SE435305B - ANTI-CONTROL BOTTLE VALVE CONTAINER FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS - Google Patents

Description

ssoorso-o 10 1s_ 20 25 30 35 2 2 the lifting force on the float is equal to or greater than the weight of the water column acting on the top of the float through the outlet hole of the washbasin, sealing the float.

If the weight of the water column acting on the float becomes greater than the lifting force on the float, it is pressed downwards, so that the water is drained through the outlet, until balance between weight resp. lifting force reappears and the float thereby seals. In the preferred modification, however, the second chamber still appears to require a significant elevation to ensure function. The construction described becomes rather bulky and complicated due to the division into three chambers_and a piston device for regulating the outlet from the third chamber to the drain. The dependence on the absolute seal of the piston and the device for controlling the movements of the float should in practice make such a construction sensitive to the different types of pollutants which normally occur in wastewater. Likewise, the preferred embodiment can result in a water trap, which by its design has a flow-preventing effect, and thus a tendency to malfunctions. The described device, which relates to a bottom valve with a water trap in combination with a flood protection at a fixed level, should thus not offer any advantages compared with previously known constructions with conventional water traps and overflow drains.

The present invention relates to a bottom valve device which is based on a principle adjacent to that of the device described above. In addition to the fact that it lacks the above-mentioned disadvantages, it allows for additional function and also offers decisive advantages in terms of function and shape in relation to known constructions. This bottom valve device has the features specified in the appended claims and is described in more detail below. The level regulating bottom valve device according to the invention differs with respect to the known device described above in at least three essential points, namely that the device comprises only a single chamber provided with a float for sealing the outlet of the washbasin; that the float's own potential lifting force is utilized without supplementary compressive forces; and that no piston device is used without closing / opening by controlling a steplessly adjustable portion of or in the outlet conduit connecting the outlet of the float housing to the drainage system.

This device has a very simple construction without any parts which are sensitive to contaminants in the water. Thanks to the maneuverability through stepless level control of or in the pipe section from the float housing outlet, it is possible - unlike the known device described above - to set any chosen maximum level in the washbasin, which is determined by the liquid level in the float housing. In a manner similar to the known device, the level-regulating bottom valve device 10 according to the invention also constitutes a water trap itself, so that no conventional water trap is required. Because of this and because the device can be given relatively small dimensions (the float is advantageously relatively flat as will be described in more detail below), the space normally occupied by the water trap in a conventional washbasin is exposed and thereby becomes very handicap friendly by a wheelchair can be inserted under the sink. Thanks to the absence of the conventional overflow drain, the height dimension of the washbasin itself also becomes smaller, which further increases the space savings.

Preferably, an aeration hole is provided in the upper part of the float housing, so that no air cushion needs to be compressed, when the liquid level rises in the float housing.

The level-adjustable portion of the outlet line can be arranged in different ways. Although in a preferred embodiment it is formed by a height-adjustable portion of the outlet line from the bottom valve, such as e.g. a flexible hose or pipe section, it can also consist of something in the outlet line based on level-adjustably arranged means which is to be flooded by the water in the outlet line, e.g. a rotatable eccentric element or the like. in a simple embodiment the device comprises a suitably cylindrical float housing with a centrally arranged upper opening for direct connection to the outlet of, for example, a washbasin, and a suitably opposite opening on the underside connected to a height-adjustable pipeline connectable to the drainage system in question. This pipeline may consist of an at least slightly flexible pipe of suitable material, which extends laterally out of the closing device, and then suitably backwards, and then extends substantially vertically downwards to the drain connection. Raising the transition or "bend" between the lateral and downwardly directed conduit portions causes the lateral pipe portion and the float housing to form a U-tube and the level of the pipe bend determines the liquid level in the float housing. To close the closing device, the pipe bending is thereby raised and thereby the liquid level obtained in the float housing when filling water in the washbasin, to a level corresponding to a desired water level in the washbasin. The float will then seal the outlet of the washbasin, until the force from the liquid column in the sink on the float becomes greater than the lifting force of the float through the liquid in the float housing. If the water in the washbasin tends to exceed this level, the float will be forced downwards, so that the water can flow past to the outlet and over the pipe bend, until the float seals again. Correspondingly, the valve device is opened by lowering the pipeline bend to such a level that the liquid level in the float housing does not become sufficient for the float to be pressed against the outlet opening of the washbasin.

The height and lowerability of the pipeline can be achieved in different ways.

For example, the vertical part of the pipeline may be provided with a bellows portion or be arranged helically or loop-shaped, or the vertical portion may comprise two telescopically arranged parts. In the latter case, a water trap below the lower telescopic part may be required, if a satisfactory seal is not provided between the telescopic parts.

The raising and lowering of the pipeline portion can be accomplished in various ways. A simple solution is to use an operating arm used on conventional washbasins for operating the closing plug.

The level-regulating bottom valve device according to the invention replaces, as mentioned above, on, for example, a washbasin not only overflow drains and closing plugs but also the water trap. Due to its simple design, this water trap allows a free flow of water, which together with the raising / lowering of the pipeline actively counteracts clogging of the water trap. The device can therefore be said to be self-cleaning. However, efficient flushing of the water trap can be achieved easily by lowering and straightening the horizontal pipe section to a level below the lower part of the float housing, whereby any flow-limiting contaminants are effectively flushed away. The float housing can also be made easy to clean. For this reason, it is preferably designed in two parts, so that it can be easily disassembled. Although the closing device according to the invention is primarily intended for sanitary devices such as washbasins, bathtubs, dish drawers and the like, it can of course also be used on all types of liquid containers, where an overflow protection is desired. For example, the invention could also be applied to a swimming pool, whereby one could dispense with the conventional overflow drains.

In the following, the invention will be described in more detail with respect to some special, non-limiting, embodiments, reference being made to the accompanying drawings. In these, Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a washbasin provided with an embodiment of the valve device according to the invention in open position; Figure 2 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1 with the valve device in the closed level regulating position corresponding to the maximum filling level in the washbasin; Figure 3 is an enlarged partial view of the device of Figures 1 and 2, showing the function of the overflow protection of the valve device; Figure 1 is a view corresponding to Fig. 3 showing the level regulating function of the valve device at an arbitrarily set filling level; Figure 5 is a comparative side view of a washbasin provided with a valve device according to the invention and a washbasin with conventional overflow drain and water trap; Figure 6 is a side view of a bathtub provided with an embodiment of the valve device according to the invention; and Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the valve device of Fig. 6.

Figs. 1 and 2 show the bottom valve device, generally indicated by the reference numeral 1, mounted on a washbasin 2. 3 indicates a tap valve, and 1: is an operating means for opening and closing the bottom valve device.

The bottom valve device i comprises a float housing 5 and a pipe 6 which can be raised and lowered is connected to the operating member 11. The float housing 5 consists in the case shown of two suitably fastenable parts, preferably screwable together in the form of an upper part 7 and a lower part 8. In the figures the upper part 7 has the smallest height to facilitate the mounting thereof at the sink, but of course the fastening can be arranged at any height. The outer shape of the float housing is suitably cylindrical. the upper part 7 is provided with a central, threaded opening 9, which is screwed onto a bottom-threaded outlet pipe 10, which forms the bottom outlet of the washbasin 2.

The collar-shaped outlet pipe 10, which is covered with a screen grid 11, is of the type normally used in washbasins and is fixed in the bottom opening 12 of the washbasin goods by means of a nut 13 and an intermediate gasket 11+. The gasket 11+ seals the connection between the washbasin and the outlet pipe 10, and no seal or tight abutment between the nut 13 and the upper part 7 of the float housing is therefore needed, but the float housing 5 can easily be aligned in the desired position, as will be described in more detail below. The upper part 7 is further provided with an aeration tube 15, the function of which will also be described in more detail later. The lower part 8 of the float housing has an outlet portion 16, which extends laterally from an opening 17 opposite the opening 9 in the upper part 7. Which is well known in the liquid flow technique, and which will be described in more detail below, for satisfactory function the outlet should have at least same dimensions as the inner diameter of the outlet pipe 10. The outlet portion 16 can of course be designed differently than shown in the figures. In the case shown, it serves as a bracket for the pipeline 6, but it is of course also possible to connect the pipeline 6 directly to the lower opening 17 in some suitable way.

A float 18 is arranged in the float housing 5. The outer shape of the float is not per se critical, as long as its upper surface can be brought into sealing contact with the outlet pipe 10 of the washbasin. Preferably at least a main part of the upper surface of the float 18 may be spherical. . The seal is further ensured either by the float or the upper part of the float being made of some at least partially resilient material, e.g. plastic or rubber, or in that a ring of such material is arranged on the underside of the outlet pipe 10, in Figs. 1 and 2 indicated by the reference numeral 10a. The float 18 may in itself be completely spherical, but in order to allow reduced height dimensions on the float housing, it preferably has a flat shape, as indicated in the figures. The float 18 may further be solid or hollow and be made of any suitable material. Suitably the center of gravity should be in the lower part of the float so that it does not risk being edged or otherwise ending up in a sealing-preventing position. A suitable embodiment of the float 18 is hollow and with a greater wall thickness in the lower part than in the upper part. Furthermore, it preferably has a substantially circular horizontal cross-section and in its lower part may optionally be provided with fins, vanes or the like in order to promote rotation about the vertical axis for increased stability.

The pipeline 6, the lower part of which is not shown, comprises a portion 19 extending from the outlet portion 16 of the float housing 5 approximately horizontally below the rear portion of the sink to merge via a pipe bend 20 into an approximately vertical portion 21, the lower portion of which is connected to the drainage system. In the pipe bend 20 the operating member 4 is fixed in some suitable way, e.g. in a committee 22 on the curved party. The operating means 4 is in the case shown a similar lifting device used on conventional sinks for operating the bottom plug and comprises a drawbar 23 suitably mounted in the upper part of the washbasin (not shown) and an adjustably arranged cross arm 24. The cross arm 24 is operatively connected to the pipeline 26 via a stirrup 25, which is pivotally mounted in the projection 22 and with its upper part rests on the cross arm 24. Such a construction allows the stirrup 25 to be easily hooked by the cross arm 24, which can be important, as will be discussed in more detail below. At least the rearwardly directed pipe portion 19 should have sufficient flexibility to allow vertical movement of the pipe bend 20 between an upper position which gives the desired liquid level in the float housing 5 as will be described in more detail below, and a lower position where the pipe bend 20 is at the level of, or preferably below, the horizontal outlet portion 16 of the float housing 5. As will be seen from the following, the pipeline 6 in the bending portion 20 may be relatively flattened. Achieving the desired flexibility of the pipeline 6 without creases and the like being obtained on the pipeline is per se well-known technique and can easily be done by the person skilled in the art.

In order to allow the above-mentioned raising and lowering of the pipe bend 20, the vertical pipe section Z1 must have corresponding mobility.

This can e.g. is provided with a bellows portion indicated by the reference numeral 26 in Figs. 1 and 2. Alternatively, two telescopically connected pipe sections may be used or the vertical conduit portion 21 may be constituted or comprise a vertical spiral. The float housing 5 together with the pipeline portion 19 forms a water trap, and no additional water trap of conventional type is therefore needed in the described embodiment. Optionally, such may be required in the indicated variant with a telescopic connection in the vertical conduit portion, if satisfactory gas sealing cannot be achieved between the telescopic parts.

Fig. 1 shows the bottom valve device 1 in the open position after emptying the washbasin 2. This position is suitably the lower position obtained when the control rod ii is moved maximally downwards. The pipeline 6, which is suspended on the cross arm 24 via the bracket 25, is then lowered to the position shown. The liquid level in the float housing 5 will always be determined by the level of the lower part of the pipe bend 20, and in the position shown in Fig. 1 the liquid level is not sufficient to raise the float 18 to abut against the lower edge of the washbasin outlet pipe 10. In Figs. 2 shows the washbasin 2 filled with water and with the bottom valve 1 in the closed position. This position is set by raising the bending portion 20 of the pipeline 6 by means of the control rod 23 to give a liquid level in the washbasin 5 which corresponds to a desired setting level in the washbasin when filling in the washbasin. In order for the float 18 in the float housing 5 to seal the outlet opening 10 in the manner shown in Fig. 2, the displacement of the float 18 minus its dead weight must be equal to or greater than the weight of the water column of height H extending from the water surface in the sink down through the outlet pipe. 10 to the float 18 and loads its upper side, or, if one denotes the density of the water by p, the cross section of the interior of the outlet pipe 10 with A, the volume of the float 18 with V and the fl of the float 18 with G: HxAx O = VxO -G.

In Fig. 2, the submerged volume V of the 18 otter 18 is maximum, since any further increase of the liquid level in the float housing 5 does not give any increase of V.

Assuming that H in Fig. 2 corresponds to the water column at the maximum filling level in the washbasin, then upon further filling, as illustrated in Fig. 3, the tendency to increase the water column H will press down the float 18, so that the water can flow past it through the float housing 5 and out through the pipeline 6 over the bend 20. Assuming that the outlet pipe 10 resp. the outlet opening 17 and the pipeline 6 have the required dimensions with regard to the inlet through the tap valve 3, the float 18 will in practice alternately close and open the outlet opening of the washbasin with a corresponding fluctuation of the water level in the drum. In order for these uctuations to be negligible, as previously mentioned, in a further development the curved conduit portion 20 can be given a relatively small inner height and proportionally greater width. This design would limit the level changes in the bend and thus also in the float housing and ultimately in the washbasin. A possible alternative or supplementary further development of the device shown regarding said tendency to level fluctuation in connection with the flood function would be to give the upper side of the float 18 such a design that a relatively larger level change in the float housing is required. such an alternative design of the top of the float is indicated by dashed lines in Fig. 3. to increase the sealing ability of the float at a higher filling level.

Thus, any further increase in the liquid level in addition to the small change required to press down the float 18 to open the outlet opening can never occur in the washbasin, but the valve device shown offers at least as reliable overflow protection as the conventional overflow drain.

Thanks to the ventilation opening 15 in the upper part of the float housing 5, no air cushion is never enclosed in the float housing, as in the previously known device initially described, with the attendant risk of functional disturbances. The spherically designed surface of the float 18 means that it will always seal regardless of whether it is displaced laterally. The space between the side wall of the float housing 5 and the float 18 can of course be reduced in relation to what is shown in the figures and still allow sufficient liquid passage.

The water level in the washbasin that must not be exceeded can be set arbitrarily. As previously mentioned, the level in the washbasin is determined by the level in the float housing 5 (which determines how large the submerged volume V of the float will be), which in turn is determined by the height position of the curved portion 20 of the pipeline 6. Fig. 4 shows the valve device set for a lower level than in Fig. 3 and is intended to illustrate the device's automatic level control, or, if desired, flood protection, at a freely selected level. Further lowering of the pipe bend 20 results in successively lower setting levels in the washbasin, until the stage is reached (as in Fig. 1), when the 18 otter 18 no longer reaches the outlet 10. This can sometimes be an advantage, e.g. if rinsing in a washbasin (or dishwasher) is desired, a continuous supply of clean water while maintaining the desired filling level.

In Flushing of the pipeline 6, where contaminants may have accumulated in the portion 19 or in the outlet 16 of the float housing, is carried out by hooking the stirrup 25 from the cross arm 21+ of the actuator 4 with the tap valve 3 turned on and pressing down the curved the portion 20, so that the advantage 19 is straightened or bent down, as indicated by the dashed line in Fig. 4. Cleaning of the float housing and float is easily accomplished by simply unscrewing the lower part 8 from the upper part 7 or the entire float housing from the washbasin outlet pipe 10.

It is clear from the foregoing that considerable space is saved under the sink, partly because the bottom valve device itself can be made very compact and low, and partly because the washbasin itself can be made lower than a conventional overflow washbasin. This is illustrated in Fig. 5, where the achieved space saving under the washbasin is clear when compared with a conventional construction 27. As mentioned above, this is a great advantage especially for disabled toilets, since you can easily drive a wheelchair 'under a washbasin equipped with a bottom valve device according to the invention. 10 15 8300750-0 9 I Pig. 6 and 7 show the valve device 1 according to the invention applied to a bathtub 28. The valve device shown here differs from that shown in Figs. 1-5 mainly in that the float, and thus the ottörhuset, is made wider in order to be able to lift the heavier water column as it will be the case in this case. In the embodiment shown, the operating member 14 in Figs. 1 and 2 has been replaced by a simple drawbar W. Otherwise, corresponding parts have the same reference numerals as in the other figures, and the valve device functions in the same way as described above.

The invention can of course be applied to liquid containers other than bathtubs and washbasins. Thus, it could advantageously also be used on, for example, dish drawers. The size of the container also does not constitute a limitation, but it could also be used for e.g. a swimming pool, even if the float must then of course be adapted to the considerably heavier water column it must be able to support.

The invention is also not otherwise limited to the embodiments which have been specifically shown and described, but many modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (11)

1. szoovso-o 10 15, 20 25 30 35 10 PATENT REQUIREMENTS 1. Level regulating bottom valve device with water trap function for liquid container outlet, characterized in that it comprises a float housing (5) with a float (18) and an upper opening (9) connected or connectable to the container outlet (10) and a lower opening (16, 17) connected to an outlet conduit element (6) for connection to a drainage system, the float (18) being arranged to be able to act on a sealing abutment against said upper opening or the container outlet ( 10) to thereby close it, when the lifting force of the float (18) in the float housing (5) is greater than the weight of the water column (H) above the float in the container (2), but is released from the opening or container outlet, when the weight of said float water column (H) exceeds the lifting force of the float (18), and that said outlet line element (6) in its flow path comprises a level-adjustable portion (20) which can be brought to a higher level than the lower island of the float housing (5). opening, whereby the liquid level in the float housing (5) can be regulated, so that opening of the container outlet (10) is effected by lowering said level-adjustable portion (20) until the liquid level in the float housing (5) has such a level that the float (18) does not seal , and that closing is effected by raising the level-adjustable portion (20) to such a liquid level in the float housing (5) that the float (18) seals the upper opening or the container outlet (10), said raising being adjustable to give the desired maximum liquid level in the container (2). ' Valve device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the float housing (5) is provided with an aeration opening (15) in the upper part (7). Valve device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the float housing (5) is substantially cylindrical in shape with said openings (9, 17) arranged on the upper and lower side. ll. Valve device according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the outlet line element (6) comprises an at least partially height-adjustable pipeline element, e.g. a flexible hose or corresponding tube forming said adjustable portion (20). Valve device according to claim 4, characterized in that the height-adjustable pipeline element (6) comprises a compressible portion (26), e.g. of bellows type. Valve device according to claim 11, characterized in that the height-adjustable pipeline element (6) 830-0750-0 ll comprises a telescopic portion. Valve device according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the part of the float (18) which is intended to seal against the container outlet (10) has a spherical surface. Valve device according to claim 7, characterized in that the float (18) has a circular horizontal cross-section and a larger diameter than height. Valve device according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the level-adjustable portion (20) for regulating the same is operatively connected to an operating arm (4, KP) arranged at the container (2). Valve device according to one of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the level-adjustable portion (20) is arranged to be able to be brought to a lower level which is lower than the lower opening (16, 17) of the float housing (18) in order to allow effective cleaning the outlet line element (6). ll. Valve device according to one of Claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the container (2) is a sanitary device, such as a washbasin, a bathtub, a dish drawer or the like.