JPH11181856A - Float valve device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To supply a float valve device for making water flow out automatically from a tank when the temperature goes down at a low price. SOLUTION: A valve seat 16 is provided on the bottom of a low tank 10, and a float valve 14 is fixed thereto. Chains 28 and 30 and a thermo-unit 32 are laid between a shaft 26 combined with a handle 24 and the float valve 14. When the temperature is high, the thermo-unit 32 is expanded, and the float valve 14 is raised only by turning the handle 24. When the temperature drops lower than the critical point of a shape memory spring 46 in the thermo- unit 32, the thermo-unit 32 is contracted, and the float valve 14 is pulled up. The critical point is such a temperature as it nearly coincides with the temperature being in danger of freezing water.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a float valve device provided in a low tank or the like for supplying flush water to a toilet, and in particular, to prevent freezing of trap water by continuously flowing water little by little into a toilet or the like. The present invention relates to a float valve device suitably used for applications. More specifically, the present invention relates to a float valve device configured to automatically flow water when the temperature decreases.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In cold-area toilet facilities, cold-area-specific ones configured to continuously flow small amounts of water into a toilet in order to prevent freezing of toilet trap water are employed. Often. As a float valve device having such a freezing prevention mechanism, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 57-105376 discloses a conduit connecting a tank and a toilet so as to bypass the float valve device. A device provided with an on-off valve of the type is described. In the tank of the same publication, when the temperature drops, the temperature-sensitive on-off valve opens, and water in the tank continuously flows to the toilet through the conduit.

[0003]

Problems to be Solved by the Invention
In the tank of No. 5376, a special tank having a hole for connecting a conduit at the bottom is required, and a conduit having a temperature-sensitive on-off valve is provided between the hole and the toilet water pipe. Piping must be done, which is costly. It is also very difficult to apply to existing tanks.

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide a float valve device which does not require a new piping route, is low in cost, and can be easily applied to an existing tank.

[0005]

According to the present invention, there is provided a float valve device comprising a valve seat, a float valve seated on the valve seat, and a float valve lifting mechanism for lifting the float valve. Valve lifting mechanism,
A temperature responsive means for raising the float valve when the temperature becomes low is provided.

[0006] In such a float valve device, the float valve lifting mechanism is provided with a temperature responsive means. When the temperature becomes low, the float valve is lifted and water flows out of the tank. In this float valve device, the anti-freezing mechanism can be incorporated without making a new hole in the tank, and can be easily incorporated in an existing toilet tank or the like.

[0007] In one embodiment of the present invention, the temperature responsive means is incorporated into a cord such as a chain connecting the handle and the float valve. In this case, when the temperature becomes low, the entire length of the cord becomes small, and the float valve is raised.

[0008] In another aspect of the invention, the temperature responsive means is incorporated into a handle shaft. In this case, when the temperature becomes low, the shaft is deformed, for example, in the splashing direction, and the float valve is raised.

In yet another aspect of the invention, the temperature responsive means is incorporated into the handle. In this case, when the temperature becomes low, the handle rotates and the float valve is raised.

In the present invention, the temperature responsive means preferably includes a shape memory member made of a shape memory alloy, a shape memory synthetic resin, or the like. Since this shape memory member shows strong and large deformation when it reaches the critical point, it is suitable for use in the present invention. However, in the present invention, a temperature responsive member other than the shape memory member may be employed.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a low tank provided with a float valve device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1A shows a state where the temperature is higher than a freezing temperature, and FIG.
The figure shows a state lower than the freezing temperature. Also,
(A) The upper part of the figure and the figure (b) show the cross section of the thermo unit used in this embodiment, respectively.

The low tank 10 has a heat insulating layer 12 provided on its inner surface, and a float valve 14 at the bottom.
The seat 16 on which is seated is fixed by a nut 18. An outlet 20 is provided below the valve seat 16. Further, an overflow pipe 22 which rises upward from a side surface portion of the valve seat 16 is provided.

A handle 24 is provided on an upper portion of the side surface of the low tank 10, and a shaft 26 rotated by the handle 24 is disposed at an upper portion in the low tank 10. The tip of the shaft 26 is connected to the float valve 14 via chains 28 and 30 and a thermo unit 32 connecting the chains 28 and 30. Code 34
Denotes a stopper attached to the overflow pipe 22 for preventing the float valve 14 from floating.

A ball tap 38 having a floating ball 36 is provided on the upper portion of the low tank 10. The ball tap 3 is provided so that the water level in the low tank 10 becomes a predetermined water level.
Water is injected from step 8.

The thermo unit 32 includes a cylindrical case 40.
The distal end of the rod 42 is inserted therein, and the flange 42 a at the distal end of the rod 42 is pressed from both upper and lower sides by a shape memory spring 46 and a bias spring 48. The upper end of the case 40 is sealed by an end cap 52 having a hook 50, and the upper end of the shape memory spring 46 comes into contact with the end cap 52 to obtain a reaction force for pressing the rod 42 downward.

A ring 54 is mounted on the lower end of the case 40, and the lower end of the bias spring 48 is
To obtain a reaction force for pressing the rod 42 upward. The lower end of the chain 28 is connected to the upper end of the hook 50, and the upper end of the chain 30 is connected to the lower end of the rod 42.

When the thermo unit 32 is in a temperature environment higher than the critical point of the shape memory spring 46, the shape memory spring 46 is in an extended state and the length of the thermo unit 32 in the vertical direction is as shown in FIG. It becomes long as in a). When the temperature falls below the critical temperature of the shape memory spring 46, the shape memory spring 46 contracts as shown in FIG.
It is pulled into 0.

The thermo unit 32 constructed as described above
In the float valve device having the above condition, when in a normal state (a state where the temperature is higher than the critical point of the shape memory spring 46), the thermo unit 32 is in the extended state as shown in FIG. In this case, the float valve 14 is raised only by turning the handle 24, and the low tank 1
Water flows out from zero.

As is well known, when the water level in the low tank 10 drops to a predetermined water level, the float valve 14 opens the valve seat 1.
6 and the outflow of water stops. Also, low tank 1
The floating ball 36 moves downward as the water level falls within 0, the ball tap 38 is opened, and water is injected into the low tank 10. When the water level in the low tank 10 recovers,
The floating ball 36 rises, and the ball tap 38 is closed.

When the temperature of the thermo unit 32 becomes lower than the critical point of the shape memory spring 46 in the water stopping state in which the float valve 14 is seated on the valve seat 16, the thermo unit 32 contracts as shown in FIG. Although the handle 24 is not turned, the float valve 14 is slightly raised. As a result, the water in the low tank 10 flows out of the outlet 20, and the water is continuously supplied to the toilet little by little, so that the trap water in the toilet is prevented from freezing. Thermo unit 32
Is higher than the critical point of the shape memory spring 46,
The state returns to the state of FIG. 1A again, and the outflow of water for preventing freezing stops.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a low tank provided with a float valve device according to another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the shaft 56 is made of a shape memory alloy or a shape memory synthetic resin, and the tip of the shaft 56 and the float valve 14 are connected by a single chain 58. When the shaft 56 is higher than the critical point of the shape memory member constituting it,
It is bent as shown in FIG. 2A, and when it is lower than the critical point, it is deformed to take a relatively straight posture as shown in FIG. 2B. Therefore, in a normal state,
As shown in FIG. 2A, the shaft 56 is bent, and the float valve 14 is pulled up only by turning the handle 24, and water is supplied from the low tank 10 to the toilet.

When the temperature becomes lower than the critical temperature of the shape memory member, the shaft 56 takes a flip-up posture as shown in FIG. 2B, and the float valve 14 is slightly lifted up through the chain 58. Water flows out of the low tank 10 toward the toilet continuously little by little, thereby preventing the trap water in the toilet from freezing. If the temperature rises,
The state returns to the state shown in FIG.

The other configuration of FIG. 2 is the same as that of FIG. 1, and the same portions are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted.

The shaft 56 may be a shape memory member as a whole, or may be a bimetallic shape combining a shape memory member and a bias leaf spring.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a low tank provided with a float valve device according to still another embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of a handle of the float valve device, and FIG. It is a block diagram showing operation of a handle.

In this embodiment, the handle 64
Are provided with a temperature responsive means.

That is, the threaded column 66 is inserted into the upper part of the side wall of the raw tank 10 from the outside of the raw tank, and the nut 70 is screwed into the threaded column 66 via the washer 68 so that the threaded column 66 is attached to the raw tank 10. Is fixed at the top of the The threaded column 66 is provided with a flange 71 integrally therewith.
The low tank 10 is sandwiched between the flange and the flange 71.
The rotating shaft of the shaft 26 is inserted into the threaded column 66 from inside the low tank. The distal end 26 a of the shaft 26 has a rectangular shape and engages with a square hole 70 provided in the handle 64.

The shaft tip 26a is engaged with the square hole 70 of the handle 64, and the screw 8 is
4 is screwed into the shaft tip 26a,
A handle 64 is attached to the shaft 26 so as not to come off. The rotation torque of the handle 64 is reliably transmitted to the shaft 26 by the engagement between the square shaft tip 26a and the square hole 70.

The flange 71 has a substantially fan-shaped concave portion 72 in which a plate 74 is slidably disposed. The plate 74 includes a shape memory spring 76 and a bias spring 7
8 is pressed from both sides. One end of the plate 74 projects from the concave portion 72 and engages with an end of a slit 80 provided in the handle 64.

A cover 86 is mounted outside the handle 64.

As shown in FIG. 5, the temperature is stored in the shape memory spring 7.
6 above the critical point, the shape memory spring 76 is in an extended state, and the plate 74 has shifted to the right in FIG.

When the temperature falls below the critical point of the shape memory spring 76, the shape memory spring 76 contracts and the bias spring 7
As shown in FIG. 5B, the plate 74 takes a position shifted leftward in the recess 72 by the pressing force 8. The plate 74 is in contact with the end of the slit 80 of the handle 64, and the flange 71 is fixed to the side wall of the low tank.
When the handle 64 is depressed to the left within the handle 2, the handle 64 is rotated clockwise as shown in FIG. 5B. Since the handle 64 and the shaft 26 always rotate integrally, when the handle 64 takes a turning posture as shown in FIG. 5B, the shaft 26 also takes a turning posture, and the float valve 14 Can be raised a little.

As described above, even in this embodiment,
When the temperature is high, the float valve 14 can be seated on the valve seat 16, and the float valve 14 is pulled up from the valve seat 16 only by turning the handle 64.

When the temperature is low, the handle 64 is
(B), the float valve 14 is pulled up from the valve seat 16 via the chain 58, water is continuously supplied little by little from the low tank 10 toward the toilet, and freezing of trap water is prevented. You.

The structure of the other parts of this embodiment is the same as those of the above-described embodiments, and the same reference numerals indicate the same parts.

In the present invention, the critical temperature of the shape memory member is a temperature at which water may freeze (for example, 4 to 5).
° C).

In the above embodiment, the float valve is provided in the low tank, but the present invention can be applied to a float valve device provided in various water tanks other than the low tank.

[0038]

As described above, according to the present invention, a float valve device is used in which the float valve is automatically raised when the temperature becomes low, and water flows out of the tank automatically. The float valve device of the present invention is provided with a temperature responsive means in a mechanism for raising the float valve, and it is not necessary to connect a dedicated pipe for opening a hole in the tank and flowing out water for freezing prevention, and the existing valve is provided. It can be easily applied to tanks. Further, the float valve device of the present invention only needs to incorporate the temperature responsive means, and has a relatively simple configuration and a low cost.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a low tank incorporating a float valve device according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a low tank incorporating a float valve device according to another embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a low tank incorporating a float valve device according to still another embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a handle used in the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 5 is an operation explanatory view of the handle of FIG. 4;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Low tank 12 Heat insulation layer 14 Float valve 16 Valve seat 20 Outflow port 22 Overflow pipe 24 Handle 26 Shaft 28, 30 Chain 32 Thermo unit 38 Ball tap 46 Shape memory spring 48 Bias spring 56 Shaft 58 Chain 64 Handle 71 Flange 72 Recess 74 Plate 76 Shape memory spring 78 Bias spring

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A float valve device comprising a valve seat, a float valve seated on the valve seat, and a float valve lifting mechanism for lifting the float valve. A float valve device provided with a temperature responsive means for raising. 2. The float valve lifting mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the float valve lifting mechanism has a handle, and a cable connecting the handle and the float valve. The temperature responsive means is provided on the cable. A float valve device whose length is reduced at low temperatures. 3. The float valve lifting mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the float valve lifting mechanism includes a handle having a shaft, and a cable-like body connecting the shaft and the float valve. Built into the shaft,
A float valve device wherein the shaft is deformed when the temperature becomes low to lift the float valve. 4. The float valve lifting mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the float valve lifting mechanism includes a handle having a shaft, and a cord connecting the shaft and the float valve. Wherein the handle is rotated to raise the float valve. 5. The float valve device according to claim 1, wherein the temperature responsive means includes a shape memory member.