initially described in - 2 IE 913467 such a manner that it can be installed without difficulty at the location of existing toilet bowls, so that it is possible to easily replace an existing toilet bowl with the toilet-bidet combination according to the invention. ( According to the invention, there is provided a toilet-bidet combination consisting of a toilet bowl with a toilet seat pivotally mounted on it and with a bidet bowl also pivotally mounted on the toilet bowl, which bidet bowl covers the toilet seat when in a lowered position, a water nozzle being provided for conducting a jet of water into the bidet bowl, the toilet bowl carrying in its rear region an upper part in which a cistern for flushing the toilet bowl is located, and a flow heater being disposed in the toilet bowl for supplying the water nozzle with hot, cold and mixed water at choice.

It is fundamental to the present invention that a cistern is disposed in an upright position in the rear region on a toilet bowl, which cistern is seated on the toilet bowl and terminates flush with it, also that locations are provided on the toilet bowl where a pivot bearing is provided, this pivot bearing simultaneously accommodating the toilet seat, the bidet bowl and the lid.

It is thus possible to provide, for the first time, a complete unit consisting of a lavatory, a bidet unit and the associated water supplies. According to the invention, it is suitably provided that the fittings used for operating the bidet are located on the sides of the cistern, but that they do not come into contact with the water in the cistern, rather they are located in a separate chamber of the cistern.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, it is provided that a self-contained flow heater is integrated into the toilet bowl in the lower rear region as a hot water supply for the unit according to the invention. The advantage of this is that this flow heater cannot be seen from outside and is completely integrated into the lavatory bowl.

A conventional water inlet fitting with a flushing valve and - 3 IE 913467 a ball valve is provided in the cistern, an inlet being provided from this cold water intake to the flow heater located in the lower rear region in the chamber of the toilet bowl. The hot water pipe which leaves from the flow heater then runs to a rotary or handle fitting which is actuatable on the side, so that hot water can be fed to the spraying nozzle for the washing unit. The cold water inlet runs, on the other side, to a rotational handle located on the opposite side, the two streams of water, consisting of hot and cold water flows, being mixed in a conventional mixing valve.

A further important feature of the present invention is that in the lower region (foot region) of the front of the toilet bowl, an operating button is provided which initiates flushing in the cistern. This actuation may take place by means of various possibilities, such as a bowden cable connecting the frontal operating button to the lifting ball in the cistern. It is also possible to provide electronic actuation or pneumatic or hydraulic release.

A further significant feature of the present invention is that the outlet pipe in the toilet bowl is carried outwards from the rear region of the toilet bowl so as not to be seen from the outside, and that it is capable of being installed higher above the floor level than conventional toilet bowls, thus enabling it to be linked to any existing wall connection or use of a floor drain.

In this regard, connection is possible to all standard dimensions known in Europe.

It is important in this regard that the entire cistern is connected to the toilet seat in a design-effective and visually-attractive manner and that a practically continuous transition is created. It is also important for the upper region of the cistern to be covered by a rounded hood, so that the cistern is accessible from above.

Surveys have shown that it is impossible to install a bidet beside a lavatory bowl in 80% of all bathrooms. This is _ 4 _ attributable to space conditions. The invention now provides for the first time that a conventional toilet bowl may be removed and that the combination according to the invention may be connected without difficulty to the inlets and outlets existing in the building. Thus it is for the first time possible to unite a lavatory bowl with a bidet in only one housing as a single appliance, by means of which a space-saving construction is achieved, the combination according to the invention not requiring any more space than conventional lavatories.

The subject matter of the present invention is not limited only to the subject matter of the individual claims, but also encompasses combinations of the individual claims. All details and features disclosed in the documents, including the abstract, and especially the spatial construction depicted in the drawings, are claimed as relevant to the invention, in so far as they are new either individually or in combination in relation to the state of the art.

In the following text, the invention is described in more detail with reference to the drawings which merely depict one manner of embodiment. Further characteristics which are essential to the invention and advantages of the invention will emerge from the drawings and their description.

Figure 1 shows a front view of the toilet-bidet combination; Figure 2 shows a perspective side view of the arrangement according to Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a side view of the arrangement according to Figure 1; and Figure 4 shows a rear view of the toilet-bidet combination.

The toilet-bidet combination according to the invention essentially consists of a toilet bowl 1 having a frontal base part 2 in the front face of which a button 3 is set in, by means of which - 5 IE 913467 flushing of the toilet bowl 1 can be actuated.

The frontal base part 2 is elongated towards the rear as shown in Figures 2 and 3 and forms a lower part 12 defining a hollow space 26 as shown in Figure 4.

In the rear region, an upper part 13 is provided on this lower part 12, which is mounted on top of the lower part 12 and essentially consists of a plastics housing in which the various controls and water supplies are located.

At the lower front of the upper part 13, a pivot bearing 18 is connected to the toilet bowl 1, in which pivot bearing a lid 4, a bidet bowl 5 and a toilet seat 6 are together pivotally mounted.

In the representation of Figure 1, the lid 4 is closed, so that the front face 27 of the upper part 13 is visible.

The lid 4 is open in Figure 2, thus exposing a bidet bowl 5 which in turn covers the toilet seat 6. The bidet bowl 5 has a bowl portion with an outlet opening. In the lower and central part of the front region 27 of the upper part 13, a water nozzle 9 is mounted, which directs a jet of water into the bowl portion of the bidet bowl 5 in the washing position of Figure 2. The user thus sits, facing the upper part 13, on the bidet bowl 5 and can thus wash him or herself in the free-flowing jet of water from the water nozzle 9.

Suitable storage dishes 7 are set in on the upper side of the bidet bowl 5, in which washing utensils may be placed.

The water nozzle passes through an opening 8 in the lower part of the lid 4.

Operating handles 10,11 are arranged on each side of the upper part 13 for controlling the jet of water from the water nozzle 9 and for setting a mixing temperature. On the right hand side, the hot water can for example be adjusted by means of the operating - 6 IE 913467 handle 10, while the cold water can be adjusted on the left hand side. Both operating handles 10,11 are part of a mixing fitting, so that a jet of water which is precisely adjusted as regards temperature can be discharged from the water nozzle 9.

The mixing valve can obviously be combined with a thermostatic valve in order to discharge for example a predetermined temperature. Similarly this thermostatic valve may be provided with a scald protection feature.

In the hollow space 26 defined by the lower part 12, it is to be noted that various supply units are provided, especially a flow heater 20 which is integrated into the front region of the lower part 12 of the toilet bowl 1 in accordance with Figure 3. According to Figure 4, the flow heater 20 is supplied by a cold water inlet 22 which joins the connecting hose 23 provided for supplying water to the cistern 24.

The inlet 22 is therefore connected directly to the domestic water mains connection and the cold water is fed into the flow heater 20 through the inlet 22.

The flow heater 20 is preferably electrically heated and for this purpose, the plug 16 attached to the connection cable 15 is inserted into a socket.

The hot water generated by the flow heater 20 is fed through the outlet 21 to a mixing valve (not illustrated in detail) which is controlled by the operating handles 10,11.

At the outlet from the mixing valve, the water nozzle 9 is situated, which then conducts the jet of water produced by the mixing fitting into the bidet bowl 5.

It is important that the discharge pipe 17 for the toilet bowl 1 is located in the hollow space 26. This discharge pipe 17 is disposed in the hollow space 26 with a large clearance, so that it is arranged to be easy to turn and to be adjustable as to its height. - 7 IE 913467 The discharge pipe 17 terminates at the front in a pivotable bend 19, so that it is possible with this arrangement to connect with any kind of outlet opening at the place of installation of the toilet bowl 1. Thus it is for the first time possible to install the toilet-bidet combination according to the invention at installation locations of any kind where a conventional toilet bowl was previously situated.

The cistern 24 for supply of flushing water to the toilet bowl 1 is located in the upper part 13. This cistern 24 is covered by the back wall of the upper part 13 shown in Figure 4. The connecting hose 23 is coupled to the domestic water supply and the cistern 24 is supplied with water in conventional manner by means of a conventional control fitting (ball valve).

The outlet of the cistern 24 is formed in known manner by a bell (syphonic device) which is raised by actuating the button 3 with the foot. Thus flushing is initiated by the button 3.

The upper part 13 is covered at the top by a curved closure 14.

By integrating the cistern 24 into a box-like upper part 13, the toilet-bidet combination has an elegant appearance which is further improved by the curved closure 14. Thus it is for the first time possible to integrate, at the place of installation of conventional toilet bowls, a toilet-bidet combination which is easy to connect and in which a hot water supply taken from the domestic water is no longer necessary, as the hot water is generated by a flow heater 20 integrated into the lower part 12.

Claims (8)

1. A toilet-bidet combination consisting of a toilet bowl with a toilet seat pivotally mounted on it and with a bidet bowl also pivotally mounted on the toilet bowl, which bidet bowl covers the toilet seat when in a lowered position, a water nozzle being provided for conducting a jet of water into the bidet bowl, the toilet bowl carrying in its rear region an upper part in which a cistern for flushing the toilet bowl is located, and a flow heater being disposed in the toilet bowl for supplying the water nozzle with hot, cold and mixed water at choice.

2. A toilet-bidet combination according to Claim 1, wherein the pivot bearing for accommodating a lid, the bidet bowl and the toilet seat is provided on the toilet bowl.

3. A toilet-bidet combination according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein an operating handle is arranged one on each side wall of the upper part for controlling the supply of water from the water nozzle.

4. A toilet-bidet combination according to any of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the flow heater is located in the front region of the interior of the toilet bowl.

5. A toilet-bidet 4, wherein a button for provided at the frontal combination according to any of Claims 1 to actuating the flushing of the toilet bowl is base part of the toilet bowl.

6. A toilet-bidet combination according to any of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the upper part is covered at the top by a curved closure.

7. A toilet-bidet combination according to any of Claims 1 to 6, wherein in the lower part of the toilet bowl, a discharge pipe is located, the sides, top and bottom of which are at a spacing from the boundary walls of the lower part. - 9 IE 913467

8. A toilet-bidet combination substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.