IES20120549A2 - A displacement device for a toilet cistern - Google Patents

Abstract

A displacement device (10) for a toilet cistern (20), comprises an elongate strip of flexible material in the form of a length of heavy duty carpet (11). The length of carpet (11) is encased within a sealed plastics bag (12). Tn use, the displacement device (10) is positioned on the base (23) of the cistern (20). The inner surface (24) of the displacement device (10) is wrapped around the siphon unit (25) of the cistern (20), below and clear of the ball cock (26), and the outer surface (27) of the displacement device (10) abuts the internal wall (28) of the cistern (20). Thus, in use the displacement device (10) does not interfere with the operation of the cistern (20). The capacity of the illustrated cistern (20) is 9 litres and the displacement device (10) displaces a volume of 2.8 litres to provide a flush volume of 6.2 litres, resulting in a saving of 2.8 litres of water per flush.

Description

Λ displacement device for a toilet cistern n^L=-=i Γ'·~ ·. .ν-ίπ ·ίϊ * '.ΟΜΙΙΣ SBUU3 ϊ This invention relates to a displacement device for a toilet ci stem and, in particular, to a displacement device for reducing the volume of water per flush.

The conservation of water is becoming increasingly important and it is recognised that a large volume of water is wasted by flushing toilets. In the United Kingdom, toiiet cisterns installed in houses since 2001 generally have a maximum flush volume of 6 litres of water. However, older cisterns (pre -1993) have a flush volume of 9 litres or more and cisterns installed from 1993-2001 normally have a flush volume of 7.5 litres.

Thus, cisterns with flush volumes greater than 6 litres are wasteful of water. It is these older (prc-2001) cisterns that will benefit from being fitted with displacement devices so as to reduce the flush volume. Any reduction In water consumption will ease the burden on water treatment and supply facilities and, for the consumer, will reduce cost, where their water usage is metered artd charged for on the basis of consumption.

Do-it-yourself displacement devices include a brick or a waterfilled plastics bottle. However, the use of a brick can cause problems with time as the brick may start to break up, with pieces thereof becoming caught in the operational parts of the cistern.

Water-filled plastics bottles can cause problems as the water therein is stagnant and can pose health problems over time. l. i'j h Γ P f'/nnrj , . .. ι j l . : l. ! i _.£_ il Fi7 CL ______ί IE 7 2 0 5 4 9 ILS. Patent No. 5,259,075 discloses a water-saving device for the tank of a water closet, wherein a plastic container is filled with water and placed in the tank to reduce the amount of water used on each flush. The container includes a watertight valve tor sealing tlie container and a mounting bracket for securely mounting the container on a sidewall of the tank of the water closet.

This water-saving device is basically a commercial version of the traditional water-filled plastics bottle described hereinbefore and has a similar problem relating to stagnant water in the container. Furthermore, there is a risk that the container will be hung in a position within the tank that will result in damage being caused to the operational parts of the tank, in particular, the ball cock.

U.K. Patent No. 2 319 788 discloses a water saving device for water storage vessels such as flush cisterns, the device comprising a perforated plastics bag containing, in granular form, a super-absorbent polymer which, when wetted, expands to two hundred times its preabsorption volume. The bag is preferably weighted and may be simply placed in a cistern where it rapidly expands to displace between 2 to 5 litres of water within a cistern otherwise containing at least 9 litres, thus significantly reducing wasteful water consumption.

A problem with this water saving device is that some of the superabsorbent polymer can leach out of the plastics bag over time causing contamination of the water and possibly requiring replacement of the device. ΙΕί 2 0 5 4 9 It is an object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages of the displacement devices hereinbefore described.

Thus, the invention provides a displacement device for a toilet 5 cistern, comprising an elongate strip of flexible material, which strip of material will not expand or contract when immersed in water within the cistern, in use, and which strip of material is adapted to be positioned witii in the cistern on the base thereof and to wrap around the operational parts of the cistern without impeding the operation thereof.

An advantage of the displacement device according to the invention is that it fits into the bottom of the cistern without interfering with tlie operational parts of the cistern, such as the ball cock.

A further advantage of the displacement device according to tlie invention is that it can be sized to suit a particular cistern and to displace an appropriate volume of water for lliat ci stem, resulting in a reduced flush volume of around 6 litres.

Preferably, the strip of material is a length of heavy duty carpet, which carpet is sealed within an outer, water-impermeable cover.

An advantage of the heavy duty carpet as a source of material for the device is that waste carpet is readily available for a reasonable price. Thus, the unit cost of the device can be minimised.

IE ; 2 Ο 5 A 9 A further advantage of the use of carpet is that it will bend into the shape of the cistern and will wedge into position therein.

In one embodiment of the invention, the cover is a sealed plastics bag.

An advantage of the use of a scaled plastics bag is that it simplifies the manufacturing process.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the cover is coated with an anti-fungal material.

Use of an anti-fungal material on the cover minimises fungal 10 growth on the device otherwise resulting in contamination of the water in the cistern.

The invention will be further illustrated by the following description of an embodiment thereof given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a displacement device in accordance with the invention; and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a cistern containing the displacement device of Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig.l, there is illustrated generally at 10, a 20 displacement device for a toilet cistern in accordance with the invention.

The displacement device 10 comprises an elongate strip of flexible IE t 2 0 5 4 9 material in the form of a length of heavy duty carpet 11, The length of carpet 11 is encased within a sealed plastics bag 12, which bag 12 has been cut away at 13 to reveal the strip of carpet 12 within.

Referring to Fig. 2, there is illustrated generally at 20, a toilet 5 cistern within which tlie displacement device 10 has been positioned.

Front 21 and a side 22 of the cistern 20 have been partially cut away to reveal the displacement device 10 in position. Γη use, the displacement device 10 is positioned on base 23 ofthe cistern 20. Inner surface 24, of the displacement device 10 is wrapped around siphon unit 25 of the cistern 20, below and clear of ball cock 26, and outer surface 27 of the displacement deviee 10 abuts internal wall 28 ofthe cistern 20.

Thus, in use the displacement device 10 is not interfering with the operation of the cistern 20, The capacity of the illustrated cistern 20 is 9 litres and the displacement device 10 displaces a volume of 2.8 litres to provide a flush volume of 6.2 litres, resulting in a saving of 2.8 litres of water per flush.

Claims (5)

1. Claims: 1. A displacement device for a toilet cistern, comprising an elongate strip of flexible material, which strip of material will not expand or contract when immersed in water within the cistern, in use, 5 and which strip of material is adapted to be positioned within the cistern on the base thereof and to wrap around the operational parts ol’the cistern without Impeding the operation thereof.

2. A displacement device according to Claim 1, wherein the strip of material is a length of heavy duty carpet, which carpet is sealed 10 within an outer, water-impermeable cover.

3. A displacement device according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the cover is a sealed plastics bag.

4. A displacement device according to any preceding claim, wherein tlie cover is coated with an anti “fungal materiai. 15

5. A displacement device according to Claim 1 for a toilet cistern, substantially as hereinbefore described with particular reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.