WO2005106141A1

WO2005106141A1 - Jet pump and toilet stool having rim side water supply apparatus using the same

Info

Publication number: WO2005106141A1
Application number: PCT/KR2005/001165
Authority: WO
Inventors: Woo-Seung Shin; Bong-Suk Kim; Hong-Suk Lee
Original assignee: Isooin Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2004-04-29
Filing date: 2005-04-22
Publication date: 2005-11-10
Also published as: JP4713575B2; JP2007534867A

Abstract

Provided is a toilet stool having a rim side water supply apparatus using a jet pump. In the toilet stool, a tank of which a water level is lower than a rim water pipe is integrally formed with a main body. The toilet stool includes a tank containing a certain amount of wash water using a bowl tap for allowing or cutting off the flow of water according to a water level; a toilet body including a plurality of discharge holes spaced a predetermined distance apart from each other in an inner circumferential surface of a rim to which rim wash water is supplied through a connection conduit of the bowl tap and a rim water pipe and a wash space connected to a lower portion of the tank by a jet water pipe; a stopper for opening or closing off an exhaust hole of the jet water pipe installed in the lower portion of the tank with the operation of an operating lever; and a jet pump disposed between the connection conduit of the bowl tap and the rim water pipe to supply a mixture of supplied water and the wash water contained in the tank to the rim water pipe, the jet pump including a jet nozzle, a throat, a diffuser, and an inlet disposed between the jet nozzle and the throat. In this construction, the flow rate of wash water can be increased to enhance rim washability.

Description

Description JET PUMP AND TOILET STOOL HAVING RIM SIDE WATER SUPPLY APPARATUS USING THE SAME Technical Field

[1] The present invention to a toilet stool having a rim side water supply apparatus using a jet pump, and more particularly, to a jet pump, which is capable of supplying a fixed amount of wash water, and a toilet stool having a rim side water supply apparatus using the same. Background Art

[2] In general, a toilet stool is comprised of a tank, which contains wash water supplied through a bowl tap, and a body, which is disposed below the tank. The toilet stool is structured such that once a stopper is extracted with the operation of an operating lever installed at the tank, the wash water is discharged toward the body and exhausted along with human excreta out of the toilet stool. Such a toilet stool can be categorized into a two-piece type in which a tank is separated from a body and a one-piece type in which a tank and a body are integrally formed. Owing to a recent increase in deluxe houses, one-piece toilets, which are luxurious in terms of design, are in widespread.

[3] FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of a conventional one-piece toilet stool, and FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of inside of a tank of the one-piece toilet stool shown in FIG. 1.

[4] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, once a user operates an operating lever 12 to wash away excreta, a stopper 13 connected to the operating lever 12 rotates upward to open a jet water pipe 29 of a tank 9. Thus, wash water is discharged through the jet water pipe 29 and exhausted via a jet nozzle 27 to wash off the excreta and simultaneously, wash water is discharged by a bowl tap 17 into a rim discharge hole 25 so that the excreta remaining in a wash space of a body 19 is washed out.

[5] In a rim side water supply apparatus of the toilet stool, a rim connection conduit 20 and a rim water supply conduit 21 are connected to an upper portion of the bowl tap 17 of the tank 10, and an edge portion of the rim water supply conduit 21 is inserted in a rim water pipe 23. In this structure, during the discharge using the stopper 13, water is supplied from the bowl tap 17 through the rim connection conduit 20, the rim water supply conduit 21, and the rim water pipe 23, which are connected to the bowl tap 17. Thus, water is jetted via the discharge hole 25 installed in a lower portion of a rim, thereby washing out an inner circumferential surface of the toilet stool.

[6] Once a preset amount of water is discharged from the tank 9 into the jet water pipe 29, the stopper 13 is closed off and the jet water pipe 29 is cut off. At this time, the bowl tap 17 is switched to a supply conduit 31 of the tank 9 using a switch portion 18 to supply water to the supply conduit 31 so that the tank is filled with wash water. When the wash water is filled to a predetermined water level, the bowl tap 17 interrupts the supply of water and stands by for the next operation with the operation of a bladder 33 connected to the bowl tap 17.

[7] However, in the foregoing one-piece toilet stool, if a normal water level of the tank 9 is lower than the position of the rim water pipe 23, rim washability is very poor. This is because water stored in the tank 9 cannot be supplied to the rim water pipe 23 disposed higher than the stored water so that water from a water supply conduit 7 is supplied at a very small flow rate through the bowl tap 17 to the discharge hole 25 installed in the lower portion of the rim.

[8] According to experimental results, the conventional one-piece toilet stool need to supply water at a flow rate of 0.45 L/s or higher in order to completely wash the rim. However, conventional toilet attachments manage to supply water at a flow rate that is reduced to about 0.2 to 0.3 L/s lower than a normal water pressure (0.1 to 0.15 MPa) due to flow loss of a bowl tap, a connection hosepipe, and a switch valve (for switching the flow of water to a tank or a rim), thus precluding in properly washing a lower portion of the rim.

[9] Also, common houses make use of a tap water pipe with an inner diameter of 16 mm. Pipe installation engineering recommends that the flow rate of water in the tap water pipe should be 1.8 m/s or less to prevent damage caused by water hammer, and typical pipe systems are being designed based on the speed of water. Since a conventional toilet bowl tap is a valve without any special function of buffering the water hammer, water can be supplied to the rim at a flow rate of as much as 0.36 L/s with the application of the flow rate of 1.8 m/s as recommended. If the flow rate of the supplied water exceeds 0.36 L/s, a tap water pipe gets a burden and water pressure is sharply lowered because of water hammer. Accordingly, conventional toilet attachments or conventional pipe circumstances do not fundamentally fulfill the flow rate required for washing out the rim.

[10] To solve the above problems, Korean Utility Model Application No. 1997-32522 teaches a toilet stool, in which a water supply portion of a rim extends to an inner portion of a tank so that the water supply portion is installed also inside the tank. Thus, water stored in the tank is directly supplied through the water supply portion to the inside of the rim.

[11] In another example, Korean Utility Model Application No. 1998-886 discloses a toilet stool, in which a subsidiary tank is installed in a tank to supply additional water to a rim and an additional stopper is installed in the subsidiary tank, so that water filled in the subsidiary tank is entirely supplied to the rim. Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[12] However, according to the above-described techniques, since toilets have too complicated structures and higher tanks, they cannot be easily put to practical use. Technical Solution

[13] The present invention provides a toilet stool that a rim can be effectively washed out.

[14] Also, the present invention provides a jet pump and a toilet stool having a rim side water supply apparatus using the same, which can stabilize the pressure of supplied water and supply a fixed amount of wash water to a rim side.

[15] Further, the present invention provides a jet pump and a toilet stool having a rim side water supply apparatus using the same, in which after the operation of the jet pump, wash water remaining in a connection conduit of the jet pump and a rim water pipe can be rapidly discharged through a tank and rim discharge holes.

[16] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a toilet stool, which includes a tank containing a certain amount of wash water using a bowl tap for allowing or cutting off the flow of water according to a water level; a toilet body including a plurality of discharge holes spaced a predetermined distance apart from each other in an inner circumferential surface of a rim to which rim wash water is supplied through a connection conduit of the bowl tap and a rim water pipe and a wash space connected to a lower portion of the tank by a jet water pipe; a stopper for opening or closing off an exhaust hole of the jet water pipe installed in the lower portion of the tank with the operation of an operating lever; and a jet pump disposed between the connection conduit of the bowl tap and the rim water pipe to supply a mixture of supplied water and the wash water contained in the tank to the rim water pipe, the jet pump including a jet nozzle, a throat, a diffuser, and an inlet disposed between the jet nozzle and the throat.

[17] In one embodiment, a switch portion may be disposed in the bowl tap to allow or cut off the flow of water according to a water level and switch the flow of water to the tank or a rim side. When the switch portion switches the flow of water to the tank, a small amount of supplement water may be supplied to the rim water pipe.

[18] In another embodiment, a ball guide conduit in which a ball is inserted may extend to a predetermined length between the jet nozzle and the throat so that the ball can switch the flow of water to the tank or a rim side according to a water level. When the ball inserted in the ball guide conduit switches the flow of water to the tank, a small amount of supplement water may be supplied to the rim water pipe through an outer crevice prepared in a portion of the throat that contacts the ball. [19] In yet another embodiment, a shutter may be formed in a lower portion between the diffuser and a rim connection portion, and the shutter may be connected to a bladder such that the shutter switches the flow of water to the tank or a rim side according to a water level. When the shutter switches the flow of water to the tank, a small amount of supplement water may be supplied to the rim water pipe through a crevice prepared between the shutter and an inner circumferential surface of the rim connection portion.

[20] In still another embodiment, the throat of the jet pump may be separated from the diffuser such that an inner circumferential surface of the diffuser partially overlaps an outer circumferential surface of the throat, and a length controller may be disposed in the overlap portion and includes a plurality of projections, which are formed on one side of the outer circumferential surface of the throat, and a clasp, which is installed on the opposite inner circumferential surface of the diffuser.

[21] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a jet pump for a toilet stool, which includes a suction conduit to which water is supplied; a supply conduit and a control conduit branched from the suction conduit; a jet nozzle connected to the supply conduit and for jetting the supplied water; a throat disposed opposite the jet nozzle; a diffuser and a rim connection portion connected to the throat; an inlet formed between the jet nozzle and the throat to allow a mixture of water supplied to the jet nozzle and wash water contained in a tank to flow into the throat according to the flow rate of water jetted from the jet nozzle; and a pressure control unit connected to the control conduit to supply a fixed amount of water to the supply conduit.

[22] In one embodiment, the pressure control unit may include an outlet, which is externally formed; a shutter plate for opening or shutting the outlet; and an elastic member, which provides elasticity to the shutter plate to open or shut down the outlet according to a water pressure of the suction conduit. Thus, when the pressure of water supplied to the suction conduit is higher than the elasticity of the elastic member, the shutter plate may be withdrawn so that the supplied water can be discharged through the outlet.

[23] In another embodiment, the jet pump may further include a ventilation hole, which is externally formed in the rim connection portion. Thus, when the operation of the jet pump is stopped, wash water remaining in a connection conduit of the jet pump and the rim water pipe may be rapidly discharged through the tank and rim discharge holes.

[24] In yet another embodiment, a ball guide conduit in which a ball is inserted may extend to a predetermined length between the jet nozzle and the throat so that the ball can switch the flow of water to the tank or a rim side according to a water level.

[25] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a toilet stool, which includes a tank containing a certain amount of wash water using a bowl tap for allowing or cutting off the flow of water according to a water level; a toilet body including a plurality of discharge holes spaced a predetermined distance apart from each other in an inner circumferential surface of a rim to which rim wash water is supplied through a connection conduit of the bowl tap and a rim water pipe and a wash space connected to a lower portion of the tank by a jet water pipe; a stopper for opening or closing off an exhaust hole of the jet water pipe installed in the lower portion of the tank with the operation of an operating lever; and a jet pump disposed between the connection conduit of the bowl tap and the rim water pipe to supply a mixture of supplied water and the wash water contained in the tank to the rim water pipe, the jet pump including a suction conduit, a jet nozzle, a throat, a diffuser, a rim connection portion, and an inlet disposed between the jet nozzle and the throat; and a control conduit branched between the suction conduit and the jet nozzle and a pressure control unit connected to the control conduit and for supplying a fixed amount of water to the jet nozzle.

[26] In one embodiment, the pressure control unit may include an outlet, which is externally formed; a shutter plate for opening or shutting the outlet; and an elastic member, which provides elasticity to the shutter plate to open or shut down the outlet according to a water pressure of the suction conduit. Thus, when the pressure of water supplied to the suction conduit is higher than the elasticity of the elastic member, the shutter plate may be withdrawn so that the supplied water may be discharged through the outlet.

[27] In another embodiment, the toilet stool may further include a ventilation hole, which is formed between the rim connection portion and the rim water pipe. Thus, when the operation of the jet pump is stopped, wash water remaining in a connection conduit of the jet pump and the rim water pipe may be rapidly discharged through the tank and the rim discharge holes.

[28] In yet another embodiment, a ball guide conduit in which a ball is inserted may extend to a predetermined length between the jet nozzle and the throat so that the ball may switch the flow of water to the tank or a rim side according to a water level. Advantageous Effects

[29] According to the present invention as described above, a jet pump is interposed between a bowl tap and a rim water pipe of a one-piece toilet stool so that the flow rate of wash water is greatly increased to enhance the rim washability. Brief Description of the Drawings

[30] FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of a conventional one-piece toilet stool;

[31] FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of inside of a tank of the one-piece toilet stool shown in FIG. 1 ; [32] FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of a rim side water supply apparatus using a jet pump according to an embodiment of the present invention; [33] FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of a rim side water supply apparatus using a jet pump according to another embodiment of the present invention; [34] FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the jet pump shown in FIG. 4;

[35] FIGS. 6 through 10 are cross sectional views illustrating the principle on which the rim side water supply apparatus shown in FIG. 4 operates; [36] FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view of a rim side water supply apparatus using a jet pump according to yet another embodiment of the present invention; [37] FIG. 12 is a cross sectional view of the jet pump shown in FIG. 11 ;

[38] FIGS. 13 through 17 are cross sectional views illustrating the principle on which the rim side water supply apparatus shown in FIG. 11 operates; [39] FIG. 18 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of a supplementary water supplier of the rim side water supply apparatus shown in FIG. 4; [40] FIG. 19 is a cross sectional view taken a line B-B of FIG. 18;

[41] FIG. 20 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of a length controller of a jet pump according to an embodiment of the present invention; [42] FIG. 21 is a cross sectional view taken along a line A-A of FIG. 20;

[43] FIG. 22 is a cross sectional view of a toilet stool using the jet pump shown in FIG. 4; [44] FIG. 23 is a cross sectional view of a rim side water supply apparatus using a jet pump according to further another embodiment of the present invention; [45] FIG. 24 is a cross sectional view of the jet pump shown in FIG. 23;

[46] FIGS. 25 and 26 are cross sectional views illustrating the principle on which the rim side water supply apparatus shown in FIG. 23 operates; [47] FIG. 27 is a cross sectional view of a rim side water supply apparatus using a jet pump according to still further another embodiment of the present invention; and [48] FIG. 28 is a cross sectional view illustrating the function of a ventilation hole of the jet pump shown in FIG. 27. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention [49] The present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. In the drawings, the thicknesses of layers or regions may be exaggerated for clarity. The same reference numerals are used to denote the same elements throughout the specification. [50] In the present invention, a jet pump is interposed in a rim water pipe of a one-piece toilet stool to amplify flow rate, thus enhancing rim washability. The jet pump is an apparatus that sucks, mixes, and presses out a fluid through a process of sucking or discharging a low energy of fluid using a high energy of fluid.

[51] The jet pump is basically comprised of a nozzle, a throat, and a diffuser and operates based on the theory of Bernoulli equations.

[52] The jet pump is a hydrodynamic pump that jets a fluid out to the throat with a great diameter through a nozzle, sucks a fluid close to the throat using the kinetic energy of the jetted fluid, regains a partial pressure in the diffuser, and transports a mixed fluid to a desired place.

[53] By using the jet pump, water can be greatly increased in flow rate by a mixture of wash water stored in a tank with supplied water and be supplied to a rim water pipe.

[54] The jet pump of the present invention enables a tap water supply conduit to be freed from water hammer and does not cause any big drop in water pressure, while satisfying a flow rate of water required for washing out a rim since the ratio of a discharge flow rate to a suction flow rate is about 1:1.23.

[55] By applying the above-described jet pump to a rim side water supply apparatus of a toilet stool, the following exemplary embodiments of the present invention can be taken into account.

[56]

[57] Embodiment 1

[58] In the present embodiment, a throat of a jet pump is disposed adjacent to a bottom of a tank, an exhaust hole of the jet pump is connected to a rim water pipe, and a jet nozzle supply conduit of the jet pump is connected to a rim connection conduit of a bowl tap having a switch portion for switching the flow of water to the tank or a rim side.

[59] FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of a rim side water supply apparatus using a jet pump according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[60] Referring to FIG. 3, a bowl tap 117 is installed in a tank 109 to provide water supplied from an external water supply conduit 107. A bladder 133 is connected to the bowl tap 117, and a switch portion 118 is installed to switch the flow of water to the tank 109 or a rim side. A stopper 113 is used to discharge water filled in the tank 109 toward a body side jet water pipe 129 with the operation of an operating lever 112, and a jet pump 150 is interposed between a rim water pipe 123 and a rim side connection conduit 120 of the bowl tap 117. Here, the rim water pipe 123 is connected to a rim, which has a plurality of discharge holes in its bottom surface. The jet pump 150 is made up of a jet nozzle, a throat, a diffuser, and a rim connection portion, and an inlet is formed between the jet nozzle and the throat.

[61] The rim side water supply apparatus shown in FIG. 3 operates on the following principle. [62] At the outset, when a user enters into a wash operation using the operating lever 112, the stopper 113 is extracted and the discharge of wash water toward the jet water pipe 129 is started.

[63] During the discharge of the wash water, the supply of water from the bowl tap 117 is started. At this time, the switch portion 118 of the bowl tap 117 is set such that water is supplied to the rim, thus the supply of water to the rim side connection conduit 120 is started.

[64] On supplying the water to the rim side connection conduit 120, the jet pump 150 operates so that a mixture of the supplied water from the bowl tap 117 and the wash water stored in the tank 109 (i.e., a wash water mixture) is supplied to the rim water pipe 123. Thus, the rim can be cleaned more effectively.

[65] Once the wash water stored in the tank 109 is entirely discharged, the stopper 113 is closed off.

[66] At this time, the switch portion 118 of the bowl tap 117 switches the flow of water to a tank supply conduit 131. Thus, wash water is stored in the tank 109, and the jet pump 150 comes to a stop.

[67] When the tank 109 is filled to a certain water level, the switch portion 118 switches the flow of water to the rim, and the bowl tap 117 interrupts the supply of water.

[68]

[69] Embodiment 2

[70] In the present embodiment, a throat of a jet pump is disposed adjacent to a bottom of a tank, an exhaust hole of the jet pump is connected to a rim water pipe. Also, a ball, which is capable of floating on the water due to buoyancy, is put between a jet nozzle and a throat, and a ball guide conduit is disposed such that the ball may move upward and downward and stay in a predetermined region.

[71] FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of a rim side water supply apparatus using a jet pump according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[72] Referring to FIG. 4, a bowl tap 227 is installed in a tank 209 to provide water supplied from an external water supply conduit 207. A bladder 233 is connected to the bowl tap 227, which is a simple bowl tap that is opened or closed off according to a water level and does not include a switch portion. A stopper 213 is used to discharge water filled in the tank 209 toward a body side jet water pipe 229 with the operation of an operating lever 212, and a jet pump is interposed between a rim water pipe 223 and a rim side connection conduit 220 of the bowl tap 227. Here, the rim water pipe 223 is connected to a rim, which has a plurality of discharge holes in its bottom surface.

[73] FIG. 5 is an exploded cross sectional view of the jet pump shown in FIG. 4.

[74] Referring to FIG. 5, a jet pump 250 is interposed between the connection conduit 220 of the bowl tap 227 and the rim water pipe 223. The jet pump 250 is made up of a jet nozzle 251, a throat 255, a diffuser 257, and a rim connection conduit 259, and an inlet 253 is formed between the jet nozzle 251 and the throat 255. A ball guide conduit 263 extends to a predetermined length in a vertical direction between the jet nozzle 251 and the throat 255, and a ball 269 is inserted in the ball guide conduit 263. The ball 269 includes a light inner portion 265 formed of styropor and an outer portion (i.e., a ball case) 267 formed of a synthetic resin. The ball 269 is greater in diameter than the throat 255 and lower in density than water. A rim connection conduit 259 and the rim water pipe 223 are fixedly connected to each other using a coupling 262 by inserting a packing 261.

[75] FIGS. 6 through 10 are cross sectional views illustrating the principle on which the rim side water supply apparatus shown in FIG. 4 operates.

[76] Referring to FIG. 6, when a user enters into a wash operation using an operating lever, the stopper (213 of FIG. 4) is extracted so that the discharge of wash water is started. On supplying water from the bowl tap (227 of FIG. 4) through the connection pipe 220, the jet pump 250 operates so that a mixture of the supplied water Qj and wash water Qs stored in the tank (209 of FIG. 4), namely, a wash water mixture Qd, is supplied to the rim water pipe 223.

[77] Referring to FIG. 7, while a water level of the tank 209 is being lowered, the wash water mixture Qd is continuously supplied. At this time, the ball 269 comes down as the water level descends.

[78] Referring to FIG. 8, once the wash water stored in the tank 209 is entirely discharged, the stopper 213 is closed off. At this time, the supply of water from the bowl tap 227 is continued, and the ball 269 is sucked toward an inlet of the throat 255 of the jet pump 250 due to a suction pressure Ps so that the operation of the jet pump 250 is stopped.

[79] Referring to FIG. 9, jetted water collides with the ball 269, flows into the tank 209, and is stored as wash water. In this case, the ball 269 remains constrained in the inlet of the throat 255 due to the pressure of the jetted water until the wash water is filled in the tank 209 to a normal water level.

[80] Referring to FIG. 10, once the storage of water in the tank 209 is finished, the bowl tap 227 interrupts the supply of water. At this time, the ball 269 grows to float up along the ball guide conduit 263 due to buoyancy.

[81]

[82] Embodiment 3

[83] In the present embodiment, an inlet of a jet pump is disposed adjacent to a bottom of a tank, an exhaust hole of the jet pump is connected to a rim water pipe, and a shutter is disposed between the exhaust hole and a diffuser in a region between a normal water level and the exhaust hole to block the flow of water from the diffuser and discharge water out of the diffuser. A rotation axis allows the rotation of the shutter, and a bladder is disposed at an extending end portion of the shutter.

[84] FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view of a rim side water supply apparatus using a jet pump according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[85] Referring to FIG. 11, a bowl tap 327 is installed in a tank 309 to provide water supplied from an external water supply conduit 307. A bladder 333 is connected to the bowl tap 327, which is a simple bowl tap that is opened or closed off according to a water level. A stopper 313 is used to discharge water filled in the tank 309 toward a body side jet water pipe 329 with the operation of an operating lever 312. and a jet pump is interposed between a rim water pipe 323 and a rim side connection conduit 320 of the bowl tap 327. Here, the rim water pipe 223 is connected to a rim, which has a plurality of discharge holes in its bottom surface.

[86] FIG. 12 is an exploded cross sectional view of the jet pump shown in FIG. 11.

[87] Referring to FIG. 12, a jet pump 350 is interposed between the connection conduit 320 of the bowl tap 327 and the rim water pipe 323. The jet pump 350 is made up of a jet nozzle 351, a throat 355, a diffuser 357, and a rim connection conduit 359, and an inlet 353 is formed between the jet nozzle 351 and the throat 355. A shutter 364 is formed between the diffuser 357 and the rim connection conduit 359 and connected to a bladder 366 so that it is capable of opening and closing according to a water level of the tank 309. The rim connection conduit 359 and the rim water pipe 323 are fixedly connected to each other using a coupling 362 by inserting a packing 361.

[88] FIGS. 13 through 17 are cross sectional views illustrating the principle on which the rim side water supply apparatus shown in FIG. 11 operates.

[89] Referring to FIG. 13, once a user enters into a wash operation, the stopper (313 of FIG. 11) is extracted so that the discharge of wash water is started. On supplying water from the bowl tap (327 of FIG. 11), the jet pump 350 operates so that a mixture of the supplied water Qj and wash water Qs stored in the tank (309 of FIG. 11), namely, a wash water mixture Qd, is supplied to the rim water pipe 323.

[90] Referring to FIG. 14, although a water level in the tank 309 is being lowered, the shutter 364 remains intact because torque caused by jet pressure Pj of the jet pump 350 is greater than torque applied to the shutter 364.

[91] Referring to FIG. 15, once the discharge of the wash water stored in the tank 309 is finished, the stopper 313 is closed off. At this time, air flows into the throat 355 and the operation of the jet pump 350 is stopped. The shutter 364 rotates due to its torque so that a discharge conduit is shut down and jetted water flows into the tank 309. Thus, the tank 309 is filled with the jetted water.

[92] Referring to FIG. 16, as wash water is stored in the tank 309, the bladder 366 grows to float on the water due to buoyancy so as to apply torque to the shutter 364. However, because the kinetic energy of the jetted water is greater than the torque applied to the shutter 364, the shutter 364 remains intact. [93] Referring to FIG. 17, once the storage of water in the tank 309 is finished, the bowl tap 327 interrupts the supply of water. At this time, the shutter 364 rotates due to buoyancy, thereby opening the discharge conduit. [94] In a toilet stool, a bowl and a trap are short of water after siphonage. To supplement the shortage of water, after a wash operation, a small amount of water is supplied to the bowl. Here, the small amount of water is referred to as supplement water. [95] To supply the supplement water, the following methods can be taken into account.

[96] For the first embodiment, it can be designed such that even if a switch portion switches to a tank, a small amount of water flows into a rim side water supply hole. [97] For the second embodiment, a crevice may be made outside a contact surface between a throat and a ball such that even if the throat is stopped by the ball, a small amount of water is supplied as supplement water through the crevice. [98] FIG. 18 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of a supplementary water supplier of the rim side water supply apparatus shown in FIG. 4, and FIG. 19 is a cross sectional view taken a line B-B of FIG. 18. [99] Referring to FIGS. 18 and 19, even if the throat 255 is stopped by the ball 269, supplement water Qa is supplied through a supplement water supply crevice 271 to the rim side water supply apparatus. [100] For the third embodiment, a crevice may be made between a shutter and an exhaust hole so that a small amount of water can be supplied as supplement water through the crevice. [101] A toilet stool, which is formed of sanitary ware, may be largely varied in dimension during its fabrication process. Accordingly, the toilet stool may include a length controller for adjusting a throat of a jet pump to an appropriate position of a bottom of a tank. [102] FIG. 20 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of a length controller of a jet pump according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 21 is a cross sectional view taken along a line A-A of FIG. 20. [103] Referring to FIGS. 20 and 21, the length controller is disposed to adjust a jet nozzle of a throat to an appropriate position of a bottom of a tank by separating a throat 255 from a diffuser 257. [104] To form the length controller, the throat 255 is separated from the diffuser 257 so that an inner circumferential surface of the diffuser 257 partially overlaps an outer circumferential surface of the throat 255. Also, a plurality of projections 283 are formed on one side of the outer circumferential surface of the throat 255, and a clasp 281 is installed on the opposite inner circumferential surface of the diffuser 257. [105] The above-described length controller is advantageous to a jet pump of a toilet stool in the following aspects.

[106] First, the length controller serves to adjust a water level of the jet pump.

[107] The position of the jet pump disposed in a tank depends on the dimension of the toilet stool or the type of toilet tank. At this time, owing to a difference in the position of the jet pump (or a difference in pressure or amount of water that is supplied to the jet pump), a ratio of the flow rate of wash water discharged to a jet water pipe side to the flow rate of wash water discharged to a rim side is varied during a wash operation, thus varying the washability. This is because a portion of wash water stored in the tank is transported to the rim side with the operation of the jet pump. In order to improve the washability and reduce the amount of consumed water, it is necessary to modulate the foregoing ratio based on the shape and structure of the toilet stool. Accordingly, the present invention provides the length controller, which serves to determine the ratio of the flow rate of wash water discharged to the jet water pipe side to the flow rate of wash water discharged to the rim side.

[108] Second, the length controller is used to cope with a variation in the dimension of a toilet stool.

[109] The dimension of toilet stools is varied within a large range during a fabrication process. Accordingly, even if the toilet stools have the same shape and structure, a dimension deviation among products is large according to the composition ratio of materials or a sintering temperature of a kiln. Thus, a water-level deviation among jet pumps becomes large, so the washability of the jet pumps is deteriorated. Therefore, the present invention provides the length controller for setting a water level of a jet pump considering a dimension deviation of toilet products.

[110] Also, an appropriate fixing unit is required to maintain the controlled length. In the present invention, projections and a clasp are formed on an inner circumferential surface and an outer circumferential surface, respectively, of an overlap portion of a pipeline. Thus, while the clasp is being slightly held up or lifted up by a slant surface with a strong strength and being transported onto the next projection, the length is controlled.

[I l l] FIG. 22 is a cross sectional view of a toilet stool using the jet pump shown in FIG. 4.

[112] Referring to FIG. 22, when a user operates the operating lever 212 to wash off excreta, the stopper 213 connected to the operating lever 212 rotates upward to open the jet water pipe 229 of the tank 209. Thus, wash water discharged to the jet water pipe 229 is exhausted through a jet nozzle to wash off the excreta. At the same time, the wash water is discharged to a rim discharge hole 225 through the bowl tap 227 to wash off the remaining excreta present in a wash space of a toilet body 219. The jet pump 250 is interposed between the bowl tap 227 and the rim water pipe 223 to supply a mixture of supplied water with wash water stored in the tank 209 to the rim water pipe 223.

[113] If the wash operation is finished, the stopper 213 rotates downward due to its torque so as to interrupt the jet water pipe 229 of the tank 209. Also, the tank 209 stores a predetermined amount of wash water and stands by for the next operation.

[114] By using the above-described jet pump 250, the water supply apparatus shows excellent washability because a mixture of wash water stored in the tank 209 and water supplied from the bowl tap 217 is provided to the rim. However, the pressure of water supplied to the jet pump 250 is varied within a large range according to circumstantial variables, such as a region where the toilet stool is installed or the time when the toilet stool is used. As a result, a variation in wash water supplied to the rim water pipe 223 becomes large, and the amount of consumed water is rapidly increased under a high water pressure. To alleviate these problems, a high-price flow control valve may be installed at a water supply conduit, but the installation cost is increased, and pressure loss is incurred under a low water pressure, thus lowering the washability of the toilet stool.

[115] In addition, after the operation of the jet pump 250 is finished, a connection conduit of the jet pump 250 and the rim water pipe 223 are filled with the remaining wash water. In this case, the remaining wash water does not flow through the connection conduit toward the low-level tank but is exhausted through the rim discharge hole 225. Because the rim discharge hole 225 has a small diameter of about 4 mm, its surface tension affects the wash water. Also, the kinetic energy of the jet pump 250 caused during the operation acts on the wash water. Thus, the remaining wash water is exhausted through the rim discharge hole 225. At this time, a water level of wash water in the tank 209 is lowered so that a malfunction may occur in the bowl tap 216 for supplying water. To prevent the malfunction, a vacuum brake may be introduced at the connection conduit of the rim, but, in this case, the toilet stool becomes structurally complicated and expensive, and a reduction in wash water may result from pressure loss.

[116] Accordingly, the present invention provides a pressure control unit, which is installed at the jet pump connected to the rim water pipe of the toilet stool. Thus, water supplied to the jet pump can be held constant, and the amount of water required for washing the rim can be held constant.

[117] Further, in the present invention, a ventilation hole is formed in the rim connection portion of the jet pump or in the coupling between the rim connection portion and the rim water pipe, so that wash water remaining in the connection conduit of the jet pump and the rim water pipe can be rapidly discharged through the tank and the rim discharge hole after the operation of the jet pump.

[118] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a jet pump including a pressure control unit and a ventilation hole according to the present invention will be described.

[119]

[120] Embodiment 4

[121] In the present embodiment, a jet pump is connected to a bowl tap having a switch portion for switching the flow of water to a tank or a rim side.

[122] FIG. 23 is a cross sectional view of a rim side water supply apparatus using the jet pump according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 24 is a cross sectional view of the jet pump shown in FIG. 23.

[123] Referring to FIGS. 23 and 24, a bowl tap 227 is formed in a tank 210 to provide water supplied from an external water supply conduit 207. A bladder 233 is connected to the bowl tap 227, and a switch portion 218 is installed to allow or cut off the flow of water according to a water level and switch the flow of water to the tank 210 or a rim side.

[124] A stopper 213 is used to discharge water filled in the tank 210 toward a body side jet water pipe 219 with the operation of an operating lever 212, and a jet pump 250 is interposed between a rim water pipe 223 and a rim side connection conduit 220 of the bowl tap 227. Here, the rim water pipe 223 is connected to a rim, which has a plurality of discharge holes in its bottom surface. The jet pump 250 is branched into a supply conduit 222 and a control conduit 263 from a suction conduit 221 thereof, and a pressure control unit 270 is connected to the branched control conduit 263. When water supplied through the suction conduit 221 of the jet pump 250 is under a high pressure, the pressure control unit 270 discharges a portion of the supplied water through an outlet 272 into the tank 210 so that a fixed amount of wash water can be supplied to the rim water pipe 223 under a constant pressure.

[125] Referring again to FIG. 24, the jet pump 250 is interposed between the connection conduit 220 of the bowl tap 227 and the rim water pipe 223. The jet pump 250 is made up of the suction conduit 221, the supply conduit 222 and the control conduit 263, which are branched from the suction conduit 221, a jet nozzle 251 interposed between the supply conduit 222 and the rim water pipe 223, a throat 255, a diffuser 257, and a rim connection portion 260. An inlet 253 is externally formed between the jet nozzle 251 and the throat 255. The pressure control unit 270 is connected to the control conduit 263 branched from the suction conduit 221. The pressure control unit 270 is comprised of the outlet 272, which is externally formed, a shutter plate 274 for opening or shutting the outlet 272, and an elastic member 275, which provides elasticity to the shutter plate 274 to open or shut down the outlet 272 according to a water pressure of the suction conduit 221. An initial force of the elastic member 275 may be set to a value equal to the product of the sectional area of the control conduit 263 and water pressure when the water pressure of the suction conduit 221 is optimum. The rim connection portion 260 and the rim water pipe 223 are fixedly connected to each other using a coupling 262 by inserting a packing 261.

[126] In the jet pump 250, ventilation holes 280 and 280a are externally formed between the inlet 250 and the rim water pipe 223. The ventilation holes 280 and 280a are positioned over a normal water level of the tank 210. The ventilation holes 280 and 280a may be formed in the rim connection portion 260 or the coupling 262 between the rim connection portion 260 and the rim water pipe 223. In this case, the ventilation holes 280 and 280a may be formed in either or both of the rim connection portion 260 and the coupling 262. Directly after the operation of the jet pump 250 is stopped, the ventilation holes 280 and 280a lead wash water remaining in the conduits of the jet pump 250 and the rim water pipe 223 to be discharged through the rim discharge holes instead of flowing into the tank 210. Thus, as a water level of the tank 210 is lowered, a leakage of water due to a malfunction can be prevented. When the jet pump 250 is stopped, external air is rapidly supplied through the ventilation holes 280 and 280a, thus enabling the rapid discharge of the wash water remaining in the rim connection portion 260 and the rim water pipe 223 through a low-level portion of the tank 210 or the rim discharge holes.

[127] Hereinafter, the principle on which the rim side water supply apparatus using the jet pump shown in FIG. 23 operates will be described with reference to FIGS. 25 and 26.

[128] Referring to FIG. 25, when a user enters into a wash operation using an operating lever, the stopper (213 of FIG. 23) is extracted so that the discharge of wash water is started. On supplying water from the bowl tap (227 of FIG. 23) through the connection pipe 220 to the suction conduit 221 of the jet pump 250, the jet pump 250 operates so that a mixture of supplied water Qin and wash water Qs stored in the tank (210 of FIG. 23), namely, a wash water mixture Qd, is supplied to the rim water pipe 223. When the water Qin supplied to the suction conduit 221 is under an appropriate pressure, the shutter plate 274 keeps shutting the outlet 274 as an initial state so that the wash water mixture Qd is supplied to the rim water pipe 223 through the jet pump 250.

[129] Referring to FIG. 26, when water supplied from the external water supply conduit (207 of FIG. 23) is under a high pressure or when the water pressure is irregularly increased due to other factors, the pressure of the water Qin supplied to the suction conduit 221 through the connection conduit 220 of the bowl tap 227 may become non- uniform or higher. In this case, as the elastic member 275 is compressed due to the pressure of the supplied water Qin, the shutter plate 274 is withdrawn to open the outlet 272. At the same time, a portion Qe of supplied water is discharged so that an inner pressure of the supply conduit 222 branched from the suction conduit 221 is lowered. The elastic member 275 is compressed or expanded according to the pressure of supplied water, and an appropriate amount of supplied water is discharged to the tank 210, thus jetted water Qj supplied to the supply conduit 22 can be held constant. In other words, a fixed amount of jetted water Qj, which is obtained by subtracting the discharged water Qe from the supplied water Qin, is provided to the supply conduit 222. Also, the wash water mixture Qd supplied to the rim water pipe 223 is provided as the mixture of the jetted water Qj supplied from the supply conduit 222 and the water Qs sucked by the operation of the jet pump 250.

[130] Meanwhile, when the jet pump 250 operates as shown in FIGS. 25 and 26, a portion of the wash water mixture Qd is discharged into the tank 210 through the ventilation holes 280 and 280a. Although it is assumed that the wash water mixture Qd supplied to the rim water pipe 223 is reduced in flow rate, it actually does not happen. Because the flow rate of water jetted by the jet pump 250 is partially reduced due to the loss of water pressure that arises in the connection conduits and the rim water pipe 223 behind the diffuser 257 of the jet pump 250, the use of the ventilation holes 280 and 280a leads to an increase in the flow rate of water jetted by the jet pump 250 as much as the loss of the water pressure.

[131]

[132] Embodiment 5

[133] In the present embodiment, a suction hole of a jet pump is disposed adjacent to a bottom of a tank, and a rim connection portion of the jet pump is connected to a rim water pipe. Also, a ball, which is capable of floating on the water due to buoyancy, is put between a jet nozzle and a throat, and a ball guide conduit is disposed such that the ball may move upward and downward and stay in a predetermined region. The suction hole of the jet pump is connected to a simple bowl tap that is opened or closed off according to a water level.

[134] FIG. 27 is a cross sectional view of a rim side water supply apparatus using a jet pump according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

[135] Referring to FIG. 27, a bowl tap 337 is installed in a tank 310 to provide water supplied from an external water supply conduit 307. A bladder 333 is connected to the bowl tap 337, which is a simple bowl tap that is opened or closed off according to a water level and does not include a switch portion. A stopper 313 is used to discharge water filled in the tank 310 toward a body side jet water pipe 329 with the operation of an operating lever 312, and a jet pump is interposed between a rim water pipe 323 and a rim side connection conduit 320 of the bowl tap 327. Here, the rim water pipe 323 is connected to a rim, which has a plurality of discharge holes in its bottom surface.

[136] The jet pump is branched into a supply conduit and a control conduit from a suction conduit thereof, and a pressure control unit 370 is connected to the branched control conduit. When water supplied through the suction conduit of the jet pump is under a high pressure, the pressure control unit 370 discharges a portion of the supplied water through an outlet 372 into the tank 310 so that a fixed amount of wash water can be supplied to the rim water pipe 323 under a constant pressure.

[137] An inlet is formed between a jet nozzle of the jet pump and a throat 355. A ball guide conduit 363 extends to a predetermined length in a vertical direction between the jet nozzle and the throat 355, and a ball 369 is inserted in the ball guide conduit 363.

[138] In the jet pump, a ventilation hole 380 is externally formed between the inlet and the rim water pipe 323. The ventilation hole 380 is positioned over a normal water level of the tank 310. The ventilation hole 380 may be formed in a rim connection conduit 359 or a coupling between the rim connection conduit 359 and the rim water pipe 323. In this case, the ventilation hole 380 may be formed in either or both of the rim connection portion 359 and the coupling. Directly after the operation of the jet pump is stopped, the ventilation hole 380 lead wash water remaining in the conduits of the jet pump and the rim water pipe 323 to be discharged through the rim discharge holes instead of flowing into the tank 310. Thus, as a water level of the tank 310 is lowered, a leakage of water due to a malfunction can be prevented.

[139] FIG. 28 is a cross sectional view illustrating the function of the ventilation hole 380 of the jet pump shown in FIG. 27.

[140] Referring to FIG. 28, When a jet pump 350 is stopped, external air 391 is rapidly supplied through the ventilation holes 380, thus enabling the rapid discharge of wash water 393 remaining in the jet pump 350 and the rim water pipe (323 of FIG. 27) toward a low-level portion of the tank 310 or through rim discharge holes 325. In FIG. 28, reference numeral 392 refers to air that flows into the rim water pipe 323.

[141] While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims. Industrial Applicability

[142] According to the present invention as described above, a jet pump is interposed between a bowl tap and a rim water pipe of a one-piece toilet stool so that the flow rate of wash water is greatly increased to enhance the rim washability.

[143] In a rim side water supply apparatus of the present invention, since the flow rate of water discharged from the jet pump can be held constant, a fixed amount of wash water can be supplied to clean out a rim. Therefore, a drop in washability caused by the shortage of wash water can be prevented, and the amount of consumed water can be reduced. Further, after the operation of the jet pump is finished, wash water remaining in a connection conduit of the jet pump and the rim water pipe can be rapidly discharged through a tank and rim discharge holes.

Claims

[1] A toilet stool comprising: a tank containing a certain amount of wash water using a bowl tap for allowing or cutting off the flow of water according to a water level; a toilet body including a plurality of discharge holes spaced a predetermined distance apart from each other in an inner circumferential surface of a rim to which rim wash water is supplied through a connection conduit of the bowl tap and a rim water pipe and a wash space connected to a lower portion of the tank by a jet water pipe; a stopper for opening or closing off an exhaust hole of the jet water pipe installed in the lower portion of the tank with the operation of an operating lever; and a jet pump disposed between the connection conduit of the bowl tap and the rim water pipe to supply a mixture of supplied water and the wash water contained in the tank to the rim water pipe, the jet pump including a jet nozzle, a throat, a diffuser, and an inlet disposed between the jet nozzle and the throat, wherein a ball guide conduit in which a ball is inserted extends to a predetermined length between the jet nozzle and the throat so that the ball switches the flow of water to the tank or a rim side according to a water level.

[2] The toilet stool according to claim 1, wherein when the ball inserted in the ball guide conduit switches the flow of water to the tank, a small amount of supplement water is supplied to the rim water pipe through an outer crevice prepared in a portion of the throat that contacts the ball.

[3] A toilet stool comprising: a tank containing a certain amount of wash water using a bowl tap for allowing or cutting off the flow of water according to a water level; a toilet body including a plurality of discharge holes spaced a predetermined distance apart from each other in an inner circumferential surface of a rim to which rim wash water is supplied through a connection conduit of the bowl tap and a rim water pipe and a wash space connected to a lower portion of the tank by a jet water pipe; a stopper for opening or closing off an exhaust hole of the jet water pipe installed in the lower portion of the tank with the operation of an operating lever; and a jet pump disposed between the connection conduit of the bowl tap and the rim water pipe to supply a mixture of supplied water and the wash water contained in the tank to the rim water pipe, the jet pump including a jet nozzle, a throat, a diffuser, and an inlet disposed between the jet nozzle and the throat, wherein a shutter is formed in a lower portion between the diffuser and a rim connection portion, and the shutter is connected to a bladder such that the shutter switches the flow of water to the tank or a rim side according to a water level.

[4] The toilet stool according to claim 3, wherein when the shutter switches the flow of water to the tank, a small amount of supplement water is supplied to the rim water pipe through a crevice prepared between the shutter and an inner circumferential surface of the rim connection portion.

[5] A toilet stool comprising: a tank containing a certain amount of wash water using a bowl tap for allowing or cutting off the flow of water according to a water level; a toilet body including a plurality of discharge holes spaced a predetermined distance apart from each other in an inner circumferential surface of a rim to which rim wash water is supplied through a connection conduit of the bowl tap and a rim water pipe and a wash space connected to a lower portion of the tank by a jet water pipe; a stopper for opening or closing off an exhaust hole of the jet water pipe installed in the lower portion of the tank with the operation of an operating lever; and a jet pump disposed between the connection conduit of the bowl tap and the rim water pipe to supply a mixture of supplied water and the wash water contained in the tank to the rim water pipe, the jet pump including a jet nozzle, a throat, a diffuser, and an inlet disposed between the jet nozzle and the throat, wherein the throat of the jet pump is separated from the diffuser such that an inner circumferential surface of the diffuser partially overlaps an outer circumfer ential surface of the throat, and a length controller is disposed in the overlap portion and includes a plurality of projections, which are formed on one side of the outer circumferential surface of the throat, and a clasp, which is installed on the opposite inner circumferential surface of the diffuser.

[6] A jet pump for a toilet stool comprising: a suction conduit to which water is supplied; a supply conduit and a control conduit branched from the suction conduit; a jet nozzle connected to the supply conduit and for jetting the supplied water; a throat disposed opposite the jet nozzle; a diffuser and a rim connection portion connected to the throat; an inlet formed between the jet nozzle and the throat to allow a mixture of water supplied to the jet nozzle and wash water contained in a tank to flow into the throat according to the flow rate of water jetted from the jet nozzle; and a pressure control unit connected to the control conduit to supply a fixed amount of water to the supply conduit.

[7] The jet pump according to claim 6, wherein the pressure control unit includes: an outlet, which is externally formed; a shutter plate for opening or shutting the outlet; and an elastic member, which provides elasticity to the shutter plate to open or shut down the outlet according to a water pressure of the suction conduit.

[8] The jet pump according to claim 7, wherein when the pressure of water supplied to the suction conduit is higher than the elasticity of the elastic member, the shutter plate is withdrawn so that the supplied water is discharged through the outlet.

[9] The jet pump according to claim 6, further comprising a ventilation hole, which is externally formed in the rim connection portion.

[10] The jet pump according to claim 6, wherein a ball guide conduit in which a ball is inserted extends to a predetermined length between the jet nozzle and the throat so that the ball switches the flow of water to the tank or a rim side according to a water level.

[11] A jet pump for a toilet stool comprising: a supply conduit to which water is supplied; a jet nozzle connected to the supply conduit and for jetting the supplied water; a throat disposed opposite the jet nozzle; a diffuser and a rim connection portion connected to the throat; an inlet formed between the jet nozzle and the throat to allow a mixture of water supplied to the jet nozzle and wash water contained in a tank to flow into the throat according to the flow rate of water jetted from the jet nozzle; and a ventilation opening, which is externally formed in the rim connection portion over a normal water level.

[12] A toilet stool comprising: a tank containing a certain amount of wash water using a bowl tap for allowing or cutting off the flow of water according to a water level; a toilet body including a plurality of discharge holes spaced a predetermined distance apart from each other in an inner circumferential surface of a rim to which rim wash water is supplied through a connection conduit of the bowl tap and a rim water pipe and a wash space connected to a lower portion of the tank by a jet water pipe; a stopper for opening or closing off an exhaust hole of the jet water pipe installed in the lower portion of the tank with the operation of an operating lever and a jet pump disposed between the connection conduit of the bowl tap and the rim water pipe to supply a mixture of supplied water and the wash water contained in the tank to the rim water pipe, the jet pump including a suction conduit, a jet nozzle, a throat, a diffuser, a rim connection portion, and an inlet disposed between the jet nozzle and the throat; and a control conduit branched between the suction conduit and the jet nozzle and a pressure control unit connected to the control conduit and for supplying a fixed amount of water to the jet nozzle. [13] The toilet stool according to claim 12, wherein the pressure control unit includes: an outlet, which is externally formed; a shutter plate for opening or shutting the outlet; and an elastic member, which provides elasticity to the shutter plate to open or shut down the outlet according to a water pressure of the suction conduit. [14] The toilet stool according to claim 13, wherein when the pressure of water supplied to the suction conduit is higher than the elasticity of the elastic member, the shutter plate is withdrawn so that the supplied water is discharged through the outlet. [15] The toilet stool according to claim 11, further comprising a ventilation hole, which is formed between the rim connection portion and the rim water pipe. [16] The toilet stool according to claim 11, wherein a ball guide conduit in which a ball is inserted extends to a predetermined length between the jet nozzle and the throat so that the ball switches the flow of water to the tank or a rim side according to a water level.