WO2011120179A1

WO2011120179A1 - Device for determining and fixing the time for replacing parts subject to wear on a sanitary appliance on the basis of the frequency of use

Info

Publication number: WO2011120179A1
Application number: PCT/CH2011/000064
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hans Keller
Original assignee: Enswico Ip Ag
Priority date: 2010-04-01
Filing date: 2011-03-25
Publication date: 2011-10-06
Also published as: CH702929B1; CH702929A1; EP2553178A1

Abstract

An indicator element (33) is arranged above the outlet opening, i.e. above the valve (9) of a urinal, said indicator element degrading somewhat through each use and changing colour after a prescribed number of uses. The colour change is an indicator which alerts maintenance personnel that it is time to replace the valve (17). Using a cover (24) the maintenance rate can be matched to the frequency of use.

Description

Device for determining and fixing the time for replacement of wearing parts on one

Sanitary appliance depending on the frequency of use

The invention relates to a device for

Set the time for the replacement of

Wear parts on a sanitary appliance as a function of the frequency of use according to claim 1.

In sanitary equipment, such as waterless urinals, it is necessary at the appropriate time to replace the barrier fluid and / or wear parts in the siphon area to avoid malodors. This happens today either at will or after the occurrence of an unpleasant odor development or in a fixed cycle. However, all the criteria are neither reliable nor useful, since, especially in larger toilet facilities, a large number of urinals are arranged side by side and, according to experience, not all are used equally frequently. Therefore, it is not possible to detect which or which of the urinals emits bad odors with regard to odor formation. On the other hand, it makes no sense, the still substantially intact valve and Siphon parts prematurely with little-used urinals

exchange.

From WO2009 / 026733 a method and a

Device with which by an optically recognizable chemical or physical transformation of an im

Outlet area of the sanitary apparatus arranged

Indicator element after a predetermined number of

Wetting when using the sanitary appliance

is shown. This method and apparatus accomplishes its purpose. A disadvantage of this method or device is the fact that urinals, depending on the location, e.g. Airport or railway stations have very different numbers of use compared to locations in small restaurants or weekend businesses. These may have a factor of 10 to 30, so that with very little used Urinalen the aging of the siphon and / or the indicator element play a greater role than their wear by the use.

An object of the present invention is to provide a device which allows one and the same standard indicator element to determine and display the correct time for the replacement of the indicator element and the valve, irrespective of the number of uses of the urinal.

This object is achieved by a device according to the features of claim 1. Advantageous

Embodiments of the invention are in the dependent

Claims circumscribed.

By appropriately trained diaphragm rings, which the

Cover the underside of the mushroom-top waterproof cap to the cross-sections of the holes or slots, the duration of action and thus the indication for a replacement of the valve can be adapted to the particular circumstances. For example, in a urinal that is either used privately or used in a public space that is used only occasionally, a shutter with large through holes is used to trigger the physically and / or chemically obtained change of the indicator element even with a low number of uses and to indicate the replacement time. When using the valves in stadiums, airports, train stations, etc. can be interpreted by a larger partial coverage of the indicator element the same indicator element for a much larger number of uses.

This means on the one hand with respect to the odor emission early detection, ie before the first signs are smelling, and on the other hand can be used with little time and expense only where a replacement, where this is really necessary. By a suitable chemical and / or physical composition of the indicator element this can also be added Odors are added that replace those commonly found on the walls of sanitary facilities

are arranged or issued by opening a door. In addition, the indicator element can also

Cleaning agents such as bacteria, enzymes, surfactants, etc.

which are attached to chemical and / or

biological way the sanitary apparatus in and

taste neutral and also a care and

Cleaning of the functional elements in the valve and

Siphon area and the subsequent drain pipes

enable .

Reference to an embodiment of a urinal, the invention will be explained in more detail. Show it

1 shows a vertical section through a waterless

Urinal,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the elements of

Valve of the waterless urinal,

3 shows a perspective longitudinal section through the partially assembled valve,

FIG. 4 shows a vertical perspective longitudinal section through the assembled valve,

Figure 5 shows a vertical section through the mushroom-shaped cap over the valve with a central or

decentralized opening and one at the bottom

Aperture and Figure 6 different panels with different

Opening cross-sectional shapes and

-querschnittsgrössen.

The urinal 1 shown schematically in FIG. 1 comprises a basin 3 with a bottom 22 which is fastened directly or indirectly to a wall 5. At the bottom 22 of the basin 3, a valve 9 is inserted in a recess 7. At the bottom of the tubular recess 7 in the wall 5, to which the urinal 1 is attached, leading drainpipe 11 connects.

FIG. 2 shows the individual parts of a possible embodiment of a valve 9. With reference numeral 13, an adapter is referred to, which is inserted into the recess 7 of any Urinais 1. By suitable unspecified sealant, the adapter 13 is tight in the drain pipe 11. Also, it is sealingly against the recess 7, so that no urine side of the

Einlauftrichters 15 can get down. in the

tubular interior of the adapter 13, a valve 17 is screwed or kept plugged by a bayonet-type closure. In the valve 1, an odor barrier 19 is used, as described for example in WO

2004/059198 is described. Of course, a differently shaped odor barrier, for example, such as those described in WO 1999/57382, could be used. Alternatively, the odor barrier can also be carried out by a barrier liquid such as i of the embodiment described in CH 69091 7.

Above the valve 1 7, a cap 21 is arranged, which comprises an example mushroom-like hood 23, are formed on the feet 25, with which the cap 21st

spaced above the valve 1 7 can be attached. Since all parts are made of plastic, the connection between the cap 21 and valve 1 7 can be done by a snap mechanism unspecified.

Below the hood 23, an annular aperture 24 is visible, with which the open bottom 26 of the hood 23 is partially covered.

Over the cap 21, a key 27 is shown, with which the valve 1 7 in the adapter 1 3 and for replacement can be removed removed (Figures 2 and 3). The key 27 is not part of the device.

In the sectional view according to Figure 4 are all

Elements shown assembled and are connected to each other with the key 27 on the adapter 1 3. In this figure, for the sake of clarity, the space under the hood 23 is shown empty. The hood 23 or the cap 21 protects the inlet region 29 of the

Valve 1 7 from blockage by, for example, hair, Cigarette butts, scraps of paper, etc. In the enlarged schematic representation of the cap 21 in Figure 5 it can be seen that according to the invention, the area enclosed by the hood 23 space 31 with an indicator element 33 is completely or partially filled. The indicator element 33, which has initially been introduced into the cap 21 in pasty, liquid or other form, comprises not only a shaping matrix but also enzymes and / or surfactants and / or bacteria and / or cleaning agents and / or dyes, etc. These substances are incorporated each use of the Urinais 1 of wegspritzenden urine droplets 37 wetted. The wetting takes place on the one hand from below by urine droplets 37, which originate from the Unrinstrahl which impinges outside the cap 21 on the floor 22 of the urinary 1 and on the other hand by urine, which by a in the cap 21st

formed central opening 35, if any, is incident on the floor 22 and partially reflected. The indicator element 33 is

chemically / physically adjusted so that after a predeterminable number of uses of the urinals, i. from droplet wetting either full

degraded and / or that its color at least in the contact area with the hood 23, which consists of a

transparent material has been produced.

This color change, be it by degradation and elimination of the indicator material or by color change, is then visible from the outside without further aids. A Maintenance team, which visits these periodically for cleaning and maintenance of the urinals 1, can also easily recognize from a larger number of urinals 1 arranged side by side, as they are, for example, in railway stations, restaurants, airports, which of the valves 17 and / or indicator elements 33 replaced or where sealing liquid must be refilled. The life of the indicator element 33 is

matched to a safe service life of the valve 17 or the barrier fluid and ensures that

The latter does not become defective during this period and thus odors can escape into the sanitary room.

To even with little or rarely used urinals the

Maintenance interval not to be too small, a diaphragm 24 is used, the approximately over the entire cross section, the access of urine droplets for

Indicator element 33 allows (see Figure 6d). If, on the other hand, the valve 9 is located in a heavily frequented building, for example a railway station, airport or stadium, the orifice 24 has very small openings 26 (FIG. 6c) and thereby prevents too high a rapid use in the shortest time periods Dismantling of the indicator element. This can be achieved that the intervals for maintenance not only by the

Usage number and frequency, but also depends on the duration of time. It can thus be ensured that a valve is not due to infrequent use is not replaced too long, or a very frequently used valve is replaced, if its elements are still intact.

Depending on the chemical / biological composition of the

Indicator element 33 can this in addition to the

Detergents that keep the valve 17 clean from silting also contain enzymes and bacteria that allow biodegradation of urine sludge in the lines and prevent the build-up of urine stone, both in the valve 17 and in the subsequent drains 11. Of course, the

Indicator element 33 also be added to a perfume. This is then submitted user-dependent. One

However, the main component is definitely a substance that changes color during use, whose duration of use is determined by its consumption (dissolution with the urine).

Alternatively, the indicator element 33 may also consist of a boundary layer 32 of an indicator placed in the top of the hood and a mass which can be degraded underneath. The coloring layer 32 thus comes into contact with the urine spatter or droplets only when the underlying degradable indicator element 33 is actually degraded. The active material itself does not have to undergo a color change.

Claims

claims

1. Device for determining the time for the

Replacement of wearing parts on a sanitary appliance depending on the frequency of use,

characterized in that

the indicator element (33) under a watertight, mushroom-like bottom at least partially open cap (21) and at a vertical distance above the

Drain opening in the sanitary appliance (1) is arranged, wherein the cap (21) below by a to the

respective location of the sanitary apparatus (1)

customizable aperture (24) is partially closed.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the mushroom-shaped cap (21) encloses the indicator element (33) above and laterally and protects there against the direct access of liquid.

3. Device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the mushroom-shaped cap (21) comprises a plurality of feet (25) which hold the underside thereof at a predetermined distance to the drain opening.

4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the bottom open area of Cap (21) of the aperture (24) with a plurality of openings (26) is partially covered.

5. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that the diaphragm (24) adapted to the place of use number, shape and size of the opening cross sections (26), which the access of liquid

establish .

6. Device according to one of claims 3 or 5, characterized in that the aperture (24) on the spot on the cap (21) is formed latched.

7. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the cap (21) at least

partly made of a transparent plastic

is made.

8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the mushroom-shaped cap (21) and the indicator element (33) in the center or decentralized a vertically extending passage opening (35).

9. Device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the indicator element (33)

biodegradable detergents and dyes such as bacteria and / or enzymes for user-dependent, contains self-active cleaning performance.

10. Device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the indicator element (33) is arranged as a thin layer (32) directly in the sky of the hood (23) and only after the degradation of the

odor-degrading substances is activated.